Democratic candidate Jared Liu (right) is once again challenging incumbent Republican William Dickinson in Wallingford’s mayoral election, to be decided on November 5. Photos courtesy of Record-Journal.
On November 5, Wallingford voters will head to the polls to elect their next mayor. This year, Republican incumbent William Dickinson Jr. is running for his 19th term as mayor after 36 years in office. Challenging him is Democratic candidate Jared Liu, who lost against Mayor Dickinson in 2017.
The mayor of Wallingford plays a crucial role in Wallingford’s government as the Chief Executive Officer of the town. Among the position’s many responsibilities are the supervision of the town’s offices, agencies, and departments, the enforcement of all laws passed by the Town Council, and the proposal of an annual budget to the Town Council. Each candidate hopes to bring his own philosophy to the Wallingford mayorship.
William Dickinson Jr., The Republican Incumbent
After earning a bachelor’s degree in political science from Dickinson College and a J.D. from George Washington University, Mayor William Dickinson Jr. returned to Wallingford in 1984. Mayor Dickinson has served the town as mayor for nearly four decades.
Throughout his 18 terms in office, Mayor Dickinson’s three major goals have been to protect, improve, and nurture the Wallingford community. According to Mayor Dickinson, accomplishing these goals is impossible without economic development and proper financial management of the government, which are the central components of his platform. “Without sound finances, you can’t provide services,” said Mayor Dickinson.
In the past, Mayor Dickinson has focused on lowering the costs of services while maintaining quality. He likes to remind voters that Wallingford’s public utilities rate and tax mill rate are among the lowest in Connecticut.
Mayor Dickinson says that, despite these low rates, he has still been able to provide enough funding to improve Wallingford’s services. Under his tenure, the town constructed a new fire station in 2016, purchased a new fire truck in 2018, and increased staffing in the police department through his 2018-2019 budget plan. The town has also constructed a new waste and water treatment plant and completed renovations for eleven of its twelve public schools in 2010.
Mayor Dickinson views the rise in opioid usage and nicotine products as a major issue in Wallingford. Wallingford, Mayor Dickinson says, should be more than a mere regulator of abused substances. He aims to take “that extra step to provide better opportunities.” He says he plans to improve programs such as the Wallingford Employment Pipeline, an effort by the Wallingford Public Schools, the Wallingford Economic Development Commission, and several other local organizations to train residents for careers in manufacturing.
Jared Liu, The Democratic Representative
Mr. Liu grew up in Wallingford, attended Holy Trinity School, and, as a kid, worked as a paperboy for The Record-Journal. He went on to attend Bowdoin College before working at Choate Rosemary Hall as an admission officer and a coach to soccer and ultimate frisbee teams from 2011 to 2015. Currently, Mr. Liu is a senior associate director of admissions at Yale University. He says that he is once again running for mayor to bring new ideas and opportunities to Wallingford, and that he is passionate about connecting with the town he loves.
Mr. Liu feels that Wallingford has missed many opportunities for improvement over the years. In particular, he believes that the town has “taken shortcuts to maintain the kind of services we care about.” He compared the Wallingford government’s method of solving issues to repairing the roof of a house with a tarp. “The leak is still there,” Mr. Liu said. “The hole is still there.”
Mr. Liu likes to describe a time when the Wallingford community bonded through communal locations and small businesses. Mr. Liu has devised an eight-year strategy that he calls “Plan 2027,” which he says he created only after close study of how the town has changed. The central goal of his plan is to preserve the “small town feel” of Wallingford by focusing on economic development.
Included in his plan is a proposal for the town to resume producing its own electricity. In 1899, Wallingford was powered by a local electrical plant. Today, Wallingford relies on Massachusetts-based power company Energy New England to provide electricity. Mr. Liu believes that the town could lower rates and cut expenses by generating its own electricity through renewable energy sources.
Mr. Liu’s Plan 2027 also proposes providing greater assistance to small businesses. Mr. Liu plans to assemble a committee to work with the Economic Development Commission to help small businesses craft business plans, complete applications, and navigate regulatory hurdles. He also plans to introduce a job bank through which businesses can connect with local job seekers. According to Mr. Liu, a recent loss of small businesses has fragmented the Wallingford community and led to tax increases.He believes that by supporting local businesses the town can gain the financial resources to invest even further in economic development.
