Patrick M. Mullins

Republican, District 2

Personal Info: 19 Sleepy Hollow Road. Partner in the law firm of Morrison, Mahoney & Miller in Hartford. Married with two children. Current member of Newtown Zoning Board of Appeals and Coach in the Newtown Babe Ruth League. Former member of the City of Stamford Board of Representatives. BS from University of New Haven and a JD from St John’s University.

What personal qualities do you have that you believe will benefit the Legislative Council? — I am a partner at a multi-state law firm. Essentially, my job requires me to identify issues and view each issue from every conceivable angle. To perform my job properly, I must look at an issue from the standpoint of my opposition. Only then can we move forward to reach a solution. Our local government works the same way. I have a successful, proven track record. I had the honor of being appointed by the State of Connecticut Judicial Department to mediate matters independently as a Special Master. I have been retained by private mediation companies to assist other parties in resolving matters amicably. Another important personal quality is my ability to work as part of a team, which is essentially what Newton’s legislative council must do to be successful.

What will be the Council’s biggest challenge in the next two years? — Protection from increasing taxes and appropriate and fair handling of the Fairfield Hills property are turning point issues that must be dealt with intelligently and practically. First and foremost, the town is obligated to our children. We must make sure we provide the tools necessary to give our children the chance to grow and prosper. We must ensure that our school system has the means necessary to keep our children on the right track. We also must make sure we are proactive as to the needs of our senior citizens who may be on fixed incomes. Our residents who are on fixed incomes need cost certainty, and our spiraling taxes create undue hardship. The only way we can accomplish these two objectives is through economic growth. We need to foster economic growth through new business while protecting the character of our town. Towns in our area have been able to accommodate new business without attacking the beauty of the area. We can do this as well with a well-thought out plan.

Do you favor economic development at Fairfield Hills, or should the campus be used solely for municipal purposes?— Fairfield Hills can be used in a myriad of different ways. We can use part of the property for municipal purposes, such as offices and ball fields. We can also designate a portion of the property to remain as open space. With the property’s proximity to 84, 25 and 34, it may be the most desirable parcel for businesses looking to relocate in Newtown. Limited economic development should be considered. Through proper economic development, enough tax revenue can be generated to cover the cost of maintaining the entire property and to improve our tax situation.

The proposed changes to the charter may fail on November 6 because of confusion and concern over the need to implement the changes in just 30 days because of a clerical error. Would you be willing to reappoint a charter revision commission next year to bring these changes before the public again a year from now so that they may be considered solely on their merits? I favor reappointing the Charter Revision Commission next year if the proposal fails. If the charter revision fails this year, we need to learn if it failed due to the technicality or because the people of Newtown simply did not want it. If the charter revision passes this year, we will not have an answer to that question.