Republican Jeff Caggiano Running For Mayor Of Bristol

By Dean Wright, The Bristol Press

October 29, 2021

A 24-hour job is something that doesn’t scare mayor candidate Jeff Caggiano, who is ready to serve the people if he is elected.

“I’m a business guy but I have just enough political experience to be a little dangerous,” Caggiano said. “I understand how the game is played. I’ve been the Republican Town Committee chairman for the last six years and I’ve helped resurrect the Republican Party in town here. We’ve renamed ourselves and put our motto as ‘Neighbors helping neighbors.’ We’ve grown the party and our registration is way up in town.”

Caggiano said he grew up in Bristol before graduating from Bristol Eastern High School. From Washington and Lee University he graduated cum laude with a degree in biology. He is a member of St. Gregory’s Church and has worked in pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries over 32 years, much of that in sales, as a manager and in training and development. He served on the Bristol Public Schools Board of Education for four years as well as on the Bristol Zoning Commission for two years. He has coached soccer for years and shares three children with his wife Shari.

In the past, the candidate said he has helped organize anti-tax rallies, and while on the Board of Education, he fought against a universal free breakfast and lunch program from the federal government to feed all students in the district.

“We don’t need to feed every kid,” Caggiano said. “We need to feed the kids that need it.”

Caggiano said he believes this was costing the taxpayers money.

“It might be well-intentioned, but big government programs don’t work,” Caggiano said. “When we do that, we run afoul and kids are throwing away food, literally.”

Caggiano said he helped get lights and turf on Bristol Eastern High School athletic fields while working with a committee and privately fundraised over $125,000 to get the lights put up. He said during his time on the board he “followed through” to make sure turf was added.

“I believe that I put us into the 21st century with our athletic fields,” the candidate said.

Among some of his goals should he become mayor, education is his first priority while his second priority is supporting manufacturing businesses in Bristol.

“This city was built on manufacturing in the early 1900s,” Caggiano said. “There are lots of jobs that are available and lots of opportunities and again we’ve been doing a good job. We’ve the Bristol Tech School and the chambers bring some great programs, but I think we can do better there and bring them in.”

The candidate said he believes City Hall spends too much and he would like to evaluate spending based on city department performance.

In regards to $28 million in federal money given to Bristol from the American Rescue Plan Act, he believes Bristol should be able to spend it how it wants without federal stipulations. He would like to see the West End of Bristol invested in while bringing further business investments to the community.

“I’ve been in the biotech industry and the healthcare industry for 32 years and I have served people,” Caggiano said during the recent Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce Mayoral Debate. “I’ve served people on boards and commissions.”

He said he looks forward to serving the public and working hard as the mayor if the residents of Bristol elect him on Election Day.