Reprinted from The Trumbull Times © Copyright 2009
August 6, 2009

I decided to join the Trumbull Republican Town Committee this past year as I was dismayed as to the decisions currently being at Town Hall, the biggest being the 11.6% mill rate increase put forth last year during one of the most difficult economic times in our lifetimes. That decision caused me to get involved in town politics.

Let me now tell you a little bit about myself, my beliefs and why I would like to be elected to the Board of Finance. I am 42 years old and have lived on Dayton Road with my lovely wife Raelinda for the past 10 years. We have two children, Andrew, 6, and Alexa, 18 months.

I graduated from St. Joseph's High School and had the pleasure of playing basketball for the Cadets and Coach Vito Montelli. I then attended Sacred Heart and obtained a BS in Finance with a minor in computer science. During my years at Sacred Heart, I was elected president of Student Government my junior year. I then went on to graduate school at Fairfield U. and obtained an MS in financial management.

My first job was at Citytrust Bank in Bridgeport, working in the Treasury Department. I remember well when Citytrust, Mechanics & Farmers, BankMart and the like were all players in the local banking industry. I also remember what brought all of them down - poor lending.

I was lucky enough to keep my job with Chase Manhattan Bank when it acquired Citytrust's assets, but I will never forget the folks who weren't as fortunate. This is when I saw up close how important it is to manage and audit one's financial books with a fine-toothed comb.

I pledge to bring that fine-toothed comb to the Board of Finance and review department budgets as if they were my own at home. I am a proponent of raising taxes minimally each year, if at all. I don't think we should ever be saddled with a potential 11% increase in the mill rate in a given year.

Professionally, after Chase Manhattan, I went on to work as an associate at the investment consulting firm of Barra Rogers Casey in Darien and then in the Investment Accounting group at PartnerRe Capital Markets in Greenwich. We manage $12 billion investment portfolio for our parent company, Partner Reinsurance.

Of all the candidates, I believe I am the one with the pure finance resume. I look forward to the upcoming campaign, listening to what is on your mind as residents and earning your vote come November.

If I can answer any questions, feel free to e-mail me apalo@trumbullgop.org.

Andy Palo