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: Kyle Zelazny

Party affiliation: Republican

Family information: My girlfriend and I have an 8-week old son

Primary occupation: Attorney

Previous political experience: Ran for board of education in 2023

Other relevant experience that may be related to your desire to serve the community, and further qualifies you for the office you are seeking: As an attorney and Partner of a firm that represents, among other clients, many Connecticut State Troopers and officers from around the state (including several here in West Hartford), I understand how the various aspects of local government operate and how the services they provide are integral to a community. As a young father and graduate of Avon high school, I am a firm believer in public schools and am driven and committed to making West Hartford the best possible place for my son.

Why are you running for office? I’m running for Town Council because I believe West Hartford deserves a government that truly listens to its residents, spends responsibly, and plans for a sustainable future. After nearly a decade living here, I’ve seen firsthand how overdevelopment, rising taxes, and lack of transparency are straining families and eroding what makes our town special.

As both a father and an attorney representing law enforcement and small businesses, I understand the importance of accountability, safety, and fairness. I’m deeply concerned that rapid apartment expansion is reshaping West Hartford in ways that don’t benefit long-time residents or first-time homebuyers. Our community needs balanced, resident-driven growth – not decisions made behind closed doors.

I’m committed to freezing property tax increases, demanding a forensic audit to uncover wasteful spending, and ensuring residents have real-time access to how their tax dollars are used. We must strengthen neighborhoods, make home ownership attainable for young professionals and retirees alike, and stop forcing people out through unsustainable tax and cost increases.

After 25 years of one-party rule, West Hartford has lost its balance. I’m running to restore that balance – to bring accountability, transparency, and practical leadership back to town government. My goal is simple: keep West Hartford a place where families can afford to live, raise children, and retire with dignity. I want to ensure our local government serves the people, not the other way around.

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? The pace of development in West Hartford is out of control and a significant contributing factor in the increase in road safety issues and pedestrian deaths our town has experienced. With a large amount of new apartment developments going ‘live’ soon, it’s only going to get worse. This is why I support a moratorium on all future development – including all unapproved, pending apartment projects – until we’ve had meaningful community forums to hear from West Hartford residents and see what they want for the future of our town. This is also why I support the non-partisan Stronger Towns movement, which emphasizes financial resiliency, sustainable infrastructure, and community engagement over expansion and sprawl; I want to focus on walkability, mixed-use zoning, infill development, and ending parking mandates, not dozens of knee-jerk apartment development with little to no net benefit to existing residents.

Additionally, affordable home ownership must be a priority – the trend of mass developing apartment complexes and pushing people to rent from oftentimes out of state landlords must end. Young people in their 20s and 30s, and our retiring neighbors, deserve a chance to own small, smartly designed single family homes. 

What are your specific ideas for keeping future budget increases to a minimum? We don’t have to settle for “keeping future budget increases to a minimum.” The City of New Britain passed a budget with a 0% increase – why can’t the Town of West Hartford do the same? Property taxes in West Hartford have soared almost 10% in two years and nearly 20% over the past decade, resulting in one of Connecticut’s highest property tax burdens. This trend is pricing out, and outright eliminating, our middle class. I reject the unsustainable notion that taxes must rise 3-7% year after year after year. If elected, until we pass at least one budget with a 0% tax increase, I will not support any budget that increases taxes, period.

To regain fiscal responsibility, increased transparency is essential. Tax dollars belong to residents, who deserve real-time access to how their money is spent – possible today with modern technology. We can create a system, like a spending genome project, where residents see every payment flowing through the town treasury as clearly as their personal checkbooks. A forensic audit is urgently needed to uncover why West Hartford’s spending has become uncontrollable.

At the board of education and town council, we must implement zero-based budgeting. This requires every expense to be justified from scratch each budget cycle rather than relying on past budgets. This approach ensures tax dollars align with current needs, eliminates wasteful spending, and boosts transparency and accountability in government decision-making.

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 to education, Medicaid, and food assistance is reduced, West Hartford must respond with foresight, compliance, and disciplined budgeting. Unfortunately, our Democratic town leaders have known for years that certain federal funds (and state funds dependent on federal funds) were temporary and would expire, yet they failed to plan for that reality. Instead of setting aside funds or adjusting spending gradually, they relied on those short-term dollars to prop up ongoing expenses – leaving us exposed when the aid inevitably declines.

The first step is honest budgeting: we need to stop treating one-time federal funds as permanent revenue streams. That means prioritizing essential services, cutting waste, and ensuring that local spending commitments are sustainable over the long term.

Secondly, and quite simply, the town must comply fully with federal requirements tied to these aid programs. Failure to meet those standards – whether in reporting, eligibility verification, or program administration – can trigger penalties and further reduce funding. If West Hartford simply meets its obligations under federal law, we can avoid losing even more aid than necessary.

Ultimately, protecting our most vulnerable residents requires responsible governance. We must avoid knee-jerk tax hikes and instead focus on efficiency, transparency, and lawful program management. With careful planning, compliance, and a willingness to make tough but fair decisions, West Hartford can manage federal aid cuts without jeopardizing vital services or pushing more families to the brink.

