On October 18th, thousands of Bridgeport residents took to the streets to join in national protests against the perceived erosion of democratic governance and civic discourse in our society.
On November 4th, the question will be how many thousands of Bridgeport residents will take to the polls to strengthen Bridgeport’s democratic governance structures and civic discourse?
Bridgeport’s charter, which is the city’s constitution, is on the municipal ballot and very few residents seem aware of the important proposed changes to our system of governance. These changes include ethics accountability, increased checks and balances, and modernization of the Civil Service. Critically, Bridgeport’s charter has not been updated since 1993, a reflection of a political culture that has been anemic to civic debate, transparency, and consensus building.
The revised charter looks to directly address the city’s political stagnation by shifting the dynamics within the municipal government, most notably through several provisions that strengthen the role and capacities of the City Council. The charter establishes a Director of Legislative Services, a full-time position with the responsibility of supporting efforts of the Council members to craft quality, 21st-century legislation.
The charter also empowers the City Council to fill vacancies on city boards and commissions when the mayor fails to do so. For too long, the trope that “there are no qualified candidates to fill these roles” has been used to strangle the participation of qualified citizens in our municipal government. Bridgeport desperately needs new energy and expertise from our residents to break through the inertia of the current political climate and advocate for better planning and policies. The revised charter entrusts the City Council to make sure these boards and commissions no longer languish in functional purgatory.
Beyond the role of the Council, the charter looks to strengthen ethical governance by establishing the first Office of Municipal Ethics in the state. In a city plagued by absentee ballot fraud indictments and a perceived culture of favoritism and nepotism in the awarding of some government jobs, this office is a key step in eradicating unethical behavior and keeping Bridgeport officials and employees accountable for their actions.
Of possible greatest importance to Bridgeport residents may be the modernization of the provisions that govern the Civil Service, or city workforce. The revisions to this section, which contained language that had not been updated for nearly a century, enable a crucial modernization of a system that is designed for a bygone era. For the first time, the charter provides an exhaustive list of officials that are in temporary, appointed positions. The charter also provides clarification as to which positions are permanent and filled through a competitive process open to all qualified applicants. These new civil service provisions aim to modernize government technology, strengthen professional hiring standards, and bolster employee accountability to build public trust in how our city government serves residents.
Bridgeport has long suffered from declining civic participation, engagement, and belief in the fairness of our local government; less than 10% of eligible voters have participated in some recent municipal elections. Viewed from this perspective, the work of the Charter Review Commission is not merely the studied recommendations of 13 informed residents from across the city of Bridgeport. The support of charter reform is a much greater act; it is an affirmation of civic participation and the principle that we as citizens have a voice in shaping the form and structure of our local governance. It is a belief in a new blueprint for Bridgeport’s future.
Please support Bridgeport charter reform. Use your voice to shout no to the status quo and usher in a new era for Bridgeport when you head for the polls on November 4th.
Galen Murray is a Democratic candidate for City Council for Bridgeport’s 130th district.
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