Patch Candidate Profile: Brian Miller, Canton Board of Finance

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

Brian Miller is running for Canton Board of Finance as a Democrat.

The following is Hayes' questionnaire sent to Patch:

Name

Brian Miller

How old will you be as of Election Day?

41

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

What city or town do you live in?

Canton, CT

What office are you seeking?

Canton Board of Finance

Please give us your party affiliation.

Democratic

Education

Bachelor of Science in Business Management

What is your occupation?

Property and casualty insurance professional - 13 years

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

I am married with 3 children and 2 dogs. My kids are in 6th and 9th grade in Canton schools and my oldest is a freshman in college.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

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

I am an active member of the Canton Parks and Recreation Commission for 8 years and current chair; and an active member of the Canton Zoning Board of Appeals for the past 4 years.

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 the Canton Board of Finance because I’ve lived in Canton/Simsbury all of my life and as a homeowner and parent, I want to keep this town a great place to raise a family. I have the experience in finance and community service necessary to be an effective town board member. I will work hard and make sure your voice is heard.

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

I believe that the single most pressing issue facing our town is the Canton voters' limited access to complete and accurate information from our elected officials in order to fully understand town government decision-making and be able to cast informed votes. If elected, I plan to push for full transparency and uniform disclosure of information to all elected members of the Canton Board of Finance (both to the majority party and to the minority party). I plan to ensure that data-driven decision-making replaces uninformed, rubber-stamped, board of finance votes.

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

I am in full support of the Canton schools and would strive to make sure that the school budget is fully funded. I also value nonpartisanship in town politics and commit to making data-driven decisions providing our community with the best products and services at the least cost to the taxpayers.

Transparency and data-driven decisions will provide our community with the best products and services at the least cost to the taxpayers. Budgeting decisions made on personal or political lines have resulted in inflated costs and suboptimal outcomes.

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

Transparency and uniform disclosure of information is important for elected officials and residents alike. As a member of the parks and recreation commission, I have experienced being on the outside of closed-door decisions and limited transparency on issues directly affecting the commission's field of expertise. This type of legacy politics has no place in our town. Uninformed, rubber stamped, Board of Finance votes are not the type of decisions that serve the voters of Canton. In an increasingly partisan environment, independent data-driven decision-making is critical to support the best outcomes for the Town.

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

Transparency builds trust with voters and public trust is the bedrock of democracy and sound public governance.

I plan to build voters trust in our town government.

Transparency and data-driven decisions will provide our community with the best products and services at the least cost to the taxpayers. Budgeting decisions made on personal or political lines have resulted in inflated costs and suboptimal outcomes.

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

I earned my BS in Business Management from Central Connecticut State University; have a successful career (13 years) in property and casualty insurance; am an active member of the Canton Parks and Recreation Commission for 8 years and am currently the chair; and an active member of the Canton Zoning Board of appeals for the past 4 years. I regularly volunteer my time coaching my son’s baseball, basketball and soccer teams.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

This goes back to childhood when my mother told me the age old advice to "Treat others the way you would like to be treated." I have taken this to heart as an adult and now teach my children the same lesson. Always be kind.

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

I take the responsibility of serving on the Canton Board of Finance very seriously. I will listen to all shared facts, opinions and suggestions and make data-driven decisions that provide our community with the best products and services at the least cost to the taxpayers.