Newtown Candidate Profile: Chris Smith For Legislative Council

NEWTOWN, CT — The 2019 municipal election is heating up in Newtown and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

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

Christopher T. Smith is running for Legislative Council as a Democrat. He works in the insurance industry with experience in underwriting, risk management and insurance brokerage. He has served on the Legislative Council since 2017 and was on the Conservation Commission from 2016 to 2017.

Are you running for office in Newtown? Contact Rich Scinto at rich.scinto@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Newtown Patch.

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

We must continue to be diligent about controlling spending! CT will continue to face challenging financial budgets that will affect town spending and resources. We have to keep our budget to only what is truly needed. I will continue to be vocal in my support of both the Town and School budgets but will make sure to question every line item and evaluate future needs against current spending.

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

Experience in this position is key. Understanding the Budgets, Capital Improvement Plan, as well as the day to day workings of the council is not something that you pick up instantly. It can often take a least a full year to understand the process and begin to gather your thoughts around the prominent issues. I come into this campaign much better prepared to handle and debate the issues the town has in front of us. I firmly support the needs of the schools but I am also pragmatic and never enter into a discussion without understanding the full reason for the issue. I look to have supporting research and review the logic of positions before I make any votes. I provide a moderate, but supporting voice on the committee.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

Continued support of roads and challenging the Capital Improvement Plan to include what the town truly needs.

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

Newtown's governing structure is one of appropriate checks and balances, from Selectmen, to Board of Ed, Board of Finance as well as all of the town commissions and appointed groups. The
Legislative Council is the final governing body that evaluates all of the previous boards decisions and recommendations. We are meant to be the overall stewards of this process and need to be diligent in providing this oversight throughout the year. I am proud of the balanced
approach I took with each vote under consideration.

I am a strong proponent of our Schools and am glad of my voting positions for the last two years. I am also a strong environmental supporter and will continue to back efforts that protect our environment. I was a strong supporter of the prohibition of fracking waste being delivered through our town when it was debated. I was also very proud of the almost year long diligence we put into evaluating the plastic bag ban. Legislative bodies in other towns have already started to use Newtown's plastic bag ordinance as a basis for their own plastic bag bans.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

Do not jump to conclusions. Evaluate as many facts as you can before making a decision.

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

Almost 19 year Newtown resident. Very pragmatic in my approach. Strong School and Environmental Supporter.