Letter: CCA Candidates Have Records of Success

The following letter appeared in local newspapers and is shared with us here by the author Mark Hinkley. Mr. Hinkley is a resident of Charlestown.


While I plan to vote in our national and state elections, I find that my quality of daily life in Charlestown is most affected by the type of candidates we elect to local office. Fortunately, the Charlestown Town Council circus that once made Charlestown the political laughing stock of the state has dramatically changed for the better.

The change began when the Charlestown Citizens Alliance, a political action committee for good government, began to sponsor independent candidates for elected office. There is a common theme among the alliance candidates who continue to be elected to office. They have had outstanding professional careers often in executive or management positions that align very well with the responsibilities to run an effective local government. They often have prior public service and outstanding educational credentials but their success and effectiveness is not based only on credentials. These candidates have succeeded in public office because they produce public policies that work for the majority of Charlestown residents and focus on the general well being of the public.

When Charlestown Citizens Alliance officials are considering a Town Council vote on a public policy they are well prepared and have done their research. They make decisions not on special interest politics but rather on fact and merit and what works best for the majority of residents. They have a long list of accomplishments in such areas as protecting the environment, tax control, listening to citizens concerns, improving affordable housing, budget initiatives to increase funding for Ninigret Park, and maintaining the quality of life in Charlestown.

This election, I will be casting my vote once again for the Charlestown Citizens Alliance candidates, who I believe will maintain and improve the outstanding government and community responsiveness that has been built over the last decade.

Mark Hinkley