Meet Guilford's Republican First Selectman Candidate: Profile

By Jack Kramer

GUILFORD, CT – One thing is for certain – there will be a new first selectman running the town of Guilford come November.

That’s because two-term Republican First Selectman Joe Mazza decided earlier this year to retire.

In his place, the Republican Town Committee has endorsed Robert Hartmann, who is a financial expert who runs an office on tax preparation, et al in Lighthouse Square along with his family, for the first selectman race.

He will oppose Democrat Matt Hoey.

Guilford Patch will profile both candidates.

This week is Hartmann’s turn.

While Hartmann is quick to praise Mazza “for his strong management” of Guilford, he does believe the town needs “to be more business friendly” to keep ensure that the tax base isn’t too heavily reliant on home owners.

Hartmann said the kind of development he’d like to see in Guilford is a “brewery,” which he noted has been a big part of nearby Branford’s economic engine the past few years.

Additionally, Hartmann said there is room for much more growth at Guilford Commons. He listed a “big box store” like a Costco or a “bowling alley or a cinema like Madison has” as the types of development that Guilford should be attracting to town.

Hartmann was quick to add, however, that he isn’t being critical of the current administration, stating that if Mazza hadn’t done such a good job building up the town’s “rainy day fund, we’d be in big trouble.”

The town borrowed from the fund to keep next year’s projected tax increase at about 2.4 percent.

If he is elected, Hartmann said he will work hard “to continue to ensure that Guilford is a well managed place.”

“We do not want to look like the state,” Hartmann said. He noted that Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s proposed budget takes millions of dollars away from Guilford in an effort to offset the state’s more than $5 billion budget deficit.

“Robbing 140 towns to pay 20 towns” is no way to manage finances” said Hartmann, who said if he is elected he will stay in constant touch with State Reps. Vince Candelora, Sean Scanlon, and State Sen. Ted Kennedy, Jr. to make sure Guilford’s interests are protected in Hartford.

The Republican Town Committee endorsed the candidacy of Hartmann for first selectman, and a ticket that includes incumbent Selectman Charles Havrda and Board of Education member Susan Koch Renner.

The Democrats have Hoey for first selectman, along with Lou Federici and Sandy Ruoff for the Board of Selectmen.