O'Sullivan, GOP Mayoral Challenger, Lays Out His Platform

Naugatuck mayoral candidate Jim O’Sullivan, a Republican, posted the following to his Facebook page last week. The message below appears to be his campaign platform. It is titled “My Commitment to Naugatuck.”

O’Sullivan is challenging two-term incumbent Democrat Bob Mezzo. Here is what O’Sullivan has posted:

“On November 5th, you will have the opportunity to make a decision about the direction Naugatuck is heading. Your choice is simple. Continue along the current path of rising taxes, increasing mill rates and declining services or apply a course correction and bring common sense back to Town Hall.

"We must start to run our government in the same manner we run our homes and our businesses. This includes:

SPENDING NO MORE THAN WE MAKE.

- Reduce spending to what we can reasonably anticipate in revenue without assessing new taxes

BORROW ONLY WHAT WE CAN AFFORD TO PAY BACK.

- Cap bonding levels

- Borrowing should be restricted for public works projects, including school construction and roads, and only in serving the greater good.

IF IT’S NOT BROKEN, DON’T FIX IT. BUT IF IT’S NOT WORKING, GET RID OF IT.

- Government Programs must be results-based with a yearly period of review. If it is not achieving stated results, the program should be eliminated. If it is achieving results, it may continue.

THE MORE GOVERNMENT TRIES TO DO, THE LESS IT DOES WELL.

- Focus on core government functions: Public Safety, education, transportation, public health

- Strive for excellence in each government function

- Examine privatization of non-core functions

WE SHOULD HAVE ALL THE GOVERNMENT WE NEED, BUT ONLY THE GOVERNMENT WE NEED.

- Consolidate local government services to eliminate duplication, excess and waste.

This is my commitment to Naugatuck. Together we can achieve it. Please vote Row A on November 5th." 

Editor's Note: Mayor Mezzo's platform can be viewed here. We are also running a series of tape recorded interviews with Mezzo (the first one is here) and have offered Mr. O'Sullivan the same opportunity. He has declined that offer by not returning our calls. The offer still stands and can be set up by calling 646.241.6337 or emailing paul.singley@patch.com.