Danbury Candidate Profile: Kate Conetta For Board Of Education

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

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

Kate Conetta is running for Board of Education under the Democratic and Working Families parties. She is an advertising production manager for LMT Communications and a current member of the Board of Education.

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

The underfunding of our education system.

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

Secure proper funding by addressing the city budget appropriations (the percentage for education has been decreased over the last decade) and working alongside city leadership to advocate at the state level for more equitable funding based on our changing school population.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

Creating a strategic plan for school facilities to handle increased enrollment; hiring and retaining
qualified staff to meet changing district needs; working on school safety policies to ensure a comfortable and secure environment for all students & faculty.

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

I attended Board of Education meetings for two years before being appointed to the Board in January and have been building my knowledge base on district operations steadily. As a team member of the company I work for, I have overseen database development & re-organization projects and operate the billing department for a multi-million dollar operation. As a board member with community groups Action Together CT and Danbury Area Justice Network, I have worked alongside other activists to promote and pass statewide legislation, and for these efforts was recognized by CT Working Families Party with the Arthur L. Perry Award for Workers' Activism and Engagement.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

Don't take the good things in your life for granted. And remember that learning is a lifelong journey.