First Selectman Vicki Tesoro: Trumbull is still ‘the place to be’

Vicki Tesoro has lived in Trumbull for more than 30 years, held elected office in the town since 2011 and served as first selectman for six years. On June 21 at Tashua Knolls Golf Course, she made her latest State of the Town speech to members of the Trumbull Chamber of Commerce and Bridgeport Regional Business Council by noting that her daughters are grown and have left home to start their careers.

“One, I’m very happy to say, has purchased a home in Trumbull and is staying close,” she said.

“Trumbull is a vibrant community and I’m honored and humbled to be the first selectman of this great town,” Tesoro continued before acknowledging representatives of the city’s first responders and the many members of the municipal government and Chamber of Commerce who she credited with making her job possible. State Sen. Marilyn Moore and U.S. Rep. Jim Himes were also recognized for securing $1.5 million in state funding for a new veterans’ center and $750,000 in federal funding for town projects respectively.

“I want to thank our businesses for your investment and your confidence in Trumbull,” Tesoro stated. “I thank you for the jobs you create, for the goods and services you provide, and for all you give back to the community.”

Tesoro recalled the vision for the town she laid out in pre-pandemic 2019, saying that “Trumbull is the place to be. If you’re a young family looking for a place to settle and raise your family, Trumbull is the place to be. If you’re a single person looking for a community with access to roads and trains, Trumbull is the place to be. If you’re a senior looking to remain in our community, or if you’re a senior looking for a community to join, Trumbull is the place to be. If you’re a business looking for a place to locate, Trumbull is the place to be.”

“Let me say unequivocally that the state of our town is excellent,” Tesoro declared, citing economic development, returns on investment in education, and strong finances. Combined with the town’s good safety ratings she called Trumbull a special place, “a community of choice.”

Tesoro credited the town’s Department of Economic and Community Development and its director, Rina Bakalar, with achieving much of that success through an emphasis on redevelopment and development in carefully selected sections of town.

“Some of this development has been initiated by long term planning studies including the Long Hill Village District Plan and the Trumbull Center study among others,” she said. “We plan to work, and we work the plan. These improvements are visible all over our town. A few examples include the Long Hill Green area, Madison Village Shopping Plaza, CVS, Starbucks Plaza, Lindeman Reservoir, and the Oakview Area.”

Tesoro highlighted that in the past six years more than 800,000 square feet of commercial space was either redeveloped or reoccupied, leading to the town having the lowest office vacancy rate in all of Fairfield County for the first quarter of this year.

“Our vacancy rate was over 40% when I took office in 2017,” Tesoro told the audience, “Today that rate is 11.7%.” She pointed to recent corporate arrivals including Henkel Corporation, Amazon, Fuji Film, Kone Elevator, and packaging company TransPak.

“Like any community, there are concerns,” Tesoro allowed, acknowledging that the new ownership of the Westfield Mall has spurred some to worry. She indicated that ongoing studies, a public meeting about potential future uses for the mall, and stakeholder meetings with good attendance are causes for optimism.

However, throughout the rest of her speech she emphasized that past successes can indicate a robust future.

“For many in our community the purchase of their home is one of their most significant investments,” Tesoro said. “In Trumbull, this investment has paid off. It is important to remember that residential property values increased on average by 16% since the last reevaluation in 2015 and this value has been maintained.”

Tesoro noted that the current growth rate has factored heavily into financial planning in the face of pandemic-related economic headwinds, although she stated there was “some good news here. For the 23-24 fiscal year a growth rate of 34.15% was set on June 12 by the Board of Finance. This represents a tax increase of 1.52%, which is important to everyone, residents and businesses alike.”

According to Tesoro, the tax increase is well below the current inflation rate and is on par with the average rate when she became first selectman in 2017.

“In these very challenging times for our business community and citizens alike it is imperative that we not only keep spending in check, but that we continue to strategically invest in those things that matter to our community and act as a catalyst for growth,” Tesoro added, thanking Director of Finance Maria Pires for her leadership in managing town spending.

Tesoro made the case that investments in education were paying off for Trumbull, with several schools being recognized by the state Department of Education for academic achievement. She also highlighted efforts to improve recruiting for the police department with a $30,000 sign-on bonus and efforts to reinstate pensions for new officers hired since 2014 as an important catalyst for town growth.

“Trumbull’s future is bright,” she said in closing. “I have spoken of many of our successes and there are more on the way. My administration has faced challenges from weather emergencies to a pandemic. We have proven equal to those challenges. And I remain confident that we as a community have the resources, the people, and the spirit to overcome any challenge. Trumbull is a wonderful community, and I am confident in its future. We are committed to our citizens. We are committed to our business. Trumbull is the place to be.”