Dear Neighbors,

 

I never envisioned myself as a politician, but things change. In my youth, I dreamt of being a running back for the NY Giants, in law school I entertained the notion of a career as a professional marathoner, but neither proved a strong path forward. The point is that unrealistic dreams die, and realities emerge.

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MY NEW REALITY IS LEADING THE TOWN OF WOODBRIDGE.

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Like many, I moved here for great schools, for open space, and for community. These things that I hold dear are in jeopardy. The current administration is aggressively pursuing and solely focused on massive increases in housing and is ignoring the impact of ever-increasing taxes. I have met many residents who are ready to move away or feel trapped. 

I am running for First Selectman because I have the know-how required to effect necessary change. As a private practice lawyer I specialize in intellectual property law predicated in part on my degree in engineering. This means I not only understand problems, I solve them, and I do so with creativity.

In my prior role as in-house counsel for large corporations, I handled and oversaw litigation and matters such as contracts and real estate. Our town needs an attorney as First Selectman now more than ever - not only to zealously manage the legal attacks on our town, but also to clearly articulate information and engage with residents. As in-house counsel, I explained sensitive topics to employees and third parties. Our residents are in the dark, and I will change that.

I am a project and budget specialist. Our town fails to prioritize spending effectively. I believe few people in town are better equipped to address this than I am, for two reasons: (1) I have, on multiple occasions, accepted a project or task that was dismissed due to its difficulty or low likelihood of success and yet I delivered results, and (2) I know that I don’t know everything. On this latter point, our town is full of incredibly talented people, and I intend to ask you for your ideas and your priorities. You can count on my genuine appreciation for your input and talent in helping us achieve the best solutions for Woodbridge.

 

That leads me to what I think my best skill is – listening - coupled with acting upon what I learn from others. My corporate training in situational leadership, implied bias, and culture building further strengthen my qualifications for serving as Woodbridge’s First Selectman. By training and by profession, I understand new ideas and how to build and present them. Our town needs a leader who listens to great ideas, collaborates to identify solutions, and turns those solutions into reality.

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HOW I WILL TACKLE WOODBRIDGE'S BIGGEST OBSTACLES.

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Our town’s finances need an overhaul. The trend of ever-increasing spending and ever-increasing tax bills must stop. I will hire an Economic Development Director to boost our business district and will apply my corporate management experience to creatively tackle our operating budget and get our finances under control. Our debt burden is on an unsustainable trajectory with over $96,000,000 worth of proposed new capital spending over the next six years. The substantial tax increases that many of us experienced this year will pale in comparison to interest payments on that level of borrowing. The volume of capital requests is exacerbated by the fact that, as recognized by several members of the Board of Finance, we have “kicked the can” on maintaining our town buildings and infrastructure. The time for a new approach to our finances is overdue, and I have alternative ideas that I will work with you to develop. I will do everything I can to lower taxes, and through workshops and community conversations I will invite you to voice your priorities for ways of improving our town together.

The characteristics I hold most dear about Woodbridge begin and end with zoning. Our zoning needs a fresh start. The current administration is welcoming predatory developers to build incongruous 4-story apartment buildings with just a small percentage of affordable units, and well away from public transit, shopping, and jobs. Our neighbors in Orange have achieved much higher percentages of affordability with much smaller scale structures dressed in colonial architecture. We can and must do better. Meanwhile, our businesses have been asking for zoning reform and despite acknowledging they should undertake this, our Town Plan and Zoning Commission fails to follow through. The current administration’s agenda calls for 1500 more homes with a density as high as 18 units per acre in certain residential neighborhoods. This is more dense than adjacent zoning districts in New Haven and is unheard of in other nearby towns. This single-minded focus is in sharp contrast to the feedback from residents. Currently, Woodbridge has roughly 3500 houses predominantly on wells and with septic systems, and our town includes invaluable watershed; adding an additional 1500 homes is untenable. The continued excessive push for overdevelopment of market-rate housing drives down the contribution of our commercial tax base, meaning an even bigger burden for residents.

I have a strategy for promoting affordability and diversity in housing without vastly increasing market-rate homes or compromising our goal of land conservation. We can welcome modest structures that fit within our existing residential areas and promote mixed use development that benefits our business district. We can do better, and I will lead the charge. 

 

Woodbridge is unique. Woodbridge deserves assets that offer something to all its residents and visitors. The Country Club of Woodbridge has been a thorn in our sides due to bickering and inaction that has led to a protracted and now rushed process for its future . . .and why? It is because a singular housing-focused agenda is being pushed by a small group of people. This agenda inspires outcry from the polar opposite group, which believes it must dig in on such a position to effectively counterbalance. What is striking to me is that the neighbors and friends I have spoken to over the past several years seem to share a more common vision – A Common Ground - that is quite different from what is being proposed by the hired town consultants. Getting to the right solution for Woodbridge is indeed hard work, but my sleeves remain rolled-up and I will actually act upon this common vision. It’s time for someone to step-in and lead our community to a consensus, and that someone is
me.

 

I have a multi-pronged, strategic plan to tackle our budget and infrastructure issues, our housing needs . . . and more. I have a timeline in mind, and a vision for how to do it transparently – with your input. In the 11th hour you are seeing materials from the current First Selectman intended to demonstrate an interest in listening to the community, when that interest has been missing over the past two years despite repeated public requests.
I don’t have a secret agenda and I abhor confusion. I can’t sit idle and watch this happen anymore. We must do this together. We will be accountable to ourselves and to future generations. 

 

A COMMON GROUND FOR WOODBRIDGE is a group of your neighbors from four different political affiliations dedicated to rising above politics and focusing on problem solving, to bring a SMART, FAIR, and OPEN approach to the leadership of our town. The issues in this election are local, not national; our leaders should reflect our community as a whole. We are different and brave, and we respectfully ask you to be open-minded. Nothing changes if nothing changes. A vote for our COMMON GROUND FOR WOODBRIDGE team is a vote for our community to work together. It will be my greatest honor to serve as your First Selectman.

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Be well,

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