South Windsor Candidate Profile: Marek Kozikowski, Town Council

SOUTH WINDSOR, CT — The 2023 municipal election season is heating up in South Windsor, and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

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

Name: Marek Kozikowski

How old will you be as of Election Day? 40

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

https://UnitedCommunityParty.o...

What city or town do you live in? South Windsor

What office are you seeking? Town Council

Party affiliation: United Community Party

Education: Masters in Public Administration; MA in Economics; BA in Economics & Geography. All from UConn

What is your occupation? City Planner. 16 years.

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

Wife Kristen of 15 years. Daughters Samantha (13), Elaina (11), Nora (10), and son Colin (7).

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My mother, Mickey, retired from the South Windsor Senior Center several years ago.

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

Town Council (2021-present); Board of Education (2019-2021)

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?

I am seeking re-election to the Town Council because after serving over the past two years, it is clear to me that serving on the Council is the best way for me to volunteer in my community by using my knowledge and experience gained from working over two decades in municipal government.

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

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is how new development is impacting our neighborhoods, and as a town councilor I will advocate for purchasing open spaces and farmland to protect them from development, incentivize the rehabilitation of our historic structures, and be very critical of which projects receive any sort of tax abatements.

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

I have a background in government administration, planning and development, and environmental protectionism that is unmatched by any other candidate.

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

I am advocating for the proper funding of our capital improvements budgets. We have deteriorating roads, failing utilities, missing connections in sidewalks, town facilities that need new equipment, roofs, and other updates. The longer let the infrastructure go unfixed, the worse the situation is going to get.

I am also advocating for ways to make housing more affordable for South Windsor residents, through better management of the tax burden in our town budget, tax credits, and other programs for seniors and other residents in need.

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

As a town councilor the past two years, I shepherded an ordinance for local bid preference to local farmers seeking to lease farmland from the Town, was an active member of the Capital Projects and Energy Committees, and I was often the catalyst for many open discussions amongst councilors at public meetings.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Drive fast, take chances. [in life not the car :)]

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

My wife and I are residents of South Windsor for over 29 years and both attended South Windsor public schools. Besides my parents and family, South Windsor has influenced my life, family, and career more than any other person, place, and or thing. I owe it to the town and its community to pay it forward and help make it somehow better for others.