Patch Candidate Profile: Joseph Alling, Milford Planning And Zoning

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.

Joseph Alling is running for a seat on the Planning and Zoning Board in Milford to represent the 4th District as a Democratic candidate.

Education.

Bachelor of Science in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut

What is your occupation?

Medical editor, 5 years of experience

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

I am married to Katherine Alling, a lifelong Milford resident. My successes, present and future, I owe to her love and support.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Katherine serves on the Board of Education.

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

No.

Why are you seeking this office?

As the cost of owning or renting a home has skyrocketed, many longtime Milford residents have had to move to more affordable towns, leaving behind a cherished community. I seek election to make Milford more affordable for all its residents—young people ready to leave their parents’ home, seniors who want to downsize, and everyone in between—while protecting the open space and beautiful neighborhoods that make Milford such a great place to live.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Affordability: being able to stay in Milford in a home that meets your financial and personal needs.

About one-quarter of Milford homeowners and half of renters are cost-burdened by housing, which means housing consumes more than 30% of their household income. These are our children, parents, and grandparents; our friends and neighbors; our teachers, police officers, and nurses. Meanwhile, Milford’s unhoused population has grown by 68% in the last 4 years. To address these challenges we need diverse housing types that accommodate every stage of life.

I will work to rezone our commercial areas, such as the CT Post Mall and strip malls along Boston Post Rd, New Haven Ave, and Bridgeport Ave, to create mixed-use areas with multifamily homes. I will also advocate for inclusionary requirements so that in every multifamily development, at least 10% of homes are deed protected as affordable, as defined by Section 8-30g. These steps will not only create more affordable homes, they will also increase foot traffic to local businesses and reduce the tax burden on individual homeowners, making Milford more affordable for everyone.

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

I am not aware of any public statements by my opponent. It would be dishonest to try to speak for them or guess their opinions.

Transparency and accountability are some of my core principles. I have written and spoken publicly about my positions even though I know not every voter will agree with me. I proactively engage with residents in my district to make sure I understand their needs, and have met hundreds of neighbors at their homes, giving each the chance to ask questions, share their hopes and concerns, and hear my views on the issues that matter most to them. Every single conversation has made me a better candidate and, with your support on November 7, will make me a better public servant.

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

I am not challenging an incumbent for this role.

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

Protecting open space and wildlife habitat will be a priority, especially coastal wetlands, which are vital as a buffer against storm surge and as habitat for threatened species.

Growing up in rural Maine fostered a deep love of nature and forged me into a lifelong conservationist. I volunteer for the Milford Land Conservation Trust, a local nonprofit that acquires and preserves undeveloped land. Land Trust properties are deed restricted so they can never be developed: a gift for future generations and for wildlife.

Some argue that affordable homes and open space are mutually exclusive, but this is a false choice. With strategic, balanced development, we can create opportunities for affordable homes in commercial zones that are already developed—walkable to businesses and public transit—and still protect open space.

Many neighborhoods in Milford are challenged by flooding. In Point Beach, for example, small lot sizes and overdevelopment have led to poor drainage and flooding during high tides. We cannot turn back time, but I will carefully review applications to ensure that new developments do not make matters worse or impede the Department of Public Works in their planned efforts to improve drainage.

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

As a volunteer for the Land Trust I helped lead an effort to acquire several acres of forest land. The case was legally complex and required careful negotiation. We succeeded and the land is now deed-protected as open space for wildlife and for current and future generations of Milford residents.

I am an Eagle Scout.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

"You can't always get what you want," sung by my Mom to the tune of the Rolling Stones song.

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

To the hundreds of neighbors who met me at their door and took the time to share their views with me: Thank you.

Does your campaign have a website?

milfordctdems.com.