Who's Who on the Winchester Ballot

WINSTED— If this year’s municipal elections have you confused, join the club. Seventeen candidates are running for selectman this year and it’s your turn to decide which of them will lead the town. Four political parties have fielded candidates for the board, along with one unaffiliated candidate. The race is anyone’s call, and it’s up to you to make the decision Nov. 6.

Row A in this year’s race is the Republican slate, led by incumbent Selectman David Cappabianca. The team, including Gene Berlinsky, Jeffrey Liskin, Kenneth Fracasso and Michael Hamm, has pledged to improve efficiency in town while providing adequate resources to the Winchester school system. The Republicans list economic development as a priority for the coming term, making the town responsive to businesses interested in relocating to the Laurel City.

Row B will be the Democrats this year, also led by an incumbent selectman, Candy Perez. Michael Renzullo, Mary Shea and Matthew Brennan are the three other candidates on this ticket. Renzullo, a 33-year-old newcomer to Winsted politics, has energized the Dems by knocking on more than 1,000 doors during the campaign. Perez has said she is running on her record of being a rational voice on the Board of Selectmen for the past two terms.

Row C this year is the Winsted Independent Party, led by Party Chairman Richard Pozzo, who has also served as president of the Winchester Taxpayers Association. He is joined by Ray Pavlak and Carmelina Connole, who are both finishing terms as a members of the Board of Education. The platform of the Winsted Independent Party has consistently been to reduce taxes in town.

Row D will include the newly formed Winchester Party, which broke with the Winsted Independents during the last tern over leadership issues. Led by incumbent Selectman Barbara Wilkes, the Winchester Party also includes incumbent Art Melycher and new candidates Sue Closson and John Bentley. Wilkes has earned a reputation as a moderate with a strong desire to protect the environment around Highland Lake. The team has said it will work to improve cooperation on the Board of Selectmen.

Finally, Row E will consist of petitioning candidate Jay Budahazy. A former member of the Winsted Independent Party, Budahazy has criticized members of all parties on local access television for mismanaging the budget and cutting the town’s recreation director position in half. His campaign was marred by the exposure of a number of criminal offenses in his past, but that has not stopped him from being one of the most outspoken candidates of the year. Budahazy says he is committed to keeping taxes low and he has been cross-endorsed by the Winsted Independent Party.