Cheshire Candidate Profile: Devlin, Board Of Assessment Appeals

CHESHIRE, CT — The 2019 municipal election is heating up in Cheshire and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Cheshire Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Cathy Devlin, 65, is running for election to the Board of Assessment Appeals as a Republican.

Are you running for office in Cheshire? Contact Vinnie Salzo at vincent.salzo@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Cheshire Patch.

Education:

B.S. Georgetown University (College of Arts and Sciences); J.D. Emory University School of Law

Occupation:

Licensed attorney for 35 years (admitted to GA bar in 1984 and CT bar in 1995)

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office:

N/A

The single most pressing issue facing our town/district is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Revenue. I am conservative about spending my own money, and even more careful about spending other people's money. There are ways we can further economic development without spending a fortune on "wants." We need to find our niche and then flaunt it. Meanwhile, we can regionalize our shopping experience rather than advocate for bringing the same big box stores (and medical facilities) to 169 towns.

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

I am new, so I know that I don't have all the answers, and I have legal training and lots of experience, so I know who to ask, where to go to find answers, and how to listen.

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

My work experience: I started as a VISTA volunteer in Atlanta, worked for Atlanta Legal Aid as a paralegal representing clients in public benefit hearings, was published in my law school's law review, clerked in the federal district court, spent 8 years in private practice, and worked for the CT judicial branch's complex litigation docket for over 17 years.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

As it relates to this position, you have to be in the room before you can effectively help arrange the furniture

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

For the past two years, I have become a familiar face at all town council meetings. Up until April of this year I had never joined a political party, but at that point I decided it was the only way that I could "be in the room." (See "best advice" above.)