To the Editor:
Fellow residents of Trumbull who live in the 134th House District: I’m writing to recommend Fred Garrity as your best choice for state representative.
Fred and I have served together on the Planning and Zoning Commission since 2009, and among Fred’s many other positive attributes, he has consistently, from day one, advocated for carefully planned, controlled economic development.
Why is this important? Because our town needs a strong business sector.
Three of the most important reasons:
- A vibrant business presence expands the tax base, easing the burden for our residential homeowners.
- Local businesses provide jobs, giving our residents—young and older—employment opportunities right here in town. And this has the secondary value of easing regional traffic congestion.
- Businesses bring amenities like restaurants, shops and other critical services. They help enhance our sense of place in what already is a very special town.
Fred Garrity understands these things, even as he guides the Planning and Zoning Commission in maintaining our zoning standards and strengthening our zoning regulations.
As chairman of the commission for the last 10 months, he’s repeatedly acted in the best interests of the town in both economic development — helping add millions to the tax base — and in limiting development that would detract from the town. This approach dovetails perfectly with his agenda for state government, which emphasizes fiscal responsibility and statewide economic growth.
Beyond strengthening the tax base, Fred is a deeply community-oriented person, dedicating extraordinary time and energy to charitable causes for all the years I’ve known him. From the famous CT United Ride to a dozen other worthy areas of advocacy, Fred lives out the concept that when you support those most in need, you also lift up the whole community.
And perhaps most important, Fred is a natural leader. As a leader, his relationships cross many subsets of our communities—from emergency services and law enforcement to social activism, and from land-use to political activism.
In all of these areas, Fred leads in the best sense of the definition of leadership: By building consensus, guiding the conversation when needed, and other times changing gears when better ideas reveal themselves. Fred’s a can-do person who’s focused not on getting credit, but on getting results.
He’s the best of who we are, and will be an invaluable asset to our town and to the state of Connecticut as our representative in the 134th District.
Tony Silber (D), vice chairman
Planning and Zoning Commission