Salman Hamid hopes plans for Hamden land him mayor’s seat Salman Hamid hopes plans for town land him top spot

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HAMDEN >> Salman Hamid’s students have jokingly told him throughout the years he should be mayor. Having never been involved with politics, but always heavily invested in giving back to his community, he is taking their tease seriously.

When he introduces himself as the Republican candidate for mayor, people are surprised because he doesn’t fit a traditional Republican mold. They are also refreshed to see a new face in politics, Hamid said. He is a political outsider of sorts, which he sees as a strength.

As he meets with residents, they might not know how to say his name (pronounced Sal-men Hameed), but they remember his actions. He gets recognized as their brother’s teacher or the guy who helped clean up the walking trail. Hamid taught at Hamden High School for eight years and now is the K-12 District-wide Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator at ACES Wintergreen Magnet School.

Hamid said once people learn who he is, they’re happy to hear his ideas for the town.

“They say, ‘I can’t believe I might be voting Republican,’” Hamid said.

Hamid immigrated to the U.S. with his family from Pakistan when he was 3 years old. He has lived in Hamden for 24 years and has long looked for ways to give back to the community. He became a teacher for that reason, he said, and now is running for mayor to have a bigger impact.

“This is an opportunity for me to give back even more to the town that I love,” he said.

His plans for improving the town include transitioning to a Social Security-based wage payment system for all town employees and adjusting health insurance benefits to more closely model private-sector plans.

Hamid also wants to improve communication between town government and residents. One point of his plan is to establish a citizens’ advisory council to help engage residents with the government and to ensure the mayor is informed on the varying issues and perspectives throughout the town.

Ron Gambardella, Hamid’s campaign manager, said their platform is about citizen participation.

“(Government) is a closed system the way it is now,” Gambardella said. “The power is too focused. There hasn’t been an effective candidate on the Republican side. We do now have an effective candidate who can bridge the gap, can reach out to the minority community and bring everyone together.”

Mayor Curt Leng welcomed Hamid to the race.

“(Hamid) has mentioned some nice ideas, such as discussing regionalization and a regional Animal Shelter,” Leng said. “Regionalization of certain services has potential to keep the high quality services Hamden residents have come to expect while controlling costs. Of course, we will always keep our guardian services, police and fire, under local control.”

According to Hamid’s former student at Hamden High School Lisa DeCrescente, Hamid naturally reaches out and is interested in people.

“I know he cares about the town and he listens to everybody,” DeCrescente said. “He really tried to get to know his students. He was different from other teachers in that way who just stand at the front of the class.”

One of her favorite high school memories is when Hamid volunteered for DeCrescente’s dance team fundraiser, Dancing with the Staff. “He was so willing to embarrass himself to make money for the fundraiser,” she said.

Wherever Hamid goes, he gets a lot of hugs, Gambardella said, but Hamid also hears complaints again and again from residents about high taxes, struggling schools and what can be done to beautify the town.

“These are all individuals I see in town that have been saying this common thread,” he said, “and it’s not healthy when you have individuals saying the same thing over and over. It strikes me as very odd that no one has addressed these.”

Leng said he is keenly award of Hamden’s tax rate and wants it lowered. Concerning schools, “The majority of our schools meet and exceed the state average for test scores, and offer extracurricular activities that exceed many surrounding schools, with plans for even more,” Leng said.

Hamid’s plans for improving the town include getting landscape companies to sponsor ballfields and building an animal shelter where residents could buy a brick in memoriam to their pet to help pay for the facility. Hamid also wants to revise the pension plan for town employees, adopting a 403(b) plan with matching contributions.

Gambardella said whoever is in charge needs to run things differently and this plan would reduce the financial liability of the town going forward.

As Hamid moves along the campaign trail, he is planning meet-and-greets throughout town, talking with voters at community events, and hopes to organize a debate with Leng at the high school for students to ask questions of both candidates.

“The things people know about me are I’m honest and sincere, probably the wrong guy for politics,” he joked.