Patch Candidate Profile: Jorge Sousa, Danbury City Council

DANBURY, CT — The 2023 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.

Real estate broker and investor Jorge Sousa, 45, is running for an at-large seat on the Danbury City Council as a Democrat. His wife, Paula Boa Sousa, is an attorney. He is a graduate of Henry Abbott Technical High, earned a Bachelors of Science degree in business administration at Teikyo Post University and an MBA at the University of New Haven.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

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

No

Why are you seeking this office?

Our City needs Leaders with Fiscal Responsibility; Economic Prosperity; Collaborative Decision Making and Transparency”

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

Transparency with use of public funds

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

The ability to listen and have collaborative decision making processes, open door policy to engage in open dialog about the issues that affect all of us in Danbury and take fiscal responsibility with tax payer funds

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

Complete disregard for the education system in the last 20 + years; Complete disregard for the less fortunate with raising property tax in a lot of cases over 30%; lack of proper infrastructure investment and instead channel public funds to projects based on the “buddy system” that only serves some leaving behind those in most need

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

Public education funding; Transparency with the use of public funds; Lack of public input in decision making; Inappropriate property tax increases

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

I moved to Danbury at the age of 15 years old - I have lived in Danbury for 30 years - I grew up in Danbury and have invested everything in Danbury - I have worked with investors, developers, buyer and sellers, business owners, entrepreneurs - I know the struggles we go through to work with the municipality of Danbury, from Zoning to Permits to Public works - I have experience working in other towns/cities and unfortunately the management of "my" Danbury needs major improvements with input from people with experience and education.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Learn to listen - be humble and stay true to your values and work hard - You will be happy.

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

Voters can believe I will put the interests of our city first -with my vote there will never be a public job awarded to contractors without multiple bidders and tax payers impute; I will do all I can to hold decision making individuals in our city hall accountable for their decisions versus keep using our tax payers' money with attorneys and law firms, over and over again to defend our city from reckless decisions - Instead I will push for accountability - Everyone has to be given the benefit of doubt and encourage to think outside the box, be innovative to make Danbury a better place for all of us to live - But one can not continue to make the wrong decisions and expect positive results - Thus accountability across the board has to take place.