Real Estate, Hopes and Dreams. Thoughts on buying, selling, and owning a home in Fairfield
I remember being in Junior High School one morning back in the early 70s in Darien. We were all in the auditorium, listening to our First Selectman, William Patrick, talk to us about politics. Bill was an affable fellow. Always smiling and with a bushy mustache, he reminded me of a good natured version of the Monopoly Man. The content of his lesson was over my head at the time as I don’t remember a thing from it. I do remember this, though. At one point, a classmate of mine, Sheila Fanning, raised her hand during the question and answer portion of the event. When he acknowledged her and she stood up, she asked; ‘what makes you qualified to be the First Selectman of Darien?’ His answer was one I’ll never forget. He looked around, clucked, shrugged his shoulders a bit and said; ‘I’m a Republican!’
I loved growing up in Darien and will always be grateful to my parents for raising me there, but, from a political standpoint, it was about as homogeneous as possible. Darien was Republican with a capital ‘R.’ I grew up believing towns like Westport were more ‘cosmopolitan’, only to eventually find, in my experience, that it was just as homogeneous in terms of being Democrat with a capital ‘D.’ Both towns have changed through the years and have developed a bit more diverse electorate, but Fairfield, in my experience, is, in some ways, a microcasm of the rest of the country. Split, pretty much, down the middle between Dems and Republicans, political issues, both local, national and international, have made for some interesting conversations with fellow residents.
When I first moved here in 2000, there was a Republican First Selectman. Shortly after, a Democrat took office, and he still serves us. The Republican party is very active in town, and the two parties seem to do a good job of serving as a sort of checks and balances for each other in town business, which faces some major challenges. Fairfield is a deceptively large town, with 58,812 residents at last count. As the town has grown, the infrastructure has grown, and the challenges that face the town have grown correspondingly more complicated. The good news is, for a town this size, we have a remarkable level of town services at our disposal. The bad news is, like so many other towns, the trend toward higher taxes is ever present.
There have been some interesting political issues that I have witnessed. The most interesting one, to me, was a zoning issue that would have restricted the type of construction of new homes in the beach area. A very concerned group of residents believed that, by carefully regulating the type of construction of the types of homes built in the beach area, they would keep the neighborhood from becoming a neighborhood of McMansions. The other side of equally concerned residents believed that the town had no business telling people how to build. Those that didn’t want the regulations to be enacted won for now, but it was an interesting chapter in the political life of the town and how it can affect my line of work.
The two party system is alive and well and WORKING here in Fairfield. What happens here in town politics will actually make a difference in your life for better or for worse. As the town grows, our challenges will grow. What’s great about Fairfield is that, presently, both parties have their say in the way things run. That means that, whatever your political affiliation, you can play an active role in the political future in the town.
And as the town grows, the need for you to pay attention will become only more important.
Tony,
You are 3 for 3– dead-on once again! The fine art of politics is alive and well in Fairfield and I think practiced– by and large– in a very productive and mannerly fashion.
Still just in my first term as an RTMer (and seeking to be reelected in the Fall!), I have already learned up close and personal how dedicated members of both parties who hold elected positions are to making Fairfield the best possible place to live in for all its many residents.
Indeed, each officeholder brings their own political views and (above all) the concerns of their constituents to every debate and the lively but largely respectful exchanges that result often lead to better solutions that might never be crafted in a “one-party town.”
I might add the two-party system has served our nation well for over 200 years– and you can’t have a two-party system without two parties!
David Cullen
RTM, District 7
Amen to that! Although, once in a while, I’d love to see a Ross Perot type if, for nothing else, the comic value.
Civility is central to the preservation of healthy and productive public discourse. Let’s hope that in the face of tough economic times and the pressure they place on all of us, that we can continue that tradition of civility in Fairfield.
Hear hear about Fairfield!! There is never a dull moment when it comes to politics and the issues here…..born and raised here, I’ve been witness to many town happenings especially when it comes to politics and the issues. It is a very good thing to have both parties active and involved.
And yes, I will have to agree with the poster above me, civility is very important especially when it comes to town meetings!