Wilton Democratic Town Committee

The Wilton Democratic Party is prepared to provide pro-active leadership to meet the challenges facing Wilton and create new opportunities in the key areas of Town Planning & Management, Traffic and Taxes & Budget, in addition to other important issues. This Platform is an issue based document to be embraced by all citizens of Wilton … Democrats, Republicans, and Unaffiliated alike, in an attempt to improve everyone’s “quality of life”. Looking to the future, we will strive for greater participation in Town Government through awareness of issues and communication of ideas. Democracy is predicated upon loyal opposition and thus the minority party has a duty to oversee the actions of the majority party in the public’s interest. The public deserves a vocal minority to create, develop and express ideas in a positive context with the interest of the citizenry foremost in its mind. A diligent effort will ensure the continuation of present and past successes, create opportunities for new successes, as well as, bring about positive change.

The Wilton Democratic Party embraces Wilton’s past successes and outlines the plan for Wilton’s future. This Democratic Platform calls for the following:

Town Planning & Management

• Establish a Charter Revision Commission immediately.
• Support vigorous investigation of facilities management and land use, and streamline capital project management for all town projects.
• Create an ongoing Four-Board Committee that would include representatives from Board of Selectmen, Board of Education, Board of Finance, and Planning and Zoning Commission to more effectively manage shared expenses related to procurement, contract negotiations (where applicable), health care costs, developmental issues and other municipal expenditures.
• Develop a new all-encompassing, comprehensive, bi-partisan Town Plan for purposes of establishing the direction of Wilton to set priorities to plan for short and long term, and create a means of accountability.
• Ensure the Town Plan addresses development, zoning, and historic preservation issues, including town facility planning and management (i.e. Plans for Town Hall, Police, Fire & EMS Facility, Comstock Facility, Dog Park, Town Center, other Town properties), as well as, the increase of the commercial base and multi residential development. The Town Plan should allow Wilton to be able to meet demands of the present and future.
• Ensure the Town Plan addresses diversity issues including the creation of affordable housing and other financial incentives that would enable town employees to live in Wilton.
• Promote better accountability for prioritization of projects that affect the public money where the needs of many outweigh the needs or desires of a few.
• Incorporate the goals of sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, environmentally-friendly materials selection, and indoor environmental quality in the planning, design, construction and improvement of town facilities.

Traffic

The Democratic platform calls for the establishment of a Transportation Commission to improve quality of life by alleviating traffic on Route 7 and parallel routes through the coordinated effort of local, regional, state and federal means as follows:

• Act as a liaison with local Police, Fire, EMS and Public Works to better communicate traffic plans via routine reports.
• Spearhead regional activity with the D.O.T., State of Connecticut and other municipalities.
• Monitor Traffic Management and enhanced technology to improve logistics, movement, lighting, turning lanes, and traffic flow on Route 7.
• Explore and advocate state and federal tax breaks for companies that meet criteria for employee use of mass transportation.
• Explore and advocate financial incentives for use of mass transportation.
• Coordinate with new development that would impact traffic such as “The Wire Mill Project” in Redding.
• Continue to provide routine reports to Wilton citizenry.

Taxes and Budget

• Explore additional revenue sources beyond increased citizenry taxation such as pursuit of federal and state funds for applicable resources, increase commercial tax base and reexamine fee structure for rental of town property.
• Seek to control budget increases through better long-term fiscal planning.
• Create long term and short term plans to understand ongoing bonding and potential tax reduction opportunities for citizens when bonds are paid.
• Support Tax Credits and Tax Deferrals for seniors based upon income need.
• Explore Tax Credits and Tax Deferrals for citizens based upon income need.
• Explore and promote new cell phone service & technology along Routes 7 & 33 in lieu of increased cell towers.
• Support locating necessary cell towers on town property as an alternative revenue source.
• Support the creation of an economic development plan aimed at Wilton’s current and prospective business base.
• Identify reasons businesses including retailers leave town and work with companies to make Wilton a business-friendly environment.

Education

Education is the foundation for the development of our future. We support efforts to give this segment of our town population the tools necessary to function as the future leaders in government, business and social reform.

