Kate Lombardo (R)
Stamford Board of Finance 2025 Election
Retired : Former founding Executive Director of The Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County, Inc.
As the Director of Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County, Inc. I have become very familiar with the citizens of all socio -economic classes and levels of Stamford residents and the neighborhoods they live in.
Starting my career on Wall Street at the NYSE and culminating my career as a senior Compliance Officer from Goldman Sachs. I am familiar with appropriate procedures regarding conflicts of interest, and the proper way to conduct business. As the former ED of a non-profit I fully recognize and respect every dollar donated to the Food Bank.
I have the same respect for the taxpayer dollars and will work to ensure that they are spent properly an in accordance with the residents' needs.
Starting my career on Wall Street at the NYSE and culminating my career as a senior Compliance Officer from Goldman Sachs. I am familiar with appropriate procedures regarding conflicts of interest, and the proper way to conduct business. As the former ED of a non-profit I fully recognize and respect every dollar donated to the Food Bank.
I have the same respect for the taxpayer dollars and will work to ensure that they are spent properly an in accordance with the residents' needs.
Stamford's aging and overstressed infrastructure comes at a high cost. Our goals should be to maintain and use a rainy-day fund to address unexpected breakdowns and normal wear and tear on equipment. We need to stop letting buildings fall into a state of disrepair that demolition and replacement become necessary, rather than proper maintenance. By doing so, we can preserve our city’s rich history while managing costs more responsibly.
Replacing Westhill High School is a huge investment. The total project is around 440M, and Stamford’s local share is approx. 80-90M after state reimbursement. To handle this responsibly and avoid burdening taxpayers, we should use a multiphase plan by utilizing Fund 57, which holds about 65M, to cover the first phase.
That reduces borrowing and keeps interest costs low. At the same time, we’ll replenish fund 57 at a rate of 10-15M per year so it can stay healthy for future school projects. As construction moves forward, we can use short term bond issuance to bridge any timing gaps while waiting for state reimbursement.
For any remaining portion of Stamford’s share, we can issue long term General Obligation bonds, taking advantage of Stamford’s long standing AAA bond rating to keep rates low.
This multiphase approach spreads out the cost overtime, preventing a sharp spike in Taxes. Using strong controls such as Mill rate caps, competitive bidding, and strong independent project oversight, we are able to hold all parties accountable.
That reduces borrowing and keeps interest costs low. At the same time, we’ll replenish fund 57 at a rate of 10-15M per year so it can stay healthy for future school projects. As construction moves forward, we can use short term bond issuance to bridge any timing gaps while waiting for state reimbursement.
For any remaining portion of Stamford’s share, we can issue long term General Obligation bonds, taking advantage of Stamford’s long standing AAA bond rating to keep rates low.
This multiphase approach spreads out the cost overtime, preventing a sharp spike in Taxes. Using strong controls such as Mill rate caps, competitive bidding, and strong independent project oversight, we are able to hold all parties accountable.