After taking over the top job at Hartford City Hall, Mayor Arunan Arulampalam delivered his first State of the City address on Monday.
“I’m proud of what we have already accomplished in the short two and a half months in the city of Hartford and so incredibly excited for the progress over the coming years we will continue to make together,” Arulampalam said.
He laid out plans including when it comes to education, crime and housing.
“To those bad landlords hiding behind a maze of corporate structure, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: We’re coming for you. Your days of exploiting hard-working residents by charging high rates for unsanitary and unsafe rentals are coming to an end,” Arulampalam said.
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Helping to improve blighted buildings and areas was welcomed by community members. Though some wanted to hear more about the future of empty office space in the city.
“How is he going to get them filled or what's the plan? Because there has to be a plan because we cannot just have those building down there without whether it's resident or business. It hurt our city financially,” Hyacinth Yennie, a neighborhood leader, said.
Now, councilors are starting to pour over the mayor’s proposed $624 million budget. Arulampalam said it invests in key priorities without increasing taxes or fees on city services.
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Some wonder how financial plans square with goals laid out in the address.
“I think he touched, obviously, on the right issues, things people care about, tenants’ rights. I was looking at the budget while he was giving the speech. And I think that's where the rubber is going to meet the road,” Josh Michtom, WF – Hartford City Councilman, said.
Among the mayor’s proposals is a new Sports and Recreation Department.
Debate over the budget really gets going in April.
