MIDDLETOWN, CT — Middletown voters approved a $30,426,000 bond for repairs across the city's public schools on Tuesday, 13,824 votes to 4,485, Patch reported Wednesday, a margin of better than three to one.
According to Patch, the work includes replacing roofs on six school sites, cooling and rooftop equipment for six schools, heating and building-control upgrades in seven, oil tank and boiler work in two, and security improvements throughout the district. Patch put the cost to local taxpayers at $9,997,983, spread across two to five years, with the final amount depending on construction costs, grants and the terms of the borrowing. The Common Council put the question on the ballot with an 11-0 vote on Aug. 20, according to the city's referendum notice.
Lesser, Belton and Fazzino Carry the City
Middletown's unofficial results, which Patch drew from the secretary of the state's database, show Democrats winning every legislative race on the city's ballot. These counts cover Middletown voters only:
- 9th state Senate: Sen. Matt Lesser 6,557 (71.83%); Republican Grant Polomsky 2,301; Independent Party candidate Gwen Samuel 270. Lesser declared victory around 10 p.m. Tuesday and called the numbers "decisive," CT Insider reported.
- 13th state Senate: Democrat Jack Fazzino 4,872 (87.67%); Independent Lamar Terrell 685. The open seat also covers Cheshire, Meriden and Middlefield.
- 100th state House: Rep. Kai Juanna Belton 5,388 (67.03%); Republican Susan Manke 2,650. Belton first won the seat in a 2023 special election.
- 33rd state House: Rep. Brandon Chafee 5,717, with no opponent.
Across the full 9th District, which also takes in Rocky Hill and parts of Newington, Wethersfield and Cromwell, the Connecticut Business and Industry Association's results page had Lesser at 65% on Wednesday.