Milford Republicans Tap Spalthoff for Mayoral Run

The Milford Republican Town Committee Monday nominated Milford businessman Peter Spalthoff as its candidate to challenge Democratic incumbent Ben Blake in the election for mayor this fall.

“I am humbled and honored to have received the unanimous support of the Republican Party,” Spalthoff writes in an announcement on Milford Patch.

Spalthoff writes that he made several “commitments” at the caucus, including a promise to never attempt “to sell lower taxes to voters when it was done with the help of transferring money from a ‘rainy day fund.’”

He also vowed “to always be transparent in (his) decisions no matter how popular they may or (may) not be.”

This is not the first time Spalthoff has thrown his hat in the ring for Milford mayor. In 2009, he ran on the Independent Party ticket and received 11 percent of the vote.

After 20 years in a management position at People’s Bank, Spalthoff started his own business, PLS Financial Services, in 1994. Two years later he moved it to Milford and renamed the company Shoreline Mortgage.

“We chose Milford over many cities and towns that we visited because we fell in love with the area and the people we came in touch with,” Spalthoff said.

Since moving to town, the Republican candidate, a Vietnam veteran and former Trumbull police officer, has served as the treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce and YMCA, and as a board member of Milford Rotary and Milford Fine Arts, among other positions.

Spalthoff says his “most rewarding experience” since coming to town, however, is a place on the board of the United Way for the last 15 years.

“During the years on the board I have been instrumental in moving the building from Darina Place to our present location on Gulf Street and was the project manager of the move and of building the new facility,” he said.

Spalthoff says his desire to do good for others is a product of his own upbringing.

Born the youngest of five children in a section of East Boston, Spalthoff’s father died when he was 3. He would spend part of the next 15 years in and out of foster homes.

One Christmas of his youth, Spalthoff received socks and underwear when he asked for a baseball glove. The next year he said he became more practical and asked for and was presented with a sweater.

“Thankful for the small things, I vowed then that giving back to others would become part of my very fiber,” Spalthoff said.

Some biographic information included in this report was taken from Spalthoff’s campaign website.