ELECTION 2011: Ed Sazo

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following are responses from Ed Sazo, who is running for a seat on the City Council as a Councillor-At-Large in the general election scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 8.

The questions were posed by Waltham Patch and the answers have only been edited for clarity and readability.

Check out our other election coverage.

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Current Employment:

Worldwide Account Manager at STMicroelectronics

What is your professional background?:

-Associate in Applied Science in Electrical Engineering Technology from Queensborough Community College.

-Bachelors of Science in Electrical Power Engineering (Minor in Business) from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

-Presently, I’m a worldwide account manager for top industrial customers with yearly sales of over $30 million.

Why are you running for City Council?:

As a person who is committed in giving back and working with the community, I find that as a City Councillor, I will be able to give back at a much higher level. There is a vast array of issues and needs in the community that can be directly addressed by a councillor. However, regardless of the issues, most of the residents that I have spoken to are looking for leaders who will simply listen to their concerns and make a valiant effort to help them. I’m simply looking to be a conduit for people to reach out to and at the same time use my professional skills and technical skills to address the issues confronting Waltham.

How are your skills useful for representing constituents?:

As a global account manager, I am expected to provide superb customer service and maintain a strong relationship with my customers. At the same time, I am expected to manage and resolve any crisis that may arise to prevent any significant impact on business levels and customer satisfaction I also must focus on providing win-win solutions so both parties walk away satisfied with the outcomes. This requires “out-of-the-box” thinking.

These skills, along with my analytical thinking, translate over very well to city governance. In understanding what Waltham residents would like to see, I am ready to work for improvements and solutions using these skills set.

At the end of the day, the residents of Waltham are both our bosses and our customers and they expect great results. I am ready to lead and make Waltham a stronger, a more inclusive city and at the same time use my business and interpersonal skills to make it happen.

If elected, what issues would be your biggest priority and why?:

It is difficult to pick one issue as a priority as there are many that need to be addressed. I’ll mention two issues here but more issues/priorities can be read at www.sazo4council.com.

Slowly, over the years, our city has seen a slew of businesses close their doors, empty storefronts and empty lots. An inefficient process has hurt new businesses. Therefore, my priority will be to have a city council that has a business- friendly approach and can implement a smart development plan for both small and large businesses. This approach should provide employment opportunities, fuel economic growth with a strong tax base, maintain taxes low and keep high levels of public services.

Another issue facing residents is the level of disconnect felt with the council. My priority is to have a council that is accessible, transparent and accountable. This can be achieved with a councilor’s office or headquarters with an open-door policy on either Moody or Main streets. This office will provide open government and help build stronger relationships. It is not difficult to imagine an office where councillors are available to meet to hear concerns, to educate on public matters or simply to explain their votes.