What the mayors want

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 1 Lieu of Taxes ( PILOT) grants that replace revenue lost from nontaxable properties

State assumes cities’ 1 interest payments on pension obligations in exchange for cities reducing their mill rates

Fund more brownfield 1 cleanup projects

New Haven Mayor Toni Harp

Fully fund PILOT grants 1 Allow cities an alterna1 tive revenue source like sales tax revenue redistributed regionally based on population

Increase funding for 1 programs addressing mental illness and drug addiction

Stamford Mayor David Martin

Fix the state’s structural 1 budget deficits

Fund improvements to 1 Interstate 95 and MetroNorth

Attract a STEM universi1 ty to lower Fairfield County

Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin

Improve the rail system 1 so New Haven is within one hour of New York City

Increase the use of eco1 nomic development organizations like the Capitol Region Development Authority to leverage private investment in cities

Fully fund PILOT grants 1

Waterbury Chief of Staff to the Mayor Mackenzie DeMac

Fully fund the Education 1 Cost Sharing formula grants to municipalities

Fund more brownfield 1 cleanup projects

Increase funding for job 1 training programs

Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling

Decrease reliance on 1 property tax and increase use of other revenue streams

Implement the trans1 portation lockbox so improvements can be funded

Reform the Educational 1 Cost Sharing grants formula

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton

Limit unfunded man1 dates 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 1 motor vehicle tax

Encourage regional reve1 nue sharing and service delivery first voluntary, then mandatory