Reprinted from The Trumbull Times © Copyright 2009
May 7, 2009

To the Editor:

Trumbull's Democrats are really getting desperate this year. They complain about negative attacks at the same time they launch their own.

Last week, Trumbull Democrats turned to "old reliable,: Carole Lalor. Lalor is a loyal member of the Trumbull Democratic Town Committee. She is someone that Nancy DiNardo turns to on a regular basis to distort the truth and personally attack people. Yes, Carole Lalor is one of "Nancy's Angels."

She claims Trumbull's Republican Party has offered no solutions, but instead negative attacks. Perhaps Lalor hasn't been following the newspapers, watching Channel 17, or reading the Town's hottest blog, trumbullchat.com.

This year, Republicans have been calling for a throughout and measured review of our Town's $130 million budget. Democrats on the Town Council passed a $130 million budget in 48 minutes.

recognizing the economic crisis we are facing, Republicans on the Town Council proposed a series of specific resolutions that would have eliminated a $5 million stand-alone swimming pool, would have reduced the size of a 1,100-seat auditorium and would have required open shop bidding in the Trumbull High renovation.

What did Democrats on the Town Council do? Like they have with each initiative proposed by the Baldwin Administration, they responded quickly with their rubber stamps. For eight long years, Republicans on the Town Council, Board of Finance and even the Pension Board, have been warning that our under-funded pension obligation will become a fiscal crisis for the town. For the last eight years, despite actuarial recommendations to the contrary, the Baldwin Administration has not been properly funding our own pension obligations.

Only after a front page story in the Connecticut Post showing our pension funding at a dismal 28%, did Ray Baldwin finally acknowledge that we needed a "plan" for the pension problem.

Lalor talks with concern about the taxpayers and being honest with them. While she attacks Republicans and personally attacks Suzanne Burr Monaco, her silence is deafening when it comes to members of her political party. Indeed she speaks with a forked tongue.

Lalor says nothing about the recent $9,200 payout in comp time to Town Recreation Director and Democratic Town Committee Treasurer Mary Markham, a payout that clearly violated Markham's contract.

Why doesn't Lalor comment about the recent internal audit report? This report alleges serious improprieties and conflicts of interest as it relates to companies using our town facilities to store their equipment without paying the Town of Trumbull a fee. These companies have relatives who work in and lead the Trumbull Public Works Department.

Ray Baldwin has had this internal audit report since early 2009. Why did it take the persistence of Republicans on the Board of Finance to get this audit report on the Board of Finance agenda? Why has Ray Baldwin been silent about this report? Is this being honest with the taxpayers?

Yes, Trumbull voters do deserve better.

Alexandra Remson
Trumbull