Clerk Candidate David Jaeger Says He Can Save Norwalk Some Money

David Jaeger, the Democratic candidate for town clerk, is a banker who hopes to use what he's learned in that field to make the Town Clerk's Office more efficient for the benefit of taxpayers and more convenient to customers.

"I really hope that voters really look at this office and the election at hand, because it's an important office," he said. "It's a big revenue generator for the city. We need somebody there who has experience, as I have."

Jaeger, who turns 32 on Friday, graduated from Norwalk High School in 1998. He received his college degree from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield and his masters in business administration from the University of New Haven. He currently lives at 4 Birch St., in the Bettswood neighborhood off of East Avenue, a bit north of Norwalk City Hall.

Jaeger has been a member of the Norwalk Common Council since his election in 2009. He represents District A on the council.

Inconvenient "convenience fees"

Transactions, in which the office's customers pay for things like permits, certificates and land records with their credit cards, often carry a fee for use of the card, often called a "convenience fee."

As a banker, Jaeger said, "I deal with that stuff. Banks charge a fee for use of that card. You can negotiate contracts where fees can be reduced, and there can be a nice savings."

The savings might then be passed on to the office's customers, he said, or used to offset expenses in the office.

Jaeger would also like to allow customers to set up a "tab" at the clerk's office the same way they might have a tab at a bar—regular customers who make a number of transactions with the office could pay once for some number of transactions, saving them time and effort.

The candidate didn't know any other town clerk's offices that have such a system, but "a lot are looking at it," he said.

Having more records available online, for a fee, would also provide more convenience for customers (since it would allow for access to records 24 hours a day) and could be a revenue generator for the office, he said.

Again, he said, "I dont particularly know the towns that have done it yet, but [...] they're starting to look at it more and more aggressively."

Jaeger also said that if elected he would lobby state officials for more convenient voting processes—perhaps voting that could take place on two rather than one day.

"I don't know how you would set it up," Jaeger said, "but I'd at least help advocate for more conveneint voting capabilities."

Update, 9:01 a.m.:

In an email this morning Jaeger said he favors allowing absentee ballots without excuses. In order for the Legislature allow that, the state Constitution will need to be amended, and Secretary of the State Denise Merrill has proposed one.

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Editor's note: Between now and Nov. 2, Norwalk Patch will be accepting letters to the editor from each candidate for office to describe themselves, for publication before Election Day, Nov. 8.