Mayor Pedro Segarra made the right decision to bow out of Hartford’s mayoral race. Voters sensed it was time for change, and new leadership is needed to bring the Capital City to greater heights.
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Mayor Pedro Segarra made the right decision to bow out of Hartford's mayoral race. Voters sensed it was time for change, and new leadership is needed to bring the Capital City to greater heights.
Segarra's mayoral tenure was marked by ups and downs, but he deserves credit for bringing stability to an office that was marred by the corruption scandal of Eddie Perez. On the economic development front, Segarra made his mark early by advocating and overseeing in 2010 the teardown of the Butt Ugly Building, which stood as an eyesore on Main Street for years.
There have been a lot of other positive developments under Segarra's watch: UConn decided to move its regional campus to downtown Hartford; Trinity College and the University of St. Joseph established and/or grew beachheads in the center city; countless new apartment projects are underway and/or nearing completion; more employers are interested in a downtown Hartford presence; the long-awaited Front Street Entertainment District finally blossomed and has become a popular destination.
In fairness, state aid helped support many of these projects but they still happened under Segarra's watch. Segarra also deserves credit for bringing a new minor league baseball stadium and team to the city, although the jury is still out on whether that development will be an economic boon or boondoggle.
The recent spike in gun violence and what many considered poor management at times, were black marks on Segarra's record, but he is leaving the city a better place than it was before he took office. Now, the responsibility will be on Bronin's shoulders to grab the forward-momentum Segarra has left behind, and tackle some of the big issues that are restraining Hartford from reaching its full potential.
Bronin, of course, still hasn't won the general election, but his coronation as mayor essentially happened last Tuesday when Segarra bowed out of the race. Republican Ted Cannon and other third-party candidates still remain challengers in the November election, but they have virtually no shot at derailing Bronin.
Malloy's former general counsel deserves credit for running a great campaign. He received significant support from the business community, and his victory in the Democratic primary will likely boost business' confidence in Hartford's future.
Still, talk, as they say, is cheap. Bronin has enjoyed and flourished in the role of being a Monday morning quarterback, criticizing and second-guessing many of Segarra's decisions, including his handling of the recent spike in gun violence and management of several city agencies, to gain political points. Actually governing and making decisions is a much taller order.
Building a long-term sustainable budget and curbing Hartford's exorbitant commercial property tax rate remain top priorities for the business community, along with reducing poverty and the education gap.
Bronin's effectiveness will be measured on the solutions he brings to bear on those key issues. We wish him luck, because Hartford needs a strong and decisive leader who can build partnerships with myriad constituencies to elevate the burgeoning status of the Capital City.
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