The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
What mayors want from the state’s next governor
We asked the mayors of Connecticut’s seven largest cities what urban policies they’d like to see from Connecticut’s next governor. Here’s what they said.
Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim
Fully fund Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) grants that replace revenue lost from non-taxable properties.
State assumes cities’ interest payments on pension obligations in exchange for cities reducing their tax rates.
Fund more brownfield clean-up projects.
New Haven Mayor Toni Harp
Fully fund PILOT grants. Allow cities an alternative revenue source such as sales tax revenue redistributed regionally based on population.
Increase funding for programs addressing mental illness and drug addiction.
Stamford Mayor David Martin
Fix the state’s structural budget deficits.
Fund improvements to Interstate 95 and MetroNorth.
Attract a STEM university to lower Fairfield County.
Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin
Improve the rail system so New Haven is within one hour of New York City.
Increase the use of economic development organizations such as the Capitol Region Development Authority to leverage private investment in cities.
Fully fund PILOT grants.
Waterbury Chief of Staff to the Mayor Mackenzie DeMac
Fully fund the Education Cost Sharing formula grants to municipalities.
Fund more brownfield clean-up projects.
Increase funding for job training programs.
Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling
Decrease reliance on property tax and increase use of other revenue streams.
Implement the transportation lockbox so improvements can be funded.
Reform the Educational Cost Sharing grants formula.
Danbury
Mayor Mark Boughton
Limit unfunded mandates imposed by state onto municipalities by requiring a two-thirds majority of the Legislature to pass a mandate that would require municipal spending.
Eliminate or replace the motor vehicle tax.
Encourage regional revenue sharing and service delivery first voluntary, then mandatory.