We reached out to both the Haddam Republican Town Committee and the Haddam Democratic Town Committee and asked candidates to respond to a set of questions; if a candidate did not respond, their name is listed, so that you know who is running for each office. Updates from all candidates are welcome, and will be published as Letters to the Editor. The questions posed to the candidates were:
Kristin Battistoni (Republican)
Since moving to Haddam in 2003, Kristin and her husband Mike have made many wonderful friends in town. They both have become deeply involved in the community and volunteer for many organizations. Kristin first ran for the position of Tax Collector when her daughter Brigitte and son Alex began kindergarten. This was a way for her to get back into the work force after staying home with them. They are now starting their last year at Haddam-Killingworth Middle School.
Over the past eight years, Kristin has made some updates to how the office is run. You now have the capability to use credit cards not only on line, but also in the office. The website has been upgraded and you can now look up payment history for the past three years. An IRS function is added so you can see what was paid for that given year. She has also started using a lock box during collection time. With this change, we are able to have payments processed much quicker and have payments deposited in a timely manner during our busy time.
These technology changes have helped Kristin keep her collection rate close to 99%. Her focus over the past eight years has been to really get residents to understand the process of taxes. She wants you to know what needs to be done when dealing with the DMV, what needs to be done buying and selling a house or moving out of town.
Kristin loves working for you in the Tax Office. She loves meeting new residents and seeing friends that come for a visit every year. Working in the community of Haddam is a special opportunity that not many have the privilege of doing. She promises to work hard for the residents of Haddam, Higganum and Haddam Neck over the next four years.
