Wilton Election: Matt Raimondi For Wilton Board Of Finance

WILTON, CT — The state Municipal Election is Tuesday, Nov. 2.

Patch contacted candidates to answer questions about their campaigns.

Republican Matt Raimondi, 31, is running for Wilton Board of Finance in Wilton.

Occupation: Private Equity Investor

Family:
Anna & Vincent Raimondi (parents; live in Wilton)
Kristen Nehls Raimondi (wife)

Experience: Wilton Economic Development Commission

Family in government: No

The single biggest issue in town is ______, and I plan to do this about it:

Among the most important tasks for any member of the Board of Finance is to provide a voice for all Wiltonians in weighing our town’s spending with the tax resources required to support it. Providing for our strong school system and town infrastructure is highly important and balancing those priorities with fiscal responsibility requires experienced financial acumen and deep knowledge of the town. As someone who has worked many years in finance (overseeing many corporate budgets and capital expenditures which are significantly larger than Wilton’s spending), and who was raised in Wilton, I can bring the right level of fiscal scrutiny to the Board. My overarching goals are to bring sound governance, oversight, and transparency to promote fiscal accountability and prudent spending while balancing the needs of our citizens and town.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

I am unique among the candidate pool because I grew up and was raised in Wilton. The strong education I received in the Wilton Public School system prepared me for success in life, and I’m grateful to Wilton’s past leaders for providing a wonderful place to grow up. Having moved back to Wilton with my wife Kristen, I’m looking forward to giving back to the community and have already started to do so as a member of Wilton’s Economic Development Commission. Additionally, I am also passionate about volunteering and currently serve on 3 non-profit boards: 2 boards for supporting special needs children, as well as the board of Sherwood Island State Park in Westport (CT’s oldest state park). I grew up going to the park with my family and joined the board to help look after it for future generations. I believe it is vital to contribute my time and the skills I’ve learned to support the communities of which I am a part, and I aim to bring this same commitment to the Board of Finance.

Accomplishments:

In addition to growing up in Wilton and serving with several non-profits, I currently work as a private equity investor. As part of my job, I regularly exercise oversight over the budgets and capital expenditures of several companies to ensure smart spending and sustainable growth. As mentioned above, in addition to my day job, I also volunteer on Wilton’s Economic Development Commission. As part of this role, I advise the Board of Selectmen on how best to support local businesses and foster a strong business community. Through my upbringing and career, and I have developed a foundational knowledge of Wilton and a strong financial intuition; I will apply this skillset and knowledge to the Board of Finance to ensure our tax dollars are responsibly managed and used to ensure Wilton continues to thrive.

Other issues:

As a native Wiltonian who moved back to Wilton to raise my family, I care deeply about this town. Additionally, as a financial investor who oversees budgets and capital spending, I possess the skillset to help guide the town on a financial basis. I am running for a seat on the Board of Finance to preserve Wilton’s top-rated schools, to continue investing in town infrastructure, to protect property values by maintaining a reasonable mill rate, and to promote fiscal responsibility and prudent spending. Transparency and accountability are key elements of democratic oversight, and I seek to be a voice for all Wiltonians in managing our town’s finances.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

I have lived in Wilton for most of my life, and one of my happiest moments was when my wife and I moved back here to raise our family. I’m very grateful to this community for having raised me, and I’m excited to give back and serve the town.