Meet Dan Russo, Democratic Candidate for Planning and Zoning

 Middletown Patch is beginning a new meet-the-candidates series that allows voters to learn a little bit about the men and women running for public office this November. 

Current Middletown Planning and Zoning Commissioner Daniel P. Russo is seeking re-election, a second four-year term.

Personal Information: Resident of Middletown since 1989. I grew up in Bloomfield, Hartford and West Hartford. Married to Judith Hample Russo since 1987.

Education: I went to Trinity College, BA, for undergrad then Suffolk University Law School, JD,  Juris Doctor; followed by Boston University Law School , LL.M. Master of Legal Letters, in taxation, a graduate legal degree and later The American College in Bryn Mawr, Pa, MSM. Master of Science in management and MSFS  Master of Science in Financial Services.

Early in my  career 1981, 1982, 1983 I worked as an attorney in Washington for the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee on the Committee professional staff working with taxation issues, legislation and Committee matters at the Full Committee and Sub Committee levels and with Members from both sides of the aisle.

I have been admitted to the Bar in Connecticut, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia by exam.

I have held corporate legal positions over 20 years including close to 20 years in the financial services industry. For several years I have been consulting to non-profit organizations.

Why are you running for office? I would very much like to continue on the Planning and Zoning Commission to continue to work for careful controlled development in the City of Middletown to protect the high quality of life we all enjoy.  The best aspects of Middletown in my opinion are that we have the advantages of being a small city and a large town at the same time with residential neighborhoods and also with rural areas within a short drive or walk away.  

Middletown has the arts and cultural activities of a large city with literally hundreds of events throughout the calendar. Middletown has Wesleyan University and Middlesex Community College.

Our city also has a balanced tax base with industrial taxpayers and commercial taxpayers, combined approximately 31 percent, as well as residential taxpayers. Most Connecticut municipalities are heavily dependent upon the residential taxpayer. Middletown provides better services; education, public safety and public services, quality of life issues, for more reasonable taxes than other communities because of our balanced tax base. 

Keeping this balance has required years of effort by Middletown city offices, Boards, Commissions and Committees mostly controlled by Democrats and or appointed by Democrats over the years. The Office of the Mayor, Common Council and Economic Development Commission, the Department of Planning Conservation and Development, the Planning and Zoning Commission and Inland Wetland and Watercourse Agency all are involved with keeping Middletown moving forward while still protecting the high quality of life we all enjoy.

Please vote in the Tuesday Sept. 10 Democratic Primary for Planning and Zoning Commission and please vote for all three endorsed Democrats Rob Blanchard, Dan Russo and Paul Turenne.

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES 

Elected member of Middletown Planning and Zoning Commission for term 2009-2013

Elected member of Middletown Board of Assessment Appeal 2003-5, 2005-7

Member Northern Middlesex County Cable Advisory Council 1994-1996, 1998-2013

Chair Middletown Democratic Town Committee 2004-2006, 2006-2008, 2008-2010

Treasurer Middletown Democratic Town Committee 1995-1996, 1997-1998, 1998-2000, 2007-2008

Parliamentarian Middletown Democratic Town Committee 2000-2002, 2002-2004

Member Middletown Democratic Town Committee 1995-2013

Member Middletown Democratic Town Committee Advisory Board 1992-1995

Member Chris Dodd National Steering Committee 2007, Volunteer for Dodd New Hampshire and Iowa, Volunteer for Obama Vermont 2008

Volunteer, Producer-Host, Public Cable Access Democratic Political Shows 1992-2013 

Middletown Charter Revision Commissions Chair 1995, Member 1998, Chair 2000

Treasurer, Susan Bysiewicz Exploratory Committee 2000 

Treasurer, Thornton for Mayor 1997-1998

Volunteer on local, state-wide and congressional campaigns in Middletown 1992-2012

Volunteer on numerous local, statewide and congressional campaigns since 1968 in Bloomfield, Hartford, and West Hartford 

Volunteer Attorney General Campaign in Massachusetts 1986

Other Candidates Bios

• Meet Sal Micciulla, Democratic Candidate for Assessment Board
• Meet Brian Kaskel, Republican Candidate for Board of Education
• Meet Paul Turenne, Democratic Candidate for Planning and Zoning