Windsor Locks Candidate Profile: Michael Ciarcia, Board Of Finance

WINDSOR LOCKS, CT — The 2023 municipal election season is heating up in Windsor Locks, and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Windsor Locks-East Windsor Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Name: Michael Ciarcia

How old will you be as of Election Day? 49

What city or town do you live in? Windsor Locks

What office are you seeking? Board of Finance

Party affiliation: Republican

Education: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from Bryant University. Graduate of Windsor Locks High School.

What is your occupation?

Certified Public Accountant with two decades of experience in the private sector and owner of a real estate investment and property management company.

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

My wife is Carrie. She is also a graduate of Windsor Locks High School and works in the office of a local dental practice. My daughter is Allyson and she is a senior in high school.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No

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

I am wrapping up my 18th year serving on the Windsor Locks Board of Finance and am running for re-election this November.

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 member of the Board of Finance, my vision and goals for Windsor Locks are clear. I want Windsor Locks to be affordable for everyone. I want residents who have laid their roots in Windsor Locks to keep them here and grow with their children and grandchildren. I want us to once again have a school system that excels and draws young families to settle in town and create the next generation of Windsor Locks history. I live this vision everyday as I’m the proud father of an amazing student, my wife is a life-long resident, having been employed in town for more than two decades and my parents, after raising our family in Windsor Locks, lived in town as retirees for almost two decades.

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

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is that our fiscal health is being challenged in ways never before seen, and more than ever before, we need to come together to listen, understand, and collaborate on ways to move our town forward and improve the quality of life for all our townspeople.
As a member of the Board of Finance, I believe it is my duty to ensure we have exhausted every reasonable alternative before levying additional taxes on the citizens of Windsor Locks. If given the opportunity to continue to serve the community, I will continue to oppose exorbitant proposed tax increases and promise to keep being the representative of the taxpayer, asking questions and disseminating information on new initiatives and ventures. I believe with continued collaboration, understanding, and respectful discussion, all of this is possible.

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

The major difference between me and the other candidates running for a seat on the Board of Finance is my work experience in the financial arena. The Board of Finance is a volunteer position and my experience as both a Certified Public Accountant and Chief Financial Officer of multiple companies has provided me with the necessary real-world financial experience to work collaboratively to pull together and present an annual budget to the taxpayers of Windsor Locks. This experience has led to me being re-elected to this Board several times over the past 18 years. In addition, my success in the private sector was acknowledged through earning the Chief Financial Officer of the Year award for small privately held businesses from the Hartford Business Journal in 2015.

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

Windsor Locks is filled with passionate people who will step up, make their voices heard, and advocate for what is most important. These are the people who write to me or come to meetings to speak publicly not only during budget season, but also when important issues affecting our town’s future are at stake. While it can be difficult balancing fiscal responsibility with the many different issues and interests that must be addressed, working together with my fellow Finance Board members, I have found common ground for reasonable approaches to our town’s most pressing needs and I will continue to listen to every voice and work toward goals that will benefit all residents.

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

I have served as a Board of Finance member for 18 years and have the financial background as discussed in previous questions to handle the requirements of the Board adequately.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Not only is it some of the best advice I have ever received but my guiding business principle is if you do not want to see it printed on the front page of the newspaper, do not say it or do it.

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

It has been my honor to serve on the Windsor Locks Board of Finance for the past 18 years and I hope to have your continued support in serving our town. During my time on the Board, I have learned much about the way in which our town operates, not only from a municipal finance perspective, but also legislatively. More importantly, I have learned a lot about my fellow residents and I am committed to making our town better.