Joe Cavo, City Council President

Joe Cavo said the big issue in Danbury is finding balance in the budget.

Cavo, 49, leader of the council's Republican majority, has been on the council for eight years, and five as council president. He represents the third ward.

He said, sure, the economy is important, jobs are important, schools, and the city's long-term goal of making Danbury an attractive place to earn a living and live. The city must be able to attract people and companies.

"If you lose people, you lose your tax base and then you lose your ability to fund your schools," Cavo said, and that leads to more people moving out of the city.

Cavo said Danbury's spending on its schools increased from $81,782,000 in 2002 to $115,103,000 this year. That's an increase of $33,300,000 or 40 percent in nine years.

"I don't think money is always the answer, but don't say we did nothing for schools," Cavo said. He said that money doesn't take into account the capital money the city spends to maintain its school buildings, such as the expansion to Broadview and Rogers Park middle schools, the new roof and boiler at Stadley Rough Elementary school and the new boilers at Danbury High School and at Broadview Middle School.

"We did this while trying to keep taxes stable," Cavo said. "We're trying to find money for the schools, for public works and the infrastructure and all the while we're keeping in mind the taxpayer's ability to pay."