Patch Candidate Profile: Kate Conetta, Danbury Board of Education

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.

Advertising production manager Kate Conetta, 44, is running for re-election to the Danbury Board of Education as a Democrat and Working Families candidate. She has been married for 8 years, and has one son.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

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

Board of Education member since 2019

Why are you seeking this office?

I believe our schools are the foundation for the community and I am committed to supporting students, families and staff. I am ready, willing and able to step up and accept the responsibilities of a board member.

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

The unmanaged growth of our city.

I will continue to work with the administration and our officials at the local and state levels to support our school buildings (repair and expansion) and to bring more operating funds to the education system so we can hire additional staff to meet the growing needs.

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

I can only speak for myself — I am interested in doing whatever we can in local government to build the healthiest and strongest Danbury possible, and the public school system is crucial to this goal. Some of the steps I've taken: I have pursued professional development as a board member to build a strong understanding of the roles and responsibilities we have. I have built connections with people all over the city to both support the work being done and to better understand some of the obstacles our schools face. And I have publicly brought concerns forward to City Council and the state about education funding.

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

Top priorities: addressing the overcrowding in schools, securing additional funding to expand staff and programming, engaging the city to work on building maintenance and repairs, and improving equity in our education system.

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

20+ years of experience with a small business has given me the skills to manage projects and to work with a team in setting and accomplishing goals. As part of the accounting department there, I am accustomed to dealing with budgets, deadlines and understanding the larger financial picture.

As a member of the Board for the last 4 years, I have held various leadership positions as mentioned above. I have actively worked to better my understanding of the intricacies involved in running a public school district by regularly connecting with our community at school events and pursuing professional development with the state level organization CABE. During my time, I have worked alongside folks regardless of political or personal affiliation to bring issues forward and promote solutions. I am prepared to continue all of this work in service of the larger goals.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Whatever you do to others you do to yourself.

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

I believe in the power and importance of quality public education. I understand the value it brings to the entire community.

Families and students benefit directly from the work schools do to create a safe place for learning in order to prepare them for their individual futures.

But our schools are foundational to the community in other very significant ways — determining property values, attracting businesses, building the future workforce, reducing crime and welfare, and developing tomorrow's community leaders.

We need leaders at every level of local government to come together, make the necessary investments in our public education system and build a brighter future for everyone.