
Yesterday (Oct. 15) I read an article in the Patch about Connecticut’s Office of Policy and Management’s (OPM’s) list of property taxes for every town and city in Connecticut.
It wasn’t a surprise that the top ten highest taxed communities on this list were also some of the most distressed communities in the State, but what I was pleasantly surprised about was that my hometown of Ansonia moved from 6th place, 6 years ago to 29th place and it looks like we are poised to continue this trend.
I credit Mayor Cassetti and his administration for helping to stabilize Ansonia, having also reduced the mill rate from over 39 mills to 37.8 mills over these past 6 years. Any downward movement on taxes and mill rates is a step in the right direction for taxpayers.
The real winners here are the communities that have been designated distressed by OPM standards, but have managed to succeed in the face of this designation. For decades Ansonia remained stagnant with increasing taxes and no hope in sight, but the real story here is not about where we came from, but where we are headed. And I firmly believe we are moving in the right direction.
DESPITE the lack of available land for redevelopment, the City of Ansonia’s grand list has increased from $892,673,611 in 2013 to $988,290,438 in 2019. That’s progress. The story is all that more incredible when you realize that Ansonia is only 6.4 square miles. That’s not much land to work with, but Mayor Cassetti and his team are getting it done DESPITE the obstacles. Under Mayor Cassetti I am seeing my city grow and prosper. What once was a desolate downtown is now a crowded Main Street with visitors frequenting all of our many restaurants.
Our new State-of-the-art Police Station is being constructed on Main Street. We are attracting new manufacturers like RugPad USA, Better Packages and Stani Dairy.
We managed to retain the Farrel-Pomini Corporation and its 90 jobs right here in Ansonia. My city now has countless community activities, including festivals, parades, concerts, and this weekend will be the first ever Ansoni-con.
I know progress takes time, but we are seeing real positive growth in only six years. While taxes and the mill rate are trending downward, things are really looking up for Ansonia and I hope to join with Mayor Cassetti and help continue this positive progress.
Frank DeLibero, Jr.
Republican Candidate for 7th Ward Alderman
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