West Hartford Republicans Out-Fundraise Democrats 2 to 1

West Hartford Republicans raised more than twice the amount of money as their Democratic counterparts as of the Oct. 10 filing deadline, according to a press release from the town’s GOP chairman.

“It doesn’t take an accounting degree to know that when you nearly double someone up in campaign fundraising, it means your message is winning the day in terms of voter support,” said Peter J. Martin, the chairman of the West Hartford Republican Town Committee. “Our candidates offer real leadership, real solutions and real experience. That’s what West Hartford voters want, and they want honesty and openness in their local government, which is a real concern given so many upcoming development issues and especially after the Elmwood community was shunned by council Democrats during the Newington Road housing project.

Martin also said that the town also faces financial problems that Republican candidates are

But Mayor Scott Slifka, a Democrat who is running for re-election, said that there is a simple explanation for the Republicans having raised more money as of the Oct. 10 deadline: Democrats pushed back their fundraisers due to work-related commitments and the Jewish holidays.

Slifka, for example, had his major fundraiser scheduled for the end of September. But that had to be rescheduled to October, which fell after the first reporting date, Slifka said. Similar issues arose with several other Democratic candidates.

“Mr. Martin hasn’t seen the calendar,” Slifka said. “Nearly all Democratic fundraising events were postponed until October. I have every confidence that after next filing period, Democratic candidates will have more than outraised the Republicans.”

Furthermore, Slifka dismissed any nexus between fundraising and voter satisfaction with the Democratic majority that sits on the Board of Education and Town Council.

“It’s a discussion that has very little meaning for our residents,” Slifka said. “[The Democrats have] been out campaigning hard and and in a positive manner, and we’re going to keep it that way.

“I view this as a non-issue.”

Slifka declined out of hand to address any of Martin’s additional comments related to Elmwood and the town’s finances.