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Peggy Reeves' speech announcing her candidacy
Mar 27, 2008
This is shaping up to be an election year unlike any other in the recent past. Voters throughout the state, and indeed throughout the country, are calling for change. Change in the way we conduct politics, change in the way we relate to one another.
For too long, our government has operated in a strictly partisan way. For too long we have sent representatives to Hartford representing just one viewpoint. For too long we have been viewed up in Hartford as that wealthy area of Fairfield County that doesn’t need aid from state government and doesn’t care about the rest of the state.
I stand before you today to announce my candidacy for State Representative for the 143rd District. I stand before you because I believe it is time for a change. I believe we need more leaders who are respected, honest, open and transparent.
I’m running because I care about Wilton, Norwalk and southwestern Connecticut. This has been my home for the last thirty years. My husband Bob has lived in this area for over 50 years; he was raised in the West Rocks section of Norwalk and graduated from Norwalk High School. My daughter attended Wilton schools, stayed in Connecticut to attend college, but then like so many of her generation left Connecticut to live and work elsewhere. I will fight to keep the young talent that we have in this state. We need to attract and retain recent college graduates with promising jobs and affordable housing.
As an elected town official for the last fourteen years, as Registrar of Voters, I have hired and trained over 1,000 local election officials, without regard to party politics. I have been an advocate of election reform – making sure that every vote counts and making sure that the voting systems are accurate and secure.
As a member of the League of Women Voters for nearly twenty years, I’ve studied local issues and proposed solutions in a strictly nonpartisan way.
As a trustee of the Wilton Library Association for eight years, I worked to provide adequate public and private support for this cultural and intellectual center of our community.
As a PTA President at Driscoll School, I worked closely with the parents, the teachers and the administration to ensure an enriched, quality education for all children.
I care deeply about supporting the people who have given so much to the community, those people who have worked hard to raise a family and now are in danger of losing their homes or their businesses because of the downturn in the economy and the high cost of living in Fairfield County.
I care about highways that are clogged with too many cars because we don’t have adequate public transportation.
I care about good government. We should be doing more to ensure that our air and water are cleaner, that we have public programs to help those in need, and safeguards in place for our children and the elderly.
In the end, this campaign is not about me, it is about you. I’m a Democrat, but it doesn’t matter whether you are a Democrat or a Republican or an Independent, because we should all be willing to listen to each other, to cross party lines to work together. Whether the issue is transportation, education, the cost of housing, affordable healthcare, or quality of life, Wilton and Norwalk have changing needs that haven’t been addressed. And as our towns change, it is essential that we have a state representative who listens to her constituents and represents their needs in Hartford. Someone who is not afraid of new ideas, someone who is willing to listen and open up the dialogue for debate. When I speak in Hartford I want to speak for everyone, not just for the members of my party. And so I will spend the next seven months walking from Georgetown to Long Island Sound, meeting and greeting the voters in this district.
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers