Both Hartford and Springfield are hosting events today marking the inauguration of the cities’ mayors and city councils.

Springfield’s event, which took place at 10:00 am today at Symphony Hall downtown, signaled the start of Mayor Domenic Sarno’s term under the auspices of state control. The text of his speech is below. Look for updates here later today on other coverage.

Hartford’s event, which takes place at 7:00 pm tonight at the Municipal Building downtown (pictured at left), will likewise include a speech by Mayor Eddie Perez.

Today’s Courant has an article by Daniel Goren reviewing the anticipated contents of the talk, including “pride in his administration’s recent accomplishments, hope for the future and anticipation of upcoming challenges.”

From the article:

Perez is expected to urge that economic development serve as the tie to bind the city’s North End to downtown; to push for ways for Hartford to secure affordable health care for its uninsured; and to pledge to determine the future of the Civic Center, now renamed the XL Center.

He is expected to throw his full and urgent support behind Superintendent Steven J. Adamowski’s vision for revamping the city’s troubled school system, and to promise a continued assault on the city’s crime rate.

The mayor faces daunting hurdles: ailing, racially and socially segregated schools; a debilitating perception of violent crime on city streets; and a sputtering revitalization of a once-bustling downtown.

And Perez and his administration also must deal with self-inflicted challenges — notably, a reputation as being aggressive, dictatorial and politically vindictive, and a criminal investigation by a state grand jury into reports of corruption at city hall.

Below is the text for Mayor Sarno’s inaugural speech.

Mayor Domenic Sarno inaugural speech, January 7, 2008

Reverend clergy, members of the Great and General Court of Massachusetts, members of the Springfield City Council and the School Committee, members of the Springfield Finance Control Board, other distinguished public officials, family, friends and fellow citizens of the great city of Springfield.

It is indeed a high honor and a distinct privilege for me to take the oath of office as the 54th mayor of the city of Springfield. I am humbled by and grateful for your confidence in me. I pledge to discharge my new responsibilities with vision, energy, integrity and commitment.

But, before I begin my remarks, let me, on behalf of all Springfield citizens, extend our heartfelt appreciation to my predecessor, Mayor Charles V. Ryan. Charlie, you answered the call when your city needed you. Thank you for steadying the ship. Congratulations on your 10 years of service as our mayor.

Ladies and gentlemen: today represents the dawn of a new era in Springfield. Frankly, our citizens want change. They demand and deserve better performance from their municipal government. And I intend to deliver. Sure, we have had more than our fair share of challenges in the recent past. Some of them were the result of circumstances beyond our control. But some of them were of the self-inflicted variety. Many of these challenges linger even to this day.

Winston Churchill said that “an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” So, call me an optimist. I am not daunted by the challenges we face. To the contrary, I am energized by the numerous exciting opportunities before us.

To many, Springfield is somewhat of an underdog. But most people love it when the underdog rises up and prevails. I am confident that this city can do just that. You know, I am personally familiar with the role of underdog. How many of you really expected to see me standing here today? I am looking forward to radically changing the perception of Springfield by its own citizens and by people across the commonwealth and beyond. Our reputation has been tarnished and I intend to restore it.

My approach to the future is bold and forward-looking: I believe in visionary leadership that sets its sights on achieving nothing less than a new renaissance for this great city. I believe in decisive leadership that takes a “can-do” attitude toward problem solving. I believe in open leadership that is inclusive of all the various dimensions of our community, that capitalizes on our broad diversity, and that treats every single citizen with the respect they deserve. I believe in moral leadership that abides by the very highest ethical standards in everything we do.

And finally, I believe in strong leadership that builds on the sometimes difficult lessons of the past, and presses ever forward to secure a bright future for all of us. In moving forward, we need to leverage our considerable assets:

Our strategic location at the crossroads of New England if not the entire northeastern United States;

Our spectacular frontage on the Connecticut River with a state-of-the-art Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame that stands ready to anchor additional private development on the riverfront [pictured];

Our solid employment base including major private employers such as MassMutual, Baystate Medical Center, Mercy Medical Center, Smith & Wesson and Solutia, as well as hundreds of thriving small businesses;

Our four terrific colleges with great reputations, three of which offer advanced degrees;

Our ever-expanding quadrangle, which is the cultural mecca of Western Massachusetts;

Our beautiful and recently refurbished parks, including Forest Park, the crown jewel of our open space network;

Our rich history that dates from George Washington himself, and magnificent architecture in every neighborhood;

But most of all, our outstanding people who have proven themselves to be resilient in the face of adversity and who are ready to pitch-in to rebuild this city.

Frankly, this wide array of assets is the absolute envy of many communities in New England. Starting today, we need to exploit these assets for all they are worth. To be sure, we have some pressing issues that must be resolved as soon as possible. We need to engage in a multi-faceted, multi-year effort to regain our fiscal autonomy from the commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Springfield Finance Control Board was and is a bitter pill. We have swallowed hard. To the control board’s credit, important progress has been made.

Now, however, we need to prepare and execute a carefully choreographed transition plan that will restore Springfield to self-governance. We need to become, once again, a municipal government that operates on its own, with transparency, fundamental integrity and consistent fiscal discipline.

