Patch Candidate Profile: Karen Foster, Bethel Board of Finance

BETHEL, CT — The 2023 municipal election is heating up in Bethel and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Bethel Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Karen Foster, 60, is running for a seat on the Board of Finance as a Democrat.

Education.

B.S. in Mathematics and Computer Science, B.S. in Chemistry, Waynesburg University, Waynesburg, PA

What is your occupation?

I recently retired after 30 years at Revlon/Elizabeth Arden as a Business Analyst and Project Manager in the IT department, supporting projects in the finance and ecommerce areas.

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

I and my husband Jason have resided in Bethel for 25 years. We have three children, a son Jake who graduated from Bethel High in 2009, a daughter Logan who graduated from Bethel High in 2021 and is now a junior at Dean College, and a son Kaleb who is a sophomore at Bethel High. We have hosted exchange students from Taiwan last year and this year. We also have two Standard Poodles, and three cats.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

no

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

I was previously on the Board of Finance. I lost the previous election by *five* votes.

why are you seeking this office?

I have been involved in town issues since I started going to Planning and Zoning meetings 18 years ago when the property at 32 Hickok first came up for development. I enjoyed researching and presenting challenging questions to P&Z with the ultimate result being that the town purchased that property and it will remain open space. Now that I am retired, I am able to serve the town in an official capacity and Board of Finance is a good fit for my experience.

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

It’s very important that we maintain our town’s AAA rating so that we continue to receive low interest rates. One aspect of this is to pay down debt and stop using the town “credit card” to pass expenses to our grandchildren. Another important point is to understand financial and other policies that are particular to town government so that we do not inadvertently cause lawsuits to be brought against the town. I also believe it is important to be transparent to taxpayers when creating a budget so that when we need to make cuts, those cuts are real and not just smoke and mirrors to lower the tax rate but do not actually reduce spending. It’s time we take back the Democrat majority and point our town away from regressive initiatives and prejudicial policies

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

I have experience creating and tracking budgets in my career and my volunteer work and I am excited to continue to use these skills on the Board of Finance. Whether municipal, corporate, or non-profit, I treat the money as if it were my own to create and maintain a responsible budget. I will continue to work toward the goals of supporting education, safety, and disciplined financial stewardship by steering us towards responsible budgets and spending.

I am dedicated, tenacious, and skilled in gathering information and data and analyzing that data to make sound decisions. I have experience as a previous member of the Board of Finance and will continue to use my skills toward the goals of maintaining Bethel’s AAA rating and quality of life including safety and education and smart growth. I have never been arrested.

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

Current BOF members running for re-election have attempted to lower the budget in past years by proposing cuts to the police overtime budget. I know that is not responsible and in fact tricks the taxpayer into thinking they will pay less taxes when in fact the lower budget would be overspent causing a higher raise in the next year to make up for it. It's not realistic to assume the police will just stop coming to calls when the (lower) overtime budget is spent. Fortunately, that proposal was voted down by the Democrat majority on the BOF at that time. Currently, there is no protection against irresponsible proposals with the Democrats holding the minority on the BOF. I am excited to bring a Democrat majority back to the BOF and protect Bethel from misguided proposals that are "smoke and mirrors" to trick the taxpayer into thinking they are saving money. Budget cuts must be thoughtful, informed, responsible, and realistic.

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

I would like to educate the taxpayers about how the town budget is created and put forth to a vote. Bethel has a Town Meeting form of government which means that every registered voter has a say in whether the budget is accepted or rejected, and also has input at every step of the process. The Board of Finance has the final say in what is put forth to a vote and therefore has a responsibility to taxpayers to make sure our tax dollars are used in the most efficient way possible while also making sure all town needs are met to keep Bethel a great place to live.

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

I served on the Board of Finance from 2019-2021. I serve as Treasurer and on the Board of Directors on two separate non-profit corporations. In my 30-year career at Revlon/Elizabeth Arden, I managed projects with multimillion dollar budgets. I have been very involved in the Bethel High School Marching Band Boosters from 2006-2009 and 2018 to present, currently serving on the executive board as Treasurer. I am also Treasurer on the Board of Directors of Danbury Area Refugee Assistance (DARA) and work with refugee families to help them settle in the area. I have been creating and tracking budgets in professional and volunteer positions for a very long time.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

My mother taught me "look after the pennies and the dollars will look after themselves" and that has proven true.