Meet the Republican: James W. Coleman Sr.

"Meet the Candidates" is a feature on Southington Patch designed to help you get to know your local candidates before you take to the polls this November. Each profile was submitted directly by the candidate. 

Take a moment to review each profile so you can be informed and prepared when you go to the polls on Nov. 5, 2013.

This week, we are looking at the Board of Finance candidates:

Editor's Note: James Coleman submitted his own independent form for publication.

Name: James W. Coleman Sr.
Age: 50
Party, Board Seeking: Republican, Board of Finance
Occupation: President and Founder, Coleman Financial Advisory Group

What are your Qualifications? *Including political history, education, civic and volunteer experience, elected and/or appointed boards you have served (including dates), etc.

I am a registered Republican. This is the first time I am running for an elected office. I graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, Mass., with a degree in Business Administration and a double major in Finance and Marketing. I have spent the last 26 years in the financial services industry. I am president of the firm I started more than 23 years ago, Coleman Financial Advisory Group, an independent financial planning and wealth management firm providing solutions for growing, managing and preserving wealth. I authored a book: Educated Investing-Your Guide to Surviving and Thriving in the fast paced global markets of the 21st century. Contributor- Forbes.com, CNBC, Yahoo Finance, Research magazine, Kiplinger  Finance magazine. I am a Nationally recognized expert in retirement income planning. As a small business owner I have the experience and knowledge of  what it takes to work with state and local municipalities and navigate through planning and zoning as well as the municipal tax process. I understand the financial impacts both present and future that  sound financial decision making can have and I am very interested in helping to ensure Southington's fiscal health. I have been a member of the ELKS for 25 years and a past member of the Rotary and Lions club.

What do you consider the two most important local issues and, if elected, how do you propose to address them?

1. The most important issue Southington faces is similar in scope to what all municipalities face- The rising cost of services in the midst of a muted economic environment with an ageing population and workforce. Providing exceptional education, funding municipal retirement and benefit systems, maintaining town infrastructure and providing general government services etc. all add to quality of life here in Southington . However there is a cost to providing those services. Typically those costs are paid for by property taxes, state and federal grants and bond issuance. So we need to adequately define the level of services the community wants and can afford today while properly considering the future impact/cost  that such services will have on our citizens. Budget the defined level of services and monitor our actual results in order to adjust when its deemed necessary to avoid deficits. Communicating with our tax payers is vital to matching affordable services with their expectations. 

2. This age requires smart, capable decision makers with the courage to lead our town effectively in a non partisan way . The best interests of Southington's tax payers today as well as tomorrow need to be considered and at the forefront of our decision making. I feel very comfortable that I can explain complex financial topics and key decision points in a manner that will help our tax payers to provide feedback and so our town council members can make the most informed decisions.

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