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.
