Democratic Rep. Bobby Sanchez (D-25) has made it official – announcing that he is running to be the next Mayor of New Britain.
Rep. Sanchez was joined at his announcement by Democratic state legislators, including Sen Rick Lopes (D-6), Rep. Peter Tercyak (D-26), Rep. Hilda Santiago (D-84), Rep. Geraldo Reyes (D-75) and Rep. Emmanuel Sanchez (D-24). He was also joined by Democratic City Council members, including Ald. Francisco Santiago (D-5), Ald. Iris Sanchez (D-3), Ald. Chris Anderson (D-AL), Ald. Richard Reyes (D-AL) and Ald. Aram Ayalon (D-3), as well as City Treasurer Ron Jakubowski (D).
In announcing his candidacy, Rep. Sanchez said,
Our City needs an executive branch that believes in our teachers, a leader who believes in funding public education, and a leader who believes in the resiliency of New Britain residents and bringing equity to our neighborhoods that have been underserved for decades.
“I have done everything I can as the Chair of the Education Committee in Hartford,” Rep. Sanchez added, “but it is still not enough for New Britain. We need a tested leader in our executive office that shares these values and isn’t afraid to make tough decisions.”
“Our current leadership has failed our future,” Rep. Sanchez said, discussing underfunding by the city of education, budgets balanced by borrowing that, “kick the can to the next generation to deal with,” and an “abysmal” city response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I am running for you,” Rep. Sanchez said, “for everyone in these neighborhoods that have been forgotten for decades. I am running for Mayor, for our taxpayers, who need to not face the future’s financial burdens due to irresponsible debt refinancing.”
“The path we are on right now, “Rep. Sanchez said,” will perpetuate the inequity we see in our Black, brown and Hispanic communities and further place the burden on those taxpayers.”
Saying that the people of New Britain need a voice at the table, Rep. Sanchez said, “I am running to be that voice.”
Rep. Sanchez discussed plans ahead to run a strong campaign and announced that his campaign has raised $30,000 for his exploratory committee as he was considering running for Mayor, “A testament,” he said,” to a grassroots movement for change.”
Rep. Sanchez announced his candidacy for Mayor Tuesday at the Borinqueneers Monument, which his campaign said is,
an historical symbol of the valiant efforts and sacrifices of the 65th Infantry Regiment which was formed in 1920 and served in a number of wartime efforts including World War I, World War II, and the Korean War
The Monument was built with state funding brought to the city by Rep. Sanchez.
“I’ve had the privilege of serving in the People’s House with Rep. Sanchez for the past five years,” said Rep. Reyes, a Waterbury legislator who is the Chair of the legislature’s Black and Puerto Rican Caucus. “Bobby is a tremendous public servant, New Britain is in a unique position to open the process up and have an educational champion running for Mayor.”
“After eight years of our current mayor,” Sen. Lopes said, “New Britain has gone from an underperforming educational district to dead last in the State. In addition, during this horrible pandemic year this city was faced with mediocre leadership that left us among the highest in infections and dead last in vaccinations. We need a new mayor that will lead this city with a commitment to change the status quo.”
At his announcement event, Rep. Sanchez noted that, “education has been flat-funded for the past five municipal budgets.” In recent weeks, he has very publicly criticized incumbent Republican Mayor Erin Stewart when she doubled-down recently on her longstanding policy of flat-funding the city’s schools. Stewart has been widely criticized for comments she made during her most recent “state of the city” speech that, “what I will not do is blindly throw additional tax dollars into a massive bureaucracy that is failing our students.” Rep. Sanchez lead a public challenge to Stewart’s comments and called for increasing the city’s funding for the schools’ annual budgets.
“I am standing here today,” Rep. Sanchez said, in announcing his candidacy for Mayor, “because many of our neighborhoods have been ignored. And I am here to bring equity back to New Britain.”
Saying that the people his campaign represents, “haven’t had a seat at the table in over eight years,” Rep. Sanchez said that, “it is not public service is we aren’t serving all.”
Rep. Sanchez said that public service is about, “meeting people where they are at, listening to their issues and working toward a common goal where everyone in New Britain can access the resources they need and live a good life.”
“If you believe in what I believe in,” Rep. Sanchez said, “and share these values—New Britain residents join this campaign to elect the first Hispanic Mayor of New Britain. Let’s make history.”
