McNamara, Seeking Second Term, Announces Priorities
In a press statement, endorsed Democratic candidate for City Council in Ward 4, Ald John McNamara (D-4) has announced that his, “key priorities for city government over the next two years include affordable housing and fair taxes, neighborhood flood relief, equitable funding for schools and safer streets.”
Ald McNamara is running for his second term on the Council, after being elected in 2023. In his first term, he was elected as the Majority Leader of the Council, and serves on the Council committees for Administration, Finance, Law & Public Services, Planning, Zoning & Housing and Audit.
On housing and taxes, Ald McNamara said, “Services for unhoused individuals and families have been stretched to the limit in New Britain. The executive director of the Friendship Service Center records increasing numbers of residents displaced because of higher rents.”
McNamara says that he wants to encourage affordable housing developments, as well as strengthen the Fair Rent Commission, “to include tenant unions at large, multi unit apartments” and enhance code enforcement.
“While the current city administration touts luxury units with 26-year tax breaks coming on the market,” McNamara says, “affordable housing is hard to find even for those with vouchers (Section 8).”
Saying he wants to advance neighborhood flood relief, McNamara said that he wants the city to prioritize, “addressing stormwater/sewage problems caused by a dilapidated infrastructure is a priority in my ward and throughout the city. Heavy rains have repeatedly caused flooding, public health risks and damages to certain neighborhoods over the last three years, including mine. For years City Hall turned a deaf ear to neighborhoods hit by damage to property and public health, but some progress has been made.”
“Stormwater upgrades need to be at top of the capital improvement list along with advancing green infrastructure,” McNamara said. “Over the last two years funds have been secured to address the issue in the Overlook-McKinley neighborhood and efforts are accelerating to raise remaining funds in the Allen Street-Belvidere neighborhood through the efforts of the city’s legislative delegation.”
On education McNamara noted that, “At $16,814 per pupil New Britain ranks 160th in CT in local aid, below the state median of $21,676. Over 12 years local school aid has been flat funded in the current Mayor’s budgets. Education needs to be a greater priority in future budgets,” also advocating for statewide education funding reform and ending, “over-reliance on property taxes.”
McNamara also discussed traffic safety, saying that, “The Common Council took the first step of the Vision Zero initiative last December by adopting a Council resolution, introduced by Assistant Majority Leader Iris Sanchez (D-3),” to accept federal funding and develop a safety plan to reduce road injuries and fatalities. He also noted that the Council approved an ordinance to use automated traffic enforcement safety devices to promote safety. “Democrats look forward to implementation of traffic calming measures to curb speeding and dangerous driving and reach the Vision Zero goals.”
“Council Democrats have sought to restore checks and balances to City Hall with more transparency in budgeting and to make municipal government more responsive to neighborhood needs during this term,” McNamara said, adding, “More progress can be made by electing a Democratic Mayor and a stronger Democratic majority on the Council and Board of Education this year.”
McNamara announced his priorities to supporters at an event at Roma Sports Bar & Grill last week.
McNamara and former Ald Luz Ortiz-Luna are the endorsed Democratic candidates for Council in Ward 4. Incumbent Ald Neil Connors (D-4), who was not re-endorsed, is attempting to petition for a September primary for one of the two seats to be nominated by Democrats.
