Wallingford Election 2023: Riley O'Connell Running For Mayor

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.

Riley O'Connell, 27, is running for election as mayor of Wallingford as a Democrat.

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

https://OConnellCT.com

Education.

B.A. in Government/Legal Studies and Environmental Studies from Bowdoin College.

What is your occupation?

I spent three years working in the criminal investigations unit of the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. I also worked as an advisor on Lt. Governor Bysiewicz's reelection campaign, and currently serve as a Specialist in the U.S. Army Reserves.

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

As a 5th generation Wallingford resident, I'm happy to say that my grandparents, parents, and younger brothers all still live in town. I also have a 3-year-old therapy dog named Brunswick.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

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

No

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?

Simply put, I'm running because I love Wallingford. As I've observed the growing list of challenges facing our town, many of which just need common sense solutions, the opportunity to run for mayor has not only been a great privilege, but also a moral obligation to do everything I can to improve my community. I want to help Wallingford finally achieve its full potential.

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

Affordability. We are the only town in CT that has had 18 straight years of proposed tax increases, making it increasingly difficult for lifelong residents to stay in Wallingford. At the same time, a dearth of local non-market-rate housing, most notably senior housing, has only further exacerbated this issue. Whereas state statute has required municipalities to aim for 10% non-market-rate housing since 1989, Wallingford still has only 4%.

The solution is multifaceted. First we have to bring an end to these years of unnecessary tax increases, which currently only serve to further inflate our already bloated rainy day fund. We can increase investment without raising taxes by improving Town Hall's efficiency with the introduction of technology, improving our pension fund management to significantly increase returns, and leveraging Hartford to increase our utilization of grants and state funding.

An important part of my 15-year infrastructure recovery plan also includes committing to develop more non-market-rate senior housing.

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

Having a vision for Wallingford's future, and more importantly presenting a detailed plan for how we can achieve that vision, is what sets me apart from Mr. Cervoni. His limited platform was not made public until a couple months before Election Day. By comparison, my platform was shared before I even announced that I was running for office. I believe that it's the ideas and plans themselves that should inspire candidates to run in the first place, rather than treated as an afterthought.

More specifically, my proposed budget would be the first one in 18 years to not include a tax increase. Mr. Cervoni has voted in favor of raising taxes for every year that he has served on the Town Council. I'm promising to do everything in my power to reopen Community Pool by 2025. Mr. Cervoni voted against the Community Pool project both times the proposal came to the Council. My platform includes a 15-year infrastructure recovery plan. Mr. Cervoni voted against the formation of the infrastructure committee, whose only purpose is to bring these issues to light. Lastly, employing technology in Town Hall, including online bill pay and direct deposit, are at the top of my list of priorities for my first 100 days in office. Mr. Cervoni has never proposed any of these upgrades over the course of his 14-year tenure on the Council.

Ultimately this election is a referendum on Wallingford's future. My opponent proudly represents a continuation of the same stagnation that we've experienced for the last several decades, whereas I offer voters an opportunity to finally update and refresh Wallingford; an opportunity for our great town to start trending in the right direction and finally achieve its full potential.

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

Among many other issues, infrastructure has to be the biggest. Decades of deferred maintenance and straight up neglect has left Wallingford's infrastructure in desperate condition. These issues extend to our sidewalks, our roads, our parks, and our town buildings. Look no further than the current dilapidated state of the old train station, Community Pool, and Town Hall itself.

My proposed 15-year infrastructure recovery plan lays out the groundwork for how we can gradually and efficiently renovate and maintain these areas, prioritizing the biggest safety hazards first. For far too long, Wallingford leadership has failed to understand the concept of spending a dollar today on maintenance, to save ten dollars tomorrow on complete replacement. This plan provides the fiscally responsible, longterm planning our town needs. Wallingford is a great town with a great history, so it's about time the way we manage and take care of our public assets reflected that.

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

My entire life has been dedicated to public service. I began my post collegiate career working in the criminal investigations unit of the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice in Washington D.C. In my time there, I demonstrated my versatility in many roles, including serving as the lead paralegal on multiple criminal investigations, doing a detail in the Office of the Attorney General, and joining the COVID-19 fraud task force, just to name a few. I was honored to receive an award from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Texas for my “Outstanding Contributions in the Pursuit of Justice.”

I particularly enjoyed the opportunity to work closely with so many different people and departments including the FBI, Department of Defense, judges, attorneys, paralegals, support staff, and many more. I believe that this experience can translate directly to what's asked of the mayor, and being able to successfully navigate and coordinate Wallingford's 32 town departments.

In addition to advising Lt. Governor Bysiewicz reelection campaign, I learned the most about what it truly means to serve the public through my experience as a Specialist in the U.S. Army Reserves. The U.S. Army is in every conceivable way the most diverse workforce in the entire world, and that's our greatest strength. Likewise, I plan to utilize Wallingford's diversity of perspectives and experiences in a way that brings out our strengths better than every before.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Make sure to listen at least as much as you speak. I've spent the last several years listening and learning about the different challenges Wallingford residents face. I will never stop listening.

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

No matter who you support, all I ask is that you make a plan to vote this election. For the first time ever, Wallingford will have a new mayor, a new Town Council Chair, and a new Board of Education Chair, all decided by a single election. This is truly a once in a generation opportunity to play a critical role in writing Wallingford's next chapter. Do not miss your chance to make your voice heard, vote on November 7th.

See also: Wallingford Election 2023: Vincent Cervoni Running For Mayor