Ward One - Elections 2015
By Editor at October 16, 2023 | 8:30 am | Print
Candidates were asked by the New Britain City Journal to submit a short bio and a short article on why residents should vote for them. This week are the ward candidates. Next week is aldermen at large candidates. All are in alphabetical order.
Abby Chamberlain (D)
I’m Abby Chamberlain and I am running for City Council in Ward 1. My family has a long history of involvement in New Britain and I would like to continue that tradition. My passion for New Britain and my bright ideas would provide the strong leadership that we need for New Britain’s bright future. I was born and raised in New Britain and attended New Britain Public Schools, Kindergarten through 12th grade. Developing a strong school system through increased funding, economic growth and development, and strong neighborhoods are points of interest for me. I want to continue to move New Britain forward as a city where people want to live, work, and raise their families. I look forward to representing Ward 1 – please remember to Vote Row A on November 3rd.
Jamie Giantonio (R)
My name is Jamie Giantonio- I am 40 years old and a lifelong New Britain resident. I live at 185 Birchwood Drive with my wife of 15 years Kristen(Steele) Giantonio and our 3 children Nicholas(14), Morgan(13) and Benjamin(10); who all attend New Britain Public Schools. I am an IT professional at UnitedHealth Group.
I am finishing my second term on the council and can’t help but feel a sense of pride when i look around the city at the progress that has been made in my time on the council. It seems like every week there is a ribbon cutting for new businesses such as Costco, Polamer Precision, Go Ape and Frisbee’s Dairy Barn just to name a few. There are many streetscape projects going on- Arch St, Broad St, Allen St. as well as the Central Park Redesign. Improvements in our parks are happening too- the redesigned Red Nine at Stanley Golf Course, Chesley Park and Veterans stadium are just some of the examples. Eyesores like the Berkowitz building are now in the hands of private developers, back on the tax rolls and have real plans in place for their development.
In the past 2 years under the leadership of Mayor Erin Stewart and the cooperative efforts of this council we have seen our cities financial picture go from grim to promising. What was once a $30 Million inherited deficit has turned into $7.8 Million surplus to end this year. The city received an unprecedented three notch upgrade on our credit rating by Standard & Poor’s. This was all due to making some tough financial decisions, and not putting off problems for another day.
I have worked to make our government more open, transparent and inclusive. I have worked tirelessly to eliminate the divisive political games that prevented progress in the past. If re-elected, I pledge to continue working in a bi-partisan manner to ensure our tax money is spent wisely, pursue additional economic development opportunities, work cooperatively with the Board of Education to improve our schools and ensure the Common Council acts with integrity
There is renewed sense of pride and optimism in our great city of New Britain, and with your support I pledge to keep working every day for A Better New Britain.
Mike Gorzoch (D)
I am Mike Gorzoch, the Democrat endorsed candidate for Alderman to the New Britain Common Council representing the First Ward. I have lived and worked in New Britain for nearly 35 years. I am a homeowner, a business owner and a veteran of the United State Air Force. I currently serve on the New Britain City Plan Commission and as a Moderator at the polls. I have also participated in numerous community organizations: I am on the Board of Directors of the YMCA of New Britain-Berlin; the Regional Advisory Board of the United Way of New Britain-Berlin; Board of Directors of CCARC; a past President and Chair of the Scholarship Committee of the Rotary Club of New Britain-Berlin; Board of Directors of the Alton F. Brooks Basketball League; Church Council and Deacon at the First Church of Christ Congregational in New Britain; a member of the League of Woman Voters of New Britain; a founder of SAVE 69 MAIN STREET, the forerunner of Trinity On Main. I was the Executive Director of the New Britain Area Conference of Churches (NEWBRACC) and Assistant Director of Development at the Hospital of Central Connecticut. Presently, I own my own business, Gorzoch Associates Inc. I conduct capital campaigns, planned giving campaigns, annual giving campaigns, grant writing and fundraising for churches, schools and non-profit organizations. I have the experience, knowledge and commitment to represent the citizens of New Britain. I am running for office because I believe the citizens of our community deserve a representative who will be available, accessible, and responsive to their needs and concerns. Constituent services are a hallmark of the Democratic Party in New Britain. I also believe in the honorability of public service. As a homeowner in New Britain, I was hit with an 11% increase in my property taxes this past July. Holding the line and even lowering taxes is one of my goals if elected. Also, I will not cut the education budget to balance the city budget. Improving our schools will be a priority for me. Finally, I will be advocating that we explore more ways to take advantage of our transportation infrastructure assets to expand our tax base. Please consider voting for me if you vote at New Britain High School, Vance School or Slade Middle School and I encourage you to vote for all the candidates on the Democratic slate including John McNamara for Mayor.
Wilfredo Pabon (R)
I have been a resident of New Britain for 40 years. Over the past 31 years, I have owned the New Britain Fence Co. I was raised and schooled here in the city and currently reside at 205 Birchwood Drive with my wife Norma, of 40 years. My son is a member of the New Britain Fire Department, and my daughter is a certified elementary school teacher. I am also the proud grandfather of four.
I am very active in the community as a member of the Common Council, volunteer, and businessman. All of these ties convey my investment and loyalty to the City of New Britain. My unique qualification is being a small business owner.
Serving on the Common Council over the past six years created many opportunities for me to help the people of New Britain. Some of my responsibilities included overseeing the budget and the development and building of the new police station. I spent countless hours and years helping to make New Britain a better place.
I am currently a liaison to the New Britain Police Department, a member of the FBI Citizens Academy, a member of the Citizens Property Owners Association (CPOA) and the Claims Committee. I volunteer as a Community Service Officer (CSO) with the New Britain Police Department and I am a Parishioner at St. Joseph’s Church. Previously, I was a board member of the Greater New Britain Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Inc., the Construction Workshop and the Human Resources Agency as well as a member of the Hartford Evening Lions Club. Over the past six years, I have and will continue to put the people of New Britain before the politics.
I am a hardworking honest man who looks out for the interest of the taxpayers of the City of New Britain. I have always been and continue to be a strong supporter of public safety. In my six years of service, one of my proudest accomplishments on the council was voting for Costco to come into New Britain. I will continue to keep economic development moving forward and will work tirelessly with the Board of Education. I have a vested interest in the City of New Britain and through perseverance, determination and honesty; I will continue to first meet the interests of its taxpayers. These are just a few reasons why the citizens of New Britain should re-elect me for Alderman in Ward 1.
