The Attleboro Republican City Committee has been asked why we "turned down" the opportunity to co-sponsor the political debate in Attleboro being sponsored by the Attleboro Democratic City Committee at the end of the month. For the record, the Attleboro Republican City Committee would like it noted that the Attleboro Democratic City Committee never asked our group to participate, assist or co-sponsor their "non-partisan" debate.

While it is true that in the past, the Attleboro Democratic and Republican city committees have co-sponsored debates and forums, the Democrats this year made the decision to sponsor this debate on their own.

We have been told it was advertised on their Web site for many months and recently, to give the appearance of a non-partisan "co-sponsor" program, they asked Bristol Community College, The Sun Chronicle and The Attleboro Chamber of Commerce to "assist," although the Democratic City Committee is doing the planning and logistics.

The Democratic City Committee is saying this debate is being offered in place of the recently canceled Agudas Achim Synagogue forum, which is typically held in Attleboro every two years. We understand that the Democrats were advertising their debate on their website long before the Synagogue canceled.

Prior to the real start of the "political" season this past summer the Attleboro Republican City Committee sponsored a non-partisan candidates' night for candidates of any party to meet the pubic in an informal setting and the Democratic City Committee offered non-partisan candidate schools for candidates to learn about running for office. Most debates and forums in the recent past have been co-sponsored by both the Republican and Democratic City Committees or other local groups.

For some reason this year the Democratic City Committee has decided that they alone are the best committee to organize the debate.

This is quite strange, considering both committees successfully offered a great non-partisan forum together two years ago for mayor and clerk, and worked with The Sun Chronicle on a program for city council at large candidates.

Those programs offered a chance for both parties to work together. At the end we all agreed that this would be repeated in the future as a good will gesture of working together in positive ways.

Over the past few weeks, our committee has been contacted by independent, Republican and even Democratic candidates who have been invited to participate in the debate, with concerns that the debate may not be truly nonpartisan. Some are concerned that candidate members of the Democratic City Committee will be given an upper hand by knowing the questions before the start of the debate and/or the panelist being mostly made up of members of the Democratic Party. We recommend that any candidates concerned about the agenda approach the Democratic City Committee with their apprehensions before the debate.

We wish everyone involved the best of luck and thank them for being involved in Attleboro politics.

With the new direction the Democratic City Committee has decide to take, we look forward to more debates in the future, each sponsored alone by the specific committee, although, as we have all along, we will continue to be open to any suggestions to co-sponsor forums and debates with the Democratic City Committee.

HOWARD BIBEAULT is chairman of the Attleboro Republican City Committee. Susan Blais is vice chairwoman.