Lifelong Rutland City resident Tom Donahue announced his candidacy for the Rutland City Board of Alderman on Jan. 8.
Donahue is a former Alderman and was president of the board before going to work for Mayor Jeff Wennberg as director of community development for the City. Subsequently, Donahue headed the Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce and currently is the head of BROC Community Action.
Donahue has named Peg Flory and Cal Josselyn, Jr. as campaign co-chairs.
Donahue said if elected, his focus would be to increase public safety in Rutland and decrease property taxes.
“As a resident deeply invested in this community, I grow more and more concerned about the crime and violence,” Donahue said. “One deadly shooting in our city is one too many.”
Additionally, Donahue said he will focus on new business investments to ease the growing burden on residential property taxpayers.
“As a long-time homeowner, I understand the burden placed on our residents by ever-increasing city property taxes,” Donahue said. “Family and individuals’ budgets are so strained right now by the rising costs of goods and services that paying the rising property taxes has become daunting.”
If elected, Donahue intends to request an appointment to the aldermanic Public Safety Committee and the Community and Economic Development Committee to have a voice at the table to further these critical initiatives.
While working for Mayor Wennberg, Donahue cited his role in attracting Vermont Country Store to the Airport Industrial Park (the City shared property tax 50/50 with the town of Clarendon) and in redeveloping the Rutland Shopping Plaza, including courting the owners of Price Chopper Supermarket.
“We will need to start now to fill the void created when Walmart leaves downtown. I also successfully led efforts to obtain millions of dollars invested here for rail, air, and road improvements that we continue to enjoy today,” Donahue said.
Tom Donahue has served on some 23 area boards and commissions over his career. He is vice chair of the Christ the King School board and is a Vermont Justice of the Peace. He is married to Gayle Donahue, and they have five children and 12 grandchildren.
