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, Unaffiliated and Disenfranchised alike. 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

• Creation of an ongoing Tri-Board Committee that would include representatives from Board of Selectman, Board of Education and Board of Finance to more effectively manage shared expenses related to procurement, contract negotiations (where applicable), health care costs, developmental issues and other municipal expenditures.
• Establishment of a Committee to explore Charter Revision for the purpose of reevaluating the present charter and form of government, to envision the future of the town.
• One area to consider will be the hiring of a non political, professional Town Manager to manage the town.
• Explore additional revenue sources beyond increased citizenry taxation such as pursuit of federal and state funds for applicable resources, increase corporate tax base and reexamine fee structure for rental of town property.
• 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.
• Town Plan would address development issues, including town facility planning and management (ie. Plans for Comstock, Town Hall, Schenk’s Island, other Town properties) and increase of business base. The Town Plan would allow Wilton to be able to meet demands of the present and future.
• Town Plan would address diversity issues including the creation of affordable housing and other financial incentives that would enable town employees to live in Wilton. This includes our teachers, police, fire and other municipal employees.
• Pursue a policy for cell tower construction and location to minimize the effect of cell towers on property values and aesthetics, as an alternative to building towers in neighborhoods, and to maximize the town’s ability to collect revenues from sources other than the property tax of leasing town land for building cell towers deemed necessary under state law.

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.
• Explore Traffic Management and technology to improve logistics, movement, lighting, turning lanes, traffic flow, bottle necking at Route 7 and areas to the south of Wilton.
• Explore and create state and federal tax breaks for companies in municipalities to the south of Wilton that meet criteria for employee use of mass transportation.
• Explore and create employee financial incentives for use of mass transportation within companies in municipalities to the south of Wilton.
• Coordinate with new development that would impact traffic such as “The Wire Mill Project” in Redding.
• Provide routine reports and a point person to Wilton citizenry.
• Designated point person would oversee Department of Public Works and be responsive to local town road designations, road usage, driveways, resurfacing, stop signs, reflective line painting, etc.

Taxes and Budget

• Re-examine the current tax structure and examine ways to meet the needs of seniors, families and Wilton residents who are town employees.
• Reduce out-of-control, automatic, annual budget increases through better long term fiscal planning.
• Re-examine the budget process so the budget is more closely aligned with individual department needs.
• Bonding: 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.
• Promote Tax Credits and Tax Deferrals for citizens based upon income need.

Education

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

• Re-evaluate and conduct top to bottom program review for all students in areas including, but not limited to, advanced placement opportunities, foreign language, gifted programs, industrial technology, math and science.
• Encourage a pro-active, leadership-based Board of Education in areas of policy and management.
• Promote cooperation and communication between Board of Education, Board of Selectman and Board of Finance through previously noted creation of a Tri-Board Committee.
• Explore higher state and federal funding and financing for existing programs mandated by government decree.
• Encourage state and federal funded mandates. Ensure Wilton receives the funding owed to the town for programs already in place such as Special Education.
• Seek to create more efficient cost-management of long-range school needs in facilities, contracts, health care, hiring, and other similar issues.
• Reevaluate appropriations in the existing budgets in areas including Gifted and Industrial Arts.
• Reexamine funding to be sure Wilton is receiving the maximum state and federal funds for current special education programs.

Communication

• Establish routine reports from 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 activist activities on a state level by First Selectman.
• Promote communication of Public Hearings.
• Reevaluate current Town Meeting form of government.
• 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. Develop an on air program guide.
• Support the creation of CT-N (The Connecticut Network) a dedicated 24-hour channel on BASIC cable television for all users.
• Promote modernization of public record keeping, such as scanned documents and historical documentation.
• Improve current town web site with enhanced navigation. Improvements will include ability to post town board, commission and committee meeting agendas and minutes.
• We 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 programs and creating new programs and facilities with limited impact to town expenses and environment through proper, more effective fiscal management.

Police, Fire and Emergency Services

• Promote and support the addition of a School Resource Officer, in addition to, the Youth Officer.
• Promote & support better utilization of manpower to solve cases, create higher visibility and alleviate traffic.
• Encourage improved cooperation and communication among police, fire and emergency services departments.
• Develop long range plan and policy for capital improvements and spending including, but not limited to, facility and fire engines.
• Review the Fire Department budget to ensure proper funding.

Environment

• Support the ongoing acquisition and preservation of existing open space for conservation, passive and recreational uses particularly in areas where open space is limited.
• Support and protect the use of existing land and acquisition of new land for the development of youth recreational and social center(s) including fields and structures.
• Promote continued awareness of Tick-Borne Disorders and efforts to alleviate.
• Support ongoing efforts of the Deer Committee.

Town Government with Social Character

• Support efforts to create and maintain an atmosphere in which people can live as individuals, couples, families and/or retirees within a peaceful and prosperous social climate.
• Promote heightened awareness and support of social services, youth services and senior services including, but not limited to, emergency fuel, food & shelter assistance, information & referral services, crisis information, short term counseling, advocacy assistance for local, state & federal programs such as Social Security Disability & Medicaid available in the town for children through elderly due to physical, mental or financial needs.
• Support affordable assisted living for Disabled and Senior citizens.
• Support expansion of 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 ongoing education and dialogue for youth and adults in the areas of drug and alcohol use & prevention, suicide prevention, AIDS awareness, violence and sex education.

The Wilton Democratic Party believes that the Democratic Platform will open the door to the future. We welcome any and all support!

WDTC approved 7/5/2005