West Hartford FIRST is a group of West Hartford residents who think that West Hartford is a great town and we want to keep it great!

Our name, West Hartford FIRST, stands for "West Hartford for Investing Responsibly in a Strong Town." We are a voice in support of responsible investment in our town and the services you receive as a resident. These services include our schools, police and fire departments, public works, libraries, and community centers.

We initially formed in reaction to a report provided to the Board of Education in December 2007 regarding solutions for overcrowding in our town's elementary schools. One of the more alarming solutions being discussed was the redistricting of children in response to a problem that was being described as temporary. Through the process of educating ourselves about this situation, we became aware of the need for a group to provide information and resources about the costs underlying our town's services.

We believe that all West Hartford residents should have a resource that helps them understand the town budget and the services it supports so we provide factual information on West Hartford services and where our tax dollars and additional funds are spent.

West Hartford FIRST advocates for investing responsibly in our town. In this year's budget referendum, we are advocating that residents vote for the budget. Since this is a political position we are advocating, we have filed as a Political Action Committee (PAC). However, our group is not made up of professional lobbyists -- we are a group of West Hartford residents who care about our town.