A quick municipal roundup, stretching back to the beginning of the month:
- Newington’s mayor Jeff Wright (R) kicked off his re-election bid in early June. Wright shook up Newington by leading a slate of Republicans to a majority on the town council. Newington has been heavily Democratic for decades.
- Guilford’s First Selectman Carl A. Balestracci is retiring, and a lively race to succeed him is off and running.
- Republicans in Brookfield endorsed a slate. William Tinsley, a member of the finance board, will run for first selectman.
- Rep. Tim O’Brien is still considering a run for mayor in New Britain.
Know of any other municipal election news? Post it here.
Connecticut Local Politics 
According to today’s New London DAY, three democrats are vying for a Selectman’s spot in Stonington. They will be running mates with the current First Selectman, Ed Haberek.
In Waterbury things have been pretty quiet:
Former (as of 6/11) Police Chief O’Leary is apparently considering running with Mayor Jarjura for a seat on the Board of Education. (A possible stepping stone to the mayor’s slot in ’11 or ’13 perhaps?)
The Republican Party is holding a fundraiser specifically for thier Board of Aldermen candidates on 6/25. This seems to support the unconfirmed rumor that the Rupublicans are going to run either a headless ticket, or cross-endorse Jarjura.
The Independent party is waiting until later in the year to announce any candidates, as is thier usual MO.
Well, this seems like as good an opportunity as any to engage in some shameless self-promotion.
I’m running for Southington’s Town Council as an independent. Over the coming weeks, I will be collecting signatures to qualify for this November’s election as a petitioning candidate.
-Jim Sargent
J. Paul Vance, Jr. is running against Jarjura in Waterbury offering a real choice for those who are sick of :
The HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT rate in Connecticut!
The SECOND HIGHEST TAX RATE in the State!
NO major economic development. Not ONE SINGLE large employer has been attracted to the City.
The possibility still looms that Chestnut Hill Bio Energy will truck hundreds of tons of garbage into Waterbury and burn it in one of our “gateway” neighborhoods.
Vance is clearly the best choice for Mayor and Democrats are done with the divisive, strong-arm tactics of Jarjura and his administration – especially from Lieberman’s favorite Mayor -Jarjura.
Brookings Institution has New Haven in the Top 20 Strongest Performing Metro Areas.
I wonder what ACR thinks, since when he thinks New Haven he envisions Stalingrad.
Full list:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/17/recession-hurting-us-citi_n_216366.html
Also: Hartford & Stamford areas check in in the top 40.
http://www.brookings.edu/metro/MetroMonitor/overall_performance/overall.aspx
No I don’t; I think of some 3rd world battle zone.
Paul Vance? In eight years on the board his crowning achievement is a vague proposal for a dog park that went nowhere.
There’s no race in Waterbury.
In Wolcott, unaffiliated Mayor Tom Dunn has collected enough signatures to run for his fourth term. Former Council Chairman George Babcock will be the Democratic challenger.
So far, there are rumors for a number of unnafiliated candidates in Wolcott for Council.
Well played.
Good.
I’m not sure how Wolcott’s council is elected, but in Southington we have 9 at large town councillors. If they all run for reelection, then among the 6 Democrats and 6 Republicans are 9 incumbents and 3 challengers. Even if all 3 non-incumbents win, the majority of the council represents the same old approach.
If we’re going to have any change in direction on the Town Council, unaffiliated and minor party candidates are the way to go. Those candidates also have a responsibility to make a real effort to win. It isn’t good enough to just get on the ballot and make your voice heard. We need our candidates to be viable if it’s going to get us anywhere.
(In the interest of full disclosure, I’m an unaffiliated candidate for Town Council in Southington.)
It’s getting interesting in The Rose of New England, Norwich, as three sitting alderman (on a City Council of seven, in which two, to include the current Mayor, have announced they are NOT seeking re-election) plus one, additional candidate are all seeking to become Mayor.
Joesph Radecki was the endorsed Democratic Town Committee candidate in 2001 but has chosen to run as unaffiliated for 2009.
Peter Nystrom, one of two Republicans on the City Council, announced last Monday he would seek his party’s endorsement for Mayor.
Aldermen Mark Bettencourt (third term) and Bob Zarnetske (first term) are both seeking the endorsement of the Democratic Town Commitee at the DTC’s 23 JULY meeting.
Mr. Zarnetske announced his candidacy in late December and Mr. Bettencourt in early February.
Of all four seeking the office, Bob Zarnetske is the only one with a website:
http://www.z4mayor.com/