Izzo is asking voters to write in his name when they go to the polls next Tuesday to vote for first selectman. Voters will have the choice of voting for two party-endorsed candidates, Democrat incumbent Gordon Joseloff and Republican Gavin Anderson, whose names will be prominently displayed on the ballots.
In order to vote for Izzo, voters will have to literally write in his name on their ballots, a true challenge for any candidate.
Nevertheless, Izzo, a blunt and pithy businessman and a lifelong Westporter, has presented his platform so that interested voters may understand his position on four issues.
Izzo supports imposing a 5 percent across-the-board cut on every town department budget to keep taxes down, and would like to offer the Westport Weston Family Y five acres of land at Baron's South for sale at $3 million in order to build the new Y there instead of Mahackeno. This amount, he says, will recover 43 percent of the taxpayer dollars paid for Baron's South and still leave approximately 21 acres of land. The proceeds would be put into an annuity to help offset the costs of running the Senior Center. Izzo calls this a win-win situation.
He also said he would like to grant senior citizens who have lived in Westport a more liberal tax abatement: those who have lived here for five years or more with a combined income of $95,000 would be eligible for a $1,500 tax abatement annually; current guidelines call for an annual income of $55,000 and a $1,000 abatement.
Finally, Izzo said he does not support the expansion of public housing on Baron's South and Hales Court because "the town can no longer afford the extra infrastructure costs involved i.e. fire, police, schools."
Izzo defeated Gavin Anderson in a Republican primary in 2005, but lost to Joseloff by a wide margin.
Knowing he faces an uphill battle against both Joseloff and Anderson, Izzo said, "I know it's a tough road but I could offer the people of Westport real choices. I am the better man."
After an unsuccessful run against Diane Farrell in 2001, Izzo served on the Board of Selectmen from 2001 to 2005, the sole Republican with Democrats Diane Farrell and Carl Leaman.