Letter: Helen Garten - Experience, Knowledge, and Leadership

Editor,

Helen Garten offers Westport a unique combination of experience, knowledge, and leadership.  She is a long-time advocate of maintaining the character of the town and its vitality, preserving the environment, and exercising sound fiscal management.  Helen has a comprehensive understanding of the town and its needs.  

She has lived in Westport almost 30 years; her husband is a Westport native.  Helen’s grasp of financial and legal matters is vast; she’s a retired professor of corporate law at Rutgers University and graduated Harvard Law School.  Her contribution while serving on the RTM was significant, including a comprehensive report on a town-wide revaluation, which clarified the issues and helped the RTM decide to undertake a formal review.

Helen subsequently chaired the Board of Finance through the recession years.  It is due largely to her leadership at that critical time that the town’s finances and bonding rating are in sound shape today.  Although it meant on occasion opposing some of the budget proposals of her own party’s elected leadership, Helen was and is willing to stand up for what she believes is best.   

With her experience, knowledge, and courage Helen can best serve the town now and through the years ahead:  to provide a high level of services while keeping Westport on sound financial footing during these still difficult fiscal times. For these reasons, I hope you will support Helen Garten for First Selectwoman.     

Signed, 

Judy Starr
Westport