New Haven Register (Sunday) (New Haven, CT)
Mayoral candidate: ‘We have to become Westies again’
WEST HAVEN — The city of West Haven has given Victor Borras more opportunities than he thought possible.
Borras, who described his upbringing as being “in the ghetto” of the Bronx, said his 2007 move to the city with his wife opened his eyes about what is possible.
“We knew this was the place. It was different from where I came from, and it felt comfortable,” he said, after seeing the city’s beach and the supportive community of neighbors.
Borras, a first-term Democratic councilman in the 8th district, has filed candidacy paperwork to run for mayor.
Borras joined the military at 19 and, after returning to civilian life and moving to West Haven, eventually began volunteering around Greater New Haven. In 2017 he began working as a revenue clerk in the city’s tax office, which he said put him more in tune with the problems in the city.
“I can listen to them and actually do something,” he said. “When you are called to lead, you are called to serve.”
In 2017, Borras was part of a committee that organized the first-ever West Haven Latino Cultural Music Festival. Borras, who is Puerto Rican, said the city is a melting pot of many nationalities and ethnic backgrounds, and the city has lacked Hispanic political leadership. He is the only Hispanic councilman and would be the city’s first Hispanic mayor. According to the 2020 Census, Hispanics comprise about a quarter of the city’s population and have been one of the fastest-growing ethnic groups in West Haven.
Besides being the only Hispanic member of the City Council elected in the 2021 election, Borras’ election was more unique in that he was the only candidate to win in the Democratic primary who did not run on Mayor Nancy Rossi’s ticket.
“I’m qualified because I’ve worked hard. My background made me strong and made me who I am today,” he said.
One of the biggest issues facing the city, Borras said, is one of morale.
“I’d love to see unity in West Haven. It’s not just about serving Democrats, but also Republicans and independents and unaffiliateds,” he said. “We’re called Westies. We have to become Westies again.”
The city’s current political environment, he said, is rubbing off on the city’s next generation.
“We need role models for our kids. Teaching kids to respect police and adults,” he said. “That’s something that’s been missing.”
Borras said the mayor of the city should also market the city better to potential developers to bring about more economic development.
“We need to be talking to developers and giving a reason why it should be West Haven, not New Haven or Milford,” he said.
Rossi, who was elected to a third term as mayor in 2021, has not confirmed whether she will seek another term.