EDITORIAL: Thank You, CEOs. Details, Please?

March 03--Not all of Hartford's problems can be solved with $50 million, but the generous assistance from the city's three major insurance companies will surely help, not least by showing faith in the city and its mayor, Luke Bronin.

The chief executives of Aetna, Travelers and The Hartford have pledged $10 million a year for the next five years. For a city that's facing annual budget deficits of $50 million, that money can ease many burdens. The companies deserve gratitude for coming to Hartford's rescue. Maybe this gift will quell the bankruptcy talk.

The gift is about more than money, of course. It shows the commitment of Hartford's key corporations to their city (no small thing in a state worried about losing companies). It emphasizes that investing in one's home is a civic responsibility. Every Hartford stakeholder should write the CEOs a personal thank-you note.

The gift also serves as an invitation for the state to invest in the city as well.

But one part of the gift needs more details. The CEOs say their assistance is "conditioned" on "a comprehensive and sustainable solution for Hartford -- a solution that allows the city to stabilize its finances and support quality services." Just what does that mean? So far, there's no explanation. The word "conditioned" gives pause, but if the CEOs are trying to ensure their investment isn't squandered on exorbitant perks and questionable development projects, the conditions would make sense. They ought to make clearer just what they expect.

The few hints they gave in their Courant op-ed was to focus their investment on "important community institutions like the Hartford Public Library, city law enforcement and recreation centers." Hear, hear. The police force badly needs more officers. The library is the soul of the city, one that offers services people might have no other way of getting. Rec centers make for strong communities.

"This is a powerful expression that [the CEOs] see the success of Hartford as important to the strength of their companies," Mayor Bronin said. The city's success is equally important to the strength of the region and to Connecticut.

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