Meet the Candidate: E. Steve Clark

Name: E. Steve Clark

Age: 64

Family Info: Married, two children, three grandchildren

Previous Political Experience:

• Tolland Board of Education member
• Member of BOE: Tolland High School and Birch Grove Space Assessment Committees (4)
• Member of BOE: Education Specification Committees for Birch Grove and BG Addition
• Town Council: Member of the Building Committee for Birch Grove
• Town Council: Chairperson of the Building Committee for the Birch Grove Primary School Addition

Other Experience:

• Member and Past President, Baxter Farms Community Water Association
• Tolland Baseball Assistant Coach
• Worked for 35 years in transportation industry
• Captain U.S. Army Reserves 
• B.A. Wolford College

Why are you running for office?

• Ensure that the children of Tolland are properly educated for life in the 21st century
• Maximize all funding received for the benefit of the children in Tolland
• Fiscal Responsibility- spend when and where needed but ensure need before spending

How do you plan on creating a budget that provides a good education for Tolland students, but is one that you can defend before the Town Council and gain approval from Tolland voters?

The responsibility of the Board of Education is to develop a budget that will ensure that all students receive a quality education and are prepared for life in the 21st century after they finish their school years. The programs that are included in the budget each year are designed to accomplish that objective. These programs have costs associated with them that will affect the total amount that is requested from the taxpayers in town. Most of the requested amount is necessitated by state and federal laws and by contractual obligations.

Our responsibility, as an advocate for the students, is to present a comprehensive budget request to the Town Council for review and ultimately to the voters for the final decision on funding our request. The budget is subject to change and the Board of Education will continue to look for ways to reduce initial requests for areas in which we have some control. The taxpayers in town must realize that the greatest asset any community can have is its children. They will ultimately become the future leaders of our town, our state and possibly our nation. They will have only one opportunity per year and grade to participate in programs that will help prepare them for those tasks. A program that is lost will never again be available to that particular student. The responsible and informed voter in Tolland will recognize that fact at each budget referendum.