Patch Candidate Profile: Bette Lynn Paez For Shelton Mayor

SHELTON, 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:

Bette Lynn Paez

What office are you seeking?

Mayor

What town do you live in?

Shelton

Campaign Website

Party Affiliation:

Democratic

Occupation:

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(TM), 25 years.

Family:

In 1890, my Wright great-grandparents built the house my mother lives in today. My uncle Ralph Hopkins was fire chief in the 1980s; his son Alan was a captain in the Echo Hose. My cousins, mother, and sister live on what remains of the Wright Dairy Farm on River Road.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

Previous public office, appointive or elective:

No.

Why are you seeking this office?

I want to use my skills to create a strategic plan for smart growth in Shelton. I have an MBA from Carnegie Mellon and I'm a CFP(R) professional. I am the nerd that Shelton needs now.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it:

Haphazard growth. We need a plan that coordinates spending on education, sewers, parking, transportation, and parks to ensure that our infrastructure is stable and strong for the future. For example, if we do not create reserves for sewer maintenance, we could face a SEWER-NAMI.

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

Because my family has been in Shelton since 1890, I have a deep connection to this city. I leveraged the excellent education I received in the Shelton school system and became a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(TM) professional. As a fiduciary, I always put my clients' interests ahead of my own. As mayor, I would make decisions for Shelton's best long-term interest.

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

We need transparency and accountability so residents understand what their local government is doing and why. Boards and committees need to meet and not as act rubber stamps for the mayor. I also believe it is time to establish term limits. We replace our cars about every ten years and roofs, about every thirty years. We are overdue for urban renewal in City Hall.

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

As an independent financial planner, I have worked with many families over 25 years to prepare them for successful retirement. I put a plan in their life and then life in their plan. I want to do the same for Shelton.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Get a good education.

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

I am no stranger to hard work. I had three part-times jobs when I was in high school to save for college.

My career path is best described as computer chips to chocolate chips to blue chips: selling computers for IBM, running my own bakery in Black Rock, then becoming a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(TM) professional.

I don't have all the answers but I ask the right questions and know how to find resources to get the job done. I will give voters a choice and a voice. I will lead with the courage to face reality, speak the truth, and work to improve the lives of all.