Patch Candidate Profile: Joe Capodiferro, Farmington Town Council

FARMINGTON, CT — Farmington Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Farmington resident Joe Capodiferro is running for the Farmington Town Council as a Republican.

The following is Capodiferro's questionnaire sent to Patch:

Name

Joe Capodiferro

How old will you be as of Election Day?

53

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

https://Voteforjoect.com

What city or town do you live in?

Farmington

What office are you seeking?

Town Chair

Please give us your party affiliation.

Republican

Education

High School Graduate, Gradutated from CT Municipal Police Academy

What is your occupation?

Realtor, Retired Police Officer

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

Wife Kim, Sons-- Nathan 20, Cooper 17

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

no

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

Current Town Councilor representing the 1st District for 2 terms

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?

I have been on the Town Council for 4 years and in the past two years, I have served as "Acting Town Council Chair" a position the current Council members unanimously appointed me to. Our current Town Chair has decided after serving for 2 consecutive terms to not seek reelection. I would like the opportunity to be the Town Chair, to continue to work for our residents to provide them the quality of life they have enjoyed here.

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

Taxes are always a major issue for anyone. Over the past 4 years on the Town Council, we have put together a Town Budget that is fiscally responsible to our residents. We have to balance our spending to make sure not to burden our residents, to continue to provide them with the town services they have and to properly fund our schools that provide our children with a great education.

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

I am a third-generation resident currently living in the home my grandparents owned. I am a graduate of Farmington High School, and my children have and will graduate from FHS. I worked as a Police Officer here in Town for 26 years retiring in 2016. As a Police Officer I worked with our town employees, and patrolled all of our schools creating lasting relationships with our teachers and students. I have been to your homes when you needed medical assistance, when you were a victim of crime, to be the shoulder to cry on, to give comfort and support, and to provide protection to our community.

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

no incumbent, open position

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

Currently, our town has two major projects, one is the completion of the new high school, and then the rehab of the 1928 Building, which was the original high school to be our new town hall. Also, we have to continue to support our infrastructure in town which includes our sidewalks, roadways, town highway equipment, and buildings that need to be maintained. And now with the State of Connecticut and CROG moving forward with the designing of a bridge that will cross over the Farmington River from Monteith Drive to New Britain Ave. To continue to support our services to our elderly, handicapped, veterans, and less fortunate.

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

First, my experience as a Police Officer for 26 years here in town, working with town employees, and our residents problem solving community issues. For the last 4 years on the Town Council, we had a pandemic, and our schools and businesses were shut down. As a Council member, I supported our Town employees who found ways to be accessible to our community in their time of need, to continue services to our elderly, our disabled who were medically compromised from this and who needed help in their daily routine. To provide balanced budgets to our community not knowing the true impact to our community during the pandemic.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Not to rush to judgment.

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

The responsibility of the Town Chair requires a true commitment to the Farmington Unionville community. You must be available 24/7. The role requires engaging our diverse community and meeting people where they are.

The job entails attending ceremonies, meetings with state officials, (locally or at the capital) regional meetings with other local officials in surrounding communities, and being available to the town manager when issues occur. This is a job that requires a passion for making things better in our town. When emergencies occur, the Town Chair must be solution-oriented and relay critical information to the rest of the Town Council in a timely manner.
As a lifelong resident and a local civil servant, I am committed to taking on this responsibility and leading in the best interest of our residents and business community.