Meet the Candidate: David Peña

Editor's Note: The following candidate statement was submitted by Avon Democrat David Peña,  an incumbent running for re-election to the Town Council. Interested in submitting a candidate statement? Send your statement of no more than 500 words with a photo to Jessie.Sawyer@patch.com. We'll run them in the order they are submitted. You can also start a political blog and post your statement there at avon.patch.com/blogs/new. 

David Peña and his family have lived in Avon for 21 years. He has always been active in volunteering and giving back to the community.  David and his wife, Mardelle, have two children, both graduates of Avon High School, Zachary (‘09) and Mackenzie (’13). He has served on many boards and commissions focused on educational and community enhancement.  He served as a Commissioner on Planning and Zoning for nine years and most recently, served on the Avon High School Accreditation Committee. David served as President of the Avon Chamber and continues to be active in the business community. He owns a marketing consulting firm in Avon and was named the Home Business Advocate of the year by the S.B.A.

David continues to be visible and approachable to all of the residents. As Mackenzie, his daughter,  has observed many times, “going to a local store, supporting one of many pasta dinners or visiting seniors at the senior center or at their homes, is never a short trip with my dad.” David enjoys listening to residents and values their opinions. He never forgets that he is their elected town representative.  

David sees some critical challenges that must be prioritized and addressed among the many that face Avon.

• First, the Town’s grand list continues to show limited growth, yet the demand for town services continues to increase. Increasing the commercial tax base by attracting businesses to locate in Avon is the biggest opportunity to help off set the tax burden for Avon  residents.  State officials must be sought out aggressively for advice and  assistance and various agencies must be enlisted  to help in bringing clean/green/professional businesses to Avon.

• Second, the maintenance of Avon's  highly rated schools, must be a top priority, as they play a critical role in our community. Our children must be provided with the quality of education that will allow them to compete not only locally, but globally as well.

• Third, most residents place a high value on Avon’s town character and quality of life. To this end, ways to continue the acquisition of land and maintenance of open space must continuously be explored.

• Finally, the needs of our growing senior population cannot be forgotten.  This is one of the fastest growing population segments, not only in Avon, but throughout the state. Seniors and veterans must continue to see support for tax relief.

There are many critical issues that must be addressed in the coming year.  Working together to make Avon a better place to live, work, and educate our children must be standard by which we operate on a daily basis. David’s experience on the Council and his daily interactions with residents give him the ability to better understand and offer viable solutions to the challenges facing the town. Any questions, call David at  860-675-9294 or email him at  workinno@juno.com. Please vote for David Peña on Election Day, thank you.