Patch Candidate Profile: Irving Matthew Fox For Danbury City Council - Ward 1

DANBURY, CT — Election Day on Nov. 4 is fast approaching, and there are a number of key races on the ballot.

Patch reached out to candidates for office to get more information on their campaigns and the issues that are facing their towns.

Candidate's Name:
Irving Matthew Fox

What office are you seeking?
City Council - Ward 1

What town do you live in?
Danbury

Party Affiliation:
Republican

Occupation:
Finance Manager - 32 years of experience

Family:
My eldest son Ryan is 28 and is a teacher in Alaska, my middle son Bradley is 26 and is in medical school at Duke University in North Carolina, My youngest son Adam is 23 and works for a CPA firm in Buffalo, and my daughter is 23 and is a teacher in Chicopee, MA.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
No

Previous public office, appointive or elective:
I have held several elective and appointive positions. I began public service as a member of the Danbury Board of Education in 2006. During this time, I served as Vice-Chair in 2008-2009 and Chairman in 2010-2011. My service on the Board of Education ended in November 2011. I was then appointed to a CT Governor's Task Force on the Technical High School System in 2012.

I served on the Danbury Republican Town Committee from 2012-2013.

I was first elected to the Danbury City Council representing the First Ward in November 2013, and have served to the present (with the exception of December 2023).

Why are you seeking this office?
I have truly enjoyed serving my community and feel that I have made a difference during my time serving the residents of the First Ward. I am passionate about resolving issues facing my constituents and getting to the root causes and shining a light on issues which have plagued our community.
I wish to continue to give back to the city that has been so good to me and my family since I moved here in 1994 for many years to come.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it:
The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is affordability of living in Danbury. Property tax increases over the past few years have hit homeowners (and renters indirectly) particularly hard. This is in the face of other cost of living increases and a lack of corresponding income growth for most of our residents.

There is no question that the expenses of the City will continue to rise, as the school and general population increase requiring more services for our residents. However, the City Council (and me in particular) will play a big role in holding the administration including the schools accountable for ensuring that there is effective financial management of expenses. Just as important, I (with my fellow members of the Council) will begin and further the discussion of how we can promote significant increases in revenue without burdening our homeowners. This would include ideas which bring business and industries into Danbury without increasing the population further.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
While I commend all the candidates for this position for stepping up to volunteer to serve the community, I feel I am the best choice for this position because:

I have a proven record over the past 19 years of advocating and voting on behalf of my constituents.

I have spoken out and voted according to my conscience, even when it runs counter to the party politics of the day.

I have gained extensive expertise on many issues facing the council, most importantly in school finance. My efforts over the last few years helped to uncover financial mismanagement within the school system. While the City is still recovering from what has taken place, we are certainly on the right track.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?
An additional issue I will concentrate on is managing the City's response to the continued growth we are experiencing. We need to ensure that city services such as public safety, road infrastructure, support for our senior citizens, recreational opportunities, and our schools are provided at a level fitting our population. (All while keeping in mind affordability as mentioned earlier).

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
As a member of the Education Budget Committee, I was instrumental in holding the school district administration accountable for financial mismanagement. Ultimately, senior leadership within the school district has changed and we are now on a path to recover from these conditions. My work on the Audit Committee has also helped during this recovery period.

I have also been vocal in uncovering other practices that don't make sense, such as the recent changes in signage on some of our most heavily travelled roads. My work on several ad-hoc committees has resulted in better solutions by the time they were voted on by the full City Council.

Finally, I am proud of the work I have done for constituents who have reached out to me to help resolve problems they have been facing with various city services.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?
The best advice anyone ever gave me is when you try and make everyone happy, then no one will be happy. I continue to reflect on this advice to guide me in speaking and voting my conscience for the best possible outcomes for our City.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
In addition to my work on the City Council, I have been involved as a volunteer and administrator in the area's Youth Track and Field/Cross Country programs, as well as serving as the Chair of Youth Athletics for USA Track and Field-Connecticut since 2022.