Municipal life

I’m increasingly upset by coverage of the total demolition permit for New Britain’s ‘Stanley Nine’ area east of Curtis Street and South of Myrtle Street. The mayor and one octogenarian factory worker are the primary sources, articles lean heavily toward “let’s get rid of it, it’s an eyesore.”

The New York Times reported last week that Hartford is “teetering on the brink of bankruptcy” — a forecast that didn’t hit me like a freight train.
As The Times noted, the capital city has for decades watched its tax base shrink while “its pension obligations and debts have piled up.” Hartford has all but lost its usefulness. As industries shutter — or in the case of Aetna, relocate to the nearby financial capital of the world — jobs flee subsequently. And it doesn’t help that the municipal government continues to turn its back on residents who don’t live within walking distance of Bushnell Park.

It is so incredibly difficult to accentuate the positive in Connecticut.  Doing so is akin to swimming upstream, climbing uphill, and skiing through a revolving door – combined. In fact, when there is positive evidence staring us in the face, our Nutmeg reflexes kick in automatically.  We shut our eyes, the better not to see the hopeful signs or indicators of progress.

We were looking for a house in West Hartford a quarter century ago, and were surprised to learn that houses closer to the town center were generally less expensive that houses further away. This made no sense to me. I could leave the car in the driveway, walk to stores, restaurants, town hall, gym, library, etc., and enjoy the safety that comes with other people walking by, and pay less? Where do I sign? Indeed, we bought a house in West Hartford Center. For the only time in my life, I was ahead of a trend. People are moving back to city and town centers. Pedestrian proximity is essential; a pillar of a great neighborhood. That’s the thesis of an intriguing new book, “Within Walking Distance: Creating Livable Communities for All,” by New Haven-based writer Philip Langdon.

Did you know that in the United States every year, about 2.7 million cats and dogs have to be euthanized due to the fact that shelters are overpopulated? Connecticut has many animals that end up in shelters and need a forever home. People should consider adopting a pet instead of buying a new family pet for many reasons. If you choose to adopt instead of shop, you can help save an animal’s life. Adopted animals also cost less, and pets that are adopted make a great family pet. Adopting a pet is both beneficial for you and the animal.

Connecticut is in the midst of a financial crisis. The decisions made now will determine whether our state returns to its former glory days, or whether it continues on its present path of job contraction and depopulation as young people and retirees flee. The first step in bringing back Connecticut is to allow Hartford to go bankrupt. This will send a message to other big spending municipalities and the state itself that the party is over.

Last week, House and Senate Democrats announced a budget proposal that, among other things, would tax and regulate marijuana. As a Hartford City Councilor, this was welcome news. Back in March, I submitted a resolution to support marijuana legalization as a way to generate revenue for our struggling cities that would not increase tax rates. But more importantly, marijuana legalization would create jobs and business opportunities for our youth, something Connecticut needs even more than revenue.

When Oscar the Grouch so wisely exclaimed, “It’s called garbage can, not garbage cannot!” he wasn’t just referring to his treasured home on Sesame Street, but to the abundant source of life living – and working – in our garbage to help process our food waste, improve sustainability, reduce landfills and ultimately, help feed the hungry.

We commend policymakers who are seeking to keep young, talented, well-educated professionals in Connecticut by giving them a tax credit if they stay. But there is a less expensive, more effective way to accomplish that goal: lower the cost of housing.