CT Patch Candidate Profile: Kenneth Astarita For RTM

FAIRFIELD, CT — The 2025 election is heating up in Connecticut and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Connecticut Patch asked local candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Candidate's Name:
Kenneth Astarita

What office are you seeking?
Representative Town Meeting

What town do you live in?
Fairfield

Campaign Website
https://www.fairfieldrtc.com/2025-rtm-candidates

Party Affiliation:
Republican

Occupation:
I have spent the last 25 years in the financial services industry.

Family:
My domestic partner and I have enjoyed living in Fairfield for the last 18 years. We do not have any children.

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

Previous public office, appointive or elective:
Yes, I have spent the last four years as a member of the Fairfield Representative Town Meeting (RTM).

Why are you seeking this office?
I wish to continue serving on the RTM because it provides me an opportunity to serve and give back to a community that has been wonderful to me. Serving on the RTM allows me to do my part to ensure that the Town government is delivering maximum value to its’ residents, tax payers, business owners, and visitors.

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 fiscal responsibility and transparency in Town government. In the aftermath of the “Fill Pile” and “Penfield Pavilion” scandals, which cost the Town in excess of $40 million, it is critical that Fairfield’s taxpayers fully understand where and how their money is being spent. As a member of the RTM it will be my job to ensure the Town Administration sets the right spending priorities and is held accountable for its’ decisions.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
I honestly don’t know very much about my opponent. However, I can promise voters that I am committed to working across party lines to solve problems. Fairfield deserves an RTM whose members will respect one another, listen to one another, and work together to deliver positive results for our Town.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?
In addition to fiscal responsibility and transparency, I intend to work to ensure that Fairfield’s neighborhoods are kept safe by giving our police, firefighters, and first responders the resources they need to do their jobs.

I will support sensible and responsible development that expands our tax base and I will oppose overdevelopment that puts unplanned burdens on existing infrastructure while changing the character of our neighborhoods.

I am also committed to improving academic excellence in Fairfield’s schools by ensuring that every student learns in a safe, modern, and healthy environment and I will oppose unnecessary redistricting that disrupts students and weakens school communities under the guise of “racial imbalance.”

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
I served on the Board Of Directors, and for a time as president, of the Southport Woods Condominium Association. This experience helped prepare me for making the types of decisions necessary to ensure a community runs effectively.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?
The best advice I ever received was to work hard and do the right thing.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
Yes, the voters should know that every decision I make and a member of the RTM will be with one thought in mind, “what is in the best interest of the Town of Fairfield”.