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Haven’t Presented a Plan

Despite three defeats, the budgets that eventually passed in Clinton result in a 10 percent tax increase. That’s double Westbrook’s increase, triple Madison’s increase, and five times the increase in Old Saybrook.

Clinton elected officials continue advocating tax increases, yet haven’t presented any plan to improve the situation. They don’t know how. They’re clueless. Yet, individuals continue to get re-elected.

The Willie Fritz administration gave away valuable town property worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to the town’s tax attorney in the name of economic development, overspent on unnecessary projects, and wasted valuable state grants on idiotic things like the contaminated dump skating rink. Where exactly did that $200,000 grant go? We could sure use all that wasted money now.

The current Bruce Farmer administration seems committed to one thing: the personal financial enrichment of Clinton Republican Town Committee members. Anyone following the Planning & Zoning Commission can attest to the partisan nature of recent decisions.

The first floating zone in Clinton just happened to be placed on land Republican Selectman John Giannotti owned with Republican Zoning Board of Appeals Chairman Mark Richards at 8 Liberty Place. They then sold that rezoned land for almost four times the purchase price. It will now be the site of affordable housing. How exactly does that benefit Clinton, its attractiveness, or its reputation? It doesn’t. It only benefits Giannotti and Richards.

Giannotti’s attempt to inappropriately rezone his property on Route 1 to jam in a CVS could’ve been approved, were it not for the public outcry. We must continue to be vigilant.

It’s said people tend to get the government they deserve, but Clinton deserves much, much better.

Vincent Cimino

Clinton