Ken Flatto To Run For Comptroller

On Monday, May 17, 2010 at 1 pm in front of the Old Town Hall at 611 Old Post Road in Fairfield, my good friend, First Selectman Ken Flatto, Democrat, will announce his candidacy for State Comptroller.

With encouragement from various leaders and officials from around the State, First Selectman Flatto will seek this important state position which he sees as a “natural fit” and especially crucial at a time when the State faces economic stress and budget deficits.

Flatto, the only candidate with a career CPA, along with Comptroller and CFO/CEO background, brings over 20 years of financial experience in the private and public sectors plus his 11 years as Town leader. As a five term First Selectman, Ken has served Fairfield as the second longest serving town chief executive officer in its history, overseeing one of the State’s larger municipal budgets of approximately one-quarter billion dollars, the First Selectman has managed Fairfield's triple AAA financial rating and Fairfield's top "quality of life" ranking. During his tenure as Fairfield First Selectman, Fairfield has been ranked best town in Connecticut by Connecticut Magazine and achieved a top ten "best place to live in the nation" from CNN/Money Magazine. Flatto was co-featured as a model municipal executive with a fiscally strong management skill in a GASB magazine article in 2007. Flatto is married, with four children ages 17 to 23.

Ken is a stand out among challengers in his career breadth and governmental accounting knowledge. In addition to his service to Fairfield, Flatto served as Comptroller and CFO for Orangetown, New York and Deputy Controller and interim Controller for Yonkers, New York in the 1990's, in addition to service as staff for a State Financial Control Board. Mr. Flatto also served as the Controller for the renowned Natural Resources Defense Council in the 1980's, a national environmental organization, and Ken began his career at Touche Ross & Company CPAs. Flatto attained an MBA from Cornell University and graduated from Lehigh University undergraduate.

Ken Flatto states, “Our State needs a ready-to-go Comptroller with strong fiscal skills and background, with absolute integrity, to help Connecticut residents and communities overcome these tough economic times and I know I fit this mold perfectly. I love my job here in Fairfield and am honored to serve as First Selectman and feel that I could utilize all my experience balancing budgets and managing finances at the State level to help all of Connecticut the way I am helping Fairfield thrive.”