Town Council Candidate Questionnaire, Answer #3

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As a service to our readers, we will be republishing the replies to our Town Council Candidate Questionnaire question by question, one each day until Election Day. This was the third query:

What are two or three of the main challenges facing Southington that the Town Council can have some impact on?

The replies - ordered by candidate last name - were as follows:

Paul Chaplinsky (R)

One ongoing challenge is maintaining low taxes for residents—including seniors, veterans, and businesses—while continuing to invest in critical services such as public safety, education, and infrastructure. I believe we can continue to grow and improve while staying fiscally competitive with neighboring towns.

Another key priority is preserving Southington’s character through open space and farmland protection. We’ve now preserved over 800 acres through land acquisitions and development rights purchases, and I will continue to advocate for that balance between growth and preservation.

Lastly, infrastructure and safety remain a focus. We’ve made significant progress in recent years, but there’s more work to do—especially along key corridors like West Street and Queen Street. In October 2025, I represented Southington at CRCOG to highlight these priorities, and a public input session will be held virtually on November 19 for those who wish to contribute.

Jennifer Clock (R)

Affordability is the most pressing issue facing us all. While this is not an issue limited to Southington, locally we must bear the brunt of national inflation. Together, we must make responsible decisions while factoring in financial limitations. Proposing realistic solutions and balanced budgets is what my teammates and I have done. It doesn't stop there, there must also be other areas where you look to find ways to provide more with less by identifying inefficiencies, duplications etc and creating ways to leverage technology in order to do that is something I have focused on the past two years to cut costs as chair of the town’s technology committee.

Lack of funding from unfunded mandates is another great challenge that increases year over year. We must work with our state delegation to create more awareness surrounding Southington’s needs for this funding or to help push to revise the mandates that are passed down. These are often onerous and not thought through to the local level which cost taxpayers more without receiving any benefit in most cases.

Michael DelSanto (R)

Balancing the needs for new housing, business growth, and the preservation of open space has consistently presented a challenge for Southington’s elected officials. Each year, these issues remain at the forefront of local governance as leaders strive to accommodate the town’s evolving needs while maintaining its unique character and quality of life. Fortunately, Southington’s Planning and Zoning Commission has recognized the importance of these concerns and actively encourages smart, responsible development. Their ongoing efforts are complemented by the Town Council’s commitment to ensuring that development decisions remain under local control. Over the past year, the Town Council has actively opposed efforts by the State of Connecticut to assume authority over development matters, reinforcing the preference for local oversight in these critical areas.

The Town Council appointed Economic Strike Committee collaborates closely with the Economic Development Director to identify and pursue new business and industry opportunities for Southington. Their work aims to expand the town’s tax base, supporting economic growth while ensuring the community’s financial stability.

Southington’s Open Space Committee is dedicated to procuring land to add to our open space inventory. These efforts play a vital role in preserving the town’s natural resources and recreational opportunities for current and future residents. In 2026, Southington’s Plan of Conservation and Development will be updated. This important milestone will provide a clearer and more comprehensive understanding of the town’s needs.

George Doherty (D)

Transparency and respect for the residents – It should be non-negotiable that elected town board members are expected to listen to our town residents without responding with dismissive or aggressive statements. The response to resident concerns by Town Council members in recent meetings has been disappointing. Southington can do better.

Taxes – Town taxes are increasing but services are remaining flat, with frequent cuts at budget time. This is not happening in every town, and our town deserves more for the taxes we are paying.

Improving the schools – As a parent, I feel that Southington has good schools and I thought my kids were well prepared for college, although I do think the high school needs some work with helping college applicants. However, the public perception is not as strong, with a US News ranking of 74 among public high schools in the state, and this negatively impacts our graduates and the town overall.

Charles E. Green, Jr. (D)

There are more than two or three challenges facing Southington currently that the Town Council can have some impact on, however, I believe that raising taxes and education is of the utmost importance at this time. Finding a way to stop raising taxes which affects a person’s life in all aspects will allow for greater growth for the town of Southington. How, you might ask? If a person has more money in his/her pocket, they have the ability to do more, like save for a rainy day, invest, make more daily purchases, solicit local restaurants and businesses and invest in their children’s future. As it pertains to education, the Town Council can and should allocate funds to the Board of Education to address all aspects of its business. Allow for the hiring of more teachers, allow for the purchasing of new resources, like books/classrooms materials, and most importantly allow for the upkeep and maintenance of all schools. Education is essential in every aspect and without it we will be lost.

Shawn Grindle (D)

If James Carville came to my campaign war room, which is the corner of the living room that hasn’t been claimed by my two daughters, he would post a sign like he did for Clinton in ’92 saying, “It’s the economy, stupid.” Taxes have gone up 12% in the past three years here in Southington. On top of inflation, tariffs, and our elevated risk of slipping into a recession, everything comes back to the economy. Now more than ever, there is a need for strategic fiscal planning to make sure Southington can deliver needed services without causing extra pain to taxpayers. This is a massive challenge, but the Democratic slate is ready to work hard to deliver for the taxpayers of Southington. We cannot continue on the course that has been set by the majority. It’s time to let new civic volunteers take the lead.

