There’s a local election coming up in Middletown this Tuesday. I’m a Wesleyan student running as a Democratic candidate for a local office, the Planning and Zoning Commission, the city body with the greatest control over what Middletown looks like. Whenever developers want to build just about anything, they have to come to the Planning and Zoning Commission to seek approval. In my case, I will take into special consideration the impact of development on the environment and on working families, not just looking at the short-term bottom line.
Four reasons to vote:
I. Protect the Connecticut River. Currently, Middletown’s antiquated sewers mix rain water and sewage together. During heavy rains, the sewer system overflows, releasing raw sewage right into the Connecticut River. Middletown Democrats fought to put a bonding issue on the ballot to raise the money necessary to fix the sewers and protect the river.
II. Protect the Environment. Believe it or not, there are still working farms in Middletown. Middletown Democrats fought to place an open-space bonding issue on the ballot to raise money to protect undeveloped land from WalMarts, suburban sprawl and runaway development. Once you lose open space, you never get it back.
III. It’s good for Wesleyan. For what may be the first time ever, four members of the Wesleyan community are running for office. In addition to myself, City Councilman Grady Faulkner, P’11, is running for election and Renee Johnson-Thornton (Associate Coordinator of the Mellon-Mays Fellowship) and Bill Boyd (husband of Professor Joyce Jacobsen) are running for the Board of Education. The three of them are outstanding candidates with long, progressive records of service to the community. Democrats in city government have fought for years to revitalize the downtown, bringing in businesses and working to make sure that Wesleyan students live in a culturally vibrant, safe and diverse city.
IV. Ensure a progressive majority. Middletown’s Democratic candidates reflect the broad diversity of Middletown. We have union members and PhDs on the ballot; we have candidates of all ages; we bring ethnic, socioeconomic and gender diversity to the table. We also have the seriousness to tackle serious issues—closing the achievement gap in the schools, empowering North End residents, and protecting the environment.
Remember that if you vote, you help ensure that the city government will care about Wesleyan and Wesleyan students and will continue to be responsive to Wesleyan issues. If you do not vote, we may lose that voice.
How to vote:
The polling place for Wesleyan is the Senior Center, the tall red brick building at 150 William Street, right across the street from Broad Street Books / Red and Black Cafe. Polls are open until 8 p.m. Remember to bring a photo ID!
Of course, if you can’t be bothered to walk a whole block off campus, the Center for Community Partnerships (167 High Street) is offering free rides to the polls at 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Please contact Migdalia Pinkney at mpinkney@wesleyan.edu or (860)685-2881 with any questions. If you need a ride at any other time, call the Middletown Democrats at (860)685-0098.
Lastly, if you registered to vote this year, last year or any other time, you should still be on the rolls! If you want to know for sure, contact me at mllesser@wesleyan.edu!
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