Election 2025: Town Council Candidate Lina Lee [Q&A] 

Town resident Lina Lee, a Democrat, is seeking election to the Town Council, New Canaan’s legislative body. The Democrats currently hold four seats on the 12-member elected body. Six seats are up for election: four currently held by Republicans, two by Democrats. There are five Republicans and four Democrats running for Town Council.

Here’s our exchange with Lee.

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Please give us some background on you, including your history in New Canaan and your involvement with community organizations and/or local government. 

Lina Lee: My love for New Canaan starts at Waveny Park. My husband, Hassan, and I have lived in New Canaan since 2023, and we were married here at Waveny Park, a place that reflects everything we love about this town: culture, civic life, and a strong sense of community. From the beginning, we were struck by how warm and welcoming New Canaan is, and we quickly came to love its natural surroundings, parks for walks with our dog Archie, and architectural heritage. The town’s renowned schools were also an important part of why we chose to settle here, as we imagined raising a family in a place where education and community are truly valued and supported.

I have committed my life to public service, and during my career I have built a strong record of leadership in governance, budgeting, and policy. As Executive Director of the Connecticut Bar Association, I lead a statewide organization of more than 8,000 attorneys and legal professionals. I oversee continuing legal education, legislative and policy initiatives, and governance strategy, work that requires representing many different viewpoints, building consensus, and finding creative solutions to complex challenges. I also serve as Secretary of the Connecticut Bar Foundation, which distributes more than $370 million in legal aid funding across the state.

Earlier in my career, I founded and led a civil rights firm in New York City for six years, growing it into a 30-attorney organization. There, I directed litigation challenging rezonings and against developers who misused affordable housing laws to push out-of-scale projects into long-standing neighborhoods. That experience gave me both legal expertise in land use and zoning and a practical understanding of how governance decisions shape communities.

I have been trusted throughout my career to lead with fairness, to navigate difficult issues, and to deliver results. Those are the same qualities I would bring to the Town Council, working with neighbors to preserve what makes New Canaan unique while planning thoughtfully and responsibly for its future.

The Town Council is soon to kickstart the Charter revision process. What changes, if any, would you like to see to New Canaan’s main governing document?

The Charter has provided New Canaan with a strong foundation of governance, and this upcoming review is an opportunity to build on that foundation thoughtfully. My focus would be on areas where we can make the town’s government more effective, accountable, and responsive to residents.

One area is fiscal planning. Large projects have shown us how important it is to have clear budgets, detailed cost projections, and regular public updates. Looking at ways to add checks and balances and safeguards of that kind would strengthen confidence while still allowing flexibility to move projects forward. Another priority for me is public engagement. The Charter could be refined to support broader participation, including notice to the public of volunteer openings on our many boards and commissions (especially to unaffiliated voters), easier access to information, and ways for residents to provide input earlier in the process.

I bring a lifelong commitment to public service and a record of leadership in governance, budgeting, and policy. My approach would be to add practical tools that build trust and strengthen transparency, while keeping what already works well in place.

Where do you stand on the proposed seasonal ban on leaf blowers?

The proposed restrictions on gas-powered leaf blowers raise important questions about public health, quality of life, and fairness to residents and professionals. The challenge is to balance legitimate concerns about noise and air quality with the practical realities of landscaping needs and enforcement.

A reasonable approach would be to limit the use of gas-powered blowers during certain months of the year and restrict hours of operation to minimize disruption. A phased framework can be both workable and enforceable, and encouraging a gradual transition to quieter electric equipment would help achieve environmental goals without placing sudden burdens on homeowners or landscapers.

The goal should be a regulation that is clear, enforceable, and balanced, one that improves quality of life for residents, reduces environmental impact, and provides landscapers with predictable rules that allow them to plan their work effectively.

What is one change or new initiative that you would like to see through as a Town Council member, if there is one?

One initiative I would like to see is building on New Canaan’s existing planning efforts by creating a more structured long-term framework for decision making. The town has a strong foundation in its planning processes, and I believe there is an opportunity to add more tools for data collection and analysis so we can anticipate needs five, ten, or even twenty years down the line. Looking at factors such as school enrollment, traffic patterns, infrastructure condition, and demographic trends would allow us to plan more comprehensively and proactively.

This would mean strengthening how we assess the condition of our public buildings, roads, and parks, setting clear priorities, and aligning projects with realistic budget forecasts. It would also mean sharing this information in a transparent way so residents can see what is ahead, understand how decisions are made, and contribute input early in the process. A stronger long range plan would give taxpayers confidence that projects are not just reactive, but part of a thoughtful strategy to preserve what makes New Canaan special while preparing wisely for the future.

With my background in governance and budgeting, I know how to put systems in place that turn long term vision into practical steps. My goal would be to add to the work already being done, helping New Canaan plan proactively so that every project is data driven, transparent, and aligned with the priorities of the community.

To what extent, if at all, will your party’s national agenda affect your decision-making at the local level?

My decisions on the Town Council would be guided entirely by what is best for New Canaan, not by national party politics. Local government is about solving practical problems — how we manage budgets, maintain our infrastructure, preserve our character, and plan for the future. These are issues that affect every resident, regardless of political affiliation.

While my professional background has given me experience working with people who hold very different viewpoints, I have always focused on finding common ground and building consensus. That is the approach I would bring to the Town Council. My responsibility would be to represent the interests of New Canaan families and taxpayers, making thoughtful, informed decisions that strengthen our community without regard to national partisan agendas.

It’s been just over one year since The Playhouse reopened following an extensive renovation that went over budget. How do you rate the success of New Canaan’s partnership with CinemaLab, the movie theater’s operator?

The Playhouse has reopened as a community resource, and the renovation process showed how complex and unpredictable major projects can be once they get underway. The lesson for me is the value of clearer planning up front and more structured checkpoints as a project moves forward. That could mean more detailed estimates, defined contingency plans, and regular updates so residents can follow progress in real time.

The partnership with CinemaLab now gives the theater the opportunity to operate as a sustainable cultural venue, and it will be important to track both financial performance and community use. By adding stronger planning tools and more consistent communication, we can reinforce public confidence and apply lessons from this project to future investments.

Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know.

My husband and I have been taking ballroom dance lessons for quite a while, but you would never guess it by watching us. Behind the picture-perfect idea of the cha cha, waltz, or tango are plenty of collisions, sore muscles, and a lot of laughter. Practicing at home is even less graceful, because our dog Archie insists on joining in. He puts his front paws in our hands so he can “dance” with us and honestly, he may be the most coordinated member of the family.