To the Editor:
I first moved to Middletown in 1983, long ago enough to feel I know and care about the community in which I've been living. It seemed an aberration when Republican Len Suzio won a seat in the State Senate, but it was a special election with low turnout.
Now we know more about the man, his politics and values as reflected in his voting record. He voted to cut funding for Meals On Wheels, puzzling in these difficult times; and funding for vocational schools, when unemployment among less-skilled school leavers is so high. He is known around the Capitol as the Tea Party senator.
In contrast, his Democratic opponent, Dante Bartolomeo, has demonstrated her commitment to education, to families struggling with special needs children, to the provision of healthcare for all, and much else, in her voluntary work and her committee assignments as Deputy Majority Leader on Meriden City Council.
Dante may not yet be as well-known here in Middletown as she is currently in Meriden. But she reflects the shared values of our community far more strongly than Mr. Suzio.
According to the Hartford Courant, he feels that his election is a sign that Tea Party candidates can win in Connecticut. No, not here in Middletown, this is not Tea Party country.
I.F. Guy, Middletown
