LETTER: Why I Support John Larson in the Democratic Primary

PHILIP THIBODEAU PHOTO

Dear Editor,

On August 11, registered Democrats in Connecticut's 1st Congressional District will have the important responsibility of choosing our party's nominee for Congress. As Secretary of the Southington Democratic Town Committee, I've had the opportunity to work with elected officials at every level of government. That experience has reinforced my belief that elections should be decided not by campaign rhetoric, but by a proven record of results. I believe Congressman John Larson’s record deserves serious consideration by Democratic voters in the upcoming primary. I’m supporting John Larson for three reasons: his proven record of delivering for Southington, his ability to protect Connecticut’s voice in Congress, and the clear contrast between his record and his opponent’s campaign.

John Larson has a proven record. Recently here in Southington, Congressman Larson has delivered more than $34 million in federal investments to strengthen our community. That includes over $17 million through the American Rescue Plan for local priorities like road improvements, public safety, and new ladder trucks for our firefighters, as well as a $1.2 million SAFER grant that fully staffed a third fire station in Milldale.

Larson has also stood up for small businesses. During the pandemic, he helped secure $9.7 million in Restaurant Revitalization Funds for 25 local restaurants and venues, including $5 million for the Aqua Turf helping protect jobs and keep local businesses open. Democratic voters will soon decide whether to continue that representation by someone who can serve as a strong check and balance on the Trump administration during this critical moment.

If Congressman Larson returns to Congress, Connecticut would retain significant seniority in the House should Democrats regain the majority. Rosa DeLauro will chair the Appropriations Committee, John Larson will chair the Social Security Subcommittee while serving as a senior leader on the Ways and Means Committee, Jim Himes will lead the Intelligence Committee, and Joe Courtney will remain a leading voice on the Armed Services Committee. That level of seniority gives Connecticut and especially the 1st Congressional District an extraordinary seat at the table. Electing a new, inexperienced member would mean surrendering critical leadership on Social Security and the Ways and Means Committee at a time when our country can least afford it.

Lastly, I support John Larson because his record has remained consistent. His opponent, Luke Bronin, once publicly stated that Congressman Larson was “the best member of Congress this district could ask for.” He is now challenging Congressman Larson in the Democratic primary. When it comes to policy, the contrast between the two candidates is clear. During an appearance on WTIC’s Reese on the Radio, Bronin said that earning $250,000 a year is not considered “rich.” In Southington, $250,000 is nearly five times the median individual income.

Larson’s perspective comes from experience. He grew up in public housing, worked as a public school teacher, and has spent decades fighting for working families, seniors, and those too often overlooked. He has never forgotten where he came from. I believe his campaign reflects those values rather than the priorities of billionaire donors – and he certainly hasn’t forgotten that for most families, $250,000 is not pocket change.

In closing, as a 20-year-old voter, I am completely confident that John Larson is the right person to continue representing our district and my generation. On a personal note, I have had the privilege of getting to know Congressman Larson over the years. I’ve seen him up close, I’ve seen his sharp wit, determination, passion, and relentless commitment to serving others, usually with a Starbucks cup in one hand and a to-do list in the other. Beyond all of that, I have seen someone who understands how to get the job done and does it with purpose.

When my mother unexpectedly needed open-heart surgery, Congressman Larson went above and beyond. He sent a thoughtful card and an edible arrangement to my home, but what meant the most was the personal call I received from him while I was sitting in the hospital waiting room. He simply ended the call with, “Keep the faith.” Those words have stayed with me because they represent the kind of leader John Larson is, not just someone who fights for people in Washington, but someone who shows up for people when they need it most. That is why I am proud to say I have my full faith and confidence in John Larson.

Sincerely,

Jordan Mancuso-Cermola

Note: the opinions expressed in this letter do not necessarily reflect those of the Southington Outsider.

Senior Housing Development Coming to Buckland Street

Development plan for 310 Buckland. PRESENTATION SLIDE PREPARED FOR LOVLEY DEVELOPMENT BY KRATZERT, JONES & ASSOCIATES

Despite concerns from some Southington residents, Lovley Development Inc. received the go-ahead from the Planning and Zoning Commission to begin the process toward developing at 310 Buckland Street.

Concerns related to the development were heard at Tuesday night’s Commission meeting. Several members of the public spoke in opposition to the zoning change, which would shift the property from a R-20/25 residential zone to an ARCHZ age-restricted housing zone.

“I see animals all day long, from bears to coyotes to groundhogs to deer. There's animals that live in those woods, and they should not be disturbed,” said Melinda Santana, who lives on nearby Mulberry Street.

Santana’s property would border the proposed development, which she said would increase the amount of traffic near her home and decrease the privacy in her backyard.

“We have a nice yard. It's quiet. It's bad enough that we have to deal with the street. We have to deal with all these people driving up and down the road with their loud cars and all their problems,” said Santana. “We go to our backyards and have the peace. We're not going to have that peace, and it's also not easy because we don't have sidewalks at Buckland.”

Other residents living near the proposed senior living development also spoke of concerns related to the overdevelopment of the town.

“We have so many houses now. It’s not like a town anymore,” said Catherine Shields, who lives on Old Turnpike Road.

