The following letter to the editor was submitted as sponsored (paid for) content, paid for by the Wilton Republican Town Committee, Carol Lenihan Treasurer.

To the Editor:

Wilton has been incredibly fortunate over the last decade to have had a local voice in Hartford through State Rep. Gail Lavielle. The bad news is that Gail is not seeking re-election for the 143rd House District. The good news is that Gail is working closely with Patrizia Zucaro who is making a run for the 143rd, encompassing Wilton, Westport and Norwalk. The stakes couldn’t be higher and turning over the seat would be a disaster for all three towns.

Patrizia is a young, vibrant Westport native whose competitive advantages are her ties to Connecticut, more than 10 years of local real estate experience and almost as many as a licensed attorney in the state. She clearly understands the ramifications of the pitfalls of poor legislation, and the long-term negative effects on our livelihoods, schools, and property values. Essentially, she knows the statutes and how the legislature works. She has witnessed the state falter from the profound economic issues it faces, and she is determined to remedy the situation. Most importantly, she understands our local issues are unique and best addressed in a bipartisan manner. Patrizia’s thinking and positions are clearly articulated. They are based upon facts and logic, rather than emotion and ambiguity. She will listen to and focus on local issues such as forced regionalization of our schools and Hartford’s push to extend its influence on our towns.

When it comes to protecting our local control of Planning and Zoning in Wilton, Patrizia knows Democrats are taking aim at Wilton’s local zoning and housing decisions. A bill proposed by Democratic Sen. Saud Anwar (LCO 3562) would eliminate single-family zoning in large swaths of towns statewide and allow city housing authorities to infringe on local town decisions within a 15-mile radius. That takes away Wilton residents’ local accountability for housing and zoning decisions and puts them in the hands of housing authorities in Bridgeport, Danbury, Norwalk, and Stamford. On top of that, the proposal creates statewide, one-size-fits-all decisions for locations within one-half mile of train or bus stations in Wilton, and one-quarter mile from commercial areas.

By advocating for our town and schools, lower taxes and smarter spending, our businesses and property values will benefit. She is running solely to serve her constituents. Most important, Patrizia is not endorsed by the Working Families Party, which is heavily funded by Connecticut’s public-sector unions, nor by the AFL-CIO or the SEIU-Service Employees International Union. If she were, that would be a direct conflict of interest. After all, it is the unions that have the stranglehold on the state, and the politicians backing these unions are responsible for everything that is wrong with Connecticut right now. Let’s turn things around and support Patrizia Zucaro on November 3rd. There are no viable alternatives, just take another look at the images above. It’s your town, and up to you to protect it.

Thank you and best regards,

Chris Lineberger
Chair
Wilton Republican Committee