Patch Candidate Profile: Dawn King, Milford Board of Education

MILFORD, CT — As the 2023 municipal elections get closer in Milford, there are plenty of races with candidates who are eager to serve in elected office.

Milford Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will publish candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Dawn King, 63, is running for a seat on the Board of Education in Milford to represent the 5th District as a Republican candidate.

King holds an associate degree and has worked as a talent agent/manager for 15 years, working with children in Film, TV and commercial work. She has been a singer for 30 years in live performance and recording and is an acting/voice coach for 20 years. She’s also a provisional real estate appraiser for three years.

King’s family includes her husband Andy, who’s running for planning and zoning and has been married for 25 years. They have a son, Misha, who lives in Philadelphia. They also have four dogs: Parker, Jack, Duncan and Annie Mae. All of their dogs are rescues from Col. Potter’s Cairn Terrier Rescue.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No one in my family works in politics or government.

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

I have never held a public office.

Why are you seeking this office?

My son went through the Milford public school system, and I love working with children. A good education is vital for the success of every child. It's important to our community. Parents need to know what is going on in their child schools, they need to have a voice. I have experience working hand-in-hand with parents to set goals and bring dreams to reality. Education is where it all begins.

Please complete this statement: 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 knowing, how their tax dollars are being spent for education and I want to make certain we are making good decisions that fund education and build our schools for the future.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

We all want what is best for our city's children. Be able to make hard choices when it comes how we spend and getting a plan together for the future of schools is vital.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

We have been putting out fires in our schools, not setting goals. Our student population is not growing but our budget continues to go up every year. We have a 10 to 1 student/teacher ratio in our schools but does the quality of our children's education reflect that? What are we giving up for social and emotional learning?

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

I want parents to feel welcome to be involved and the community at large to know we are doing our best to educate Milford's children and spend their tax dollars wisely.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I love working with children and helping them to build the skills they need to get them to be able to achieve their dreams. I have always been the type of person who loves a challenge and loves to learn. I have built businesses and been successful.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

But my father always said to me if you set a goal and work hard you can achieve almost anything and no matter what the outcome if you know you did your very best, put it all there, that is your success.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I want to make certain that Milford's children are given every opportunity to be successful and that starts with a great education.

Does your campaign have a website?

https://www.milfordctgop.com/