Southington resident Catherine Shields voices her concerns to the Commission.

The 55-and-older community slated for development will include four ranch-style duplexes, as well as a single-family home, with single-car driveways and two visitor parking spots.

The Commission voted six to one to approve the development. Member Caleb Cowles said that what is developed on the property is ultimately the right of the owner, and the Commission can only work with the zoning status of the property.

“The property owner has the constitutional right to develop that property. All we can do is listen to the public, hear what their concerns are and try to craft our decision based on what we can best do to have a less intrusive development,” said Cowles.

The sole ‘no’ vote came from Commission member Justin McGuire, who said that while he is generally in favor of similar developments and the alternate residential plans for the property may raise more concerns, the public concerns must be taken into account.

“I think it's very important to take into consideration comments from people who live next to the property that is going to be developed. I would say that there's a very real possibility that what would go in there without the zone change is less desirable. But it is also very important to take into consideration the comments and feelings of those around the property,” said McGuire.

Aside from the property development at Buckland Drive, the Commission also voted to approve adopting the 2026 Plan of Conservation and Development and Supplemental Open Space Plan.

A zoning change at 207 Lazy Lane, a subdivision application at 152 Williamsburg Drive and a petition to change a zoning district boundary from business to residential at 215 Flanders Street were all also approved.

Southington residents gather at the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting on July 21.

Council Discusses $833k Shortfall Concern, Elects Board of Finance Replacement

Robert Britton is sworn in as the town’s newest member of the Board of Finance on July 13. AVERY MARTIN PHOTO

Southington’s town council began its meeting Monday night by voting unanimously to elect Robert Britton to fill the Board of Finance position left empty by the death of Edward Pocock Jr.

Britton, a Republican, gave his letter of resignation from the Planning and Zoning Committee to the council upon his appointment to the board.

“[Britton] is highly qualified for this position. Something I personally feel is extremely important for every candidate serving on our Board of Finance,” said Vice Chairwoman Jennifer Clock.

Britton is currently employed as Senior Vice President of M & T Bank. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in General Studies from UConn and his MBA in Finance and International Business from the University of Hartford.

Britton will serve on the Board of Finance until November 2027.

“I'm excited to be part of it. I think it aligns with my current job and employment. I think I can add some value to the board of finance for the town of Southington,” said Britton.

He said filling Pocock’s position will be a challenge, but a welcome one. Pocock, a longtime member of the Board of Finance, died on July 1 at the age of 87.

“Big shoes to fill. I met Ed; he was like a grandfather to a lot of people, so hopefully I can do half the job he did,” said Britton.

Before returning to public business, the council held an 87-minute-long executive session to discuss pending litigation. Also present in the closed-door meeting were several Board of Finance members and lawyers for the town.

Questions over Possible $833k Budget Shortfall Aired

During its regular session, a $833,000 payment the state gave the town at the end of its last budget session, one intended for Board of Education use, became a point of contention among council members.

The state waived a requirement that the extra funds should directly increase spending in the school budget. So, in order to convert it into relief for taxpayers, the council previously cut the Board of Education budget by that sum.

The problem seems to be that the Board of Finance calculated the mill rate by treating the state payment as revenue that did not need to be transferred to the Board of Education budget - thus, in effect, double-counting it.

“The $833,000 that was added back in, related to educational funding, I'm concerned about," said council member Christopher Palmieri, the leader of the Democrats on the council. "I know the Board of Finance is talking about this, that it's not accounted for in the mill rate. So I'm trying to understand how that happened, and how we are going to make up that $833,000 if it was not factored in when we calculated the mill rate for our residents.”

Town manager Alex Ricciardone listed several options for dealing with the potential $833,000 budget hole. The Board of Finance, he said, had decided against increasing the mill rate, or pulling from the rainy day fund. Ricciardone recommended dipping into the town’s budget surplus to cover costs.

“[We have] a $2.455 million budget surplus from the budget that ended July 1 of 2025. So my suggestion would be, if the Board of Finance and Town Council want to give the $833,000 to the Board of Ed, to harvest that money through a one-time appropriation. That's my recommendation,” said Ricciardone.

Chairman Paul Chaplinsky, head of the council Republicans, said the council did not make a mistake with its budget votes. “There’s no error on our side, and there’s no shortfall really. The vote that we made is the vote that we made... The way that it was discussed and structured here is the way it was passed at the Board of Finance."

Chaplinsky emphasized that the budget issue was now Finance's responsibility.

“That’s not a town council job,” said Chaplinsky. “That’s a Board of Finance job. When the budget leaves here, the Board of Finance decides, based on our actions, how do they want to set the mill rate. They can set the mill rate as they wish. They can set the mill rate equal to, lower or higher.”

Council Addresses Library Plaque Payments

Later in the session, Council members from both parties united to express disapproval of Councilor Jim Morelli’s handling of payments for a $3,063 plaque at the library that he purchased without prior authorization. Council members alleged that Morelli asked that the payments be split into separate amounts so that they would fall below the town’s $1,000 limit for no-bid purchases.

On Wednesday, the Southington Republican Town Committee condemned the actions of their fellow Republican in a Facebook post that also urged Morelli to resign from the Committee as he had said he would do this past March.

The council meets again on Tuesday, August 10.