Candidate Profile: Justin Bette, Southbury Board Of Selectmen

SOUTHBURY, CT — The 2023 municipal election is heating up in Southbury and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Southbury Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Southbury resident Justin Bette tells Patch why he should be elected to Board of Selectmen.

How old will you be as of Election Day?

49

Does your campaign have a website? If so, include the URL here.

https://www.southburydemocrats...

Please give us your party affiliation.

Democrat

Education.

Region 15 schools K-8. Taft School 1992. Vanderbilt University 1996 Bachelor of Science in Communications

What is your occupation?

Realtor since 2002 at Joseph Bette Realtors

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

Wife Rachel and sons Alex & Travis

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Grandfather Joseph A Bette was a Charter Member of Southbury’s Planning Commission. Also Served 3 terms as a Selectman. Member of the Board of Trustees at The Southbury Training School.

Father Joseph W Bette. 35+ years on Southbury’s Assessment Appeals Board. Member of the committee that created Pomperaug District Dept of Health. Southbury’s “Businessman of the Year “ 1987 for his work in bringing IBM to town.

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

SOUTHBURY —- member of the Parks & Rec Commission, Member of the Economic Development Committee. Vice Chair of the Finance Board. Board of Selectman the past 8 years.

REALTOR—- Past President of the Greater Waterbury Board Realtors (2019). Current president of the Greater Bridgeport Board of Realtors. Member of the Board of the Connecticut Association of Realtors

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

It's a family tradition to give back to our beloved community via service. I also enjoy working with my fellow residents on the issues that affect the quality of life in our town.

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

Every household faces different challenges but locally an issue that seems to concern the majority of our neighbors is the amount of burglary happening in our plazas and in our neighborhoods. I support the creation of an Independent Police Force here in town and look forward to hiring an experienced Chief of Police to start us off on the right path.

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

As they are running with him, I assume the Republican candidates think our First Selectman is doing a good job. I do not. After 8 years it's quite obvious that the FS can not make long range plans or effectively manage people.

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

After 8 years, I suppose I am an incumbent!

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

I agree with Tim O'Neil that our active recreation parks (ballfields) need to become a focus. Having kids on travel teams now, I've seen what neighboring towns offer and we are well behind some of them. Second, during Jeff's tenure our engagement with the State has been poor. Towns around us are receiving multi-million dollar grants in some cases and we now have a road repair issue that may cost more than $10,000,000. We must do better in bringing our state tax dollars back to Southbury.

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

With over 18 years of volunteering on Southbury's Boards & Commissions I have an excellent record of attendance at meetings and bringing forward historical precedents that can help direct our actions today.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

You have two ears and one mouth, use them in that proportion. LISTEN!

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

We now have six generations of the Bette family here in town and I know that our great schools, gorgeous open spaces and modest tax burdens need to be maintained for all future generations.