Matt Despard

It’s Election Day in Enfield - please, get out and vote.

But let’s be honest about something: today, most voters only have a real say in one race; their district council seat. That’s 4 out of 11 seats. The rest are at-large positions decided by party slates, where the outcome is practically predetermined.

That’s not meaningful choice. That’s an illusion of democracy and it’s one of the biggest reasons so many people have checked out of local politics.

We can do better. We should do better.

You won’t find Enfield anywhere near this list; and that’s heartbreaking. When my family moved here while I was in elementary school, it was because of the schools. But 20+ years of chronic underfunding have taken a real toll. Not only are we missing from the list of top schools; we’re now appearing on lists of the lowest-performing in the state. That’s not partisan spin; it’s just fact. Republicans have held the majority for 18 of the last 20 years, and the results speak for themselves. Enfield deserves a new direction.

These Are The Top 100 Elementary Schools In Connecticut, U.S. News Says In New Ranking The report includes about 47,000 public elementary schools ranked at the state and district levels.

I don’t care what party you’re in; if the government shuts down, no elected official should get paid.

Families could lose SNAP benefits. Federal employees already miss paychecks. Small businesses could take another hit. Meanwhile, politicians still collect theirs.

That’s not public service. That’s privilege.

If you can’t do your job, you shouldn’t get paid.
No pay during shutdowns.