Monteiro moving to Danbury to run for 110th District state House seat

Austin Monteiro, who has become a presence in Brookfield Republican circles over the last three years, will soon depart town to return to hometown Danbury and run for the seat in the 110th state House District, which has been electing Democrats for generations.

Monteiro, a fitness instructor and real estate professional, was endorsed by the Brookfield Republican Vacancy Committee three years ago for a seat as one of the Other Selectmen. When he didn't get nominated by the Republican Town Committee (RTC) he opted to run as a petitioning candidate for first selectman, finishing a distant third in a three-way race.

He was nominated last year for a seat on the Board of Education, but lost in the general election. He recently was elected to the RTC and became its vice chairman. He has spoken during public comment at many of the monthly Board of Selectman meetings over the last two years.

"It's where I grew up," Monteiro said in a phone interview with Patch.com in explaining his decision to move to Danbury. He graduated from Immaculate High School and Western Connecticut State University.

Monteiro said he would move to the 110th District, which takes in a large portion of Danbury's downtown, prior to the November 5 election.

He will face state Deputy House Speaker Pro Tempore Bob Godfrey, who was initially elected in 1988. The district has only elected Democrats for at least the last 50 years.

Monteiro said he agrees with state Sen. Republican Leader Stephen Harding (R-30) of Brookfield that Danbury has an odd economic dynamic.

It ranks first in the state in sales tax revenue and first in the state per capita in restaurants, largely because of the Danbury Fair Mall, which opened in 1986.

However, as Republican former Mayor Mark Boughton told Patch.com in 2018 about 50 percent of the students in the public schools are on reduced lunch payments.

Comments Monteiro, "You cannot make the argument that Danbury or the 110th District is better now than it was in 1996, 1995 or 2001."

He said with $4 billion in state budget reserves, he would support lowering the state sales tax from 6.35 percent to 5.99 percent as state Sen. Eric Berthel (R-32) of Watertown has recommended.

Monteiro said that Godfrey has supported an expensive electric car conversion mandate that would hurt the middle class.

He added that the incumbent voted for the recent salary increase for the state employees, which in some cases would have boosted their pay by 4.5 percent annually.

"You can't do that when there are people in the state that can't afford their next meal," Monteiro exclaimed.

Sacred Heart University Political Science Professor Gary Rose wrote a book in 2019 called, "Connecticut In Crisis." As recently has last September he said the state is still in crisis.

If that is the case, and if the Democrats have had control of the governorship since 2011 and a majority in the state House every year since 1987, then why aren't the voters running toward the Republicans?

"Great question," said Monteiro. "I think we're going to see a big change in this election. I think you're going to see similar numbers to when Reagan got elected to a second term 40 years ago. I'm going to be knocking on doors to deliver a message that we can have a lower tax burden in Connecticut."

He said departing Brookfield is "bittersweet.

"I love the town, but I have the support of Steve Harding, [state Rep.) Marty Foncello [R-107) of Brookfield] and [Selectman] Tara Carr behind me."