Support for Merrill Gay for Mayor

By Bobby Berriault

After two terms of Mayor Erin Stewart, I say it’s time for a change in leadership. Under Mayor Stewart, New Britain has seen our property taxes increase by 16%, making New Britain the second highest property taxed town in the state. New Britain has the second lowest performing school system in the state. With one out of four students failing to graduate within four years, and one of the highest-class size ratios and lowest funded system on a per pupil basis, the New Britain Consolidated School District is not being served well especially when our Mayor refuses to allocate any additional funding for our schools despite the nearly 10% growth in municipal government. New Britain has the fourth highest unemployment rate in the state. While some businesses have moved in, many more have left New Britain. Look no further than Mitch’s, Go Ape, Café Beauregard, among many other abandoned store fronts and homes that litter our city as examples. New Britain has seen the slowest grand list growth in the state, with growth a mere 0.9% (compared to Hartford’s grand list growth of 10%). Bottom line: New Britain needs a change.

Merrill Gay is running for Mayor because he wants to make New Britain work for all. He is dedicated, compassionate, mature, experienced, intelligent, and a great listener. He will fight to turn around our school system and make it one of the best in the state. He will protect the environment, enact business friendly policies that create high quality jobs, grow our grand list, make our city government more diverse, defend and protect our natural resources and end the all-out assault on our city assets, and he will work with our neighbors in sharing resources and ideas in lowering the financial burden that the taxpayer’s bare. Merrill opposed the sale of the Patton Brook Well on day one, and he opposes the monstrous deal to give away protected wetlands to Tilcon via creating a loophole in our state environmental laws. Merrill is the best candidate for the people, and I encourage everyone to vote Merrill for Mayor on Tuesday November 7th.

Editor’s Note: Bobby Berriault is a Democratic candidate for City Council.