Letter to the Editor:The 107th District Needs Steve Harding - Vote Feb. 24

Brookfield, Bethel and Danbury have an opportunity to send a new face to Hartford this Tuesday. Steve Harding, a member of the Brookfield Board of Education (BOE), has brought a fresh perspective to that Board with a willingness to listen, advocate his positions, and compromise with his colleagues to get results. Keep in mind, before Steve’s arrival, this was a BOE that had an apparent culture of unauthorized spending for several years. Despite being in the minority, Mr. Harding has been an influence in changing that culture during his tenure.

Steve has reached out to constituents, in a very personable way, genuinely interested in giving them a voice. His experience in growing up, and still living in Brookfield makes him an ideal candidate to advocate in Hartford on behalf of all three communities he will represent. Steve is aware of the needs of young people looking for well-paying jobs which will allow them the opportunity to remain in our towns and city. At the same time, he is prepared to assist seniors, with new ideas to lower their tax burden (i.e., eliminate the state income tax on social security). His work on the BOE gives him an insight into the needs of our students, and he is making plans to push for much needed infrastructure improvements and transportation services.

His opponent, on the other hand, was a Brookfield Town official during the BOE overspending; despite his touted CFO experience, one guesses he had neither the interest nor competence to ask the right questions to change that situation during his time in office. While he says he’ll protect the most vulnerable of our families, he did nothing to assist seniors hit with a 20+% tax increase from one of his budgets. He has shown a thin skin at meetings and in correspondence (the NewsTimes has evidence of that), and his partisanship and self-centered personality seem to prevent him from civil dialogue, even a simple conversation with someone who may not agree with him.

Steve Harding presents a positive, forward-looking agenda that will be beneficial for all residents. Help him to become our next representative in Hartford by voting on this Tuesday, Feb. 24.

Rich Saluga
Brookfield