We haven’t heard from Mayor Segarra since we learned last week that UTC is leaving Hartford. Ultimately, companies are going to do what they decide is in their interest. But we should expect our leaders to work actively and aggressively to retain and grow jobs. On a day-to-day basis, that means reaching out to employers and building relationships with executive leadership day after day. It means working with companies to help them find space that fits their needs here in Hartford. It means picking up the phone, returning calls, being responsive, being a partner. And it also means working hard to get employers invested in the City of Hartford, so that they see Hartford as home.
Recently Forbes ranked the top 200 cities in America that are the “Best Places for Business and Careers.” Hartford came in 142nd, after cities like Springfield, MA and Newark, NJ that don’t have our combination of a diverse, creative, and committed citizenry and prime location in the region. I think we can all agree that we can do better, but it’s going to take a change in leadership to make that happen.