Monroe Election 2021 Profile: Jason Maur

MONROE, CT — Election Day is approaching fast, and a number of key positions in Monroe will be on the ballot.

To help readers make an informed decision on Nov. 2, Patch has reached out to local candidates to share their views on various topics of importance in town.

Patch will post these candidate profiles over the next several days, so check back often to see the latest.

Democrat Jason Maur, 36, is running for Town Council in Monroe.

Occupation: Attorney

Experience: Current - Town Council; Previous - Commission on Aging

Family in government: No

The single biggest issue in town is ______, and I plan to do this about it:

The single most pressing issue facing our town is our rising tax rate. We need to continue to update our antiquated zoning requirement to build our commercial base in town and lowering the tax burden on individual residents. This will come from a combination of making it easier for businesses to come to town and increasing our grant applications.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

I am a lifelong resident of Monroe. My education and experience include working on the National, State, and and Local level. I believe in being in touch with all the community to truly work as a voice for the people I represent regardless of whether they voted for me or not.

Accomplishments:

Having grown up here in Monroe, CT, I was provided with many opportunities: opportunities I want to be available to all people who are able to live here at any point in their lives. Along with the loving support of my family and my Monroe education and upbringing, I was able to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout; attend the top research university in the country, Johns Hopkins University, where I double majored in Political Science and Psychology, with a minor in Theater Arts; gain employment with Senator Dodd, for whom I served on his team for the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee; attend Quinnipiac University School of Law, where my studies included Education Law, Contract Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution, and Negotiations, among other topics; achieve my lifelong goal of becoming an Attorney, sworn into the CT State Bar November 1, 2010; and, most importantly, return to serve my hometown as a concerned citizen who wants to give back to the community that gave so much to me. As a lifelong resident of Monroe, I love this town. I want to see it grow and flourish. I once served as the Student Representative to the Monroe Board of Education. I served the community for 6 years on the Monroe Commission on Aging, where I acted as the vice chair of the committee. Since then I have been serving the Town on Town Council. I think we live in a wonderful town, with lots to offer. I would like to help make it even better. I don't just want to continue to serve this community, I want to help it reach greater heights. I have been a part of Monroe's past and have learned from it. I am part of Monroe's present and proudly serve it. I have a vision for Monroe's future, and so let's be a part of it together. Vote Jason Maur for Town Council.

Other issues:

In addition to controlling our tax rate we need to expand services for our community as a whole. Monroe needs to evolve. It is important to maintain our residential areas and the small-town charm, which should always be a priority. That being said, we have two main corridors down 111 and 25, plus some of 34 where we could stand to develop more, especially along our borders with other towns. We also must become more honest in our budgeting process. Year after year I see line items overbudgeted from what we have spent in the past years. Year after year I ask that we reduce those line items to be in line with our actual spending to decrease the tax burden in our town. Year after year, these changes are voted down. While they tend to be small amounts, those small amounts add up over time. In addition, and in my time on Council we have run into issues in our Charter that prevent us from being able to progress as a community. It is time to open the Charter to revision and update the rules governing our town.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

I am here to represent you. Whether we agree or not and I will always listen to your concerns and be sure to respond as well as bring those issues to the proper Town officials.