Alderman Salvio speaks his mind on the Trueworthy Issue

Date: 9/4/2014 To the Editor: The subject of imposing term limits on elected officials serving on municipal legislative bodies comes up from time to time especially in communities - New Britain is an example - where one political party dominates the voter registration lists. Some people feel that the most egregious fault with a situation such as this is that what often happens is that legislatures look the same always and are very often made up of do nothing individuals. People, not only seem to lose interest in their government but they feel helpless in changing things. Hopelessness becomes ingrained. Change becomes more and more difficult to achieve. Yet, there is no shortage of complaints; complaints about terrible schools, high taxes, corruption in government, malfeasance by some prominent members, etc. However, come election time the same people will be on the ballot and many if not most of them will be elected. In the past month in New Britain the Common Council President Pro Tempore, Michael Trueworthy has had to resign his position, yet he remains on the Council, a major travesty. Trueworthy is one of the longer serving Council members (about 11 yrs.). Also the alderwoman that has assumed the “ProTem” position is herself the subject of a complaint filed against her by a different Council member for violating the City Charter, certain sections of City Ordinances and the City’s Civil Service Merit Rules in the hiring of a relative (by marriage) for a lucrative position in City Hall. This particular case has not been adjudicated completely as of today. All this that I have mentioned here is symptomatic of what happens in cases where elected officials become entrenched in their respective offices. As one of my Common Council colleagues put it, “ these long serving elected officials begin to think of their positions as, entitlements “. Voters, you have the power to change things; when, where and how? By casting your ballot for change at the next Municipal election ! Lou Salvio, Alderman New Britain