For the third time, Democratic candidate Tony LaRosa and Republican candidate Tony Colandrea will face off in Rocky Hill's race for mayor. LaRosa, a state marshal, won in 2005 and 2007 and is serving his second term as mayor. Colandrea, who works as a pediatric dentist in town, is in his first term on the Town Council.
With Election Day Tuesday, the Post asked both Colandrea and LaRosa to respond to a series of questions. They were asked to limit each response to approximately 150 words or less. Here are there responses, some of which have been edited for length.
- Anthony DellaCalce
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Colandrea: Today, our leaders are, for the most part, blind to the decay setting in, caused by both the severe economic times, as well as the failure to incorporate a long-range plan. The town has become stagnant, as town leaders continue to live in the here and now. As mayor, I am committed to harnessing the physical, cultural, and intellectual strengths of our town, and in transforming those matchless qualities in sustainable and unrivalled development that will benefit our citizens and visitors alike. My future vision for Rocky Hill is of a vibrant, dynamic, innovative, future-thinking, and fiscally-sound planning-based and professionally-managed suburban community. It will continue to provide residents with a quality infrastructure to meet current needs and will develop what is necessary to accomodate future growth. Rocky Hill will become recognized as a leader among Connecticut municipalities in responding to the challenges of the 21st Century and will continue to be a wonderful place to live, play, work, and conduct business.
LaRosa: The greatest challenge facing Rocky Hill in the years ahead is to lead the town in recovering from the recession, through careful management of expenditures and doing whatever it takes to control taxes.
How would you attract new businesses and residents?
LaRosa: Attracting new businesses means doing what we've been successful at over the past four years -providing responsive government and a soundly based tax structure. For the second part of the question, attracting new residents also means doing what we've been successful at over the past four years - maintaining a strong educational system and providing town services that add up to an attractive quality of life.
Colandrea: Economic development will decidedly become more outward-bound, and will seek out opportunities for new revenue streams, retail and service providers to better serve the community's needs, as well as commercial property tax revenue-generating commercial entities. Government will become goal-orientated, and held accountable to its citizens for performance. A walkable town center district will emerge; the town's diverse retail community will thrive in serving the community's shopping needs abd the town will become a shopping destination.
Would you support raising taxes or reducing spending to balance the budget?
Colandrea: The town's economy and budget will be built on realistic, stable, and fiscally-responsible tax-base, which seeks to rely less on property taxes and more on alternative revenue streams. We will learn to live within our means, serving our needs, not our wants. To this end, I am proposing a 2 percent tax cap. I believe that a tax cap is necessary to bring about stabilization in our taxes. ...
I strongly support Budget by Referendum. I firmly believe that the residents being taxed should be able to vote on their own tax increases. Time and time again, it has been demonstrated that communities that offer a budget-by-referendum, typically have smaller tax increases and are happier with the fairness of the end result. It may take them more time to reach a consensus, but the results end up saving the communities in the long run.
LaRosa: The challenge for Rocky Hill is the same as it is for all towns and all levels of government - reducing spending without gutting needed public services, and making sure that property taxes are not increased unless absolutely necessary.
Which of your current relationships do you think you will most need as mayor?
Which of your strengths do you think the job will most require?
LaRosa: No mayor can be successful unless he or she works with all members of the Town Council in a bipartisan manner to ensure that the interests of the community are being served by its government. The strengths I bring to the Mayor's office include my experience as a Town Councilor and my four years as Mayor, my long-standing commitment to responsive public service, and my ability to listen carefully and respond effectively to the concerns and suggestions of all citizens.
Colandrea: I am a mayoral candidate on a mission. My mission will be to wake the community from its complacency and to set forth a revitalization plan. I will evaluate and assess - build on our strengths and strengthen our weakness. I will transform our reactive economic development into a proactive force and implement long-range planning, which will help provide a road-map to the future and economic prosperity. I will evaluate essential government and reduce its size along with associated cost. I will apply the business model to government operation - develop a goal orientation, implement management by objectives, and make government accountable. I will assist those in need, including seniors and veterans, through new outreach programs and will attend to the declining condition of school facilities. Ethics and government will become a priority. I will improve the quality of customer service, implementing a feedback mechanism, and will improve the quality of government decision-making through employing conventional market research techniques. I will bring the the government and the governed closer together, instilling a strong sense of community and civic pride, encouraging greater collaboration and participation in a more open and communicative environment.
What's the most important thing you want voters to remember when they head to the polls?
Colandrea: While a Republican, I refuse to be labeled. I will be a "Mayor for all parties." I will represent all residents, not just the views and interests of one party! That's the way it should be, but sadly it isn't. I am a great listener. Democrats, Independents, and Republicans can count on fair and equal representation. Don't be afraid to cast your vote outside your party, you won't be disappointed. You deserve a government, "your way." My campaign is "Vote Smart." I hope you will.
LaRosa: Especially as the entire nation works hard to recover from the recession, the most important things for voters to take to the polls are what's being done to keep their property taxes in check, and whether their elected officials are doing all they can to create and retain jobs for their citizens. I believe the Democratic record on both counts is a good one.
