Wallingford Election 2023: Kristi Doerr Running For Town Council

WALLINGFORD, CT — The 2023 municipal election is heating up in Wallingford with plenty of races on the ballot.

Voters will head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 7 and cast their ballots for the position of mayor, along with seats on the Town Council and Board of Education.

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

Kristi Doerr, 44, is running for election to the Wallingford Town Council as a Democrat.

Does your campaign have a website? If so, include the URL here.

https://www.facebook.com/Krist...

Education.

Bentley University, Master of Science in Taxation. University of Connecticut, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, major in accounting.

What is your occupation?

Certified Public Accountant (18 years) and currently the Tax Director at Richemont North America Inc (9 years).

Former owner of Keri's Sweet Creations in Wallingford.

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

Married to Brian Doerr for 21 years. We adopted our son Samuel in 2016. We have two dogs, Beavis and Rafi.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

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

Currently serving on the Board of Managers for the Wallingford Public Library. Board member since 2000. Serving as Treasurer since 2021.

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?

Wallingford is a great town and I believe my experience and expertise will benefit the town as we face upcoming challenges. My career has long focused on transparency, accountability, and efficiency. I have a deep understanding and grasp of taxes and budgets, and I will ensure the people of Wallingford get the most of their tax dollars.

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

The Economy. People continue to struggle post Pandemic. Prices are up everywhere and show no sign of going down.

Locally, this means we need to help our residents and businesses. We need to work with our town offices and resources to give taxpayers the most for their tax dollars. This includes spending on education, including school renovations and technology upgrades. This also includes upgrading technology, processes and communication across the town to provide more convenient, efficient and lower cost services to both individuals and businesses.

There are ways to do this without raising taxes, including hiring full time grant writers to bring our taxpayers federal and state taxes back to Wallingford.

My experience in analyzing and managing budgets will help hold the town accountable for dollars spent and provide taxpayers with a better return on their taxes paid.

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

First, I understand taxes and budgets. This has been my career for over 20 years. I'm good at what I do and I actually really enjoy it.

Also, this is my first time running for Council. I'm not a career politician with aspirations to move up the political ladder.

Finally, I'm also not a lifelong Wallingford resident. I not only chose to move to Wallingford, but I also have an outside perspective that I can bring to the Council.

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

Town Infrastructure.

Our town resources have not been well maintained. This includes our schools, town owned buildings, utilities, roads, sidewalks, our parks, and the community pool. We need to address the situation head on, allowing the Buildings and Maintenance Committee access to all town buildings. We need to develop a long-term plan to fund restoring these resources and mitigating the safety risks currently facing the town. A long-term plan to revitalize our assets will benefit those living in Wallingford now and draw more residents and business into town in the future.

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

Serving as the Treasurer of the Library Board, I've experienced developing and review of the town budget firsthand.

As a former small business owner in town, I understand the complexities and hardships of starting and maintaining a business in Wallingford.

As a parent, I've worked directly with the schools for the past five years and understand the struggles of parents and educators in this town.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

A real leader knows they don't know everything but knows when and how to ask for help.

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

I'm focused on accountability, transparency and smart investment.

I'm excited for this opportunity and welcome any questions from the community.