By Jacqueline Stoughton
New Britain mayor Tim O’Brien presented a vision of an integrated university and city as part of his campaign to be re-elected.
The mayor’s opponent, Erin Stewart, is campaigning to help CCSU students to be more involved with the New Britain community, in the form of creating more internships and co-ops. O’Brien says he wants to do this as well, but in the form of a more advanced plan.
“CCSU could really take advantage of the busway going in right now to grow into downtown New Britain like it never has before,” says O’Brien. “There is already a CCSU presence in downtown New Britain, but it’s now going to be practical with the bus way.”
“What the city’s ambition for that future is seeing increased classroom space in the downtown, and to have entire academic departments located downtown,” says O’Brien. “We’re also very interested in bringing student residences downtown. This would be a really good opportunity for CCSU students and for our cities economic growth.”
With CCSU being so isolated from most of the city, O’Brien says moving a part of the campus footprint downtown, including residences, will allow students to be able to have the full college experience, something that is somewhat limited to them now.
“A lot of what we’ve been talking about doing have been very serious topics, but we’ve also spent a lot of time and energy in making our community life fun. That’s a serious part of our work,” says O’Brien. He wants to create new festivals and improve the existing in the downtown area, and making all the fun aspects of the city available and more accessible to CCSU students. “There are a lot of things to do, a lot of things to see, a lot of things to be apart of. I would like CCSU students now and in the future to be apart of that,” said O’Brien.
A primary concern to O’Brien, as a state legislator, has been that Connecticut’s state money is unfairly distributed between the state universities.
“UConn is a great source of pride for the state, so politically it tends to get the emphasis when funding time comes,” said O’Brien. “I’m right there in agreement that CCSU and the other state universities and community colleges are sometimes not given the emphasis that they should be.”
These institutions are about the education of average people, explained O’Brien. He believes that they should be supported as an important part of our states future.
Along with improving opportunities for CCSU students, one of the main points Stewart has campaigned for is lowering the city’s taxes. This is a task O’Brien has already been consistently working on throughout his first term as city mayor.
“The truth is I have not increased city taxes,” said O’Brien. “The best way to moderate the city’s taxes is to find ways to grow our economy.” O’Brien explained that citizens as voters need to clarify with politicians what services will be cut when they decrease the city’s revenue.
“I have been supporting quality education, paving city roads, hiring police officers, fixing our city parks and doing investments such as street scape improvements, all of which have been enabling our cities economy to grow into the future,” said O’Brien.
Another issue the mayor will continue to address are the city ordinances that he enacted last year.
“People need to understand there are residential neighborhoods in many areas of the city,” said O’Brien. “I think that we need to realize that there’s a sense of respectfulness about your fellow human beings that shouldn’t require city ordinances, but sometimes do.”
O’Brien explained that there needs to be opportunities where students can live that are more conducive to the lifestyle they prefer. “This is why having student residences downtown is a much better idea,” said O’Brien
“A certain amount of a party environment is bad in a single family neighborhood but would make an urban city very vibrant and a pleasant place to be,” said O’Brien. “This is about good city planning, and is something we can work to accomplish together.”
Having grown up in New Britain, and graduated from Central Connecticut State University, O’Brien is hoping to continue the efforts he has made in the past two years to assist in the growth and advancements of New Britain.
“Mayor O’Brien has met the challenges of being left with a large deficit and a city in disrepair,” said Rick Melita, the O’Brien Campaign Spokesman. “He’s met those challenges with strong leadership, and deserves a second term.”
Beginning as a city alderman in 1997, O’Brien later won a seat on the City Council, where he advocated for various workers rights and representing neighborhoods. By 2002, the Connecticut state reapportionment merged two New Britain districts together, leaving an open seat in the House of Representatives, which O’Brien successfully won.
As a state legislature, O’Brien worked for nine years on issues such as property tax return and health care reform. He also continued his efforts for workers rights, fixing equity issues at the state level, and gaining state aid for the city.
“Even though I was very excited about my work as a state legislature, there were a lot of things back home in New Britain that I felt were important to address,” said O’Brien. “Such as having a strong organized economic development policy so we could move New Britain into a strong economy; which the people of New Britain really deserve.”
