Mayoral candidate Ed Adamowski is in denial. He appears either unable or unwilling to accept the fact that Mayor David Cassetti has had a very successful first term. The Democrat candidate apparently cannot comprehend all the good the Cassetti Team has done on behalf of the taxpayers in Ansonia. He also seems to have missed the recent news from Ansonia’s independent auditors on the City’s strong financial health.
Taxes. Mayor Cassetti has achieved two tax cuts in two years while at the same time growing Ansonia’s “rainy day” undesignated fund balance by $6 million. Under his administration we have also seen a decrease in water usage fees and also seen motor vehicle tax payments split into two installments to make payments more manageable for residents. This progress was made after a decade of nearly continual tax increases that resulted in Ansonia being ranked as the ninth highest taxed municipality in Connecticut.
Candidate Adamowski ignores the facts. He continues to clamor about Ansonia’s “rainy day” fund balance being reduced, even though this is a plainly false allegation. The undesignated fund balance is presently at 21.88 percentof the total budget, substantially higher than when Mayor Cassetti took office. The mayoral challenger also continues to parrot Republican talking point about reducing taxes when he himself voted for increases in 2012 and 2013. In fact, he was the Chairman of the Finance Committee the year that the tax rate spiked by over 11 mills. Where was his concern for the taxpayers then?
Economic development. Candidate Adamowski ignores the Mayor’s efforts to keep Farrel Corporation and its jobs in Ansonia, the innovative public-private partnership that has led to demolition at the vacant Ansonia Copper and Brass, and the recent plan to develop the ATP/Palmer Buildings. Mayor Cassetti has also obtained over $3 million in grant funds for the complete rebuilding of Wakelee Avenue and the re-zoning initiative scheduling for downtown. In fact, the Cassetti administration has brought a total of $7 million in competitive grant funds into the city while increasing the City’s grand list by $2 million since 2013.
What does the Democrat candidate suggest for economic development? He has no plan. His lone position is to hire a new economic development director, thereby increasing City Hall salaries and disturbing a successful formula.
Candidate Adamowski’s entire platform to date has been to snipe at the successful policies of Mayor Cassetti’s administration, to criticize and to spin everything negatively. He has ignored reality. He has offered no policies of his own. Candidate Adamowski is a man without a plan.
The writer is an attorney with a solo practiced based in Ansonia who serves on the city’s Economic Development Commission, and also serves as one of the city’s Blight Hearing Officers.
The opinions in guest columns do not necessarily reflect the Valley Indy’s opinion.
