Join Team Fonfara Today

I’m Senator John Fonfara, and I’m running to be the next Mayor of Hartford. 

If you know me, you know I don’t seek the limelight or publicity. It’s not what motivates me. But I love this city. I was born here, grew up in Rice Heights, attended neighborhood schools including Moylan, McDonough, and Bulkeley High, and went to college here. And after graduating, I decided to dedicate my adult life to making Hartford a better place to live.

What I love is tackling the big problems – the kind that most people shy away from or think can’t ever be solved. That’s how, as state senator, I turned around the finances of the State of Connecticut, when we were broke, and everyone said we always would be. It’s how I stood up to save Hartford from bankruptcy when they said we were going to be the next Detroit. And when they came back the following year to try to take it all away from us. 

What I love is tackling the big problems – the kind that most people shy away from or think can’t ever be solved.

When others sought attention, I went to work: securing funds to build the new Park St. library, renovating the PAL’s Williams St. Youth Center, and locating the new Boy’s and Girl’s Club in the neighborhood in greatest need. I went to work funding Downtown, Hartford’s fastest-growing residential community, and keeping a federally qualified health center open for longer hours. And I went to work for our children, funding the Science Center to allow Hartford’s children to see and dream what they might not otherwise.

A goal that every child will have been in preschool, every 5-year-old ready for kindergarten, and every middle schooler introduced to Prince Tech and college and career opportunities. Tutors and mentors in every school preparing every student to succeed at the college of their choice. Job training sites and transportation to workplaces. Pipelines to employment to our three major hospitals, and finance and insurance industry.

Anything short of this commitment will mean we will only continue to manage the status quo. I am running for mayor because our most valuable asset – our people - deserve better than that. I am ready for this challenge. With your support and that of the voters, we will meet it.

Sincerely,

Senator John Fonfara

You may be asking yourself why I’ve decided to run for mayor now? Because what I believe Hartford needs most cannot be accomplished from the office I hold but can be from the office I seek.

What do I believe Hartford needs most? A commitment of Hartford’s government, led by its mayor, to invest in our most important asset – our people. From birth through adulthood, we must make the education and skill level of our residents the #1 priority of this city. It is far from that today.

Every issue facing Hartford, blight, poor housing conditions, low homeownership rates, gun violence, empty storefronts, high property taxes are the result of this lack of commitment.