Town resident Pavla Levin, a Republican, is seeking election to the Town Council, New Canaan’s legislative body. The GOP holds an 8-4 majority 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 Levin.
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New Canaanite: Please give us some background on you, including your history in New Canaan and your involvement with community organizations and/or local government/New Canaan Public Schools.
Pavla Levin: My husband Michael and I moved to New Canaan 13 years ago with our two sons, both now proud graduates of New Canaan High School. Like so many families, we were drawn here by the excellent schools and the strong sense of community, and we have been grateful every day to call New Canaan our home.
Since moving here, I have become deeply involved in town service:
- I currently serve as secretary of the New Canaan Utilities Commission, working to improve cell coverage for our first responders
- I was elected to the Board of Assessment Appeals (2021)
- I am a longtime member of the New Canaan Republican Town Committee
- I serve on the Board of the Boucher Community Ice Rink.
- I am a founding member of CT169Strong, a group which advocates for local control of zoning and planning decisions. The group lobbies against onerous bills that, if passed, would impose unfunded mandates profoundly impacting New Canaan’s infrastructure and local resources.
Beyond town service, I bring three decades of experience at leading global financial institutions. I hold a Master’s in Computer Science and I am a CFA charterholder. I bring both the technical and financial expertise required to evaluate the complex issues before the Town Council. I pledge to exercise fiscal discipline and to spend taxpayer dollars wisely, striking a balance between keeping New Canaan affordable for young families and seniors, while ensuring our schools remain the best in the state and our town services remain top notch.
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?
As a potential newcomer on the Town Council, I am eager to learn more about the practical implications of the provisions in New Canaan’s Town Charter. Here are some areas I would like to explore and potentially revise:
- Referendum Process: The referendum on school start times highlighted weaknesses in the Charter’s provisions. Starting polling hours at 12 p.m. contributed to limited participation, and inconsistent communication left many parents feeling uninformed. Aligning polling hours with standard municipal elections and requiring public notices at least 30 days in advance could improve participation and transparency.
- Candidate Nominations: Limiting the number of party nominees to the number of seats that can actually be seated on both Town Council and Board of Education would streamline the election process, reduce voter confusion, and ensure that ballots reflect only realistic options for office.
Where do you stand on the proposed seasonal ban on leaf blowers?
I believe in respecting our residents’ freedom to manage their property and make their own landscaping choices. At the same time, we cannot ignore the noise and environmental impact of gas-powered leaf blowers.
Rather than a blanket seasonal ban, common-sense solutions could include:
- Dividing New Canaan into zones and assigning designated operating days for gas-powered leaf blowers in each zone, creating quiet days for neighbors. The schedule would be posted online and in town publications to ensure clarity for residents. Electric or battery-powered alternatives could be used on any day.
- Raising awareness about the environmental and health effects of gas powered leaf blowers through education programs.
It is also essential to study the experiences of other towns that have enacted bans or limits. Have their residents faced higher landscaping costs? Have the bans been enforceable by police? Have there been unintended consequences? Any decision we make as a community must balance environmental and quality-of-life concerns with affordability and practicality.
What is one change or new initiative that you would like to see through as a Town Council member, if there is one?
New Canaan experiences frequent power outages, putting seniors and residents who rely on medical or mobility devices at risk. I would like to propose a program ensuring access to safe, reliable emergency power.
Key steps:
- A voluntary town registry for priority support.
- Use of battery storage, portable backup units, and co-generation (micro-CHP) systems.
- Community resource centers with backup power for charging and heating/cooling.
Through education and outreach, residents can adopt clean, modern energy solutions. This initiative would protect vulnerable residents, reduce necessity for expensive generators, and strengthen New Canaan’s resilience and safety.
To what extent, if at all, will your party’s national agenda affect your decision-making at the local level?
There are only a few issues on the national agenda that relate directly to New Canaan. Our local services are well funded by our town budgets, so we are fortunate to not be as impacted locally by crime, failing education systems, or crumbling infrastructure. One issue on the national agenda that does impact our town is the rising rates of addiction and mental illness.
If elected, I will prioritize:
- Supporting community-based programs for prevention, counseling, and recovery.
- Partnering with local nonprofits, health providers, and schools to expand awareness.
- Encouraging public spaces and town facilities to host wellness and support initiatives.
Proactive local action can help residents stay healthy and supported.
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?
It’s wonderful to see The Playhouse reopen after its renovation, once again bringing movies and community programming to New Canaan. While the project went over budget, the result is a beautifully restored theater that adds vibrancy to our downtown.
The partnership with CinemaLab is structured in a way that, if successful, could reduce the burden on taxpayers. Unlike the library, where the Town now covers more than 70% of annual operating costs, the Playhouse is responsible for its own operating expenses and its rent payments could eventually contribute to the town’s revenue stream.
Currently, the Playhouse faces operational challenges, which need careful monitoring. However, the structure itself is promising: the stronger the Playhouse becomes as a business, the lighter the financial load on residents. So I would call this partnership a “work in progress with strong potential upside.” If CinemaLab succeeds, taxpayers win, and that’s why we should support efforts to help it thrive while keeping close oversight on its performance and accountability.
Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know.
I was born on the border of Hungary and Ukraine, my grandparents survived both Auschwitz and the Gulag and I grew up in Soviet Russia in the 1970s and ‘80s in a family of political dissidents. My early life instilled in me a deep belief in democracy, civic engagement, personal responsibility, and accountable government.
Becoming part of the New Canaan community has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. Today, my goal is to give back and pay it forward through public service, to help keep our schools excellent, our town affordable, and our community strong for generations to come.