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Maltese Makes it Formal

It’s official: Republican East Haven Finance Committee member Sal Maltese has committed to a run for the mayor’s seat in this year’s election, challenging incumbent Mayor Joseph Maturo, Jr., for the Republican Party endorsement to face Democrat Michael Speer.

Maltese is a 49-year resident of East Haven and with his wife of 49 years, Joan, has raised four daughters, all graduates of the East Haven school system. In addition to his experience on the town’s finance committee, Maltese has owned and operated the South Shore Laundromat for 34 years and has prior experience as the director of global credit for a large multinational company.

Maltese is involved in the East Haven Rotary, East Haven Republican Town Committee, and Shoreline Greenway Trail Committee.

Maltese said he was amazed at the support he received during his exploratory campaign.

“I have had Republicans, Democrats, and independents all encourage me to announce formally, my run for mayor of East Haven,” he said in a release.

“Over the past several years, East Haven has maintained such a negative image and our town seems stagnant. It seems that the only time East Haven is mentioned in the news, it is something negative,” he continued. “The people I have met all say they want to see East Haven become the shining star it once was. In order to do that, we need to change the old ways of doing business.”

Maltese said that he would give East Haven a leader in whom all residents can be proud. The three areas Maltese hopes to concentrate on as mayor are “stable taxes, improved town infrastructure, and improving the town image.”

“I want East Haven to be a destination town by making East Haven a livable community with safe streets, great schools, spectacular beachfront, and a revitalized town center,” he stated. “This all depends on restoring integrity to our elected government, with ethical leadership focused on one thing: Creating a great town living up to its potential.”

Maltese concluded, “I am looking forward to winning the Republican Party’s nomination, to winning in November, and to bringing a new team with new ideas and a renewed energy, into the town hall.”

Mayor Joseph Maturo, Jr., who has served as mayor since 2011, and prior to that was mayor from 1997 to 2007, has formally announced his plans to run for re-election. Democrat Paul Thompson had expressed interest in a run earlier this year, but has since declined to run, leaving Speer as the sole Democrat thus far.

Contact Jaki Lauper at j.lauper@shorepublishing.com with East Haven news ideas.