New Canaan Election 2021: Rita Bettino For Town Council

NEW CANAAN, CT — Election Day is approaching fast, and a number of key positions in town 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 a few topics.

Democrat Rita Bettino, 54, is running for Town Council in New Canaan.

Occupation: Marketing Consultant

Family:

• Husband: Michael Stein, Wine Sales Executive
• Stepson: Cole, 27, former Marine, graduated from the University of Utah and just finished his second fire season on a "hot-shot" crew out west
• Daughter: Madison, 23, graduated from the University of Richmond and is currently working as a biology research assistant in Florida
• Son: Henry, 13, is an eighth grader at Saxe Middle School who loves football, basketball and comedy

Experience: None

Family in government: I do not have any family members who work in politics or government. Actually, my parents are old-school Italian immigrants and they were pretty focused on putting food on the table and getting my brother, sister and I educated.

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

At the moment I believe stopping the partisanship, divisiveness and toxicity of national politics from infiltrating our local community is the number one task at hand. I am a logical pragmatist at heart who likes to get things done, and I detest partisan gamesmanship.

I intend to work collaboratively and tirelessly with the other council members and with members of the community in order to do what is best for this town and its people, and regardless of party or any other affiliation.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

I am running unopposed.

Accomplishments:

Aside from my 25 years delivering positive business results for large and small companies alike, I jumped in right away to improve my neighborhood when my family and I moved to New Canaan three years ago.

I worked closely with great folks at our local New Canaan Department of Public Works and my wonderful neighbors to expedite drainage improvements, new sidewalk installations and road resurfacing in order to revitalize what had been referred to as some of the worst roads in town.

I also worked with the League of Women Voters' youth chapter to encourage our young people to get involved in their communities and vote.

I am also a volunteer with the DTC, was appointed to TEDAC (Tourism and Economic Development Advisory Committee), and and am a member of the New Canaan Ice Rink Committee, a volunteer group working to make an open-air community ice rink at Waveny Park a reality (go to NCRink.com to donate today).

Other issues:

My goals:

1. Protecting our schools is not only an important goal for our children's futures, it is also vital to our town's health. Our schools are truly the "industry" of New Canaan. People move here to send their children to our schools, and our property values are tied to our school's and children's performance. I want to make sure NCPS continues to be considered one of the top school districts in the state, and country.
2. Re-invigorate our local business community, the backbone of our town. Even before COVID-19, some businesses had been struggling and we are seeing a number of empty storefronts. Competition from online retailers, changes in the retail landscape and evolving consumer habits and lifestyle have seriously affected our local business community's ability to compete and be successful. I will work to ensure our downtown is a thriving place to shop, eat and gather as a community.
3. Being prepared for the ongoing effects of climate change. Climate change has resulted in more frequent, more serious and less predictable storms and inclement weather. We can expect more flooding, and power outages and other weather-related issues to challenge our current infrastructure over the next few decades. I want to make sure we are not caught off-guard and instead are anticipating how to address our potential weaknesses.
4. Champion prudent investment decisions that are transparent and accessible to all. The community has a right to know how and why our taxes are being spent.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

First and foremost I love this town and value a close-knit community with leaders that are able to work together effectively and yes, challenge each other respectfully.

I have participated on successful teams my whole life, from sports teams to professional and community teams, and I have a track record of working collaboratively and successfully with people of different backgrounds and perspectives to overcome obstacles in order to get things done.

Any position I take on an issue will be thoughtfully considered with only one goal in mind, and that is to do what I think is best for the community.