Patch Candidate Profile: Rachel Khanna For Greenwich Board Of Selectman

GREENWICH, CT — Election Day on Nov. 4 is fast approaching, and there are a number of key races on the ballot.

Patch reached out to candidates for office to get more information on their campaigns and the issues that are facing the town.

Candidate's Name:
Rachel Khanna

What office are you seeking?
Selectwoman

What town do you live in?
Greenwich

Campaign Website
https://greenwichdemocrats.org

Party Affiliation:
Democratic

Occupation:
Most recently, I served as State Representative for the 149th district. Since my service as State Representative, I have remained actively involved with the community, organizing community forums and civic engagement with Connecticut’s constitutional officers. I started my career in Market Research at Euromonitor Consultancy and subsequently worked in Marketing at Morgan Stanley Asset Management. Subsequent to that, I owned and operated an organic dinner delivery service.

Family:
I have lived in Greenwich for 25 years with my husband, Jaideep. We raised our four adult daughters (Kieran, Anjali, Sophie and Aaliya) here.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
My daughter, Sophie, serves as Outreach Manager for Congressman Jim Himes.

Previous public office, appointive or elective:
I was elected to represent the 149th district in 2022 and served on the Appropriations Committee; Government, Administration, and Elections Committee; and the Transportation Committee.
Prior to running for state office, I served for four years on the Greenwich town legislative body, the Representative Town Meeting. I have a long history of community engagement and advocacy serving the Parkway School PTA and non-profit organizations in town that I have continued after my service as State Representative.

Why are you seeking this office?
I’m running because I love Greenwich but I know it can be so much better with real leadership. We can’t maintain excellence by ignoring the upkeep of our town’s treasures - such as our schools, our municipal buildings, our recreational facilities - many of which are from the last century. We can maintain these assets while keeping our taxes low with planning and leadership, which I am ready to provide. I know how to bring home state funds to get things done and will continue to fight for our town to improve the quality of life and safety of town residents.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it:
Years of deferred maintenance and lack of long-term planning have left us with a large backlog of capital projects that we can’t continue to ignore. We need to develop a plan that’s more than year-to-year, so that we can keep our schools, municipal buildings, recreational facilities and flood management infrastructure in good working condition while keeping our taxes low and avoiding costly emergencies.

The first step would be to engage with town departments and the community to create a strategic plan. We need to be much more proactive in seeking state and federal funding for our town projects. During my tenure as a state representative, I demonstrated how this can be done by bringing millions for school and traffic safety projects in town and I plan to bring that know-how to Town Hall.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
I am a proactive leader. I delivered exactly what I promised voters I would during my service as State Representative. In just two years, I brought back nearly $100 million to my district for our schools, road and pedestrian safety improvement projects, and for nonprofits.

I have a demonstrated record of working in a productive fashion with colleagues, in a manner that is respectful, civil, and actively engaged and I will continue to do that. I will listen to and collaborate with members of the community in an open and transparent way to deliver solutions that reflect our town’s values and interests.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?
An issue that is of particular concern to me is traffic and pedestrian safety throughout the town. People want to get to work; families want their kids to be able to walk to school; people want to be able to ride their bikes safely; and older adults want to be able to find parking so they can participate in our fantastic senior center programs.

Residents are asking town leaders to make these issues a priority. We need to be resourceful as a town in finding funding opportunities, and we need someone to take charge to solve this issue. I have the experience to do that.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
Several years ago I started competing in triathlons. The experience taught me that with sweat, grit and persistence, I can achieve what I set my mind to. I am willing to do the work and put in the time.

I am extremely proud of my service as State Representative for Connecticut’s 149th district. I succeeded in bringing back nearly $100 million for our local schools, road safety projects, and nonprofits. Specifically, I secured $20 million to rebuild Central Middle School; I revived the long-stalled Glenville corridor traffic safety improvement project with $6.5 million in state funding; obtained funding for repairs to the aging elevators at Greenwich Library; and advocated for increased health and safety protections for CT firefighters, for making early childhood education and care programs more available and affordable to residents, and for improving access to free school meals for students.

I started and ran a small business. I have remained actively involved with the community, organizing community forums and civic engagement with Connecticut’s constitutional officers.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?
"Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them." - Dalai Lama

This quote is what inspired me to run for office. We need leaders who will work to help their constituents, and make a positive impact on people’s lives.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
During my tenure as state representative I continuously engaged with constituents in my district. I regularly hosted coffees with constituents; engaged in a listening tour of the district; and hosted forums with Connecticut’s constitutional officers. I made it my mission to listen to constituents, and have always led with respect for people with different opinions and trying to understand what is on people’s minds. That’s what public service is.