Mayor Bronin Talks Regionalization, Job Creation at Rising Star Breakfast

Newly-elected Hartford mayor Luke Bronin was the featured speaker at yesterday's Metro Hartford Alliance’s Rising Star Breakfast at Infinity Hall in downtown Hartford. Mayor Bronin talked about the need for regionalization, as well as the need to grow Hartford’s economy and create better jobs.

“We have to think and act like a region,” Bronin said, adding that operating as individual towns is an outdated model.

Regional cooperation is something the Hartford Foundation and our partners have been researching for several years, as part of our Metro Hartford Progress Points initiative. In order to achieve prosperity, the Greater Hartford region needs to work together to provide better schools, better jobs, and stronger neighborhoods.

Greater Hartford has been experiencing a population shift from the city to the suburbs ever since the end of World War II. However, people living in the suburbs continue to commute into Hartford for work. They also, as Mayor Bronin stated in this morning’s speech, benefit from Hartford-based employers, cultural resources and nightlife, hospitals and other social services. 

Bronin encouraged suburban residents to "come home to Hartford," either for a night out or to invest and live in the city.

Mayor Bronin also addressed the need for economic development during his speech and follow-up Q&A. Creating access to better jobs will be vital to our region’s success going forward. Connecticut’s economy relies on a skilled workforce, and the need for high skilled workers will continue to grow over the next decade. Most Hartford residents work outside the city limits, though, reinforcing the need for a better transportation network and transit-oriented development in the region.

Our work in this area is ongoing and far from complete. However, we do believe that by having an open discussion and working together, Metro Hartford – government, businesses, nonprofits, faith and community organizations, and individuals – can make real progress on the issues facing our region.

We encourage you to download the Metro Hartford Progress Points reports from our publications page to learn more, and email progresspoints@hfpg.org with suggestions or comments. Where do you think the city and the suburbs can most effectively work together in the future?