The Newtown Bee concludes its candidate profiles for the 2007 election this week with profiles of candidates for first selectman and for the Board of Selectman. In addition we are include a profile of Board of Finance candidate Michael Portnoy who was ill when the profiles for that board were first prepared. Also we are including information on Donna A. Monteleone, who last week became a certified write-in candidate for the Board of Education.

Each candidate was asked a series of seven questions. The following questions are answered with corresponding numbers in each candidate profile. They are not re-stated in each individual profile.

 

1. What is the most critical governmental matter facing Newtown today?

 

2. If elected, how do you plan to contribute towards addressing that issue?

 

3. What is the single most valuable skill or talent you can offer to the community, and how will you apply that talent or skill to best serve our community?

 

4. Is there an issue or need that you believe does not get enough attention in town? What would you do to address that issue?

 

5. Since almost 70 cents of every tax dollar collected in Newtown is spent by the school district. What are the priorities the Board of Education and the district’s administration should address in spending those tax dollars?

 

6. How should the Fairfield Hills Authority balance commercial and recreational uses of the facilities there as well as the surrounding campus to serve the best interests of the entire community?

 

7. Much has been said recently about prevailing negative attitudes and a general mood of dissatisfaction in the community. Some blame rapidly escalating property taxes, while others have issues with the current political leadership. Do you think the prevailing mood in town has grown more negative in recent years, and if so, what can you do to help make it ‘nicer in Newtown?

Joseph E. Borst

10 Beechwood Drive, Sandy Hook, CT 06482

426-4396

E-mail: BJBorst22@att.net

Family: Wife, Barbara, five children all graduates of Newtown school system, 10 grandchildren, two graduates of Newtown School system.

Party affiliation: Republican

Newtown residency: 52 years with two year hiatus to So. Dakota

Education: BA psychology, Middlebury College; MS education, WestConn.

Occupation: Emergency (per diem) school bus driver for the Newtown Board of Education for four years.

Question responses:

1. The loss of connectivity between the executive office and the people

2.  I will make myself readily available to the people, listen to their concerns and take whatever action is appropriate to serve the best interests of the Town of Newtown.

 3. I am a proactive individual.  Once a goal is established, I become very dedicated and persevere until I reach the goal.  If the goal changes, I reassess the situation and take whatever action is necessary.

4. The issue or need that requires priority attention is “Long Range Strategic Planning.”  I emphasized this during the 1985 election cycle. It is also alluded to in the 2001 version of the charter.  We finally have one in work.  I shall work tirelessly to bring this project to fruition.

 5. School budgets are heavily weighted toward fixed costs: ie, salary contracts, utility costs and transportation.  I think it’s difficult to do, but a balance should be struck between student needs and maintaining the schools infrastructure.

6. I served on the Fairfield Hills Study Committee back in the 90’s and our recommendation at that time was that the town’s needs should have priority. Commercial development should be permitted to the extent that a “revenue neutral” situation would exist.  I still believe this recommendation should be followed.

7. I have lived in Newtown for 52 years, and I don’t think the prevailing attitude in town is any more negative then it has ever been.  There are always negative elements in all populations.  The national and state levels are typical examples.  I think advancing technology; ie, cell phones, instant messaging and the Internet have provided people with a venue to vent their feelings thus, creating the ability for those with similar ideas to form public advocacy groups to express their positions on the subject at hand.  I will, as your first selectman, approach this challenge by maintaining an open door policy for all the citizens of Newtown.

Herb Rosenthal

70 Main Street

426-0660

E-mail: HCRosenthal@aol.com

Website: www.thenewtowndemocrats.com

Family:  Married to Michelle, a 5th grade teacher in the Danbury Public Schools; four children: Julia, Daniel, John and Sarah (all graduates of the Newtown schools); two step-children: Lauren and Michael; eight grandchildren (Hana in 2nd grade at Middle Gate School); one dog, Max, and one cat, Harry

Party affiliation: Democrat

Newtown residency: 54 years

Education: Graduate of Newtown High School; Fairfield University, AB, Government; American College, Chartered Life Underwriter, Chartered Financial Consultant.

Occupation: first selectman, Town of Newtown for 10 years; prior occupation, financial services industry since 1971, insurance, investments and financial planning.

Question responses:

1. Controlling escalating property taxes while still providing quality education and other necessary municipal services.

2. I have been a leader in this area by working with the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities and the Council of  Small Towns on property tax relief measures and proper state funding of  town aid. Continue our program of preserving open space to slow residential development, protect the environment and “Preserve the Character of Newtown.”  Continue to seek appropriate commercial development to broaden the tax base.  Continue cost saving measures in town departments, such as energy conservation, give backs in employee benefits in union contracts, using technology to increase productivity, cooperative bulk purchasing with other municipalities, competitive bidding, and outsourcing whenever appropriate (privatization), as well as seeking additional measures to be more efficient and cost effective.

3. Leadership and experience in working collaboratively with others to accomplish common goals that are in the best interests of the town.

4. Substance abuse.  Continue to work with The Parent Connection, Prevention Council, and Newtown Youth and Family Services to heighten parental awareness, overcome parental denial, increase parental supervision, and to provide healthy youth activities, support groups, counseling and access to treatment facilities.

5. Become more efficient and cost effective in delivering a quality educational program that demands excellence, reinforces innovation and creativity, attracts teachers who make learning exciting so that children learn how to learn, places more emphasis on math and science to prepare our children to compete globally in the new “flat world” as described in Thomas L. Friedman’s book “The World Is Flat”.

