Susan Johnson

Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin joined my weekly public affairs show, “Let’s Talk About It,” to break down the path he took to take Hartford from the edge of bankruptcy to being a very attractive place for businesses. Under Mayor Bronin’s leadership, the city worked with the state to build a long-term fiscal sustainability plan to give Hartford the chance to budget responsibly and grow.
 
The progress our capitol city has made in the past eight years is impressive considering it has less in the way of taxable resources to work with than its surrounding towns. Under state law, nonprofits do not pay property taxes, yet the city provides for all the residents and businesses. We need our cities to be strong centers to help drive economic growth, housing opportunities, and job development.
 
Bronin has a clear vision in the last six months of his tenure as mayor. He wants to accelerate a movement to turn downtown Hartford into a neighborhood with many more residential units. He also wants to strengthen the youth service corps to help get thousands of young people a paid job or mentorship. Bronin is also working on strengthening the city’s Reentry Welcome Center to help more individuals get back up on their feet when they return to the community.
 
Please click below to listen to the entire show!

Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin discusses the city's recent growth.