When I came here, it was 1997; I lived in Stamford all my young life. I used to love the vibrancy of Stamford, and the childhood into adulthood, I had lived there. I even served as a representative on the Board of Representatives and broke a record for being the youngest member ever elected at the age of 26 to serve the 7th district as one of their two representatives. I enjoyed my term, but by the end of it, I realized I needed to continue my life outside of Stamford. Largely because the changes going on at that time and continuing far beyond destroyed the fabric of the town I grew up in, in favor of a transformation into a “little New York,” not a viable suburb where I would want to raise a family. I was right then to consider Norwalk as the ultimate alternative.
When I made my purchase of a condominium back in 1997 as a single woman, I experienced discrimination in lending. Underwriters of banks that questioned my viability as a single female without a husband purchasing a property and applying for a mortgage note on my own dime. I found that absurd on its face and went to another source, finally finding Norwalk Savings Society who approved my requested 15 year mortgage loan with my 25% down-payment on a fixer condo. I had a good job and was very viable on paper, having been approved for more, and having cash up front. Those were the good ol days of the 1990s and my youth and entrance into independence as a property owner. Best decision I ever made. I remember my own mother trying to talk me out of it and insisting I should be spending more time “looking for a husband” instead of a property to buy. Good thing I did not listen to her on that, because I would not be where I am now.
For me, Norwalk represented the epitome of what Stamford lost, relinquished if you will, and what is Stamford’s motto now, “the city that works,” ie, the city where everyone goes for white collar work, and sits on I-95 to get the heck out at 5 pm. Norwalk WAS a quintessential mix of being a larger “blue collar” city that offered a small town suburban feel. Norwalk was known as the “box retail” spot everyone from Stamford would escape to on the weekends to go to Stew’s and Bradlees, Caldors, and even K-mart back when they were on Connecticut Ave. Having property that was significantly more affordable and less traffic and more community-based offerings.
There was a Republican in office at that time in Norwalk named Frank Espositio. There were Republicans in the majority on the common council, unlike the board of representatives, where I served in the “minority” at the time. I liked the idea of keeping taxes low, the schools good, and the streets safe; that’s what I saw when I first came here. I ended up marrying and putting my condo for rent a couple years later and buying a house, where I raised my children, and attended church, and did what people do. I was happy to be a Norwalk resident for many years. Message here; don’t automatically HATE any Republican because of the “R” and Orange Man BAD! That is an utterly absurd and not well thought-out argument, and I hope you are smarter than that!
But “a lot of things have changed since way back then,” I quote that from Loretta Lynn’s Coal Miner’s Daughter, my mother was a fan. It is a fitting quote for how I feel over this last decade of tolerable and needed change turned to abomination. Some change and growth is to be expected and needed for any city, and of course should be expected and encouraged.
But the change that has occurred in this city of Norwalk took a DARK and vicious turn for the worse in the last 7 years ,especially. Something changed halfway through Harry Riling’s mayoral leadership, and the change over from diversity in governance to one party CONTROL, and yes I mean CONTROL. It became a takeover of our city by outsiders; greedy, hungry outsiders… developers that saw dollar signs coupled with weak and feckless leadership at the helm, ripe to exploit. In all this included a pandemic where most residents were concerned about other things, so thereby the bandits stole our city in the dark of night and turned it into “theirs” to have and hold. We, the residents, led by weak and corruptible people at the helm were literally “robbed” of our First Amendment rights. That is a bold statement, I know, but let me spell out my conclusion to all who wish to pass judgments on my words.
We, the citizens and property owners of Norwalk, Conn., have been victimized by powerful outsiders with truckloads of money who are opportunists and got into bed with weak and feckless leaders we gave the power of governance to, yet by all accounts failed to rise to the occasion when faced with power and money in their face. Our pursuit of happiness was stolen in the dark of night by very charismatic newcomers who saw something shiny and took their opportunity to transform this sleepy, blue-collar town we call home for their next jewel. They did it, and no one can deny their aptitude here to do so. We elected leaders that did not stand up for us, but instead went down a road that now presents not much hope for a journey back home. Instead, we are faced with a huge shortfall, based on poor and inept planning and forethought in how we pay for the infrastructure THEY, the bandits, need from us to create their “profit paradise” with our dime.
Property tax burden will continue to increase to pay for that which most residents abhor. This gave us ripped-up roads everywhere, still unchanged and unrepaired, increasing our frustration and our bills. For what we get out of it, one smelly garbage can and beyond, inadequate opportunity to state our voice on the state of affairs post ruination of the place we used to love to call home.
The above is representative of my satirical voicing of my opinion on the sad state of affairs we, as long-time residents who LOVED to call Norwalk home, feel. I and you have a right to our feelings based on the wisdom we OWN for having lived here and paid taxes as long as we have; for me, that is almost 30 years. I am vested in this; whether you came here before me or after me, and can conclude my voice and opinion critical is arbitrary one way or another, I stand by my right to feel it and say it! I own it and do not give a care in the world what anyone thinks of it!
What I want is CHANGE and an opportunity to REWIND the tape or the digital video or whatever we choose to call it these days. I want to press PAUSE and have everyone think carefully about what you want to do in NOVEMBER. My thought is to vote a straight ticket of CHANGE from what we have to ANYTHING else to effect CHANGE.
What we have is an abomination of feckless leadership in a city that cannot sustain this CRAP they are feeding us!
I hope I am not alone in this realization, and if I am, something is really wrong with what is now here in this city, and deserves what comes next for those that fail to see what is obviously before your eyes. I hope you see the need for CHANGE instead of the insanity of doing the same thing again and again and expecting a DIFFERENT result!
Liz Conti
Norwalk Republican Town Committee
Editor’s Note: This is a reader-submitted opinion piece. It reflects the personal views and experiences of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of NancyOnNorwalk.
Leave a Reply
You must Register or Login to post a comment.