Hartford Courant Endorses Democrats for Board of Directors

The Hartford Courant will publish in tomorrow's paper their endorsements for the Board of Directors. To no one's surprise, the Courant Editorial staff endorsed all of the Democratic candidates.

The recommended candidates are:

Democrat David M. Sheridan, 52, a lawyer seeking his fourth term, offers six years of valuable experience. He correctly gauged residents' reluctance to eliminate valuable services for the sake of tax reduction.

Democrat Pamela Cranford, a 45-year-old program manager for the state Department of Children and Families, is running for her first term. She has nevertheless established a presence in town as a member of the Human Relations Commission and Parents of Students of Color.

Democrat Lisa Paggioli O'Neill, 43, a mechanical engineer at Pratt & Whitney and deputy mayor, is running for her second term. She brings a wealth of expertise to the position, including five years on the board of education and participation as Manchester's representative on the Capitol Region Council of Governments.

Democrat Kevin L. Zingler, 30, marketing director at MARC Inc. A three-term incumbent, he helped expand the senior tax credit and the earned-income tax credit for low-income residents.

Democrat Jason E. Doucette, 30, is an attorney running for his first full term after filling in for Joseph Hachey, who resigned last fall. A member of the planning and zoning commission since 2002, Mr. Doucette introduced a program to paint and stain the exteriors of buildings in older neighborhoods.

Also recieving praise was Director John Topping:

Democrat John D. Topping, 44, a retired Hartford police officer and owner of a landscaping business, who is seeking his second term. He led efforts to increase funding and staffing for the Manchester Police Department.

The Courant's observations are further proof that the Democratic candidates for the Board of Directors are the best choice to Keep Manchester Moving Forward.