Patch Candidate Profile: Paul Chaplinsky, Southington Town Council

SOUTHINGTON, CT — Southington Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Southington resident Paul Chaplinsky is running for the Southington Town Council as a Republican.

The following is Chaplinsky 's questionnaire sent to Patch:

Name

Paul Chaplinsky

How old will you be as of Election Day?

51

What city or town do you live in?

Southington

What office are you seeking?

Town Council

Please give us your party affiliation.

Republican

Education

MBA Business Management, M.S. Engineering Sciences, B.S. Chemistry, Executive Leadership Training

What is your occupation?

Vice President New Business Models, Production at Henkel Corp

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

My wife Kim Chaplinsky is a 4th-grade teacher in Glastonbury. My Son Christopher is 21 and studying Mechanical Engineering at UCONN and my daughter Marina is 18 and studying Criminal Justice at Roger Williams University.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

I have served on the Town Council for the last 4 years serving as Vice Chair for the last two years. I am fortunate to have been Chair of the Open Space & Farm Heritage Committee for the last 4 years, Vice Chair of the Public Works Committee and recently a member of the Self Insurance Committee. The 11 years prior I served as a Planning and Zoning Commissioner and as Vice Chair my last term.

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

As a Town Councilor, I prioritize efficient, transparent leadership, fostering collaboration, reducing taxes, preserving land versus residential development, and boosting the local economy, especially for small businesses. I advocate for strategic investments in infrastructure, safety, and combating crime through local investments and state-level legislative change for the town's prosperity.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Keeping taxes low and I plan to promote small business grand list growth to combat residential tax burden and open space acquisitions to slow the growth of residential development, which also creates additional tax burden.

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

I have a proven track record of collaborating with stakeholders of various roles to achieve results for the betterment of Southington and delivering strong achievements, including more than 300 acres of land preservation in the last 4 years.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

Rather than discuss the failure of anyone, I prefer to state that I plan to work with all elected and appointed Board Members in the Town Of Southington to preserve our heritage, foster a safe and resourceful community and deliver positive progress for all.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Most importantly, plan a fair and collaborative process for replacing our retiring Town Manager, continue our strong roadway and infrastructure improvements and support our BOE, who ensures our students receive a quality education.

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

I have a proven track record of collaborating with stakeholders of various roles to achieve results for the betterment of Southington and delivering strong achievements including more than 300 acres of land preservation the last 4 years and restoration and use of historic barns and farmland in Southington.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Thank you to Southington residents for considering a vote for me and my fellow Republican team members!