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Another Fairfield Republican has announced his candidacy to be the GOP nominee for first selectmen in November. Board of Finance member Robert Bellitto Jr. made it official this weekend at Sullivan Independence Hall. He is the second Republican to declare his candidacy, and he said Saturday he expects more will join the field soon.
With Mr. Flatto being out of the race now, I think its encouraged a lot of people who might have been sitting on the fence to now jump into the ring, Bellitto said, referring to five-term First Selectman Kenneth Flattos pending resignation at the end of the month. I think thats a good thing for the town. I think that when you have a lot of qualified candidates who get involved, it gives the voters of Fairfield solid choices to make.
Bellitto is now the third candidate in the race. Fellow Republican and Representative Town Meeting member David Becker made his run official in February. Fellow Board of Finance member Michael Tetreau received the Democratic Partys endorsement to replace Flatto on an interim basis last week. Tetreau has not officially declared his candidacy for the November election, but he has started an exploratory committee.
Bellitto, 42, a lifelong Fairfield resident, first won his seat on the Board of Finance in 2007. He is currently the boards vice-chair. He also volunteers as a member of the Fairfield Woods Middle School PTA's executive board and is a former member of the North Stratfield School PTA's executive board. Professionally, he runs a Black Rock Turnpike-based law firm, Bellitto and Bellitto, with his father, Robert Bellitto Sr.
After his announcement Saturday, Bellitto said that if elected, he would work to bring Fairfield back to its roots, as a socially and economically diverse town. Whats good about Fairfield is, whether youre a truck driver or a CEO of a major corporation, theres a place for you here, he said. I think that its getting more and more difficult to do that nowadays.
What do you think of Robert Bellitto as a candidate for first selectman? Who do you think should enter the race? Start the conversation in the comments below.
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