Milford Board of Education Official Resigns

Update: Board of Education Majority Leader Laura Fucci has resigned from the school board. Fucci, who had served fifth-district residents, purchased a house in the fourth district and said she planned to resign once her move was finalized.

She changed her mind because Democratic officials said the issue was getting “ugly,” the Milford Mirror reports. Republicans first publicly raised the issue earlier this month, and called on Fucci to resign immediately.

Fucci said she had always planned to resign once she sold her house, but decided to resign now to eliminate any more issues.

Read the full Milford Mirror story here.

Original post:

Milford Republicans led by Party Chairman Paul Beckwith called on Democratic Board of Education Majority Leader Laura Fucci to resign immediately claiming she no longer lives in the district she was elected to serve.

Here is the entirety of Paul Beckwith’s press release, and right below it is a strongly worded response from Democratic Town Chairman Richard Smith, who blasts Beckwith saying his facts are all wrong.

First the Republican’s press statement.

Milford GOP calls on Board of Education Democratic Majority Leader to step down.

Milford Republican Town Chairman Paul Beckwith today called upon Democratic Board of Education Majority Leader Laura Fucci to step down immediately from the board due to a residence issue.

“City land records and property transfers confirm that Laura Fucci is no longer residing within the 5th district in which she was elected to represent,” Beckwith said. “The City Charter is clear: Elected officials must reside within the designated boundaries of the district they were elected to represent.”

“Mrs. Fucci is no longer residing in the 5th District and has not been since early December. She is now illegally serving on the Board of Education and must resign immediately,” Beckwith stated.

“It is wrong for her to be taking part in budget deliberations, casting votes, or participating in any other

Board of Education business decisions,” said Beckwith, adding “It is shameful that Milford Democrats are knowingly

violating our Charter and depriving the residents and taxpayers of the 5th District their rightful and legitimate voice on the Board of Education. “

“Taxation without representation may be in Richard Smith’s political playbook,” he concluded, “but America discredited that concept over 238 years ago.”

Democrats’ response from Richard Smith.

“Mr. Beckwith’s motivation is simply to hurl unfounded political attacks, something the people of Milford have empathetically rejected . If Mr. Beckwith was genuinely interested in Ms. Fucci’s living arrangement he would have called Ms. Fucci or me to inquire. Instead, he chose to issue a half-cocked, misinformed and “over the top” press release.

Had he truly been concerned he would have called Ms. Fucci or me and we would have told him that, yes, indeed, Ms. Fucci and her family are in the process of moving into a bigger house in the city’s 4th district to accommodate their growing family but they do, still, have their home in the 5th. We would have thanked him for his interest.

So, in the end Mr. Beckwith can sleep well tonight knowing that when the Fucci’s no longer have their home in the 5th district, he will be the first we notify and that Ms. Fucci has every intention of stepping down at such time. Until then I would suggest Mr. Beckwith stick to his incredible talent of Christmas displays and lay off the attacks.”

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