Patch Candidate Profile: Peter Schwarz For Newtown Planning & Zoning Commission

NEWTOWN, CT — Election Day on Nov. 4 is fast approaching, and there are a number of key races on the ballot.

Patch reached out to candidates for office to get more information on their campaigns and the issues that are facing their towns.

Candidate's Name: Peter Schwarz

What office are you seeking? Planning & Zoning Commission

What town do you live in? Newtown

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Occupation: Corporate Attorney

Family: Wife, Laura Miller, 5 grown children 28-34.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? My wife, Laura Miller, is a member of Newtown's Legislative Council

Previous public office, appointive or elective: I have been an elected Alternate Member of the Planning and Zoning Commission for the past two years, an elected Member of the Borough of Newtown's Board of Burgesses (their Town Council) for the past year, and an appointed Member of the Fairfield Hills Authority for the last year and a half.

Why are you seeking this office? I've been an Alternate Member for the past two years, and now I'm seeking a full voice. Although as an Alternate I've participated in most Commission activities other than some voting, a full seat does carry some more weight, and I think my two year apprenticeship has prepared me well.

Newtown is trying to balance decisions on the building of more affordable housing units, preservation of open space, and the development of more commercial activity. I think the vast majority of the community agrees we need to do something to free up a “stuck” housing market and encourage more local businesses. Change is necessary and inevitable, but it’s hard to agree on alternatives and any change is hard to execute. We need informed discussion and good, local solutions.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it: In the Planning & Zoning area, our ability to balance necessary residential and commercial growth while maintaining the look and feel of the community that brought so many of us to Newtown in the first place. We also have to help the community better understand how our decisions are made. A lack of public confidence is not good for anyone.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post? I believe a Commission Member has to have a guiding vision of what Newtown should be like ten and twenty years from now and how all the pieces should fit together. I also think we have to work hard to regain broader public trust in the process. Sometimes that means doing more than just the minimum the law requires.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign? Newtown undoubtedly needs more affordable housing. It needs a bigger voice in tailoring what those solutions are than the state currently allows. We need to try and shift the policy back towards the locality.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job? First of all, I think my two years as an Alternate are the best evidence. I think my colleagues value my input and perspective. In addition, as a corporate lawyer (and as a community volunteer), I have spent my career rolling up my sleeves and trying to forge consensus, in both business and in government. I will continue to do that.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you? You can, and should, learn something from everyone.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions? I think good, fair, informed discussions make for better public decisions. I think if, as a public official, you share information and are open about your decision-making process, even people who do not agree with a particular decision will be comforted if they understand your logic.