"I think about things that affect you and your daily lives," said Republican incumbent Leon Davidoff, who said that through helping his elderly mother, "I see the challenges you go through."
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Davidoff was not the only candidate to make promises to help the elderly: Republican newcomer Justin Clark vowed not to vote to support closing any of the town's senior centers, and Democratic incumbent Shari Cantor pledged to work to bring back the Seniors Job Bank, which was run out of West Hartford Town Hall and catered exclusively for older workers. It suspended operations in December.
Other promises were not tailored as closely to seniors. Democratic incumbent Timothy Brennan said that closing a firehouse is "not something we are going to do," and Republican town council candidate Justin Clark promised to not vote for a budget that increased taxes by more than the rate of inflation. Marion Berard, the mother of Republican candidate Denise Berard Hall, who could not attend the forum, said that her daughter was committed to reinstating Veteran's Day as a school holiday and she would fight any redistricting plan.
For some seniors who attended the forum, such as Ruth Paige, the biggest issue on their minds was medical costs. Brennan, in his speech, said his healthcare cost is a concern, but "it is not something that we (municipal candidates) can control."
Members of West Hartford Concerned Citizens, the group that had tried to bring the budget to referendum this year and demonstrated outside town hall in opposition to this year's 1.5 percent tax increase in the spring, made a vocal presence at the forum.
"We hope these new candidates do better than the old candidates," said Francis Arbulio, who held a cardboard sign that read "Stop wasteful spending."
