Mark Langlois, Patch Staff

Email: mark.langlois@patch.com

Tel: 203-209-7371

Your Beliefs: Patch asks me to share with you my beliefs, so I must tell you I believe in small town democracy (town meetings, committees and boards) where people can see government at work. If people had been watching, the boards and commissions in California who voted each other outrageous pensions and salaries might have been stopped.  It's easier for me to write about neighborhoods and government than it is to write about crime and corruption, but crime and corruption are my rave favs. I love knowing something and telling people about it before they heard it somewhere else. I want to beat the competition every day.

Politics: I am a registered Democrat, but because I've been a newspaper reporter since 1982, I have never been active in politics. Because both parties know how I am registered, I have to treat both sides of the aisle with visible and obvious equality. In practice, that means I am equally disliked on both parties. I defend the first ammendment rights of everyone to speak their mind, whether or not I find what they say reprehensible. I publish what they say in their words and in a way where when they read it over, they agree they said it and it's what they think.

Religion: I am a practicing Roman Catholic, and I enjoy the religious diversity in Danbury. I'd love to visit your church, Catholic or otherwise.

Local hot button issues: The local hot button issues in Danbury today are the proposed army reserve facility overlooking Danbury Fair Mall and Danbury Airport. The second issue that simmers in Danbury and is alive across the country is immigration and illegal immigration. I won't be confident the army reserve facility is gone until the Pentagon tells me so. I don't think the congress and the president have the courage to tackle the immigration issue.

Where do I stand on the issues?

My question about the army reserve facility is why buy a property in Danbury when the state owns one in Newtown. Both are linked by good roads to lower Fairfield County, and both are near I-84. My suspicion is the opposition by Newtown residents couldn't be overcome, and I also suspect this facility will make use of the Danbury Airport. One thing opponents have to consider is what are the alternative uses for the land. Would it be less offensive to the neighbors as condominiums, as factories, office space or retail? It is unlikely to remain undeveloped forever.

On the second issue, I think federal immigration law is the problem, and it needs reforming. I can understand a person's hurry to leave squalor to a piece of the good life. Somehow we have to fix the law.