Patch Candidate Profile: Veronica Lenzen For Trumbull Town Council

TRUMBULL, 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:

Veronica Lenzen

What office are you seeking?

Town Council Representative, District 3

What town do you live in?

Trumbull

Campaign Website

Party Affiliation:

Republican

Occupation:

Special Education Director. I've been in the field of education since 1995, and an administrator since 2017.

Family:

Husband, Chris (almost 21 years); daughter Molly, 19, Sophomore at University of New Haven; Son, CJ, Junior at Trumbull High School. Orville, our 7 year old pup - adopt, don't shop!

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

Previous public office, appointive or elective:

Yes, I currently service as District 3 Town Council Representative, and I am running for re-election.
I also served on the Trumbull Day Commission in 2013.

Why are you seeking this office?

I am seeking this office to continue the work that's been done over the past 2.5 years. I want to continue to give back to the community that has provided us a safe and nurturing environment to raise our children. I want to engage families in local activities. I want to improve resident access to Town Facilities. I continue to believe in transparency of government, and the importance of keeping the hard-earned money of the residents of Trumbull in their own pockets. I maintain my desire for responsible spending. Lastly, I have never stopped believing in the sanctity of families, and the rights and responsibilities of parents to make decisions for their children.

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 the high taxes in Trumbull. Unfortunately, this has been an ongoing issue, and the overspending needs to be controlled. As a Town Council Representative, I will work with my fellow council members to continue to hold town departments accountable for adhering to their budgets and being transparent when supplemental expenditures are necessary. By keeping spending in check, and not spending more than the town has, I believe we can get the ever-rising tax rate under control. This is not a simple task, and it requires ongoing oversight and transparency, including informing citizens when unfunded mandates, required maintenance and necessary upgrades are on the horizon, and the total tax impact with every referendum and expenditure. We cannot treat supplemental appropriations and overspending as "bookkeeping". We have to monitor and budget more responsibly.

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

I believe that my experiences so far have equipped me with the knowledge needed to move forward to effect change.

I maintain my stance that it's not about the politics; it's about unifying this town. United, we can do so much more for ALL the constituents of Trumbull.

I believe that if we spend less time worrying about what makes us different, and focus on what's good for Trumbull Residents, we can move forward much more efficiently.

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

My campaign isn't about higher office, or about party lines; it's about my neighbors, my friends, and their parents and their children. I want to make this Town better for them, and for my own family.

I want to continue to work with the other boards and commissions to protect our town from over development and overspending.

Our parks, our schools, our first responders, and our social services departments provide so much for our residents; we need to continue to support them, and do what we can to avoid overburdening them with droves of new residents moving into apartments that our infrastructure cannot handle. We need to look toward increased development of our Grand List to lift some of the tax burden off of our residents, and improve the quality of life for them.

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

I am very proud of the accomplishments of the Republican-Lead Town Council this past term. Here are just a few:

1) Support for Veterans & First Responders

We allocated ARPA funds to help establish a Veterans and First Responders Center—an investment in the people who serve and protect us.

2) Town wide Lightning & Threat Detection System

Recognizing that the safety of our residents has to be prioritized over other overpriced projects, we recommended and passed a resolution to fully fund a lightning and threat detection system to improve safety across the entire town.

3) Fiscal Responsibility on the Senior/Community Center Project

We pushed back on the original senior/community center proposal and delivered $5 million in savings by requesting the committee identify five additional options beyond the single costly design originally presented.

4) Police Pension Plan Passed

We insisted that a resolution be brought forth to secure the long-term financial stability of our local police department by passing a comprehensive pension plan.

5) Tax Relief for Volunteer First Responders

We worked tirelessly to bring to resolution and pass a tax abatement ordinance for volunteer firefighters and are preparing additional ordinances for abatements for EMS volunteers and Veterans—recognizing their service with real support. Hopefully by the time this goes to print, those resolutions will also have passed.

6) Permanent Ban on Marijuana Dispensaries

We brought to resolution and passed a full prohibition—not just a temporary moratorium—on marijuana dispensaries in town, preserving the character and values of our community.

On a personal level, I am a member of Trumbull Rotary, and have served on committees and volunteered for a number of Rotary events over the last 5 years, including the Rotary Golf Tournament, Comedy Nights, Carnival, Reality Check, the Sunset Run, Wine/Beer Tasting Charity Events.

I have served on the boards of many organizations in and out of town since moving to Connecticut in 1998. (Tashua PTA, Trumbull PTSA, IMPACTrumbull, to name just a few).

I was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Trumbull Town Council during the 2021-2023 term. I was then elected to serve the same role for the 2023-2025 term.

After having been a special education supervisor for four high schools and 3 Transition programs, I was promoted in 2023, just after the election, to a district-level director position in a near-by city school district.

I serve as an advisor to the SCSU chapter of Alpha Sigma Alpha.

I seek out personal and professional responsibility and see it as an honor. I meet hard work head-on, roll up my sleeves, and get it done.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

When asked this two years ago, I talked about my Dad never allowing me to say, "I can't." That still holds true. Deeply rooted in his words of encouragement, "There is no ‘can't’, you just do it," was his faith in my abilities. It's amazing what you can accomplish when people believe in you.
I hope the residents of Trumbull believe in me.

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

I remain committed to the promise I made 2 years ago:

To serve you with fidelity and transparency, to the best of my ability, for as long as you'll have me.