From the Candidate: Kevin Schultz

Name: Kevin Schultz

Age: 64

Party, position seeking: Republican — First Selectman

Family information: Married to Nan Schultz for 42 years, with two adult children.

Occupation: Retired vice president of human resources, Ensign-Bickford Industries.

Political experience: None

Other experience: M.B.A., Pepperdine; M.A., Hunter College; B.A., St. Francis College; ABC House Parent; Simsbury Pension Committee Chair; YMCA Basketball Coach; Simsbury Farms Men’s Club officer; English tutor at Sophia's Place, and more.

Statement: Kevin Schultz, the Republican candidate for Simsbury First Selectman, has announced his “Commitment to Simsbury.” As part of this common-sense plan, Schultz has pledged to the following:

1. Reduce by 25 percent the salary of the first selectman.
2. Conduct a comprehensive review of the town manager form of government.
3. Declare to not run for any other office while serving as first selectman.
4. End Simsbury’s support for increased state taxing, borrowing and spending.
5. Implement Simsbury’s economic development planning to lower tax burdens.

Schultz first announced that he will take a 25 percent pay cut from the current salary of approximately $115,000 a year. “Since 2007, the current first selectman has added hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in salary for upper management, yet she continues to collect the same salary,” Schultz said. “Times are tough, and we’ve asked a lot of our citizens. Leadership starts from the top, and I look forward to making this right for the taxpayers of Simsbury.” 

Second, Schultz promised to conduct a comprehensive review whether Simsbury should change to a town manager form of government. “As someone with an MBA who spent his career in business management, I can see that we desperately need professional leadership at town hall. In 2007, the current first selectman promised a study of this issue. It’s been four years now, and the people of Simsbury are still waiting. I will follow through,” he said.

Third, Schultz announced a firm commitment not to run for any other office while serving as First Selectman. “I’m not a professional politician, and I don’t want to be,” he said. “Serving the people of Simsbury is a full-time job and it takes all your energy and focus. You can’t run our town while trying to run a state-wide campaign.” Glassman refused to take a similar pledge in 2009, and formed her gubernatorial exploratory committee just weeks after being sworn into office.

Schultz also pledged to end Simsbury’s support for increased state taxing, borrowing and spending. “In times like these, we need programs that help, not hurt, Simsbury’s families and businesses,” Schultz said. “As president of Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, Mary Glassman lobbied heavily for the record state tax increase that is costing Simsbury residents over $10 million a year in new taxes that we can’t afford. As Simsbury’s First Selectman, I would never support raising millions of dollars in taxes on our residents. The people can count on me to only advocate in Simsbury’s best interests.”