Tolland Candidate Profile 2019: Lou Luba, Town Council

TOLLAND, CT — Tolland's election season is at its peak, and there are plenty of contested races with candidates eager to represent their town in November's municipal election. Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns, and has been publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Lou Luba is running for Tolland Town Council as a Republican.

Occupation

Senior Assistant State's Attorney (New Britain & Windham Judicial Districts) - 25 years
U.S. Coast Guard - Commander (retired) - 20 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office:

Tolland Town Council

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

The single most pressing issue facing Tolland is fiscal responsibility in the face of reduction in town revenues. Issues such as crumbling foundations (which lead to a reduction in the town grandlist), reduction in state funding and lack of business development have led to a reduction in town revenues, forcing the Town Council and all departments to have to make tough budgetary decisions. Recognizing issues and developing a coherent plan of attack is called preparedness. I, along with the rest of the Republican slate, look to 1) work with the community to identify Tolland's greatest needs and services, 2) work with all town department heads to identify potential cost savings and sensible budgetary restrictions, and 3) implement a sensible, data-driven plan to ensure the residents of the Town of Tolland get the greatest return on investment from their tax dollars.

Concurrently, we need to address the issue of crumbling foundations within the town, and the likely shortfall of state funding allocated to address this significant town emergency. We need to recognize the impending insolvency of CFSIC, which has stopped taking application three times within one year because of the overwhelming number of applications coupled with the shortage of funding to even address the current remediation operations. As a Town Council, we need to advocate for our residents to our state and federal representatives, to ensure this emergency is recognized and appropriately addressed and the promised funding is available to restore the homes of our town residents.

Bottom line ... we need to take care of our own and ensure ALL residents and our entire community get the services they need.

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

In addressing the critical differences between slates, the critical difference setting the Republican slate above others is the slate’s demonstrated decision making ability. Having worked on many different teams (from being deployed overseas, to working on various state and federal law enforcement operations, to directing various non-profit organizations), the most important qualities of a good team is the ability to clearly recognize an issue, gather data to identify possible solutions, and implement a plan based upon the facts presented. Leadership is never easy, especially when faced with the possibility of implementing difficult or unpopular decisions. This entire Republican slate has demonstrated all those necessary qualities of a solid team – we have presented solid fact-driven plans to address the recognized issues Tolland is currently facing, and the resolve to implement those plans despite the potential difficulties. As town representatives, we have a duty and obligation to represent the entire community, and make decisions based upon what is good for the entirety of the town by implementing reasonable data-driven decisions ensuring a wise use of the limited town resources.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

What truly defines our platform is our concern for our entire community, combined with a willingness to discuss issues in a constructive. It is easy for people to make demands, but it is not easy to come up with productive solutions. Productive problem solving encompasses a willingness to listen and truly exchange ideas, not simply make demands without possible compromise. As leaders, town representatives have an obligation to implement plans for the betterment of the entire town. This dedication is demonstrated by our slate’s consideration of all the town needs in all departments, as well as our advocacy for our town on all levels of government, to ensure Tolland gets the attention and assistance we need.

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

Personally, I think the best evidence that I can handle the job as a member of the Tolland Town Council is my demonstrated leadership abilities. As an Officer in the Coast Guard Reserves, I was privileged to have served this country on three deployments. While deployed, I was able to take part in significant, national policy level planning, organizing multinational operations, and implementing operational plans arrived at after a thorough deliberative decision making process. This experience helped shape me as a leader, and led to my desire to continue to serve my community. It also led me to find the necessary work/life balance to handle the stress of directing a unit, managing a full-time job and caring for a family. As a prosecutor, I have had to make life-altering decisions that not only affect the defendant, but the victim as well. I know the difficulty of making difficult and sometimes unpopular decisions to accomplish a mission, with the aim of protecting my unit/my community as a whole.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

Take care of your people — show them you care and give them ability to achieve, and they will accomplish the impossible.

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

I come from a small town outside Buffalo, NY. I helped run a family business, and saw how the departure of a major industry could devastate a community for a generation. I saw how a lack of foresight and contingency planning by our political leaders in preparing for this possibility led to this widespread disaster. As an incumbent member of the Tolland Town Council, I look to continue to serve this community and work to ensure this does not happen to Tolland. I want to set Tolland up for success, and serve the residents of Tolland to the best of my ability. I want to make this town a beacon and example of the potential of eastern Connecticut. I truly believe that as citizens of this great country, we have an obligation to give back to our communities, and this is my way of giving back.