October 21, 2013

Cockayne says Wilson takes campaign to "new low"

Here's a new release from Republican mayoral hopeful Ken Cockayne:

Cockayne: Opponent Takes Campaign To A New Low.

(Bristol) City Councilman Ken Cockayne (R-2), the Republican nominee for Mayor of Bristol today commented that his Democrat opponent has taken his campaign for Mayor to a new low. Cockayne’s opponent recently mailed a “hit piece” out to area residents chastising Cockayne for everything under the sun.
Recently, the Republican candidate for Mayor issued a proposal to offer elderly “homeowners” and opportunity to receive a $500 tax credit if they volunteered for area nonprofit organizations.  In the mailer his opponent says he will “reject the Cockayne Forced Senior Labor Plan.”  His opponent already claims that there is a Tax relief for Elderly and Disabled persons already on the books.
“Absolutely oblivious and that’s the only way I can describe my opponent.” Cockayne added “His failing campaign has now resorted to the gutter and I thought he was a better person than that.”
Cockayne explained that his proposal for the elderly tax relief program is being offered only to homeowners who currently do not receive any benefits.  The program he is referring to in his negative mailer is the “Homeowners Rebate for the Elderly and Disabled persons” which is administered by the CT Office of Policy Management and not the city of Bristol as his opponent claims.
“The program is no longer taking new participants and if a homeowner did not apply last year they were ineligible to apply this year,” Cockayne continued, “Elderly homeowners just keep paying taxes to support the outrageous spending at the Board of Education with no relief in sight.”
Cockayne added that his opponent’s home state of Massachusetts has a similar program like he proposed along with the communities of Manchester and Danbury. “If these proposals can work there, than why they can’t work here in the City of Bristol, “Cockayne asked.
The Republican nominee added, “All I am proposing is an ordinance change to our Code of Ordinances, and I intend to ask the new committee to look into this proposal along with others to gauge its viability – I find it distressing that my opponent would be opposed to such a dialogue.”
“I can understand that my opponent and members of his new party are having trouble understanding a tax relief program since all they have stood for this campaign is a vow to raise Bristol property taxes in order to promote a bigger and wasteful government,” Cockayne added “and at the end of the day the only thing they are asking you the public to do is foot the bill.”
Cockayne is a three term City Councilman who has been a leading advocate for fiscal responsibility in Bristol and his record on this issue is solid.
“My opponent touts his years of experience as a member of the Board of Education. However, his intentional misrepresentation of my positions sets a very bad example for the students of Bristol that he claims to be their advocate and he should be ashamed of himself,” Cockayne concluded.

I've asked Wilson to send me a copy of the mailer in question and given him the chance to respond to Cockayne's release as well. If anyone can send me a picture of the mailer sooner, that would be great. I'm sure we'd all like to see it.

Copyright 2013 All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

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