More Cops, Better Schools Among Shelton Challenger’s Promises

Photo: Ethan FryShelton Democratic Mayoral Candidate David Gioiello promised to put more cops on the street and institute all-day kindergarten if elected mayor this November.

He also unveiled a 12-item list of pledges to Shelton residents Monday (Sept. 23) outside City Hall outlining his goals for his first term should he defeat 21-year incumbent Mayor Mark Lauretti.

In response to a question from the Valley Indy after outlining his pledges, Gioiello said he’d be willing to debate Lauretti, though he hasn’t actually challenged the mayor to a one-on-one debate.

Gioiello discussed his plans if elected for about seven minutes outside City Hall before taking questions from reporters.

What I’ve tried to do is put into writing my commitment to the citizens here in Shelton and my pledges,” Gioiello said in introducing his platform.

Article continues after the document.

Gioiello Pledges

His first pledge reiterated a promise he made when accepting the Democratic nomination for mayor in July, when he said he’d cut what he called a bloated city budget to give residents tax relief.

We run a budget surplus every year,” he said. It’s time that we use that money more wisely. I’m committed to bringing in a budget next year that doesn’t raise taxes, and if it does, I’ll work for free.”

Lauretti, after accepting the Republican party’s nod for re-election, dismissed Gioiello’s promise, saying the Democratic challenger doesn’t know what he’s getting into” and hasn’t accomplished anything.”

The mayor said I didn’t know what I was talking about,” Gioiello said Monday. Well, I think I do know what I’m talking about.”

Kindergarten, Cops

Gioiello also outlined a handful of specific changes he’d bring to the city if elected.

As he’s gone door-to-door talking to residents as part of his campaign, Gioiello said he’s noticed a strong push for all-day kindergarten” from residents.

We really need to push education and all-day kindergarten is an excellent way to start,” he said.

It’s going to cost money,” he went on. I’ve heard some estimates of at least $1 million. But that’s something we’ll work with (the Board of Education) in order to properly fund it.”

Asked how he would do that while still keeping taxes low, Gioiello said he would use surplus money from the city’s budget.

We can take some of the surplus and turn it over to the school system,” he said.

Gioiello then pivoted from that remark to a discussion of police department staffing, which he said he planned on increasing given the amount of new development in the city, particularly downtown.

We’re probably going to have to expand our police department, there’s no getting around it,” he said. But I think we can do it with smart budgeting and proper budgeting.

We budget for police officers that aren’t there,” he went on. The police department almost annually returns in more than $1 million (to the city).”

City Plagued’ By Scandal

Several of the pledges Gioiello made Monday related to what he called scandals that have plagued Shelton for years,” referring to a federal corruption probe that ensnared two developers and a building official — though Lauretti has never been formally accused of wrongdoing — and the arrest in January of Sharon Scanlon, the city’s former finance director, who stands accused of embezzling nearly $1 million from taxpayers.

Gioiello promised more transparency in municipal government, a zero tolerance” ban on city employees receiving gifts, and said he would move quicker than Lauretti has to get the city’s money back from Scanlon.

There’s almost a million dollars that’s been documented that’s been stolen,” he said. The city has yet to collect a dime on it.”

In an interview with the Valley Indy last month, Lauretti said he thinks the city will recoup about 80 percent of the money Scanlon took, though he wouldn’t divulge how he arrived at that number.

The lawyer handling a lawsuit the city filed against Scanlon said that not much can be done to prosecute the lawsuit until her criminal case plays out.

That’s not good enough, Gioiello said.

We have a lien against her house, it’s been there since the very beginning of the case, and nothing’s happened on that. Why?” he asked. They’re waiting for the criminal (case)? You don’t need to wait for the criminal investigation and trial and so forth, you can move forward on these other issues.”

Lauretti Responds

The mayor told the Valley Indy Tuesday (Sept. 24) that he didn’t envision a mayoral debate this year.

I’m not interested in debate,” he said. It’s all personal with these Democrats. I’m done with that.”

Gioiello on Monday, seemingly anticipating the mayor’s reaction, said that Lauretti takes everything personally.”

Everything, if you criticize him, it’s a personal attack on him,” Gioiello said. People have a right to criticize politicians, it’s the nature of the job. You’ve got to be able to accept it, to respond to it, and take their criticism seriously. And after being here for 20 years, I don’t think the mayor takes anything the people say to him seriously.”

Lauretti on Tuesday brushed off that critique, declining to comment on it specifically, and said that in general, I’m not really interested in what he has to say.”

Regarding all-day kindergarten, Lauretti disputed Gioiello’s remarks on the city’s annual surpluses.

When he makes a statement like that it shows he just doesn’t understand the budget,” Lauretti said. It just shows his inexperience, and I’m not going to educate him.”

The mayor also said the city is in the process of hiring more cops.

We’re probably down four or five (officers) from our budgeted amount, then we had a few more retirements that we’ve got openings for,” Lauretti said. This is stuff that just takes time.”

He also dismissed the notion that the city could be moving faster to recover the money allegedly stolen by Scanlon.

When did he get his law degree?” Lauretti said.

Keep local reporting alive. Donate.ValleyIndy.org