John Console Announces Bid for Council Seat
WETHERSFIELD - With both the Democratic and Republican Town Committee caucuses already in the books, a former Deputy Mayor is throwing his hat in the ring for a seat on the Wethersfield Town Council.

       John Console, who previously served on the Council as a Republican, will be running as an Independent. He took a similar approach in 2013 after the Town Committee did not endorse him as a candidate.

       Console announced his 2015 run on Monday morning. He did not say much else, except that details regarding his campaign will be forthcoming.

       When he ran as an Independent in 2013, he expressed concern regarding spending and a perceived lack of transparency. As a member of the public, he has become increasingly vocal about what he feels are excessive annual tax increases.

       That’s one area that he and Republicans, who he is now competing with for a Council seat, would agree on. At the party’s caucus several weeks ago, tax increases were listed as a major issue for Republican slate composed of incumbents Stathis Manousos, Mike Hurley, Donna Hemmann and Mike Rell and newcomers Charles Carey, a current Board of Education member, and Jodi Latina.

       But when the Democratic caucus was held the prior week, candidates on the majority party’s slate referred to this year’s 3.7 percent town budget increase as a result of, among other things, a compromise between the Council and Board of Education that allowed the district to pursue initiatives such as the new K-6 math program without an excessive jump in property taxes.

       Their roster is composed of current Mayor Paul Montinieri, Deputy Mayor Steve Barry and incumbent Councilor Tony Martino. They’re joined by new candidates Anthony Spinella, Amy Morrin-Bello and Frank Dellaripa.

       Console served for four consecutive terms prior to that election, according to a 2013 article in The Hartford Courant.
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