Rhorig Will Not Seek Re-Election Republicans Face New Challenges

The Thursday night meeting of the Milford Republican Town Committee was in fact an emergency meeting to fill the vacancy left by Board of Education member Rhorig. As many may know the Rhorig's were subjected to a criminal investigation over underage drinking, and on a separate issue were dealing with a sexual assault charge involving her twin sons. Although the police found no wrong doing on the part of Rhorig and school Superintendent Polanski who was at the High School Graduation Party for Chelsea, the pressure, and negative publicity proved too great and in light of these problems her choice to drop out became clear.

Their new choice to replace Rhorig will be announced soon, and is more bizarre than the Republican's opening their Headquarters in the same plaza with the annex to the Independent party Headquarters.

While I plan to comment later on this, I will say that their new candidate to replace Rhorig is unbelievable so check back time to time for details. Sorry to keep you in suspense but I expect that there will be even more backlash toward the Republicans when I reveal what I know.

In the meantime, the Republican Party is still struggling with Defectors, and a dwindling base of support. From the Richetelli Drug Rehab Furlough, to the Rhorigs, to the loss of their former RTC chairman, and many other defectors, it is quite certain that forces within the Republican Party are at work "tearing it apart" and, even when confronted and shown in plain sight they continue to erode their base.

While I wish the best for Milford, I see Richetelli's campaign in real trouble. Last election he barely beat Kerri Rowland in a two way race. This year the Democrats have a much more articulate candidate and the Republicans are in a three way race against their former chairman Peter Spalthoff who is more capable and competent than Richetelli.

Quite sadly the Republicans continue to struggle, mainly because their leadership is weak, their support base fractured, and the greater Republican party as a whole mired in Bush era corruption. But one item really hurting the Richetelli campaign has been its crippling of our schools in Milford. Last year he presided over a panic of 180 teachers being fired, petitions by kids and parents with thousands of signatures and a standing room only protest over the school budget.

This year Richetelli tried to force teachers at Jonathan Law to teach on carts and out of Janitors closets because he refused to support a desperately needed addition. Thankfully the mayor was overruled by a sensible board of Alderman.

In short this mayor has been a menace to public education, and every teacher and student in town should take notice and vote accordingly. When education suffers Milford's kids pay, they pay by failing state tests like the recent embarrassing results of the CAPT test scores putting Milford at the bottom of the state in Math and English.

Milford needs board of education members and a Mayor who believe in building a "world class" school system, not a partisan political machine that puts more "Rich" in Richetelli. As it stands our mayor will cost Milford over Three million dollars in lifelong, pension and family medical benefits if re-elected. Milford cannot afford "Rich"-etelly. Lets remember to vote for our futures this year and not line the pockets of greedy politicians.

Above photo from the Milford Democrats who have a clear plan for the Milford Republicans.

Milford Graduates & Steps Up.

One of the most important days in a young persons lives ought to be graduation. This day is indicative of the years of hard work, study and accomplishment of building life's skills. It instills a lasting sense of pride and confidence, but most important knowledge is something that can never be taken away.

One quote I personally remembered I saw on a bumper sticker. The quote said that "if you think education is expensive try ignorance!" Than I remembered all those days when I had made bad choices that cost me dearly. To this day, despite being finished with college I still find plenty of challenges that lead me to frustration. One in particular that I have come to cope with is the cost of education as paid for by our property taxes. Of all the taxes we pay in life, by far this one is the most important. This tax determines the population of our prison system, the fate of our economy, the quality of our health care, the competence of our government leaders and our part in competing with the world. None of this can happen without first good kids from strong moral families, and next our community supporting quality education that instills hope and opportunity for every kids future.

One of the best tools that was given to me by my great many teachers whom I am indebted to for life are those valuable research skills and the learned humility of asking lots of questions when I lack the answers. Socrates, the great Greek philosepher once said "the only thing I know for certain is that I know nothing." This was alluding to to the fact that the more a person delves into knowledge the exponential explosion of unanswered questions ensues as a result of the initial answers to the original basic questions.

Socrates also said that "ignorance is the only terrible evil" as it renders a person a prisoner of their own mind, limiting that person to succeed in the basic mundane tasks only attainable by their limited scope of knowledge. Even this should not deter a person from wanting better, thankfully God gave us Eyes, Ears, and Speech and as such if one could just lay their ego aside asking questions and questioning everything is the first step in opening up to learning new things.

With this said I would personally like to congratulate each and every young person and adult who has had the great honor and privilege of a graduation, especially those youngsters who had a "moving up ceremony" as they will be moving on to High School next year. The future is yours, and as our current leaders wax and wane away what you have now learned through your trials and tribulations amid the annals of our great educational institutions will make you Americas next beacon of light guiding this country, state and town on behalf of your not so fortunate peers.