Politics & Government

Martin Talks Education, Gains Backing of Labor Unions

Stamford Democratic mayoral candidate and Board of Finance member David Martin had a busy day Thursday, hosting an education forum in the morning and an endorsement rally that evening. The events come as Stamford heads into its last weekend before the Democratic primary coming Tuesday, September 10, when Martin will face off against Rep. William Tong. 

At the education forum, Martin introduced a five-point education plan that covered everything from school security to capital investments to state funding. He also took the opportunity to call out the current mayor, whom Martin felt has been absent and neglectful of the Board of Education in his tenure. 

"In 2004, as president of the Board of Reps, I pushed for a change in the charter to establish a seat for the mayor on the Board of Education," Martin said. "There's a seat here reserved for the mayor now. But this mayor has not fulfilled his obligations to the Board of Education in the City of Stamford... I come here today to announce that I will fulfill that charter responsibility and work to ensure it's fulfilled in the future by other mayors."

In summary, Martin's plan focuses on a number of pressing issues in the city:

1. Restore confidence and trust in Stamford schools by closing the achievement gap, accelerating English language acquisition and restoring enrichment programs. 
2. Increase access to preschools.
3. Continue making capital investments to keep costs down and eliminate over crowding. 
4. Fight for Education Cost Sharing funds from the state. 
5. Enhance school security. 

"Whether as a father, a community volunteer or elected official, my commitment to the schools goes back for over 30 years," Martin said. "My daughters graduated from Stamford Public Schools and my wife, Judy, is a teacher at Northeast."

Martin's pushed carried over into the evening when he held a rally on the steps of the Old Town Hall and was endorsed by 21 of the 24 members of the Board of Representative's Democratic Party. 

Additionally, Martin received the backing of union members from the Fairfield County Building and Construction Trades Council. 

"We are here today to stand behind David and proudly announce the endorsement of David Martin," said Elaine Mitchell, Board of Representatives Majority Leader. "David is a leader who can bring people together from across our diverse city, including Republicans, and build consensus to get the job done."

Martin also took the opportunity during the rally to present his wife with flowers, Thursday bringing their 31st wedding anniversary. 


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