New Britain Common Council's Ward 2 Offers Fresh Faces Vs. Experience

Oct. 22--NEW BRITAIN -- In the Ward 2 campaign, Democrats are banking on two longtime incumbents, while Republicans are putting up a pair of first-time candidates.

The race pits Majority Leader Tonilynn Collins and Assistant Majority Leader Adam Platosz against GOP newcomers Jerrell Hargraves and Kristian Rosado.

Democrats hold a 9-6 edge on the common council and want to increase that to at least 10-5, which would give them a supermajority and the power to override some of Republican Mayor Erin Stewart's decisions.

Republicans have chipped away at the Democratic lead for the past two elections, and want to narrow the gap further or even win a GOP majority. It that happens, it would be the first time in recent memory for a Republican mayor and a Republican council to be elected.

All four gave a range of answers to a recent questionnaire from The Courant about their positions on the biggest challenges facing the city, the prospects of a budget increase and potential new ways to capitalize on CTfastrak.

Platosz, a 63-year-old retired data processing worker, tends to be a fiscally conservative vote within his caucus, but he also is more likely than most of his colleagues to challenge Republican initiatives.

He said a tax increase should only be a last resort. New Britain could save money with health insurance pool for its workers, he said, but called it a prospect "that the Stewart administration refuses to consider." Platosz calls rising debt the city's biggest risk, and wants Stewart to use some of her newly declared surplus to pay down some bonds.

Platosz says New Britain should seek state or federal funds to provide a CTfastrak shuttle bus linking the downtown station with Little Poland, the parks, the museums and other attractions.

Rosado, 33, describes himself as a banquet event server and a minister. He says the city could afford to raise its budget in 2016 if necessary because Stewart built the fund balance, giving a little cushion to the usually bare-bones municipal finances.

He credits Stewart with restoring pride to New Britain, which he calls the biggest task for city government. An ethical and transparent administration that works in a bipartisan manner is vital to rebuilding public perception of the city, he said.

Rosado suggests expanding on CTfastrak's presence by adding more pedestrian-friendly developments that will attract additional visitors and tourism dollars.

Collins, 56, is a bookkeeper with the city water department and an 11-year veteran of the council. She said there's no way to avoid a budget increase in 2017 to accommodate new labor contracts, but said she expects it to be small and that Stewart will be able to cover it with the new revenue from last year's 11 percent tax increase.

She cites school funding as the city's chief challenge, and promised to advocate for more state aid. She wants New Britain to get more out of CTfastrak by attracting entertainment venues, drawing more businesses and arranging more redevelopment of old buildings along the corridor, though she offered no specific strategies.

Hargraves, a 26-year-old attendance officer, served for a year on the city's ethics commission.

He said he opposes a budget increase. Since the city has a surplus this year, a growing grand list and new labor contracts with health savings accounts to save insurance premiums, there should be no reason for a budget increase, he said.

He, too, sees the negative public image of downtown as New Britain's biggest challenge. He says improvement work needs to continue even after the new Central Park and streetscape work is done.

Hargraves thinks the city is getting full benefit from CTfastrak downtown, but he wants more efforts to market land around the East Street and East Main Street stations for small restaurants and shops.

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