Patch Candidate Profile: Tony Giannattasio, Milford Mayor

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.

Tony Giannattasio, 54, is running for Mayor of Milford as a Republican candidate.

Education.

Community College

What is your occupation?

Vice President of Sales at Milford Barrel, a family owned business since 1972.

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

Wife Andrea, children Francesca and Anthony.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

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

Yes, Planning & Zoning Commissioner – 4 years, Board of Alderman 16 years with the last 12 years as Minority Leader.

Why are you seeking this office?

It’s a culmination of many things that have led me to seek office. First, I believe seeking office in this position is truly an evolution of my longstanding public service to the City of Milford. I am deeply committed to our city , and as a sitting Alderman, I have had the pleasure of working with 3 mayors. I feel strongly about my public service, it’s been a huge part of my life. Our kids are grown, and I have an opportunity to do this job full-time. I’m at a point where I want to truly help people and represent the city that I am so proud of and has given me so much opportunity in my life. I want to see it continue for generations to come.

Being Mayor, you can truly make a difference on a local level and work to improve people’s lives. This can be done through capital improvements to infrastructure, updating buildings and roads, listening to the concerns of constituents, adopting ordinances to support senior and veteran’s tax relief, etc. Milford has so many great amenities and I am happy to have been part of their development over the last sixteen years. Some of these amenities include our golf course, dog park, recreational fields, Eisenhower Park, the harbor, the library, and our community gardens to name a few. These all give us a better quality of life by bringing our community closer together and I want to improve upon what we already have.

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

I believe crime is a pressing issue. At this moment in time, many of Milford’s residents are talking with me about it. I had proposed 4 new police officers as Alderman and I intend to continue to collaborate closely with the Chief of Police as Mayor. As Mayor, I will maintain transparent communication and support votes that will help our police department be successful. I would like to see more police presence and cameras installed to help police patrol. We see that our officers are burnt out, short-handed, and working double shifts. We need to recruit good officers and retain those we have. Time and time again, conversations with my constituents highlight this concern.

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

Experience is the major difference, and in two main facets. First, I have 35 years of experience running a business which includes hiring people, executing contracts, procurement, customer service and retention, business development, and budgeting. Secondly, I have served my constituents in the 1st district as a sitting Alderman, and prior to that on the Planning & Zoning Board. I have worked and collaborated with all department heads in the city and I have knowledge of how the entire city is run. I have worked on 16 years of our budgets. I’ve also had first hand experience assisting the residents of Milford through challenging events, including storms Sandy and Irene and a global pandemic.

I have a strong values system, coupled with the necessary experience that makes you prepared for a position like this. I do not take the role of Mayor lightly. I would not put myself up for this position if I had not yet acquired a deep knowledge working within our city’s systems, and an understanding of the concerns of our community to be a successful Mayor. This is what sets me apart from my opponent.

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

During my campaign, I have reached out to small and local businesses to recognize their needs. We have a vibrant business community. I know what it takes to grow and maintain a business and I intend to support those who are doing this hard work here in Milford through economic development.

Other issues to address are the reconfiguring of our office and retail spaces for the best use of property and land. As a sitting Alderman, I have taken the opportunity during this campaign to reach out to department heads such as Public Works, and Fire and Police to get feedback on their needs to make Milford the best it can be. I want to ensure that we are meeting the needs of the community.

I also intend to address the issue of affordable housing in the city of Milford. We need to grow the grand list and take pressure off single family home property taxes. We need to have Milford be an affordable place to live and have our young people want to continue their roots here and allow our seniors to stay here through responsible development.

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

My accomplishments are both as a business owner and as an Alderman for 16 years. I believe my re-election for 8 terms is a reflection of the trust the constituents of Milford have in me. This is one of my greatest accomplishments. As the Minority Leader, I’ve worked collaboratively across the aisle with 3 mayors. I listen closely and sincerely to people. This was especially evident in the situation with our school budget this past year. The possibility of Harborside closing was real, and I supported fully funding the budget with a request that a committee be formed. I advocated for a plan to be put in place involving all stakeholders. I have also established the senior 55 and older developments trash reimbursement ordinance and supported Senior & Veterans Tax Relief. These are among what I would consider accomplishments not only as an Alderman, but accomplishments for the city of Milford.

As a business owner, I’ve grown our family business and have tremendously expanded what we do. This includes securing financing, negotiating contracts, seeking out new business, mergers and acquisitions, hiring and training staff, and incurring capital expenditures to facilitate business growth. You need to invest, see the value and understand market value in order to do this. The same goes for running a city.

Lastly, I would consider the relationships I have developed with those inside and outside of my party among my greatest accomplishments. I am a listener, a sounding board, and a problem-solver. Above all, I value respect for all Milford residents, regardless of affiliation. I have seen this flourish in my relationships– with my colleagues, my children, and in the quick rapport I build with constituents. I work together with elected officials, community members, and stakeholders. We are able to learn from each other and come to the best possible solutions. That is how I carry myself now, and how I intend to handle this job.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

To make sure that you think things through and work through the problem. I do this whenever I cast a vote, respond to a call, or provide a potential solution. I have the ability to work with people for the common good and find solutions for the betterment of all involved. This can only be done through critical thinking, and refraining from any rash remarks or judgments I believe it is important to be open minded. It’s important to be positive , optimistic, see the good, empower people, and put faith in others. I held myself to this value when I received negative attacks towards my family during this campaign. Thinking before you speak gets you a long way. It allows you to be able to work with other people and look for solutions even when there is a tremendous challenge to overcome.

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

If voters look at my resume and experience, they can see that it’s a reflection of how passionate and dedicated I am about being able to be the voice for my constituents for 16 years. I have an appetite to continue to learn and grow as a public servant. I’m now at a point where I would like to serve not just the 1st district, but the whole city. I am confident and comfortable in promoting this city. I want people to live comfortably here, to invest here, to have their business here, and to recreate here. I do not shy away from the work necessary to maintain and grow our city. In fact, I look forward to the work that awaits me.

I know Milford is a special place. I want all the citizens and visitors to enjoy it too. There are so many ways that Milford is viewed as a destination. I am excited about future possibilities for our city, including entertainment at Eisenhower Park, more boardwalks along our beaches, economic growth in Devon, and increased parking downtown. I know these are things my constituents are excited about too. We also can create more opportunities for what are called enterprise funds. These are amenities such as the harbor and the golf course that are revenue generating and self-sustaining.

In terms of my hopes for Milford, I also see opportunities for our city to be more energy independent. We want to protect our beach communities through more storm resiliency investment for our shoreline residents. We also want to ensure that our schools are a priority and that all of our children are getting the best education possible. We can do this through working with our Superintendent and Board of Education members to make necessary updates, and through providing even more programming for STEAM and world languages.

These are many of the things that will move us in a positive way and I am eager to lend my leadership to make great things happen. I look to the voters to want experienced, qualified people and I feel my business background and public service to the city has prepared me well.

It would be my honor to represent all the people as Milford’s next mayor.

Does your campaign have a website?
www.tonygformilford.com.