Letters to the Editor - October 30, 2025

Adding to last week’s ‘No Kings’ coverage

I’m writing to add to Ruth Epstein’s excellent account of the four spirited demonstrations that took place in the Northwest Corner on Saturday, Oct. 18.In her effort to cover the lively and often joyful demonstrations in Cornwall Bridge, Kent, North Canaan, and Salisbury, Ruth had to leave the crowded green in front of the White Hart Inn before “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” a rambunctious play, wonderfully adapted by Leslie Elias for the No Kings demonstration.

Who doesn’t remember the Hans Christian Anderson tale about the vain Emperor (played by Dick Terhune) who wants to be proclaimed “the handsomest, most important man in ALL the kingdoms of the Whole Wide world.”

Well, the Emperor can’t see the clothes that his tailors (Heidi Truax and Jane Wood) have put their great talent and effort into making just for him. But, since the tailors, along with everyone in his kingdom, are praising the clothes, the Emperor doesn’t want to seem stupid. Continuing the Big Lie as he struts around in his red long johns, the people chime in with their praise of the emperor’s new clothes!

Until — a child speaks the truth. Staged with the high spirits of a gorgeous fall day, the play even features a special song, written and sung by Joseph Sobol, with the obvious refrain, “the Emperor’s got no clothes!” Which the audience sang loudly, having received the play’s message!

Carol Ascher

Sharon

Importance of voting

First things first! Vote in November to follow up with the rallies and concerns for human rights, safety, the economy and keeping the U.S. Constitution and balance of powers in place!

Now for applause to 2,600 protests and millions joining in to represent peacefully what people want (and don’t want) with signs, talks, gatherings and some ‘extras’-- music, plays, drumming and independent before and follow up efforts such as on free forums like FB, clubhouse.com, online posts and other media.

Sharing signage rather than one’s identity may be the safest route to go (for so many things and using a team effort to network and stay the course in any effort or negotiation, personal, regional, national or worldwide.)

Thanks to all working along these lines with many from prior generations deserving much gratitude but also factoring in what may have been problematic with media and many leaders to right the wrongs while it can still make a difference now and in the future. The power in our collective voices and votes!

Catherine Palmer Paton

Falls Village

Autocrat in the White House

Trump’s Oval Office looks like a royal boudoir, his transformed Rose Garden like a suburban patio, and no one who has seen his Towers and Mahals would endorse him to direct any more building projects. But when it comes to the demolition of the East Wing and its replacement by a ballroom, the question is rather: Is this the process by which a significant historical building should be transformed?

No timely public input was sought into whether the project should go forward and what the end result should look like. A new event space may well be needed at the White House, but the East Wing—built and maintained by taxpayer money, and belonging for symbolic reasons to all Americans—should not be removed and replaced at the sole dictate of the president, without discussion in the public sphere. This is precisely the kind of behavior the recent No Kings marches objected to.

And Trump lied about it. The East Wing itself would not be touched, he said in announcing the project. Only when excavators were already poking holes in the building’s facade did it come out that plans had changed.

No one, not even the most fervent Trump loyalists, can think this is a good example for decision making going forward, a model for future administrations to follow.

Congress should pass a law preventing any building of national historical significance from being significantly altered with private money. It invites corruption, and it allows the process to evade the public scrutiny that would come with congressional approval.

Billionaires and oligarchs can’t be allowed to remake our public spaces in their own image just because they have the money.

Due process is cumbersome, but that’s the way democracy works. What Trump has shown, once again, is that he has no time for democracy.

Wiley Wood

Norfolk

Don’t ignore talent

It’s understandable in a time of political turmoil and controversy to be comfortable with the party you associate with and be wary of the other party. But that attitude can deny you the skills and talent of people available to serve you in town offices and commissions that may impact you directly.

In a year when the Town of Salisbury undergoes a property tax reevaluation who would you want on the Board of Assessment Appeals to judge your assessment dispute? Would you just choose a name from the party you associate with and hope for the best? Or would you take the time to consider the person with the experience, brains and talent to fairly judge the merits of your case? National politics have no place in judging your property tax assessment. Local expertise is what matters here.

Peter Becket is the best qualified candidate for the Board of Assessment Appeals not because of his political affiliation but because of his expertise. He has a BA from Yale and an MBA from Columbia. In his long business career he was a bank officer in New York City, a real estate salesman and a business appraiser. He still does business appraisals and operates a home renovation business in Salisbury. He not only has the specific background for this office, but he knows the job. He served on the Board of Assessment Appeals from 2011 to 2016.

Peter Becket has deep ties to Salisbury. He is a past president of Salisbury Youth Hockey and served on the Board of Education, the Fire House Building Committee and the Transfer Station Recycling Committee.

Take the time this year to consider who is the best person to judge your new property tax assessment in the Town of Salisbury. Thatperson is Peter Becket.

