City Council candidates agree: No tax hikes

Hopefuls debate ward system, other issues

MIDDLETOWN — Voters got a glimpse Wednesday night, Oct. 7, of how the candidates for Middletown City Council would run the city if they were elected Nov. 3.

About 30 people attended a televised forum, sponsored by TV Middletown and the Journal, inside the council chambers. The candidates running for the city’s four open ward seats answered a range of questions from overseeing the city’s $120 million budget to economic development, job creation and Section 8.

A few things were made crystal clear. None of them favored increasing taxes — not even to cover street repairs. And the group was split over whether the ward election system should be preserved.

“The city is divided by race and by class, and the ward election system puts a visible boundary around it,” said Joshua Laubach, a candidate of Middletown’s 3rd Ward seat.

Laubach added that he’s already cast his early ballot to eliminate the ward system.

Meanwhile, his opponent, incumbent 3rd Ward Councilman Tony Marconi, was less forthcoming about his position on the ward system, calling his vote “a private matter.”

“If you think I’m tap dancing I’m not,” Marconi said.

As far as increasing taxes go, 4th Ward candidate Daniel Picard said, “This town will not pass a tax levy.

“The best way to bring more revenue to this town is to bring more jobs to this town,” Picard said.

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