Republican Cecilia Buck-Taylor has lived in New Milford for more than two decades and has served on various boards including the Economic Development Commission. She is currently serving as Vice Chair of the New Milford Town Council. She is a practicing attorney.
She says there are 2 issues most concerning in New Milford--the Bridge. With the added traffic congestion is a problem. Flooding along the Housatonic is also a problem that she says the state can help with, which will increase regionalization. She says balancing environmental issues and conserving energy is a challenge in the District because New Milford is a hybrid community. She notes that there is a large portion of the town that is farmland, but also a large portion that is industrial and commercial.
Buck-Taylor says the Education Cost Sharing formula needs to be reworked to make it more equitable. She would also like to see the special education funds from the state reformed. She says that's because towns have to spend 4.5 times the amount on a special ed students than on other students in order to get state assistance.
She says the only way towns are able to support themselves is through the property tax because the percentage municipalities are receiving has gone down in certain pilot programs. She says there are also a lot of unfunded mandates including roads, police and education.
Democrat Andrew Grossman serves on the New Milford Economic Development Commission. He is the owner of Augie Editorial Services and previously headed the New York Bureau of The Hollywood Reporter.
Grossman says he will work to protect seniors if elected. He notes that hundreds of elderly residents in New Milford would become ineligible for the state’s elderly tax relief program under legislation proposed locally. he says now is not the time to increase taxes on seniors because many are on fixed incomes.
Grossman says he wants to preserve and enhance the town’s quality of life while promoting policies that deliver economic growth and jobs. He says he wants to help bring effective and efficient government to Hartford without partisan politics.
He says he also wants to help promote affordable health care as part of a system that would deliver long-term savings for all taxpayers. Another area he would like to work on if elected is to expand educational opportunities for students and adults looking to change careers.
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