Do national issues affect your approach to local governance, and if so, how? National issues do shape my perspective, but my primary focus in local governance is on what directly impacts West Hartford. While I support much of what the Trump administration has done, particularly its foreign policy achievements in ending numerous foreign wars and steadfastly supporting Israel in its war against Hamas (and amazingly, securing the release of the hostages), I recognize that not every national policy aligns with our town’s unique needs. More importantly, state and local legislation affects West Hartford far more immediately and substantially than any national matter.

In today’s political climate, national debates often serve as distractions or wedge issues, driving division rather than unity within our community. Both parties frequently use these national issues to polarize voters, which distracts from addressing West Hartford’s real challenges. Local problems require local solutions, championed by pragmatic leaders who prioritize common sense over party politics.

My approach emphasizes strengthening neighborhoods, controlling taxes, and ensuring transparency and accountability in town government. We must put partisanship aside and focus on practical outcomes that support families living in West Hartford. While national politics may provide a backdrop, they should not dictate how we run our town.

Ultimately, West Hartford will thrive when we elect representatives who listen to residents and understand the importance of focusing on local issues. Bringing the community together around shared goals – not national distractions – is the key to building a stronger, more united town.

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 the deeply divisive political culture that too often resorts to ad hominem attacks and blind partisanship instead of constructive dialogue. While both parties share blame, 25 years of one-party, increasingly far-left Democratic control has created an environment where conservatives and right-leaning libertarians are ostracized and their views demonized.

Diversity of thought is essential for a healthy community, yet in West Hartford, simply expressing support for some policies of the Trump administration, or voicing alternative viewpoints to progressive politics, is met not with discourse but with outright hostility and personal attacks. This mirrors the dehumanizing rhetoric pushed by the national Democratic Party and harms our town by reducing intellectual diversity and silencing voices that want pragmatic, common-sense solutions.

If elected, I will work to restore respect for all residents, regardless of political beliefs. I will champion civil discourse and encourage open forums where ideas can be exchanged respectfully. It’s critical to move away from personal attacks and focus on issues that unite us – like responsible growth, tax fairness, public safety, and fiscal transparency.

West Hartford must be a place where individuals with different perspectives feel included and empowered to contribute. By fostering an environment of mutual respect and focusing on practical solutions instead of partisan battles, we can build a stronger, more united community that works for everyone. This foundational change in culture is essential for tackling any other challenges facing our town.

What do you feel differentiates you from the candidates from other parties – or your own party – who are also running for this position? What differentiates me from other candidates – both from other parties and within my own – is a combination of my youth, my established roots (and long term future) in West Hartford, and my balanced, practical approach to governance. At 33, I bring a fresh perspective paired with nearly a decade of personal investment in this community. I’m raising my family here, and that commitment fuels my passion to build a safe, prosperous, and sustainable future for all residents.

I strongly believe in conservative principles – fiscal responsibility, limited government, and personal freedom – which guide my vision for West Hartford. However, like Charlie Kirk, I’m committed to dialogue and open-mindedness. I won’t dismiss opposing viewpoints out of hand, but instead will always engage with those who disagree. Effective local governance requires pragmatism and collaboration, not rigid ideology.

This willingness to listen and adapt distinguishes me from candidates who either refuse to consider alternative ideas or who push partisan agendas that polarize rather than unite. I believe our town’s challenges demand common-sense solutions developed through honest conversation – solutions that strengthen neighborhoods, protect homeowners, control taxes, and increase transparency.

My youth allows me to relate to younger families and future generations, while my experience as a long-term resident keeps me grounded in West Hartford’s history and values. Combining these qualities, I am uniquely positioned to represent all voices and lead with both conviction and openness, focused on what’s best for our town’s future.

Anything else you would like to share relevant to earning votes on Nov. 4? West Hartford stands at a crossroads after nearly 25 years of one-party, increasingly far-left rule – and that long era of unchecked power has left many residents feeling unheard, overtaxed, and frustrated. Our town deserves better. It deserves balanced leadership that respects everyone’s voice and prioritizes the needs of hardworking families, not ideological agendas.

For too long, decisions have been made behind closed doors without meaningful input from residents. Taxes have soared, burdening homeowners and pushing families out. Overdevelopment threatens the character of our neighborhoods. Transparency and accountability have been all but abandoned. This is not the West Hartford we want for ourselves or our children.

Change isn’t just needed, it’s overdue. We need leaders who will hold the line on taxes, demand responsible growth, and bring real transparency to town hall. We need voices who will fight for fairness and fiscal responsibility, not play tired political games that divide our community.

I’m running to restore balance to West Hartford. I’m running to stand up for families who are struggling under years of mismanagement. I’m running to bring back honest leadership that listens, respects diverse viewpoints, and puts practical solutions above partisan politics.

The future of West Hartford depends on fresh ideas, real accountability, and leaders who will put people – not politics – first. Together, we can build a stronger, safer, more prosperous town where everyone has a chance to thrive. Please join me in turning the page to a stronger West Hartford, and vote for Kyle Zelazny.

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