Patch Candidate Profile: Charles R. Paonessa, Berlin Town Council

BERLIN, CT — Berlin Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Berlin resident Charles R. Paonessa is running for Berlin Town Council as a Republican.

The following is Paonessa's questionnaire sent to Patch:

Name

Charles R. Paonessa

How old will you be as of Election Day?

71

Does your campaign have a website? If so, include the URL here.

https://www.berlingop.org

What city or town do you live in?

Berlin

What office are you seeking?

Berlin Town Council

Please give us your party affiliation.

Republican

Education.

Associate Degree in Civil Engineering

What is your occupation?

Contractor in the Heavy Construction Industry
50 years

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

Lecia Paonessa, wife, 10 grandchildren

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

n/a

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

n/a

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

I am running for Town Council because the citizens of Berlin deserve a better government. Continuing to spend more and more money on incomplete projects and applying regulations to serve the needs of political support is not acceptable. My years as a businessman and training as an engineer have given me experience in setting and keeping goals, problem-solving, and completing projects at hand.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Money. In these hard times of inflation, it's extremely important that we maintain stable tax rates with conservative fiscal policies and try to manage our local water department in a way that keeps rates as low as possible.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am more fiscally conservative and have many years of experience on the Town Council which gives me insight on the origins of some of the town's problems. I think this experience helps me find solutions to the town's issues.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

n/a

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

I will work hard to keep local zoning controlled by our residents and rebuff attempts by our state government to impose their visions on our neighborhoods.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Since the Republican team has taken the majority on council, we have dramatically lowered the town debt and have still been able to invest millions of dollars in infrastructure and public safety without huge tax increases.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Listen to the people.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I need to hear from the citizens on what matters to them.