Time for Full-Time Leadership

By Dan Fitzmaurice, First Selectman Candidate

Orange deserves a First Selectman who shows up every day ready to deliver, not someone with divided attention or other jobs on the side.

For nearly two decades, I’ve been called on to lead local and national organizations through tough challenges and deliver measurable results. I’ve secured millions of dollars in funding for critical programs, strengthened their financial stability, and made sure they served their communities effectively. Today, I lead state and federal public policy strategies at United Way of Connecticut, working with Democrats and Republicans alike to lower costs for working families.

I’m prepared to leave those roles behind and bring that experience home to Town Hall. I’m not coming in cold—my career has given me the exact skills Orange needs in its next First Selectman.

First Selectman has been a full-time job in Orange since Mitch Goldblatt held the position in 1999, and today earns a salary of $115,000. Ever since our current First Selectman took office 20 years ago, he has continued working part-time elsewhere. Taxpayers deserve a leader whose only focus is serving Orange—100% commitment, 100% availability, and 100% accountability.

Orange faces big decisions that can’t wait: investing in parks and public facilities, modernizing town services, growing our economy, and protecting our schools from outside political agendas. These are not part-time issues—they require hands-on, full-time leadership.

That’s why our team has put forward four clear priorities we’re ready to act on right away. You can read our full plan at OrangeCTDems.org/2025 and decide for yourself who’s ready to lead when early voting begins October 20.

This is how I’ve always led: clear expectations, honest work, and accountability to the people I serve. It’s what your boss expects from you—and it’s what you should expect from your First Selectman.

Thank you,

Dan Fitzmaurice

This letter to the editor originally appeared in the Milford-Orange Times, August 7, page 4.