• Continue ongoing program review in areas including, but not limited to, advanced placement opportunities, foreign language, gifted programs at earlier ages, special education, technology education, math, literacy, applied skills and science.
• Support continued open and age-appropriate dialogue with students, administration, elected/appointed officials and citizens in our schools on controversial issues that arise within the curriculum.
• Encourage a pro-active, leadership-based Board of Education that fosters the exploration and implementation of new ideas and opportunities.
• Promote cooperation and communication between Board of Education, Board of Selectman, Board of Finance and the Planning and Zoning Commission.
• Explore higher state and federal funding and financing for existing programs mandated by state and/or local government. Work to ensure that Wilton receives the maximum state and federal funding for mandated programs already in place. Oppose establishment/adoption of additional unfunded mandates.
• Seek to create cost-effective management of long-range school needs in facilities, contracts, health care, hiring and other similar issues without sacrificing quality.
• Evaluate budget appropriations to ensure inclusion of programs and services that address the needs of all students in the district.

Communication

• Continue to provide routine reports from the First Selectman to ensure accountability to all town boards, commissions and citizenry via newspaper and websites. Establish process to post meeting minutes and agendas for public review.
• Encourage more active participation on the state level by the First Selectman.
• Promote communication about Public Hearings to encourage greater participation.
• Promote, support and utilize Government, Educational and Public Access television, including enhanced quality of audio to be sure all public meetings that are aired can be heard.
• Continue to support measures to make Public, Educational and Government Access TV programming available to all Wilton residents, regardless of whichever company provides video services to their homes.
• Continue to support the dedicated 24-hour channel for CT-N (The Connecticut Network) on BASIC cable television service.
• Support modernization of public record keeping taking advantage of newer technology.
• Improve the current town website with enhanced navigation. Improvements will include ability to post town board, commission and committee meeting agendas and minutes.
• Promote communication and cooperation with other municipalities to seek new opportunities to help improve services and reduce costs.

Athletics and Arts

• Promote and support the youth of Wilton by enhancing existing and developing new programs.
• Create new programs and facilities for all citizens including the youth, seniors, couples and families.

Police, Fire and Emergency Services

• Promote development of site/building plans and funding requirements for construction of a new facility or facilities to house and accommodate the staff, equipment and other functional elements of the police, fire and emergency services departments in a more efficient and effective manner.
• Promote and support better utilization of police personnel to solve cases through detective work, create higher visibility and improve traffic flow.
• Support the town plan of preparedness in case of extreme town wide, region wide or nation wide emergency due to weather, disease or terrorism.
• Encourage and support continued cooperation and communication among police, fire and emergency services departments.

Environment

• Establish a town-wide energy committee immediately.
• Establish a greenbelt along the Norwalk River.
• Support the ongoing acquisition and preservation of existing open space for conservation, and for active and passive recreational uses particularly in areas where open space is limited.
• Support the acquisition of new land and the protection of existing land for the development of recreational and social center(s).
• Promote the use of green cleaning products in our municipal buildings, green pesticides, herbicides, etc. on our playing fields, parks and ponds, and the use of motion detector lighting, compact fluorescent light bulbs, and other means of achieving energy conservation at town facilities.
• Promote continued awareness of Tick and Mosquito-Borne Disorders and efforts to alleviate diseases.
• Support continuing efforts of the Deer Committee.
• Establish a program to encourage preservation of Wilton’s forests and trees.
• Develop a policy concerning cell tower construction and location to minimize the effects of cell towers on property values and aesthetics.

Town Government With Social Conscience

• Support efforts to create and maintain an atmosphere in which people can live as individuals, couples, families and/or retirees within a peaceful and open social climate.
• Heighten awareness of and support social services, youth services and senior services including, but not limited to, emergency fuel, food and shelter assistance, information and referral services, crisis information, and short term counseling.
• Promote ongoing education and dialogue for youth and adults in the areas of drug and alcohol use & prevention, suicide prevention, AIDS awareness, violence, domestic violence, sex and hate crime education.
• Monitor the newly-reformed process to deal with Ethics issues in town.
• Support affordable congregate and assisted living for Seniors.
• Support immediate establishment of a new Senior Center.
• Support youth recreational and social centers.
• Support & promote Voter Registration and participation.
• Support the practice of understanding individual differences in the areas of racial, ethnic, religious, socioeconomic and gender & sexual orientation.
• Promote & support Freedom of Speech for all.

This Platform is not about individuals, political parties or hidden agendas, but rather ideas, issues and ideals. These words have meaning. The challenge will be to carry them out to fruition. The Wilton Democratic Party believes that the Democratic Platform will open the door to the future. We welcome your support!

Approved by the Wilton Democratic Caucus, 7/24/2007