Guilford Candidate Profile: Robert Hartmann, Jr. Board of Finance

GUILFORD, CT —Guilford’s election season is heating up.

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

Robert Hartmann, Jr., 62, is a Republican running for election to the Board of Finance.

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

My wife Laura is Guilford's Voter Head Moderator and Republican Deputy Registrar

Education:

Guilford High School, 1975

Connecticut College, BA - Government and Economics

Occupation:

Tax Preparer and Consultant in Guilford for the last eight years. Prior to that I have over 30 years in financial analysis, banking, credit trading and fund management.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office:

Currently serving on the Guilford Pension Committee and the Facilities Task Force

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

We all should be highly concerned with the undesirable fiscal condition of the state of Connecticut and its effect on successful towns. Guilford residents send income taxes of some $68MM to Hartford and receive a diminishing amount back each year. I will rely on my direct experience with public and private finance and taxation to insulate Guilford from further disappointments from Hartford. While I am a devotee of our form of town government, I will advocate investigation and evaluation of expense saving schemes such as regionalization, rationalization and consolidation of our town's assets. Wherever Guilford leads, best results are achieved for all.

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

I respect everyone who will compose the Board of Finance in this uncontested election; all of whom are dedicated, talented and represent different professional backgrounds. I will be the only new member joining and will bring a financial and taxation background spanning some 40 years to the role.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

I'm acutely aware that the differentiating aspect of property tax is that it does not decrease when a resident has a bad year, as would their income tax. Every decision we make on the Board of Finance should continue to anticipate downturns in fortunes as well as upturns. We need to plan into the future to meet our changing demographic needs and environmental challenges.

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

A long career in financial matters - primarily centered around debt and credit - has done much to prepare me for this job of service. I'm used to volunteer leadership roles, such as President of Guilford Rotary, President of the Guilford Keeping Society, Acting Chair of the Guilford Pension Committee and professional roles such as Partner in a hedge fund and now as a local business owner with my wife, Laura. All involve daily analysis, evaluation and decisions regarding financial matters, long and short term

The best advice ever shared with me was …

Leave things better than you found them. (Thanks, Dad!)

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

My approach is that even when we disagree, we should all be on the same side working toward a better result for all. Board of Finance is a job of service and management, not grandstanding. It's putting people before politics.

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