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My name is Christine Santucci, and I’m running for Vail Town Council to apply my many years in municipal finance to supporting our community. 

I was raised in New York with my five siblings by my mother, Isabelle Santucci, a single mother who couldn’t have been a better role model. Life growing up was often financially challenging but we were wealthy in the love and commitment within our family. 

Upon graduating from university, I secured employment in finance, growing to be a successful municipal finance professional in the most accomplished firm in the industry. Throughout my 25 years in the business, I worked to bridge the gap between investors and state and local governments to aid in securing the most favorable financing costs for projects such as the construction of affordable and workforce housing. 

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The ability to clearly and concisely communicate the intricacies of these finance structures to investors was paramount to my success. I would like to take this experience and apply it to our most pressing community concern, our affordable housing crisis, as well as projects such as the Civic Area, West Vail Redevelopment and West Middle Creek. Factoring in our current resources with any proposed additional sources of revenue, and stressing those revenue streams to ensure that we don’t enter into financial commitments that strain our finances are all skills I hold. 

Additionally, the ability to problem solve and pursue a variety of options, finding the one that is best suited for our particular circumstances, is something I am very skilled at doing. I successfully navigated through financial crises and the challenges that brought to our industry, community and investors. The ability to maintain a calm demeanor in very stressful environments also meant maintaining and rebuilding corporate relationships when we weren’t seeing eye to eye — and I would draw on this skill to manage our business relationships if I am elected to the Town Council. 

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Throughout my career, I also had the privilege of working with a variety of affordable housing directors, which gave me a great deal of insight into the needs of a community once you build the brick and mortar of a development. The services, amenities and educational opportunities for residents should always be fundamental considerations in the planning and maintenance reviews of any addition to the community. 

I can also draw on my five years serving on the Design Review Board for Lower Downtown in Denver to be mindful of the impact any growth has on our community both environmentally and aesthetically. My experience co-founding a women’s networking group and serving on the board of my local neighborhood association (11 years) brought me the skills of community development through engagement and responding to the needs of the community. 

I have quite a few ideas to bring additional culturally inclusive experiences to Vail through local “Ted Talk” like events and celebrations of the diversity of our community, but I also want to be open to what the people of our town want more of or feel is lacking. 

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When I decided to retire from Citigroup, it was to search for an opportunity to use my years in finance to serve my community, and I am committed to that effort. I believe that having the opportunity to serve on the Town Council is a great privilege and will apply the time and energy needed to speak to the needs of our community. For this reason, I humbly ask for your vote in November for Vail Town Council.

Christine Santucci is one of 10 candidates running for four seats on the Vail Town Council in the Nov. 7 election.