The following is an op-ed column by Ellen Camhi, Chair of The Stamford Democratic City Committee.

THE SELF STYLED   “TAXPAYERS DEFENSE TEAM” IS RUNNING A CAMPAIGN OF MISINFORMATION

      The headline here could well read: Fact vs. Fiction .   In the past several weeks, there has been an increasing level of misinformation being disseminated in local media outlets and in mailers by Joe Tarzia and the organization the Republicans have formed to run their campaigns this year – the “Taxpayer Defense Team.”  

      Here are just a few examples of what I am talking about:

      Stamford continues to be recognized as one of the safest and most livable cities in the U.S.   To listen to their rhetoric and how they go after the police department, however, one would think we are in the Stamford of the early nineties when crime was rampant and business and residents were fleeing downtown.   Quite the reverse is true – the FBI thinks Stamford is the 5 th safest city in the U.S., Self Magazine thinks Stamford is the safest and healthiest city in the country especially for women, The Advocate reported that crime is at a 30-year low, and we have seen double-digit decreases in crime for the past nine years.   The general consensus is that we owe this success to our support of Stamford's police and firemen, yet in the last two fiscal years you voted to cut $410,000 from police, fire and 911 response.

      Stamford was able to successfully navigate through the turbulent past couple of years and produce a slim budget surplus this year, while maintaining its AAA bond rating.   Given the budget shortfalls at the federal and state levels that resulted in cutbacks to municipalities, coupled with the fledgling national economy, cities all over the country were grappling with history-making deficits.   Stamford took the responsible path, even though it was not what anyone wanted to do, and addressed the budget gap by cutting spending and raising revenue.   They could have stepped up and outlined specific cuts to close the gap on the spending side, but they were not able to do so.   Compared to many other cities in the U.S., Stamford is navigating the fiscal storm well, and now has a surplus.   Yet they chose to derail this and accuse the city of somehow maintaining two sets of books, which they must know is patently false.   Didn't they think the independent auditors would have something to say about two sets of books?   Come on Joe – give up the sound bites and run on your ideas.

      Their campaign materials say that Stamford's Board of Finance has spent tax dollars loosely, but nothing could be further from the truth.   Under the Malloy administration, city government actually shrunk, and we still have a great city!   In six of the last eight city-side budgets, we saw an inflation-adjusted decrease of 9%.   In fact, since you seem compelled to make it all partisan, on average Democrats on the Board of Finance voted to cut 22% more expenditures than the two Republicans.   And they were the biggest spenders on the entire board,   voting to cut 55% less than all other board members, Democrats or Republican, at a time when fiscal realities were forcing some tough choices on all responsible.

      Some of The Republicans have been asked by reporters to go beyond the negative, and state specifically where you would cut in defense of the people of Stamford.  They responded with a showy press conference and still offered nothing substantive.  It was impossible for anyone to understand what the effect of their suggestions would be.  It's the oldest political trick in the book, get everyone riled up with sound bites, but don't offer clearly conceived, specific, responsible solutions for fear of alienating anyone.

      One final irony, their committee to elect the “taxpayer defense team” is a who's who of tax-hikers and spenders, at the state and local levels.   Anyone who delved into the voting histories of the state legislators and local office holders would see voting records that are contrary to what you portray.   

      Yes, Stamford must continue to work hard to maintain itself as a safe, livable and fiscally sound city.   But can't we come together to create solutions, rather than conjuring up negative attack after negative attack that spreads misperceptions and fuels voter animosity?   I call upon the Republicans to change their tone to let out un-spun, honest information with the full story so that voters can make informed choices on November 4.

Ellen Camhi

Chair, Stamford Democratic City Committee

October 9, 2003