How I Feel – Letter to the Editor

As published in the Record Journal Tuesday June 11, 2013

Editor: Patricia Kohl’s letter (R-J, 6-9) needs a little on-the-record correcting.

I have on many occasions lamented that all local turnout, whether municipal elections or referendum, is very low and that is unfortunate as you have the most impact voting locally. Would you rather be one voice in 25,000 registered voters (or actually one in 12,000, because that’s all that shows up), or would you rather be one voice in 150,000,000 for a presidential one?

Did I say, “The residents already said “no” to that lot.”? Yes, I did.

“6,888 voters went to the polls; of those, 4,120 voted to reject the project. Is that number a minority of the registered voters in Wallingford?” Yes it is, but they showed up and had their say; 4,120 people got their outcome and spoke for all of Wallingford because they were the majority of those that showed up. If the rest of Wallingford wanted their say, they should have showed up.

“So, can one conclude that Zandri believes that 4,120 people represent all of the residents of Wallingford?” How anyone can make that assumption when I have clearly stated in the past: “A minority of registered voters in town dictates the result for the majority”?

I do not want it both ways. I would always prefer to see Wallingford in the high 80th percentile turnout of voters like what we see in the presidential elections but, when the registered voters decide to stay home, the “minority of registered voters in town dictates the result for the majority.” When the voters speak, even if it is the majority of the minority that show up, their will should be done. No need to speculate or “conclude” any further -- this is how I feel.

It’s your town – get informed, get involved and vote.

JASON ZANDRI, WALLINGFORD

Mayor (Dickinson) in the way

As published in the letters to the editor section of the Record Journal Friday June 7, 2013

[NOTE – the cross posting of this writer’s letter is NOT their endorsement of me. I have posted this here because I am in full agreement with this writer – nothing more.]

Editor: Does the mayor of Wallingford serve the wants of his public or even that of his councilors?

We in Wallingford value life and our environment. Last Tuesday, seven of nine councilors agreed (Rascati abstained, Fishbein agreed with Mayor Dickinson) that a medication drop box would be a benefit to our community. The only thing in their way was our mayor.

As a physician assistant for over 30 years, I know firsthand of the problems that come from misuse of prescription drugs (narcotic and non-narcotic) and the measures medical providers take to combat prescription drug problems. Our community is attempting to take responsibility and combat prescription drugs making it into the wrong hands — but our hands are now tied.

Thirteen police chiefs in Connecticut are offering to discuss their drop box programs, and have provided answers to the mayor’s and Wallingford police chief ’s concerns, but the major just says no, expressing his personal opinions and spouting personal responsibility. How do we move forward into the current era when we have the questions and concerns that are raised and still hear no? I say the lives that could be saved could/would be members of his community, and that must matter.

GINA MORGENSTEIN, WALLINGFORD