Suffield Democratic Platform
The purpose of this document is to outline a vision of how the Democratic party will help to improve Suffield. We hope that after reading this you might decide to join us in our efforts or even choose to run for office. Come join us as we work together for a better Suffield!
PRESERVING WHAT MAKES SUFFIELD SPECIAL
As one of the oldest towns in Connecticut, Suffield has much to offer! We enjoy beautiful green spaces, scenic farms, historical buildings, and a small-town feel. Collectively, we need to protect these things. The town should continue to preserve open spaces by purchasing development rights from landowners/farmers. Small businesses should be supported. Preserving Suffield does not mean that we cannot develop housing options that are, more affordable and accessible places to live. We strive to enable young people to stay here, move here, and allow our seniors more options as they need to downsize and recognize that both groups are essential parts of our community.
PROVIDING SERVICES
Because federal programs are on the chopping block, we need to step up for each other to maintain our way of life. We believe that the town should provide quality services for its residents in an efficient and comprehensive manner. Areas for improvements include improving and developing our parks, expanding recreation programs for children and adults alike, helping seniors cope with their changing needs. We applaud recent moves to provide small businesses in town with grants to improve their facilities, and we plan to expand this program to support local shops and restaurants.
EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE
A high-quality education is essential for success in our increasingly more complex world. We are proud of our wide-ranging curriculum that enables students to excel in areas as diverse as agriscience and music. However, Suffield is failing to comprehensively support our students, as evidenced by our below average expense and academic performance per pupil. We propose that funding for the schools be increased, focusing on supporting a student’s education from beginning to end.
To do this, we must support universal preschool, food security for all students, and ensure access to before and after school programs for all students. In addition, we need comprehensive solution to handle aging infrastructure at our middle school. By implementing these ideas, Suffield’s children will receive the education they both need and deserve.
A TRANSPARENT AND RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT
Suffield operates on the town meeting system. To work well, this requires that voters be informed and engaged. Currently, few people attend town meetings, leaving important decisions in the hands of a small group of people. We will work towards creating a government based on many voices. As a result, we believe our town government will be more fiscally responsible, respectful of civil rights, respectful of the rights of its workers and volunteers, transparent in its decision making, and responsive to the needs of all community members. To increase involvement, we propose that more effort be made to explain how decisions are reached in a clear and accessible fashion. Once informed, all Suffield residents can help shape a government that more clearly reflects our needs and values. An important step in this process would be gathering more feedback from citizens and responding appropriately.
CONCLUSION
In sum, we Democrats pledge to use local government to make life easier and more affordable while ensuring fairness and respect for all. We believe that together we can preserve what makes Suffield special, improve educational opportunities for all, create a more transparent and responsive government, and provide critical community services. Come join us!