I will seek the right balance between spending and taxation

To The Daily Sun,

I am a candidate for the Gilford Budget Committee at the upcoming town election.

 I live with my wife and daughter in Gunstock Acres. We moved to Gilford from Stamford, Connecticut, in 2015, making our vacation home our permanent residence. One of our motivations for leaving Connecticut was the realization that the state and many of its municipalities were fiscally failing, compromising real estate values, the quality of municipal services, and, as a result, the community experience. Unfortunately, budget officials at many levels of government in that state failed in their responsibility to be the guardians of the taxpayers’ hard-earned tax dollars.

 We love Gilford and the plentiful year-round outdoor activities at our doorstep. Watching the preventable train wreck throughout Connecticut has motivated me to seek membership on Gilford’s Budget Committee, to serve as my fellow taxpayers’ watchdog and ensure a sustainable balance between spending (which always goes up!) and the burden it places on residents to support it with their tax dollars; and to preserve the great quality of life in Gilford.

Prior to moving permanently to Gilford, I spent 26 years on Wall Street in finance and investment positions. A common responsibility across all these roles was analyzing financial projections and management’s rationale for the return on the investment of shareholder’s capital. Sound spending generally produced successful companies; the opposite, not so much. I think many of the same principles apply to government spending, and I believe that my time spent analyzing the rationale and expected return of corporate investment is a transferable skill that can support the efforts of the Budget Committee.

I believe that Gilford needs to invest for success, and I would like to be your watchdog to advocate for the right balance between spending and taxation, ensuring a vibrant, fiscally sound town into the future.

I respectfully ask for your vote on March 13.

Jack Kelley

Gilford