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10/17/2017 12:00 AMThe incumbent Mayor Maturo is up for re-election and will be seeking a ninth term in office. A life-long resident of East Haven, he is also a master electrician and served in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War.
Maturo served the town’s fire department for 17 years before retiring due to a back injury. He is member of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Post #484; a member of the American Legion, Post #89; and a charter member of the East Haven Lions Club.
Maturo said that some of his administration’s biggest accomplishments since returning to office in 2011 include getting the town’s bond rating to A+ status, and bringing the town’s general fund balance to $5.2 million.
This year, Maturo said taxes were lowered again and services have increased.
“People should be running to the polls, I feel, to vote for this administration and keep East Haven on the right track,” said Maturo.
Maturo said there’s been a lot of improvements in the community, including education funding increases, a turnaround in the Police Department, and adding 24/7 paramedic services to the fire department.
He plans to add to the paramedic services by putting a 24/7 paramedic at the station in Momauguin, saying it will come at no cost to the taxpayers. If someone needs a paramedic in the shore area and the paramedic in the center of town is busy on a call, the paramedic now has to come from Foxon; a paramedic at Momauguin would prevent that scenario.
Maturo said he will continue to improve the town’s infrastructure. He brought up the west end of Main Street improvements, raising a section of Cosey Beach Avenue by six feet for evacuations, and the new fencing in various parks around town have been improvements he’s implemented.
Maturo said preserving the quality of life for all residents in town is important. He cited two specific examples: working with homeowners in the Cosey Beach Avenue area as they worked to recover from the aftermath of hurricanes and severe storms; and working with homeowners in the north end of town concerned about building developments and the effect that will have on their property values. He said more improvements will be coming to the recreation facility at the old high school within the next year, including the swimming pool and the gymnasium, when funding becomes available.
The town has spent roughly $6.1 million in total capital improvements from 2015 to 2017. This year, Maturo said taxes were lowered again and services have increased. “When you can spend that kind of money for a better East Haven, increase spending for education to almost $15,500 per pupil…give raises to all the town employees and still lower taxes, I’ll repeat what I said in the beginning—people should be running to the polls,” Maturo said.
Maturo also wants to grow the town’s grand list through economic development. A new gas station and convenience store at the intersection of Coe Avenue and Short Beach Road and a self-storage facility on Short Beach Road are two businesses coming in. Forbes Fuel and Augliera are planning to expand their buildings in the Industrial Park, and negotiations are taking place with a food service company for 60,000 square feet also located in the park.
With businesses coming in and others expanding, Maturo said about $10 million total will be added to the grand list with what he and his administration have already done and will be adding. He said that the Grand List increase will help lower the mill rate, and that East Haven is on the road to lower taxes again next year.
“I still say…you get the biggest bang for your buck here in East Haven,” Maturo said.