We-Ha.com is offering our readers the opportunity to meet the candidates running in the Nov. 4, 2025 municipal election. 

Compiled by Ronni Newton

We-Ha.com is offering our readers the opportunity to “Meet the Candidate” – designed to help them get to know the candidates running for office in the 2025 municipal election.

Identical questionnaires have been sent to all candidates, and each profile received has been submitted directly to We-Ha.com by the candidate or the candidate’s campaign management. The responses have not been edited but have been formatted to match our publication style. Questions left blank have been noted.

As profiles are received, they will be published on We-Ha.com under the “Government” tab. We-Ha.com is not making endorsements of any political candidates but we are publishing this information in order to assist voters in being informed and prepared when they go to the polls on Nov. 4.

If you are a candidate and wish to submit a profile, please return it by email to Ronni Newton at [email protected] as soon as possible.

TOWN COUNCIL CANDIDATE

Name: Alberto Cortes

Party affiliation: Republican

Family information: I’m married to Jessica, who used to teach world languages at Sedgewick Middle School and now serves as an associate principal at South Windsor High School. Together, we’re the proud parents of two wonderful sons, Adrian, an adult with autism whose resilience inspires us every day, and Gabriel, a senior at Hall High School who keeps us busy with his many activities and plans for the future. Our family is also supported by my elderly father and mother-in-law, who play an important role in our household and are proud residents of West Hartford.  

Primary occupation: Realtor for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices N.E. Prop. Safety Officer and Regional School Choice Office Liaison for Pleasant Valley Elementary School.

Previous political experience: Elected to Town Council 2021

Other relevant experience that may be related to your desire to serve the community, and further qualifies you for the office you are seeking: Service to my community and country has always guided me. I began my journey in the Connecticut National Guard, serving as a cannon crew member in the 2nd Battalion, 192nd Field Artillery Unit. For more than a decade, I’ve volunteered with the Hartford Marathon Foundation and served as Walk Chair for Greater Hartford Autism Speaks, supporting individuals with autism and their families.

I currently serve as Vice President of the West Hartford Fellowship Housing Board of Directors and am active in the West Hartford United Methodist Church, where I co-coordinate the Pumpkin Patch fundraiser and serve on the Board of Trustees. These experiences have deepened my commitment to community, collaboration, and public service, values I would bring to the Town Council.

Why are you running for office? I’m running for West Hartford Town Council because I believe our community deserves thoughtful, responsible leadership that protects what makes our town special while planning wisely for the future. My wife and I have had the privilege of raising our 2 boys in the West Hartford community. We chose West Hartford because it is a vibrant, diverse, and caring community, but as a community we face real challenges: rising taxes, housing pressures, and ensuring our schools and services remain excellent without overburdening residents.

As a Town Council member, I will focus on fiscal responsibility, transparency, and balance, keeping West Hartford affordable for families, seniors, and small businesses. I’ll work to strengthen public safety, support our schools, and protect our neighborhoods’ character while welcoming smart growth that fits our town’s values.

There have recently been numerous residential and commercial developments approved by the Town Council, and it is likely that more will be considered during the upcoming Council term. What is your overall opinion of the pace of development in West Hartford? West Hartford’s growth is a sign of our town’s appeal, people and businesses want to be here. However, the current pace of development raises important questions about balance, infrastructure, and long-term planning. While thoughtful development can strengthen our economy, expand housing options, and revitalize underused areas, we must ensure that it does not come at the expense of our town’s character, affordability, or quality of life.

I believe development should be guided by clear principles: community input, transparency, and respect for existing neighborhoods. We need to make sure new projects align with our infrastructure capacity, roads, schools, parking, and public safety, and that they contribute fairly to the costs they create.

What are your specific ideas for keeping future budget increases to a minimum? Keeping future budget increases to a minimum starts with strong fiscal discipline and smarter long-term planning. West Hartford must focus on needs before wants, ensuring that every taxpayer dollar delivers real value to residents.

First, we should conduct a full review of town operations to identify efficiencies, including shared services, technology upgrades, and energy-saving measures that reduce recurring costs. Investing once in modernization can save taxpayers for years.

Second, we need to strengthen fiscal transparency and performance-based budgeting, tying spending directly to measurable outcomes. Departments should justify new spending by demonstrating clear community benefits and cost-effectiveness.

Third, economic growth must be part of the solution. Encouraging responsible commercial development broadens our tax base, lessening the burden on homeowners. At the same time, we must avoid overdevelopment that strains services or requires expensive infrastructure upgrades.

