Campaign '09 offers exciting prospects

Exciting news in the world of Winsted politics was unveiled last week when former Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman George Closson officially threw his hat into the ring as a Democrat running for selectman. With any luck, he’ll be validated at the polls as one of the town’s more level-headed and intelligent public servants.

You wouldn’t know that if you listened to the opposing party, of course. The current Republican-led Board of Selectmen has done everything it can to tarnish Closson’s name, calling him “anti-development� and voting to remove him from the Planning and Zoning Commission. The decision to oust Closson last year was one of the board’s worst moves and it left a bad taste in many voters’ mouths. It will be refreshing to see Closson get his day in the court of public opinion at the polls in November.

The Closson decision was one of many that have angered voters during the current term, but the GOP majority stuck to its guns the entire time, claiming it had the support of the majority of the people. But if the selectmen are so confident about the popularity of their decisions, why are four of the five incumbent Republicans stepping down?

The only Republican running for another term is Mayor Kenneth Fracasso, who some say was not comfortable with the rash decisions made by the majority party this term. The willingness of his fellow party members David Cappabianca, Michael Hamm, Gene Berlinsky and Jeff Liskin to abandon him this campaign season doesn’t make the party look very strong. Meanwhile, opposing Democrats have expressed confidence in their two incumbents, Candy Perez and Michael Renzullo.

If the political pendulum sways toward the Democrats this year as a result of the mistreatment of George Closson, it will not be a bad thing for Winsted.

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