By Jude Toohey
Orange Republican Town Committee
Jude Toohey
November is nearly here, and with it comes our responsibility to vote.
Orange can only be as strong as the people we elect to represent us. Last edition I highlighted several legislative changes that concern me. This edition I want to explain why those issues matter.
Connecticut has lived under one-party Democratic control for years. When one party holds a supermajority in both the legislative and executive branches, there is little meaningful check on its power. Policies that reshape our communities, increase costs and expand government reach move forward with limited opposition. Most families would never run their household this way, yet that is how our state has been governed.
Public Act 26-14, titled “An Act Concerning Democracy and Government Accountability and the Use and Retention of Data Derived from Automated License Plate Reader Systems,” is one example. Among other provisions, it creates a private right of action for constitutional violations that applies to any person in Connecticut, regardless of legal status. It also places new restrictions on law enforcement, including limits on civil immigration enforcement in certain “protected areas.”
Supporters call this accountability. Critics see it as another layer of rules that complicate enforcement of existing law which may conflict with federal statutes. When we already have clear laws on the books, adding more often creates confusion rather than clarity. The costs of that confusion fall on taxpayers and law-abiding residents.
We are repeatedly told that more laws are needed to protect us. In practice, many of these measures expand government reach while failing to solve the problems they claim to address. Voters are left sorting through contradictory messaging designed more to manage public opinion than to solve problems.
While I normally try to focus on positive outcomes, fundamental changes have taken place slowly and deliberately in how issues are framed and presented to the public. When doubt is mixed with a measure of truth, it becomes easier for people to accept a narrative that may not fully reflect reality. Over time, that approach can reshape how we think about our communities, our laws, and our responsibilities as citizens.
Consider the campaign claims from Alex Armstrong, the challenger in the 119th District (Milford, Orange, and surrounding areas). His flyer promises to fight rising costs for families, deliver property tax relief, stand up to mass surveillance, strengthen coastal resilience and defend women’s rights.
Let’s examine those points:
– Rising costs: Costs have climbed for years under Democratic majorities that control the legislature and the governor’s office. If relief were a priority, it could have been delivered already.
– Property tax relief: The same supermajority has overseen continued pressure on local budgets and taxes. Unfunded state mandates continue to put pressure on municipal budgets. Promises of relief ring hollow without a change in who holds power.
– Mass surveillance: Public Act 26-14 itself placed new rules on automated license plate readers. This was only after many cities and towns who are run primarily by the same one-party rule had enormous pushback from residents. Thankfully Orange’s selectmen put our community first.
– Coastal resilience: Work on this issue has been underway since Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Supporting continued improvements is reasonable, but presenting it as a new priority overlooks years of existing effort.
– Women’s rights: Defending women’s rights is important. It is difficult to take seriously from a party that has struggled to define what a woman is and has supported policies allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports.
One-party rule has shaped Connecticut’s direction for too long. A more balanced legislature would restore needed checks and force greater accountability. That balance starts with the choices we make at the ballot box.
If you would like to join the Orange Republican Town Committee or help in any way, please contact our secretary at ortc.secretary@gmail.com or our chairman at ortc.chairman@gmail.com.
Jude Toohey is the vice chair of the Orange Republican Town Committee.