Bill Littauer

Lakeville

Supporting Kitty Kiefer

This letter is in support of Kitty Kiefer for a new term as second selectman.A lifelong resident, she has devoted countless hours to public service at many levels, and is also an accomplished lawyer and quite familiar with taxation matters. She is running as an unaffiliated candidate, and in this era of terrible inroads being made into our democracy, that is important. Connecticut state laws require each board of three selectmen to have one member not from the political party that holds the other two seats. In our area, Republicans put themselves forth as necessary counterbalance to Democrats – but now is not the time to trust any local Republican, no matter how qualified a candidate, with public office. Every vote for a local Republican is an affirmation of the national Republican Party’s undermining of our democracy and way of life.Vote for an unaffiliated local candidate of fierce integrity, Kitty Kiefer.

Tom Shachtman

Salisbury

Filter out national politics on November 4th

In a recent letter (Oct. 2), Joey Brennan of North Canaan concludes that “It is about the party, not just the candidate — especially in local politics.”This is an approach to local elections that would bring the overheated rhetoric of national politics to our wonderful small towns in the Northwest Corner.

This approach is in stark contrast to the approach taken by our neighbors in Sharon.

Ruth Epstein wrote favorably (Oct. 16) about a recent political event in Sharon, jointly sponsored by the two Town Committees, where all the local candidates appeared together and were introduced to the town’s voters. As Epstein states, “The residents of Sharon eschew the divisiveness and polarization of today’s politics.” She added that “the meeting room was filled in an atmosphere of camaraderie and good will.” One can only hope that Salisbury residents yearn for such unity.

My counterpart Al Ginouves (Oct. 16) points out that Democrats have served the town of Salisbury well.Mr. Ginouves is correct; there are numerous Democrats who have served the town well by their service in elected offices and on our town boards and commissions.But that scarcely means that only Democrats should be selected to participate in our town government.Does anyone really believe that Republicans should be shut out of participation in local government because our Democratic residents despise the current national administration — and probably most of the Republican administrations of the past twenty-five years?

We have two excellent Republican candidates this year.Don Mayland is running to regain his position as a member of the Board of Selectmen that he lost (by two votes) in 2023.

Don’s record of service to our town has been detailed in numerous letters to this paper and is unsurpassed. He proved to be a vital member of the Board of Selectmen during his three terms and worked closely and well with his two Democratic colleagues.

Peter Becket has a career and a business background — detailed in prior letters in this paper — that render him uniquely qualified to serve on the Board of Assessment Appeals. This Board’s sole function is to resolve challenges to property tax assessments; given his current business as a business and property appraiser, nobody could be better qualified for this work.

Instead of harping about national politics, I urge the Democratic and Unaffiliated voters of Salisbury to consider the merits of these two candidates on the Nov. 4 ballot. Salisbury would be well-served by having them participate in the town’s governance.

Tom Morrison

Chair, Salisbury Republican Town Committee

Salisbury

Why we should vote for Brian Ohler in North Canaan

As chair of the North Canaan RTC, I couldn’t be more proud of the slate of candidates on the ballot this year. Young, knowledgeable, excited members of our community willing to bring North Canaan to the next level. This all starts with a capable leader. Being second selectman for 8 years, I served 6 under Charlie Perotti and 2 under Brian. It has been an honor to serve my community with both of these leaders.

Brian took over at a time where tensions were already very high but always kept a level head and would only ever react with facts and a calm demeaner. He is a master at keeping us informed as a community on everything from incoming weather, road detours, community events and meetings. He worked tirelessly to finish the union contracts with the highway department making it beneficial to the town as well as the employees. He has worked to improve efficiencies and aesthetics at the transfer station making it more welcoming and also adding the swap shop.

The Bunny McGuire Park idea was brought to Brian by some members of the community and he was able to help bring that to be a great centerpiece of our community in honor of a person that has worked for many years in many capacities to help our community. This was done with private donations and grants using no taxpayer dollars.

As a veteran he has a great connection with our thriving VFW post and helped with the erecting of the Agent Orange and Purple Heart Memorials as well as the new flags around the Dough Boy Memorial.

There are many other accomplishments but his biggest asset is his love for his hometown community. He makes himself available always including the “Make it Happen Monday” where he is in his office at 5 a.m., has agencies that are needed for approval of permits like TAH there on Mondays as well to help our contractors and homeowners get the week started off right.

I wouldn’t be doing justice to this letter if I didn’t address some of the controversy that has headlined our town over the last couple of years. In regards to personnel issues, these were prevalent well before Brian was elected, in fact most of the investigations were based on actions well before. He was acting in the interest of the town, not individuals as a true leader should. It is true that over the last 5 years our general fund has increased but this is due to running a very efficient budget and puts us in a good position to buy some necessary equipment as well as potentially funding some of our non reoccurring accounts such as the ambulance and fire company.

Please take all of this into consideration when checking the boxes on your ballot in North Canaan.

Craig Whiting

2nd Selectman, Chair
of the Republican
Town Committee

East Canaan