Groton Candidate Profile: Aundré Bumgardner for Town Council

GROTON, CT —Groton’s election season is heating up.

Groton Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Aundré Bumgardner, 25, is a Democrat running for reelection to the Town Council.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? This includes any relatives who work in the government you'd be representing.

No.

Education:

Three Rivers Community College

Occupation:

Office of State Treasurer

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office:

State Representative, 41st District (2015 - 2017)
Groton City Planning & Zoning Commission (2017 - present)
Groton Town Council (2018 - present)

The single most pressing issue facing our town/district is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Climate Change. Now, more than ever, we must think of the motto, “think globally, act locally.” Eleven percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans are caused by deforestation. Just 14 percent of Groton’s total land acreage is dedicated for open space. Though Connecticut’s Green Plan calls for approximately 21 percent by 2023, we should exceed this goal and protect at least 25 percent of land for the purposes of conservation and preservation.

Groton Conservation Advocates citied my “firm commitment to environmental protection,” in their endorsement of me. Groton must fortify neighborhoods vulnerable to rising sea levels, sequester carbon by sourcing our energy needs from renewables, mitigate pollution by composting and diverting municipal solid waste to an anaerobic digester facility, and restore natural habitats for flora and fauna.

We've had the four warmest years on record since 1880. In 2018, Atmospheric carbon reached its highest recorded level at 408 parts per million. I pledge to unequivocally support any effort to reverse the impending climate reckoning on our coastal community.

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

As the youngest member of the Groton Town Council, I bring insight into a wide-array of issues impacting Groton residents. When the next Town Council deliberates on future town priorities, I will reinforce the importance of developing a long-term strategic plan for the town's finances, operations, and economic growth. I remain committed to working with all Grotonians to improve our schools and quality of life.

As it pertains to enhancing the economic health of Groton, the differences couldn't be starker. Several candidates incorrectly assert that fund balance was used to support town spending— thus averting tax increases. Unanticipated revenue gains are not fund balance. The Town Council does not and did not appropriate all revenues into the budget reserve fund. The GOP-controlled Town Council's 2018 FYE fund balance totaled 9.58 percent of the operating budget. The democratic-controlled Town Council the past two years supported budgets with 14.89 and 18.92 percent of the operating budget dedicated to the budget reserve fund.

Recently, Moody's reaffirmed the town's bond rating and removed its negative outlook, citing, "the removal of the negative outlook is driven by the town's recent operating surpluses and improved financial position." As the town more aggressively pursues opportunities to redevelop vacant schools, realize gains from consolidation, and fully funding the town's rising debt service associated with with Groton2020, I will be laser-focused on grand-list growth, and identify efficiencies instead of the type of can-kicking, budget gimmickry and double-speak that inevitably leads down the road to higher taxes for all town residents.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

Promoting long-term fiscal stability and smart growth. Prioritizing sustainability, energy efficiency, and resiliency. Investing in transportation and IT infrastructure.

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

As State Representative for Groton and New London, I served on the Education, Transportation, and Finance, Revenue, & Bonding Committees. I was also a member of the Black & Puerto Rican Caucus, Young Legislators Caucus, and Southeastern Connecticut Delegation. Additionally, I ranked high on an index of lawmakers willing to work on a bipartisan basis.

On the Groton Town Council, I convened various stakeholders to establish Groton's first rain garden. As a result, Groton received a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and National Fish & Wildlife Service grant through the Long Island Sound Future's Fund to establish a rain garden at the Human Services building. I will continue work with our local, state, and federal officials to get the job done for Groton residents.

The best advice ever shared with me was …

"Don't boo, VOTE."
– Barack H. Obama, 44th President of the United States of America

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

My support for working families earned me endorsements from AFSCME Council 4, AFL-CIO Eastern Connecticut Area Labor Federation, AFT-CT, CSEA, and the New England Regional Council of Carpenters Local 326. I will continue to support workers rights and focus my efforts to pass a responsible contractor ordinance that will promote diverse hiring for construction projects, boost apprenticeships and workforce training, and hinder wage theft.

I come from a family of teachers and school administrators who understand the importance of equitable education for all children. Every decision I make as a Groton Town Councilor must be weighed against Groton's future generations. This is especially true as a caregiver for a brother with autism in the Groton Public Schools system.

Are you running for office in Groton? Contact Ellyn Santiago at ellyn.santiago@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Groton Patch. Deadline is Oct. 28.

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