Newtown Candidate Profile: Dan Wiedemann 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.

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.

Dan Wiedemann is running for Legislative Council as a Republican. He is a vice president of trading operations.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office:

Over 6 years served on Legislative Council

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

Rising taxation. If re-elected I will continue to promote and support the growth of our grand list. Continue to support our decreasing use of debt. Continue to identify areas of redundancy throughout the town and BOE in which we can better maximize the use of taxpayers funds.

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

My desire to keep / make this town affordable for all is my priority.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder
failed the community (or district or constituency)?

I am an incumbent but on the minority side. This is a board which would be best served if it were split evenly which would force everyone to work together for a unified goal.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

This State has seen our taxes steadily increase each and every year, so has our overall town budget. The result of this is all the for sale signs we see all over. It is time we send a message and stop increasing our spending and keep people here.

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

Four years ago I had a break from the Council and I served on the Charter Revision Commission. Not only was it a lot of work but also a great learning experience. Prior to that while on the LC I served as Chairman of the Shared Services Committee. This committee brought together various areas throughout both the Town and the BOE in which they combined certain resources and saved tax dollars.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

Don't be afraid to ask the hard questions.

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

I work hard for everyone. Anyone who attends various board and commission meeting, has seen me in attendance. It's important to be well versed and informed.