If reelected as the Mayor of New Britain, O’Brien says the first things on his to-do list include building the economy and creating jobs for the future, focusing on the cities industrial development and building up the city’s downtown area, and continuing to invest in education.
“We need to have an organized, coherent plan to make New Britain a great place to live for everyone,” said O’Brien.
hux • Nov 4, 2013 at 1:47 pm
Central is unlikely to locate academic departments downtown. It's better for the students to have academics in one central location. But there are some things the city can do.
— Create bikes lanes from CCSU to downtown, and in other locations. Does New Britain have any bike lanes? Many students do use bicycles, and New Britain can be lot more accommodating to students by ensuring that they can ride safely on the major routes. Many urban areas are putting in bike lanes, and that alone encourages bicycle commuting.
— Build a bus shelter facility, with security, near the new busway and include secure parking for bicycles.
— Install more bike locking stations throughout downtown.
— Make New Britain more hospitable to the students. Focus on their needs. Why? Because many CCSU grads will remain in Central Connecticut as they start their careers. The data supports that. Check with the Alumni office. Work to keep these grads in New Britain. Develop low-cost housing in downtown, studios and one-bedrooms, near the bus lines.
.
The real asset that CCSU bring to New Britain are its students. Think about them. The old model of trying to squeeze more money out the state legislature for capital funding has run its course. By creating an environment that supports students post-graduation, New Britain can build a stronger community and more lively downtown area.
Every mayor in the last 30 years has tried to encourage CCSU to increase its presence. CCSU has made a modest contribution to that end, but to little effect.
Young people are New Britain's greatest future asset. Encourage them to remain here.
stanleystreet • Oct 31, 2013 at 9:05 am
There are statements in this article that are untrue, to put it mildly. 1. Tim O'Brien did not grow up in New Britain. 2. Taxes went up. If my reval decreased my property value yet I am still paying the same or higher tax, that is a tax increase. 3. Tim O'Brien did not graduate from college. Why didn't you tell us what ordinances were enacted? The 'landlord fee' levied only on out of town landlords? Why were they unfairly singled out- um, because they don't vote? Then hiring a PR firm to explain this stuff to residents at the tune of $100,000? Didn't see the word 'blight' anywhere, surprising. His proposal of a 911 hot spot fee- penalizing people for calling 911 too often? "City's", not "cities". His budget lines anticipating doubling and tripling of marriage license and parking fee income to the city? His back door dealing to get Oktoberfest off the ground at the last minute- signing an 8 year contract with local restaurant owner to run the yet-unproven event? Counting on the parking garage fees for the city profit for the event and then unilaterally making the parking free when he realized people just weren't going to attend? His COSTCO flip-flop? His calling of emergency meetings of his council on non-emergency issues simply to avoid the requirement of public debate as in a regular meeting? Lying, outright lying repeatedly, about getting HUD funds to pay the salary of the community organizer he hired? Stealing Halloween event from local businessperson who successfully got an event off the ground solely with support of local individuals and businesses- as in, with no government 'help'? As landlord of the first floor of the new police station, a sweetheart deal to a crony (already tens of thousands behind in city taxes) of $542/mo rent for the ice cream parlor ($1083 after year two) – and the city is doing the 'build-out' for it as well? HUH? Ending any open door / open office hours at the mayor's office? Putting a gag order on all of city hall not to talk to a local newspaper NBCJ? Even if you only believe half of what I've written here, you have to agree that something stinks in New Britain.
Nick Mercier • Oct 31, 2013 at 8:10 am
Just a few corrections that need to be made. O’Brien did not grow up in NB. Personally I don’t think it matters, but if he said he did in an interview he is lying. Second, O’Brien did not graduate from CCSU or any other college. He attended CCSU for a semester or two and then dropped out.
Finally, O’Brien raised taxes. The tax rate went up 20%. This affects the rent of every CCSU student. Register your car in New Britain? Taxes went up there too. On top of that, the mayor is raising every imaginable fee and fine on the books.