6. Implement the Master Plan of Development approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission.  The plan provides for a reasonable balance of commercial and community uses of the campus and is flexible enough to be modified over the years as the times may call for changes.  The plan is already having great success in both areas with fields coming on line, the Newtown Youth Academy lease signed and the authority has recommended other commercial leases to the selectmen for approval

7. There are some major concerns and escalating property taxes are a critical factor.  The current system punishes successful towns like ours that are great places to live and work.  The system causes dissatisfaction in Newtown and communities throughout the State with the over dependence on those property taxes to fund municipal services, especially education.  Connecticut recently passed New Jersey as the most property tax dependent state.  We have held that dubious distinction for funding education for many years. Studies have consistently shown that upwards of 80% of voters consider the property tax the most unfair tax.  That is why I was fighting for property tax relief in my capacity as President of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities and as a board member of the Council of Small Towns.

Louis Jay Mattegat

1 Sealand Drive, Newtown

426-8819

E-mail: Mynitch@aol.com

Family: My wife, Melanie, and our two daughters Lauren, age 20, and Jacey, age 15; two dogs Max and Ginger both Hungarian Viszla’s. Lauren is a junior getting her degree in marketing at Western Connecticut State University and Jacey is a sophomore at Newtown High School.

Party affiliation: Unaffiliated/petition candidate

Newtown residency: 46 years My children are fifth generation here.

Education: Graduate Newtown High School 1979; served United States Army August 14 1979-August 14, 1983

Occupation: Formal wear sales and rentals for 20 years, owner Julie Allen Bridals

Question responses:

1. I have many concerns, however I must say our  high property taxes is a major concern. Many of our senior citizens that are on fixed incomes and part of the middle class are being pushed to the point of having to move from Newtown to another town or even out of state where home and car taxes are more affordable. Not since the late 1970s has Newtown had so many homes on the market. If so many of these people are moving out of Newtown due to the high cost of our taxes, that should be something we should work to change.

2. By cutting from the top down,  finding waste, and asking questions to each and every department.  Wanting to have accountability for tax dollars spent, and informing the tax payers of Newtown with its progress.

3. I see the glass half full, while working for the general public over the last 20 years  I have the ability to be a great listener and communicate well to others.  Finding ways to save rather than spend is and will be an important venue for me for the future of out town.  I would also like to hear from the people of Newtown,  I will have an open door policy at the very least twice a week where people are welcome to come in and get answers to their questions and concerns. I want to resolve these matters in a timely manner. I do not plan on making a career out of politics, rather I’m looking to be the first selectman because I want to change Newtown for the better.

 

4. The current condition of our roads for many years has been poor. The “quick patch” just does not seem to get the job done correctly. In many surrounding towns the condition of their roadways far surpass that of our roads.

 

5. Understanding that the office of the first selectman has no authority over the Board of Education as to the spending of education tax dollars. It will be up to all of us to oversee and ask the tough questions to them, and getting answers

6. We must act soon to develop and use these beautiful buildings to gain tax revenue. Too many years have passed with little or no action. I believe that some of this property should be developed into hiking trails and horse trails, and leave a large portion of extra land undeveloped for the future generations of Newtown.

 7. We must work together and put party affiliations to the side. We owe this to the taxpayers to find and cut wasted tax dollars. I will not play the political blame game, rather find mistakes correct them to the best of my ability and move on to the next issue.

Christian H. Qualey, Jr.

Address:  1 Cedar Circle Newtown

426-6713

Family: Wife,  Judith A. Qualey, Hawley School teacher, 18 years; children,  two sons, Christian III and Eric

Newtown residency: 34 years

Education:  Notre Dame High School; Bridgeport, CT, University of Bridgeport, Western Connecticut State University.

Occupation: Retired from Perkin-Elmer Corporation where I worked for  20 years; currently involved in managing real estate and other entrepreneurial ventures

Question responses:

1.Transparency in town government: equal treatment, ease of access to information and reliable answers, not Wild Goose chases to questions asked of town employees and elected officials.

2. Investigate, Ask, Listen, Learn and Propose solutions or avenues of addressing problems. If you don’t know the answer, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask.

3. An open mind – my background includes an undergraduate degree in political science, graduate work in accounting and electronic data processing and a master’s degree in finance, and 20+ years with Fortune 500 Companies in various positions, including manager of special projects. The required interface with multi-disciplines seeking suggestions to and /or resolution of problems e.g. project cost control, divisional and group financial planning, facilities, human resources in both governmental and commercial operations.

4. User friendliness in accomplishing the objective of transparency and citizen involvement in town strategies and objectives. Access to information, as it currently exists, is difficult at best to non-computer literate people. Perhaps extended hours or a weekend period might accomplish this end. The myriad of boards commissions, advisory personnel, etc. goes begging for a central person to call for assistance.

5. Depending upon governmental regulations. Elimination of any waste, independent audits and perhaps a zero based budget approach could prove useful in accomplishing such ends. Typically the new budget goes to press prior to the year-end actuals coming out. A post year-end analysis should be performed in order to verify the accuracy of the projected results.

6. This question needs further understanding, investigation and analysis on my part. I do, however, have a general concern over any governmental involvement in Real Estate ventures.  

7. I believe that only a cursory look at our country, in general, is necessary to recognize that the electorate is fed-up with things like “earmarks” unethical behavior and vicious unsubstantiated attacks on opposing persons and ideas. The blatant disregard of the electorate’s wishes does not bode well for the future, at any governmental level. We need to remember we are a Representative Democracy, not a “Survey Says” or Enlightened Dictatorship that rules by executive pronouncement.