Pledges to Bring Leadership, Accountability,
and Action to Hartford City Hall
(HARTFORD, CT) — In an open letter to city residents, Luke Bronin today announced that he is running to be Hartford’s next mayor.
“Our city stands at a moment of opportunity and promise,” writes Luke. “But we also face tremendous challenges, and we’ve let too many opportunities slip away.
“What we need is a mayor who gets down into the messy details of governing day after day, who constantly demands the best from the team at City Hall, and who holds people accountable. We need leadership, accountability, and action.”
In addition to the letter, Luke rolled out three areas of immediate focus for the campaign:
- Growing Jobs: “Increasing economic opportunities for Hartford residents should be the single most important priority for any elected official in Hartford. Jobs are the key to everything that matters in Hartford — making our streets safer, making our neighborhoods stronger, and growing our tax base.”
- Strengthening Our Neighborhoods: “Each of our major avenues and streets — from Albany to Franklin, North Main to Farmington, Blue Hills to Wethersfield — has a rich history as a center of commerce and community. These avenues are arteries that connect us to the region. As Mayor, I would prioritize revitalizing these streets and supporting the small businesses that make them thrive.”
- Closing the Achievement Gap: “Today, Hartford is at a crossroads when it comes to education. For thousands of Hartford’s kids, magnet schools have created opportunities that weren’t there ten or fifteen years ago. But we’ve also created a two-tiered system, where too many children are in schools that haven’t gotten the attention or investment they deserve. Hartford’s children deserve better. We must focus on making our neighborhood schools institutions of opportunity.”
Luke also pledged to run a campaign based on an open and sustained dialogue with Hartford residents. “Over the next ten months, I’m going to talk with as many fellow Hartford residents as possible — knocking on doors, meeting with groups at people’s homes or in community centers, and making phone calls.”
Steve Harris, the spokesperson for the 5th District Democratic Town Committee, applauded Luke’s decision: “It’s encouraging to see new, energetic leadership emerging in Hartford, and I’m glad to see Luke stepping up. I’ve worked with Luke while he was the Governor’s counsel, and I think he’s someone who listens and responds and will try to make the kind of change we need for our community.”
Celestino Jimenez, a member of the 3rd District Town Committee and the Democratic State Central Committee, said today: “This election can’t be about one community versus another — it’s got to be about what’s best for Hartford and about who is the best person to make city hall run effectively. The reason I’m supporting Luke is simple: I think he’s the right person for the job.”
“I like Luke!,” said Ellen Nurse, the spokesperson for the 4th District Democratic Town Committee. “I’ve known him for ten years, and he’s the right candidate at the right time for Hartford. If you’ve got a strong mayor form of government, you need a strong mayor who’s ready to make tough decisions and follow through, and I think that’s the kind of Mayor Luke will be.”
“I’ve spoken with a number of potential candidates for Mayor, and I’ve spoken with a lot of residents in the seventh district and elsewhere, and I’ve come to two conclusions: First, people believe we need a change in Hartford. Second, people who’ve had a chance to talk with Luke like him, trust him, and believe that he can do the job. And so do I,” said Lou Watkins, member of the 7th District Democratic Town Committee.
The campaign also launched a website where residents can learn more about Luke, and Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter accounts. Those interested in seeing Luke on the trail can sign up for email alerts, or follow the campaign’s social media to learn when Luke will be in their neighborhood.
Luke Bronin is currently a partner at Hinckley Allen & Snyder LLP. He most recently served as the General Counsel to Governor Dan Malloy and also served in senior positions at the U.S. Department of the Treasury and as an intelligence officer in Afghanistan.
In an effort to drive home his accessibility, Luke took an additional step: “In the meantime, if you haven’t heard from me yet, please feel free to reach out to me. Few candidates give out their personal cell phone number. But here’s mine: 860-929-1185.”
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