Another challenge that has been bubbling up in town recently isn’t financial, but it’s a crisis of trust in local government. At so many of the doors I knock, people have stopped believing that change is possible, or worse, that their voice doesn’t matter. Personally, one of the reasons I jumped into this race was the feeling that decisions are made behind closed doors, a suspicion that has been proven out. The people of Southington are not stupid. They see the pattern of high turnover, costly lawsuits, and a closed network of the same players doing favors for friends of friends.

The members of the next Town Council have a real opportunity and responsibility to turn this sentiment around. Transparency and accountability are not just talking points; they have to become habits. I am not running to become part of the “good ol’ boys” club. I am running because I believe that people deserve to have someone who is open, honest, and shows that public service isn’t about who you know, but about who you represent.

Kristen Marie Guida (D)

Three main challenges facing Southington are rising taxes, maintenance of roads and infrastructure, and sustaining a strong education system. The Council can help by encouraging responsible budgeting, prioritizing infrastructure projects, and ensuring continued investment in public education—all while protecting the town’s fiscal health and quality of life.

Jim Morelli (R)

The main challenge is always fiscal responsibility for our residents. This is a delicate balancing act of saving, spending and borrowing to ensure that our town continues to expand to adapt to our growing population. This is in various sectors such as education, infrastructure and emergency services. While keeping tax increases and spending in line with where we are each year financially.

Additionally, the Town Council deals with commercial and industrial growth that fits within our vision for the future. Along with housing and development.

The number one issue with voters in town has consistently been excessive building and growth. Therefore, the council must maintain a vigorous open space acquisition plan to retain the look and feel of our town.

Tony Morrison (R)

The biggest challenge right now is the Grand List growth. Next year we will have serious Grand List growth due to the inflation-driven property revaluation. However, the normal growth rate has slowed a little since Covid and we must build it back up. Weapons to do so include the Economic Strike Committee which works with the Economic Development Director. This directs and supports opportunities for growth. The number of initiatives in the last two years have been tremendous. Just one example - this year we have begun to develop the Industrial parcels on West Queen Street (industrial and commercial properties give us the biggest growth) with the first parcel has been taken. The revenue from businesses is critical for our funding of all our services - for example, 48% of Grand List growth funding this year’s budget was from business.A secondary challenge is that Southington is in Connecticut and the environment here is not very friendly towards businesses – State taxes are very high, as are energy prices. So we have to make our Town friendly towards business, as well as our residents. This requires serious, but controlled, spending on roads, infrastructure, public safety services, our schools. We are competing with other towns in Connecticut, as well as some in surrounding states. To ensure great services while keeping taxes attractive to business as well as our residents requires serious judgment capabilities from our elected officials.

Finally, the overall ambience of the Town is also very important. Which is why our Open Space strategy is so necessary. The Town has purchased more than 1000 acres of open space for all kinds of Town needs from farming to recreation. But more than that the green spaces ensure our residents have welcome breaks from suburban sprawl.

Chris Palmieri (D)

The concerns I hear most often from residents center around three key areas: the impact of the budget on taxes, maintaining our infrastructure, and ensuring public safety. Balancing a responsible budget is always a challenge because people want strong services, but they also want to know their tax dollars are being used wisely. The Council can make a difference by prioritizing spending, looking for efficiencies, and planning long-term to avoid sudden spikes in taxes.  Properly maintaining infrastructure is another major area where the Council plays a role through planning and ensuring we invest in what will serve the community best over time.

Finally, public safety is at the heart of what keeps Southington a great place to live. The Council can support our police, fire, and emergency personnel with the resources and staffing they need. 

Joshua Serafino (R)

One of the biggest challenges Southington faces is keeping the town affordable for families and seniors while still delivering the services people count on. Everything costs more these days and the Town Council has to make smart, fiscally responsible budget decisions that protect taxpayers without hurting the quality of life in town. Another challenge is preserving open space so Southington keeps that hometown feel that makes it such a great place to live. Lastly, we need to continue supporting our first responders so they have what they need to keep our community safe. If we stay focused on fiscal responsibility, open space, and public safety, we can keep Southington a great place to live, work, and raise a family while building a strong future for everyone.

 

David Zoni (D)

As always, formulating a responsible budget that addresses the needs of our community while providing the essential services that our residents expect and deserve is and always has been the primary challenge of the Town Council. As I have articulated in the past and whole-heartly believe, the budget is a moral document. It reflects who we are as a community and the priorities and concerns we have as members of its citizenry.

In my career as a public servant, I’ve come to understand that, in living in a suburban community like Southington, the residents are generally concerned that we provide quality services, including quality education for our children, superior public safety, quality infrastructure, and recreational opportunities, among others. They want to live in a community where raising a family in a safe environment and retiring with dignity will always be available to them. It’s our responsibility and challenge to ensure that this is not just a vision but a reality.