Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti
ANSONIA — When Republican Mayor David Cassetti threw his hat into the ring a decade ago to run for the city’s top spot, he vowed to get taxes under control, establish a partnership with the city schools and “recharge” Ansonia with an infusion of new businesses and economic growth.
Fast forward to 2023 and Cassetti, 63, said he’s hit those goals — but there’s more to be done.
And the Ansonia Republican Town Committee agrees, having unanimously nominated Cassetti this week for a sixth term as Ansonia mayor.
“Back in 2013 when I first ran for mayor, taxes were spiraling out of control, there were dilapidated buildings all up and down Main Street, no economic development, and no activities for residents,” Cassetti told the Valley Indy during an interview this week. “So, we put together a team and got things done. This wasn’t all me, this was done together with my team, and we worked hard to breathe new life into Ansonia.”
Cassetti, former owner of a construction company in Ansonia, pulled off an upset in the November 2013 municipal election, ousting seven-term Democratic Mayor James Della Volpe.
How It All Began
Born and raised on South Street, Cassetti graduated in 1979 from Emmett O’Brien Technical High School. He later attended Gateway College, taking business classes that ultimately led him to start his own construction company.
Cassetti is married to his wife Ina of 26 years and is the father of five kids ranging in age from 18 to 38. He’s a very proud grandfather to two grandkids — Giuliana 2, and Jobi-Ray, 10 months. He said he’s as passionate about the mayor’s job today as he was a decade ago.
“I’m (at City Hall on Main Street) at 2:30 a.m. every day, laying out the schedule for what we need to do for the day’s work ahead,” Cassetti said. “I really enjoy transforming Ansonia. I grew up here in the 1960s and 1970s and am working hard to recreate what the city was like back then. Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, you can’t even find a parking spot downtown, because our restaurants and businesses are so busy. When I came onboard, 87 percent of the buildings downtown were vacant. Today we are now 93 percent full. All that is thanks to my team. This team I’ve got keeps me going and moving the city forward.”
Feathers In Team Cassetti’s Cap
Cassetti said one of his first wins was keeping the Farrel-Pomini manufacturing business from leaving Ansonia in 2014. The administration secured money to build an access road into the Fountain Lake Industrial Park for the company’s world headquarters.
Being able to fully fund Ansonia schools and build a solid relationship with the school superintendent and Board of Education is another feather in Cassetti’s cap. He also said building new luxury apartments downtown in the long-fallow Palmer and ATP buildings was another major accomplishment — developments no one thought could happen.
Most recently, the renovation of the former Farrel Corp. headquarters at 65 Main St. into both a state-of-the-art new Ansonia Police headquarters on one floor and senior center on another floor, as well as bringing the Valley’s first splash pad to Nolan Field, are major improvements to Ansonia that happened under Cassetti’s watch.
“These, and so much more, are not the accomplishments of any one person,” Cassetti said. “They are the results of a team, a team that has put progress, results and compassion for our city ahead of petty politics.”
What’s Next
If re-elected, Cassetti said he is making the former Ansonia Copper & Brass property downtown a top priority, with a vision to make it a thriving manufacturing hub.
“We hope to retrieve that land in the next six months; we have money to clean it up and want to bring in hundreds, if not thousands, of new jobs,” Cassetti said. “We have developers interested in it and plan to work with them. We have to put in an access bridge and an access road to nearby Route 8. This will be a team effort.”
Cassetti also vowed to continue to keep taxes down if voters grant him another two years in office.
Ansonia Republican Town Committee Chairman and Sixth Ward Alderman Tony Mammone said keeping Cassetti in the mayor’s seat is the right thing to do.
“The mayor is the leader of our team and he serves all residents,” Mammone said. “The mayor understands how to keep a team together in this environment of divisiveness. We stand with him as he supports his seniors, children and everyone in between.”
The GOP Underticket
Along with Cassetti getting the nod at the top of the GOP’s ticket, the following slate was unanimously endorsed by Ansonia Republicans:
Board of Aldermen
Ward 1:
Dan King
Gary Farrar
Ward 2:
Steve Adamowski
Bobbi Tar
Ward 3:
Joe Jeanette
Joe Cassetti
Ward 4:
Bobby Knott
Nate Hardy
Ward 5:
Joe Jaumann
Chicago Rivers
Ward 6:
Tony Mammone
Josh Shuart
Ward 7:
Tony Levinsky
Mario Durante
Board of Education:
Rich Bshara
Sharon Voroschak
Town/City Clerk:
Beth Lynch
Treasurer:
Judy Nicolari
City Sheriffs:
Joe Jeanette
Frank Appleby
John Izzo
