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To the Editor:
I’m writing this letter in support of Christine Vitale for Selectman in our November 7th election.
For six years, Christine has served on the Board of Education with committee assignments including the facilities and finance committees as well as the liaison to the PTA Council. She also represented the Board as a voting member on the Board of Health. Christine was Chair of the Board of Education from 2018-22, during which time I had the pleasure of working directly with her on the Education budget in my role on the Representative Town Meeting (RTM).
I cannot stress enough what an asset Christine will be to the Board of Selectmen. Along with tirelessly advocating for our students and their educations, Christine possesses a detailed knowledge of every aspect of the education budget—which accounts for 60 percent of our overall town budget—from early draft proposals through ratification. In addition to working with the Superintendent and the Board to build the annual budget, Christine managed the budget through the entire passage process. That meant forging relationships across the town and across the aisle with the Board of Selectmen, the Board of Finance, and the Representative Town Meeting as each body made amendments and voted. To have that experience on our Board of Selectmen would be invaluable.
I also want to highlight Christine’s stellar track record of bipartisan productivity, respect, and goodwill. She worked collaboratively with the minority party members of the Board of Education for years. During the Covid pandemic, she had the foresight and creativity to partner with the BOF and RTM to create a non-lapsing account in the education budget that preserved 2020 monies that were not spent. This allowed the 2021 budget to be funded partially with that money to both save taxpayers and help facilitate a 0% tax increase during an uncertain time.
Please join me in supporting Christine Vitale and Bill Gerber on November 7th.
Sharon Pistilli
Fairfield
Pistilli, a Democrat, is a member of RTM District 3 in Fairfield