Finally, regional cooperation, partnering with neighboring towns on services like emergency response, waste management, or purchasing, can help control costs without reducing quality.

By focusing on efficiency, accountability, and balanced growth, we can keep West Hartford affordable while maintaining the high quality of life residents expect.

How do you think the town will need to/be able to respond to cuts in federal aid to education, Medicaid, and food assistance? If federal aid for education, Medicaid, and food assistance is reduced, West Hartford must respond with both compassion and fiscal responsibility. These programs directly affect our most vulnerable neighbors, children, seniors, and families facing hardship, so any reduction will be felt in our schools, social services, and local nonprofits.

First, the town should work closely with the Board of Education and community organizations to identify the most critical gaps and coordinate resources efficiently. Strengthening partnerships with local nonprofits, faith-based groups, and businesses can help extend the safety net without duplicating efforts or overburdening taxpayers.

Second, we must prioritize essential services in our local budget while maintaining fiscal discipline. That means reviewing programs for efficiency, focusing on outcomes, and directing limited funds where they make the greatest impact, like early education, mental health, and food security.

Third, we should advocate strongly at the state level to protect funding formulas and seek grants that can offset federal shortfalls.

Our response must reflect West Hartford’s values, caring for one another, protecting opportunity, and managing our resources wisely.

Do national issues affect your approach to local governance, and if so, how? National issues can influence my perspective, but my focus as a Town Council member will always be on local needs and practical solutions for West Hartford. Our residents expect local government to deliver results, safe streets, strong schools, reliable services, and fiscal responsibility, not to mirror the divisive politics we see nationally.

That said, national trends can impact us locally. Inflation, housing costs, and state and federal mandates all affect our town’s budget and residents’ daily lives. My approach is to address these challenges with common sense and balance, finding local solutions that protect taxpayers and preserve our community’s quality of life.

What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing West Hartford today, and how do you plan to address it if elected?The biggest challenge facing West Hartford today is maintaining affordability while preserving the quality of life that makes our town so desirable. Rising taxes, housing costs, and the pace of development are putting real pressure on families, seniors, and small businesses. If we don’t manage these issues carefully, we risk pricing people out of the very community they helped build.

To address this, we must practice disciplined, transparent budgeting, focusing on essential services and eliminating inefficiencies. We need to broaden our tax base responsibly by supporting balanced economic growth that fits our town’s character, rather than relying on continual tax increases.

We also need thoughtful planning that considers the long-term impact of new development on infrastructure, schools, and public safety. Residents deserve a seat at the table, with real opportunities for input before decisions are made.

By promoting fiscal responsibility, balanced growth, and open communication, we can keep West Hartford affordable, vibrant, and welcoming, a community where people of all ages and backgrounds can continue to thrive.

What do you feel differentiates you from the candidates from other parties – or your own party – who are also running for this position? With my military experience, career as a Corrections Officer, and involvement within our community I know how important it is to work as a team. It is not about who is the majority/minority party, it is about putting our residents first, and as a team we need to make sure all of our residents have a voice when it comes to the future of West Hartford.

I’m not running to push an agenda; I’m running to serve our community and restore trust in how local government makes decisions. I approach issues by asking what’s best for taxpayers, families, and small businesses, not what’s politically convenient. I believe in transparency, fiscal responsibility, and respectful dialogue, even when people disagree.

Unlike candidates focused on partisan talking points, I’m focused on results. I want to ensure our town remains affordable, our schools remain strong, and our neighborhoods retain the character that makes West Hartford special.

Anything else you would like to share relevant to earning votes on Nov. 4? My life has been defined by my commitment to my family, service to my country, my community, and the people who call it home. From my time in the Connecticut National Guard to my work with local organizations like Autism Speaks, the Hartford Marathon Foundation, and West Hartford Fellowship Housing, I’ve learned that true leadership is about showing up, listening, and taking action.

As a Town Council candidate, I am committed to fostering transparency, supporting small businesses, maintaining fiscal responsibility, and ensuring that West Hartford remains a place where families, seniors, and young professionals can all thrive. I believe in practical solutions, open dialogue, and putting community before politics.

I am deeply proud of West Hartford, its diversity, its compassion, and its spirit of collaboration. As your representative, I will work every day to protect what makes our town special while preparing for the challenges of the future.

It would be an honor to earn your trust and your vote on November 4th so that, together, we can continue building a stronger, more compassionate, and more united community.

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