NORWICH – Matthew Caldwell, candidate for Norwich’s first ward alderman, is laying out the platform of his campaign in hopes of gaining voter support ahead of next week’s election.
“The foundation of my campaign has been built on meeting residents not once, but several times, and learning about their needs and wants. Along the way, many residents have asked questions about different things happening at the City government level and also things happening on the very streets they live, and I highly encourage that,” said Caldwell.
He added, “It seems that many residents are not updated on things that are happening in the City government unless they specifically seek information. Instead, I plan to visit with residents regularly to keep them informed of the progress being made. I believe it is the duty of paid elected officials to report back to their constituents whether the news is good, bad, or indifferent. Regular and open communication is the only way this can be achieved, and that is a change I intend to implement.”
Caldwell said learning about major retrospective financial issues in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year is “scary, at best.”
“These problems did not happen over night, and they will not be fixed quickly either,” he continued. “However, for taxpayers to have the ability to plan for their own future, they need to know what to prepare for. Rumors of staggering tax increases sixty days away from implementing a new City budget does not afford them enough time.”
“Residents need to know who their elected representatives are and how they can be contacted. Also, elected officials need to know who their constituents are as well as their needs and concerns. This is the only way to ensure the residents are being represented fairly,” he said.