Ellington Candidate Profile: Logan Johnson, First Selectman

ELLINGTON, CT — The 2023 municipal election season is heating up in Ellington, and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Ellington-Somers Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Name: Logan Johnson

How old will you be as of Election Day? 44

Does your campaign have a website? If so, include the URL here.

https://loganjohnsonforellingt...

What city or town do you live in? Ellington

What office are you seeking? First Selectman

Please give us your party affiliation: Democrat

Education: Masters Degree in Accounting and Taxation from the University of Hartford; BS in Accounting from ECSU; AS in General Studies from QVCC

What is your occupation?

Principal Auditor for the Auditors of Public Accounts, a bipartisan legislative branch agency of the State of Connecticut. I have approximately 12 years experience with the agency.

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

Megan my spouse, a Massachusetts transplant whose job as a travel writer is much more interesting than mine; Sheppard my four year old son who attends Pre-K at Windermere and loves to ride bikes; Fiadh my almost two year old daughter who loves dancing and our dog Indy.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

I work for the state of Connecticut but no one in my family works for the town of Ellington.

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective? No

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

We love Ellington and are here for the rest of our lives. There are long-term threats to the town that require leadership from the town administration to mitigate. Without action, residents will see steady tax increases and a loss of the distinctive farm town feel that makes Ellington unique.

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

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents are avoidable tax increases. I intend to work with our state representative and senators to maximize revenue opportunities and work with town administration on changing fiscal policies and controls to improve the economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of expenditures. Tax increases are inevitable but we can work to slow the rate at which taxes must increase with long-term planning.

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

I am a CPA with extensive knowledge and experience auditing governmental entities. I have worked with governmental entities to limit opportunities for fraud, waste, and abuse as well as improve outcomes. My work has resulted in safer conditions for children, generated additional non-tax revenue, and eliminated waste.

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

Transparency is a significant failure to the community. Nothing in government should be shielded from public scrutiny and public participation. The policies that limit the discourse of board members on social media and disallow discussion between residents and board members at meetings wrongfully limits the say constituents have in their community.

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

Public safety is a significant concern of Ellington constituents as residents are urged to lock doors and leave lights on to deter crime. Protecting our farms and more broadly the culture of Ellington as a farm town is also a priority as it distinguishes Ellington from other small towns that used to be farm towns but are now overdeveloped and have high taxes.

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

As an auditor I am regularly required to understand often intricate regulatory requirements, complex accounting standards, and poorly documented practices for the purposes of rendering an opinion on performance. I complete an often adversarial process in a collaborative manner, working hard to make sure the auditee and I are in agreement that a deficiency exists and how to correct it. My work has resulted in an improved background check process for daycare employees, generated several million dollars in revenue, identified problems in the school construction grant program and helped guide the correction of these problems.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

My dad once told me there is a difference between knowledge and wisdom. He said knowledge is gained from often painful first hand experience and wisdom is learned from people with knowledge. Do your best to acquire wisdom instead of knowledge.

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

National politics is not local politics. Good fiscal policy knows no political affiliation. Everyone can agree we want to feel safe in our community, want a quality education for our children, and want to keep the government out of our pockets.