Luke Bronin, former general counsel to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, won an easy victory in Hartford’s mayoral race. Unofficial results have him winning overwhelmingly against weak opposition from Republican opponent Theodore Cannon and petitioning candidates Joel Cruz Jr. and Patricia Smith.
Bronin in effect locked up his victory in the general election when he defeated incumbent Mayor Pedro Segarra in the September Democratic primary. Segarra decided not to pursue an independent candidacy after being defeated 55 percent to 45 percent.
The 36-year old candidate proved adept at fundraising. According to published reports, he raised more than $1 million in his first shot at elected office.
“I’ll be reaching out very quickly to the business community, asking them to be partners in our effort to strengthen and revitalize Hartford,” Bronin told The Hartford Business Journal after winning his primary. “I would like to seek their expertise and their perspective. But I also want to make sure they know they have a partner. I also want to have their partnership in some initiatives that are going to be very important to me … “
On the city’s property-tax system, which significantly hinders private investment by taxing commercial property owners at a higher rate (74.29 mills) than residential property owners, Bronin said it will take time to fix. “Obviously, over the longer term we have to get Hartford into a position where we are decreasing the mill rate, and therefore decreasing the tax burden on commercial and residential properties alike. But that’s going to take some time and a lot of work,” Bronin said.
The new mayor, prior to his election, said he sees potential in promoting development through the city’s enterprise zones. Generally, such zones provide funding, tax breaks, reduced regulation, or other incentives to encourage investment in infrastructure improvements, job creation, among other things. “I think it starts with outreach to employers and businesses all around the state and the country and seeing who’d entertain the possibility of coming to Hartford. And then you figure out what the right proposal needs to look like.,” he said.
