First Selectman Contenders Offer Thoughts On Numerous Issues

By John Voket

On Election Day, November 6, voters will have four choices to consider when casting their ballot for the individual who will be the community’s top elected leader for the next two years.

Those four candidates, incumbent Democrat First Selectmen Herbert Rosenthal, Republican councilman and challenger Joseph Borst and petitioning candidates Louis Jay Mattegat and Christian Qualey, Jr, discussed a wide range of ideas on various local issues during an October 24 debate sponsored by The Newtown Bee.

Audio clips of the entire debate are available at NewtownBee.com.

Over the course of the debate, candidates entertained questions and offered thoughts on separating the town and education budgets, reducing taxes, future plans and the role of the public in determining future uses at Fairfield Hills, a proposal to reallocate approved funds from a municipal office project to demolishing existing buildings at the campus, traffic problems in town, and how the candidates will help the community better face the increasing incidents of underage drinking and substance abuse.

In turn, Messrs Rosenthal, Qualey, Borst, and Mattegat moved the microphones amongst themselves, occasionally clarifying points raised by others, before taking the opportunity to ask each other questions. The following are select statements from that debate on some of the most important issues facing the community today.

On the subject of splitting the local budget vote between the municipal side and the education side from the existing combined town budget:

Joseph Borst — “I still think there is a need for some additional change, and I think we should be looking proactively at other possibilities such as a modified zero-based budgeting system, or some kind of alternative. A lot of the problem with the town’s budget is it’s not clear enough. I think we have to find a better way of addressing these budgets to make them more understandable to the taxpayers.”

Herb Rosenthal — “The only way we could (split the budgets) would be for a charter revision commission to make the change. The charter revision commission this time decided to not recommend that even though a lot of people wanted it. I think we have a lot of transparency in our budget.”

Christian Qualey, Jr — “I don’t care if you call it zero-based budgeting or whatever name you put on it, there is a certain amount of review that has to take place and justification. Some of you know I have a wife who is a teacher at Hawley School. I am in favor of the kids getting every penny they deserve, but I’m also in favor of no waste.”

Jay Mattegat — “Seventy cents on every dollar, $70 million-dollars last year for our education budget. It’s a lot of money. Maybe we should divide the two and hear from the people what part of the budget is bothering them. It’s a great idea.”

On the subject of tax breaks for seniors or long-term residents:

Herb Rosenthal — “We can certainly do higher tax credits, we don’t have to have it income-based. We have a better program than most communities around us. I’d like to be able to do more, it’s to our advantage to keep seniors in town because they don’t demand as much service as the people who might buy their home. And they’ve contributed a lot to the community.”

Christian Qualey, Jr — “I think what Herb is really saying is our argument may not be about what is available in town, but to attack the state legislature in terms of allowing us to allocate expenses in a different way.”

Joeseph Borst — “I think the Legislative Council and the Board of Finance should be looking at possibly freezing taxes on senior homes depending on how long they’ve lived in town.”

Jay Mattegat — “I absolutely agree we should be doing something for them. You’ve decided to stay — it’s a great thing because you are helping to offset the education budget as well. We do need to do something for you, we need to do something for all of us.”

On the matter of preserving dwindling open space:

Christian Qualey, Jr — “All these items are desirable, the question is what can you afford? We have to set priorities and make sure no waste is being accumulated.”

Jay Mattegat — “I’m all for open space. I didn’t realize we spent that much money. If we don’t have it, they are just going to put more homes there, and more homes mean more schools, and more taxes.”

Joseph Borst — “One of the problems we have is not being proactive about acquiring the property. We ought to be talking with them about programs that are available for people willing to sell the development rights on their property. That would be a way of controlling growth in town.”

Herb Rosenthal — “That’s exactly what we have been doing. Joe supported it and I’m glad he did, and the voters did. We’re about three years into that program and we have preserved quite a bit of property. It’s both an economic issue and a quality of life issue to preserve resources and I’m all for continuing that program.”

On the subject of dissolving the Board of Finance in the recently proposed charter revision:

Jay Mattegat — “The Board of Finance is something very important for us to keep. We’ve got to keep the things we have to keep everything in check. I think it’s going to be important to keep that.”

Joseph Borst — “I was at one time the chairman of the (council’s) finance committee, and I’m not a real whiz at finance — it’s very complicated. I supported very strongly the creation of the finance board and I think they are doing a good job. I think it’s a good check and balance and we have the availability of these people who devote their lives to discussing and handling finance.”

Herb Rosenthal — “We now have a two-headed Board of Finance. On some matters the Board of Finance is the Board of Finance, and in other matters, the Legislative Council is the final say as the Board of Finance. I’m very happy with the Board of Finance, I think they do a great job and I think we ought to keep them going the way they are.”

Christian Qualey, Jr — “I think the real question here is what does the new function perform that the old function doesn’t. If it works don’t fix it, if it doesn’t, fix it.”

On the subject of new town hall offices at Fairfield Hills:

Joseph Borst — “I am personally not in favor of converting Bridgeport Hall into a town hall. I think when they finally come out with the bids…it’s going to be in excess of the $10 million that is estimated for the cost. People are very concerned that they have no say in what’s going on.”

Herb Rosenthal — “I definitely support the creation of town and school offices at Fairfield Hills. Everything that has been thus far has been voted for in one way or another by the voters. You have to honor the things people have done and voted for. We haven’t been able to fit in Edmond Town Hall since the early 1970s and we’ve had people all over town since that time.”

Christian Qualey, Jr — “Just because something was voted upon doesn’t mean the times haven’t changed and should change accordingly. I wouldn’t build a buggy-whip factory today because we voted on it 60 years ago.”

Jay Mattegat — “There’s no stopping that part of Bridgeport Hall, that’s a done deal. Ten-million-dollars to build that building…we voted for it and it’s a done deal. I hope we can do things for a lot less some day.”

Listen to the full transcript of the debate including questions posed by the candidates, or download the audio debate in chapters to any personal listening device through the Newtown Bee’s website: newtownbee.com.