Long-Time East Haven Resident Challenges Maturo for GOP Nomination

(Editor’s Note: This story was first published earlier in the week, but in case you missed it here it is again)

Veteran East Haven Finance Committee Member, Sal Maltese, has announced Friday that he has dissolved his exploratory committee for a mayoral run in this year’s mayoral election and has filed to officially establish a committee to run for Mayor in this year’s election. The committee’s name is Maltese for Mayor 2015.

“I have been truly amazed at the support I have received from the residents and voters from East Haven during my exploratory phase. I have had Republicans, Democrats and Independents all encourage me to formally announce my run for Mayor of East Haven,” Maltese said in a prepared statement.

See also: East Haven Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. Decides His Political Future

“So many citizens have offered me support that I am really overwhelmed. While going around East Haven during the past 3 months, everyone I have met wants to see a change in East Haven for the better. Over the past several years East Haven has maintained such a negative image and our town seems stagnant. It seems that the only time East Haven is mentioned in the news, it is something negative. The people I have met all say they want to see East Haven become the shining star it once was. In order to do that, we need to change the old ways of doing business,” Maltese said in a prepared statement.

“East Haven has such a diverse group of wonderful citizens who want and deserve a more responsive government looking out for and listening to all its citizens. If elected Mayor of East Haven, I will begin by taking concrete steps to improve our town’s image and its infrastructure. I will encourage all town citizens’ inputs and I will be available at all town meetings and events to listen and to discuss their concerns,” Maltese said in a prepared statement.

If elected, the three areas he said will concentrate on are, “stable taxes, improved town infrastructure and improving the town image.”

“Working to improve these three things will encourage people and businesses to settle in East Haven helping us grow and strive,” Maltese said. “I want East Haven to be a destination town by making East Haven a livable community with safe streets, great schools, spectacular beachfront and a revitalized town center, upgrade the conditions of our roads, support open space and encourage economic development. This all depends on restoring integrity to our elected government, with ethical leadership focused on one thing: Creating a great town living up to its potential.”

Maltese has said that his campaign would focus on cleaning up the town’s image and giving East Haven a leader that all residents can be proud of.

Here is the rest of his prepared statement.

“We need to improve East Havens infrastructure while maintaining a stable tax rate. I will stabilize our tax rate stopping the up and down cycles we have seen during and between election years. I am a business person who is experienced with budgets and I know how to utilize tax dollars effectively. I will create cost efficiencies in the town budget to stretch the use of our assets. My experience as a Board of Finance Member has shown me where we can effectively cut spending and where we need to spend more for the good of the town.

I will clean up the most important resource we have, The Town Beach, and make it attractive and accessible to all of East Havens residents. The Beach has been ignored for far too long and it is time we clean it up. I will also clean up and improve our towns parks, playgrounds, and ball fields. These assets are used by our young citizens and they deserve better places to play and compete.

Our Main Street and Town Center has been neglected as well as the west end and is in desperate need of revitalization. We must take steps now to develop a plan that addresses this neglect and begin to take steps to clean up and bring our town center up to 21st century standards. Other towns have done this and it is time East Haven does this as well.

Our roads need to be paved and maintained on a regular basis and not just on election years. There are far too many potholes and other issues that must be fixed quickly and permanently. The town owned properties must be cut, trimmed and cleaned on a more regular basis. We gave a terrific Public Works department who just needs some better guidance and support from town hall.

Town Hall needs to partner with our School System and help develop a strong plan on improving our school system which is far too important to our young families. A sound school system is the basis to a strong town.

I am looking forward to winning the Republican Party’s nomination and I look forward to winning in November and bringing a new team with new ideas and a renewed energy into town hall,” Maltese said.

Maltese is a 49-year resident of East Haven. Sal and his wife of 49 years, Joan, have raised their four daughters all of whom graduated from East Haven Schools. Sal has been a town business owner owning and operating the South Shore Laundromat for 34 years.

In addition to his experience on the town’s Finance Committee, Sal has had experience as the Director of Global Credit for a 100 Million Dollar multinational company. Sal is also active in many East Haven organizations including the East Haven Rotary, East Haven Republican Town Committee, and Shoreline Greenway Trail.