Frank Tyszka announces his run for mayor at a meeting of the Ansonia Democratic Town Committee May 28.
ANSONIA – Frank Tyszka, a former Alderman and retired Sikorsky engineer, announced he will be challenging incumbent Mayor David Cassetti for his office.
Tyszka, 70, said that the city is currently facing a “fiscal crisis.” He said that, if elected, he’ll hire a new finance director and initiate a forensic audit of the city’s finances.
“I can’t see fiscal mismanagement going on, I just can’t accept it. I love this town,” Tyszka told The Valley Indy in an interview.
Tyszka said he’s a lifelong resident of Ansonia, where he lives with his wife Paula. He holds a master’s of business administration degree (MBA) from Sacred Heart University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in applied science from the United States Merchant Marine Academy.
He announced his campaign at a meeting of the Ansonia Democratic Party May 28. Official party nominations aren’t until later this summer, as per state regulations. Another Democratic candidate, Javier Varas, dropped out of the race before Tyszka announced his own campaign.
Tyszka told The Valley Indy that his first days in office would be centered around restructuring city hall.
“Day one is, let’s find out what’s going on, and let’s look at programs to help the city. Let’s look at programs to help the seniors, let’s look at programs so we can help our youth. Where are we wasting money? What jobs are not necessary? What are we spending money on, that we don’t need to be spending money on? Where are all the holes? And let’s bring all that back together on a firm fiscal footing,” Tyszka said.
He said he would bring back boards that haven’t met in years, including the city’s economic development commission.
Tyszka said that the current administration lacks transparency. He said that Zoom meetings – which are used in the city by a wide range of public boards, including the Board of Aldermen – don’t allow residents the same voice that in-person meetings do. He said he would bring more in-person meetings back.
“You don’t get the involvement of the people,” Tyszka said. “And I believe at these meetings, you’ve got to have a little bit of tension and pressure to do the right thing. And I don’t know, based on what I’m seeing, that these Zoom meetings are very transparent and people are being heard.”
Tyszka represented the city’s Seventh Ward on the Board of Aldermen between 1999 and 2003, according to his campaign website. He also held seats on the fire and police commissions during Mayor James DellaVolpe’s administration.
He said that his background in business administration makes him the right fit for the mayor’s seat. He criticized the city’s budgeting practices, saying that the city’s “use of future revenue” isn’t good business.
“I don’t believe in ‘future revenues.’ I’ve never heard of such a term. To me, that’s not an asset, that’s a liability,” Tyszka said.
Ansonia Democrats have not fared well in recent elections.
The party currently holds no seats on the elected Board of Aldermen. In 2023, Cassetti thwarted Democratic candidate Tom Egan with 71 percent of the vote. Egan and the Democratic Party fell out months before the election, both sides have said, and weren’t talking to each other.
Tyszka acknowledged the party’s struggles – but he said he’s been encouraged by a diverse turnout at recent Democratic Town Committee meetings. He said he doesn’t think of himself as partisan.
“People ask me, ‘Oh, you’re a Democrat, oh you’re a Republican, oh you’re this and that.’ And I tell them, you know what? I’m a patriot. I’m red, white, and blue,” Tyszka said. “My brother died in Vietnam, my father and uncles were all in World War II, my brother Joe was in the army. I love this town, I care about this town, and believe me – I would love to ride off into the sunset, but somebody’s got to step up, and it might as well be me.”
Cassetti, asked for his reaction to Tyszka’s announcement, described Tyszka as part of the “old guard” under DellaVolpe’s administration.
“It’s a ‘good old boy’ network trying to get back in the city, and I pray to God that the residents of Ansonia are smart enough to figure this out, because it’s really a terrible thing. But, whatever, I guess everybody could come back if they want,” Cassetti said.
Cassetti also accused Tyszka of being planted in the race by state Rep. Kara Rochelle, saying that she wants to “ghettoize” the city.
“The problem is our state representative, who wants to see me out very badly so that she can take control and ghettoize our city, and he’s going to be part of it,” Cassetti said.
Ansonia Democratic Town Committee Chair Dave Hannon said that he wasn’t surprised to hear Cassetti use the word “ghettoize.” Cassetti has previously received criticism for his usage of the word, as the CT Post reported in 2022.
“It’s not surprising that he’s said that. He’s said it before, but it’s kind of a nonsense thing. I don’t even know what that means. What does ‘ghettoize the city’ even mean? I don’t understand,” Hannon said.
Election Day is Nov. 4.