On November 5, Wallingford voters will head to the polls to elect their next mayor. This year, Republican incumbent William Dickinson Jr. is running for his 19th term as mayor after 36 years in office. Challenging him is Democratic candidate Jared Liu, who lost against Mayor Dickinson in 2017.
The mayor of Wallingford plays a crucial role in Wallingford’s government as the Chief Executive Officer of the town. Among the position’s many responsibilities are the supervision of the town’s offices, agencies, and departments, the enforcement of all laws passed by the Town Council, and the proposal of an annual budget to the Town Council. Each candidate hopes to bring his own philosophy to the Wallingford mayorship.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in political science from Dickinson College and a J.D. from George Washington University, Mayor William Dickinson Jr. returned to Wallingford in 1984. Mayor Dickinson has served the town as mayor for nearly four decades.
Throughout his 18 terms in office, Mayor Dickinson’s three major goals have been to protect, improve, and nurture the Wallingford community. According to Mayor Dickinson, accomplishing these goals is impossible without economic development and proper financial management of the government, which are the central components of his platform. “Without sound finances, you can’t provide services,” said Mayor Dickinson.
In the past, Mayor Dickinson has focused on lowering the costs of services while maintaining quality. He likes to remind voters that Wallingford’s public utilities rate and tax mill rate are among the lowest in Connecticut.
Mayor Dickinson says that, despite these low rates, he has still been able to provide enough funding to improve Wallingford’s services. Under his tenure, the town constructed a new fire station in 2016, purchased a new fire truck in 2018, and increased staffing in the police department through his 2018-2019 budget plan. The town has also constructed a new waste and water treatment plant and completed renovations for eleven of its twelve public schools in 2010.
Mayor Dickinson views the rise in opioid usage and nicotine products as a major issue in Wallingford. Wallingford, Mayor Dickinson says, should be more than a mere regulator of abused substances. He aims to take “that extra step to provide better opportunities.” He says he plans to improve programs such as the Wallingford Employment Pipeline, an effort by the Wallingford Public Schools, the Wallingford Economic Development Commission, and several other local organizations to train residents for careers in manufacturing.
Mr. Liu grew up in Wallingford, attended Holy Trinity School, and, as a kid, worked as a paperboy for The Record-Journal. He went on to attend Bowdoin College before working at Choate Rosemary Hall as an admission officer and coach to soccer and ultimate frisbee teams from 2011 to 2015. Currently, Mr. Liu is a senior associate director of admissions at Yale University. He says that he is once again running for mayor to bring new ideas and opportunities to Wallingford, and that he is passionate about connecting with the town he loves.
Mr. Liu feels that Wallingford has missed many opportunities for improvement over the years. In particular, he believes that the town has “taken shortcuts to maintain the kind of services we care about.” He compared the Wallingford government’s method of solving issues to repairing the roof of a house with a tarp. “The leak is still there,” Mr. Liu said. “The hole is still there.”
Mr. Liu likes to describe a time when the Wallingford community bonded through communal locations and small businesses. Mr. Liu has devised an eight-year strategy that he calls “Plan 2027,” which he says he created only after close study of how the town has changed. The central goal of his plan is to preserve the “small town feel” of Wallingford by focusing on economic development.
Included in his plan is a proposal for the town to resume producing its own electricity again. In 1899, Wallingford was powered by a local electrical plant. Today, Wallingford is powered by the Massachusetts-based power company Energy New England. Mr. Liu believes that the town could lower rates by once again generating its own electricity.
Mr. Liu’s Plan 2027 also proposes providing greater assistance to small businesses. Mr. Liu plans to assemble a committee to work with the Economic Development Commission to help small businesses craft business plans, complete applications, and navigate regulatory hurdles. He also plans to introduce a job bank through which businesses can connect with local job seekers. According to Mr. Liu, a recent loss of small businesses has fragmented the Wallingford community and led to tax increases.He believes that by supporting local businesses the town can gain the financial resources to invest even further in economic development.
