What Does Orange Strong Mean?

By Jody Dietch, Orange Democratic Town Committee Chair

If you are on social media, you may have seen some banter about the slogan we, the Orange Democrats, are saying about keeping Orange strong. No one will argue that Orange is a great place to live. That’s why we are all here. I would venture to say our great schools brought most of us to Orange. Some of us are now empty nesters, but still have a vested interest in what happens not only in town but in our schools. Everyone knows the quality of our school system is what drives our property values.

But what does “keep Orange strong” mean? Democratic First Selectman Candidate Dan Fitzmaurice has clearly stated that we have a vision for not only keeping Orange strong but making it stronger and better for everyone. We have yet to hear a plan from the Republicans.

One thing that is telling of the differences in the vision for Orange is by looking at the candidates. Our diverse group of candidates is looking to the future, not the past. The former chair of the Orange Republican Town Committee would list the names of new members to the ORTC in his column in this newspaper. Check them out. The ORTC has lost many moderate members and aligns more and more with the MAGA agenda.

We are looking to protect our town from the Washington, DC agenda. Many of the Republican candidates align with the MAGA agenda including controlling our schools and banning books. I urge you to do your research. Meet all our candidates on our website (OrangeCTDems.org) or by following our social media on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

One issue we hear a lot about is Fred Wolfe Park. Did you know that the town paid thousands of dollars in 2013 (Jim Zeoli was first elected first selectman in 2005) to a Manchester firm to create a plan for Fred Wolfe Park? What happened to that plan? It was never implemented. We just spent thousands of dollars more on a new consulting plan. This is a plan Dan Fitzmaurice and the Democratic team are ready to implement in 2026.

Progress and leadership take vision, and the Democratic slate has the vision and is willing to share it with you. It’s available on our website.

Elections are important – even local municipal elections, which affect your daily life more directly than other elections. Now is the time to learn about the difference between the candidates running. You have the power with your vote to decide this election and the direction our town will take. Will you vote to align our town with the Washington, DC agenda or will you vote to take the path to keep Orange strong and make it stronger?

Now is the time to send in your absentee ballot application, especially for students heading off to college (give them a stamp to mail their ballot back). The application is available via our website, the secretary of state’s website or from the Orange town clerk’s office in Town Hall. Early voting starts October 20.

This article originally appeared in the Milford-Orange Times, August 7.