Danbury Election 2021 Profile: Sonia Havasi

DANBURY, CT — The state Municipal Election is Tuesday, Nov. 2.

Patch contacted candidates to answer questions about their campaigns.

Democrat Sonia Havasi, 55, is running for Danbury Zoning Commission in Danbury.

Occupation: Childcare Provider

Family in government: My husband, Andre Havasi, works for the City of Danbury, as a police officer.

The single biggest issue in town is ______, and I plan to do this about it:

The most concerning issue Danbury faces at the moment - as the one that will define our near future as a fair place to live or not - is the growth. Although growth should not be understood as a wrong direction to be taken, a community-driven approach, as in opposition to corporation-driven, and has been proven to be the most effective way to achieve housing equality.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

Based on the Zoning challenges Danbury has faced lately, more important than pointing out differences between me and the other candidates seems to be open-minded enough to welcome all several points of view, which reflect better our diverse community. This way, we can find a common answer that will solve our challenges more effectively. However, as a commissioner, and working to fix housing inequality and changing regulations only if they benefited the community as a whole are commitments I can assure I will particularly embrace during my term.

Accomplishments:

The experience of a former teacher and former community newspaper editor-in-chief has given me the ability to listen to all sides involved and the drive to research about issues presented. The courage to be the opposition to a reluctant majority, yet being able to compromise if needed, as well as the strong belief helping the community we live in is not just an option, but a duty, and corroborate my preparedness for being a Danbury Zoning Commission member.

Other issues:

Decisions made by commissioners define the directions a city will take toward a more sustainable, economically, and fair social growth, or not.

Economic growth - Small and medium businesses are the backbone of a city, keeping the money locally and boosting the local economy. As a commissioner, I will always take that into consideration in my decisions.

Affordable housing - A city cannot prosper if housing inequality is part of its reality. As an elected official, affordable housing will be a priority, as much as the position enacts me.

Climate change - As a City, we must have to do our fair-share in protecting the environment, as we have to find solutions for the Danbury flooding spots, caused by the many years of inaction or by decisions that didn’t foresee the collateral effect of growth in the past. As today is the father of tomorrow, besides making decisions to fix the present, and a commissioner has to think ahead to avoid the same - or even bigger issues - in the future.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

Different backgrounds bring fresh ideas on persistent problems and can improve life quality for all. In this context, at the same time I can represent part of the community forgotten or neglected for the past two decades, I’m also in a position to represent the city as a whole. Danbury is the place I have called home for the past 22 years, as it is the city my grandson was born and, most likely, and will live in.