I have discussed this transition with the governor’s office and with the Secretary of Administration and Finance in Boston [pictured]. I have also had discussions with our legislative delegation and the legislative leadership on Beacon Hill. The reception has been very positive and I look forward to continuing our discussions over the months ahead.

I also intend to work with Chairman [Christopher] Gabrieli and [Executive] Director [Stephen] Lisauskas to prepare a road map for ending the oversight of the control board at the earliest possible moment. We need to identify the specific benchmarks and the concrete actions that are required to regain our autonomy. And, we need to follow this road map precisely and aggressively.

A key element in securing the long-term success of our turnaround will be extending the repayment term of the state’s $52 million interim loan. Since resolving this matter is key to charting our future, we need to put this issue to rest sooner, rather than later.

I understand clearly that we will have to prove to the commonwealth that we have the administrative capacity and the political will to warrant self-governance. My administration will work hard to establish a track record that will inspire the commonwealth’s confidence. I stand ready to collaborate with the City Council and the School Committee to provide supporting evidence in abundance. But fiscal issues are not our only challenge.

Beyond putting our financial house in order, I intend to address five key priorities.

My first priority is public safety. Unfortunately, our citizens continue to lack confidence in the fundamental safety of our city. We will install strong and effective permanent leadership in the Police Department as soon as possible. We will collaborate with the Control Board to find an economically sound way to put 50 additional police officers on our streets. We will continue to implement the very latest in policing techniques in order to rid our streets of the criminal element among us. And we will undertake a concerted effort to deal with the troublesome day-to-day nuisance issues that undermine our quality of life.

My second priority, and it is a very close second to public safety, is improving the quality and effectiveness of the education provided by the Springfield Public Schools. After all, I do have two daughters who are students in our schools. As a matter of fact, my daughter Cassandra’s 5th grade class from The Fredrick Harris school is here today.

I will be an activist chairman of the Springfield School Committee and will work with that body to revolutionize the system. We will secure strong and effective permanent leadership at the School Department under the search process that is now under way. We will insist on discipline in the classroom and respect for and among all 28,000 students, as well as for all teachers and administrators.

We will seek to increase parental involvement and to develop socialization skills and good citizenship among our students. We will improve our middle schools as the best strategy for impacting long-term educational outcomes. These are the years when we tend to lose the educational commitment of our students. We need to emphasize new middle school programming that will capture the imagination of students as they enter their teen years. We will focus our high schools on preparing our students for higher education and for successful careers.

And we will hold all elements of the system accountable for the results we expect. I have other ideas on strategies for improving our schools that I plan to share over the next couple of months. So, stay tuned.

My third priority is to expand our efforts to create jobs and expand the tax base through economic development, community development and housing initiatives. These efforts are essential to growing the revenue side of the municipal financial equation.

We will focus on the early implementation of several initiatives that are about to come to fruition, including the State Street Corridor, 31 Elm Street, and the re-use of the Crane property in Indian Orchard. We will continue to explore other promising initiatives such as the re-use of Old First Church, the redevelopment of the former Technical High School, the re-use of Union Station, promoting market-rate housing in the downtown, and the redevelopment of the current Federal Building on Main Street.

We will work to realize the full economic potential of our one-of-a-kind Basketball Hall of Fame. This will involve attracting major new private investment to the riverfront. Certainly, the redevelopment of the site of the former Hampden County Jail will be a key element in this endeavor.

New riverfront development must be compatible with the Hall of Fame and must be carefully planned so as to dramatically increase tourism. Effective promotion of Springfield as the birthplace of basketball and the home of the Basketball Hall of Fame is long overdue. We will launch a renewed effort to retain existing businesses, to grow small businesses, and to attract new businesses to Springfield.

We will promote home ownership in the City of Homes as a fundamental strategy for neighborhood renewal. We will look at proactive ways to cope with the current home mortgage crisis and to identify ways to help homeowners keep their homes. We will deal with the causes and effects of homelessness in a humane and compassionate manner. We will leverage our varied strengths in the arts to attract new and creative private investment in housing and studio-retail space. And we will accomplish all this in an atmosphere of open communication between the public and private sectors, taking full advantage of the synergies that private investment can generate.

My fourth priority is to maintain and enhance the full range of basic services provided by the city to its citizens. We will collaborate with the control board to identify an economically sound way to eliminate the trash fee. We will collect the trash and maintain our streets, parks and playgrounds—all on a consistent and reliable basis.

We will look for ways to modernize city government and to realize economies wherever possible. And, we will be responsive and customer-friendly to citizens who rely on services from City Hall.

My fifth and last priority is environmental stewardship. It is an “inconvenient truth” that the city of Springfield can do much more to promote local and global environmental health. We will designate a municipal official to coordinate and manage our “green” initiatives. We will consider the environmental impact in procuring goods and services.

We will critically evaluate our use of energy of all types and institute measures to reduce energy consumption. We will develop and implement smart growth policies that encourage “green” design and sustainable development. And we will look at ways to reduce the city’s carbon footprint and to remediate existing environmental issues.

I realize that this “to do” list is both long and ambitious. I recognize full well that I will need an awful lot of help in this endeavor. I look to Congressman Neal to continue to collaborate with the city in attracting the federal funding that will be required to finance multiple community and economic development initiatives. Congressman, you have been Springfield’s most effective cheerleader and advocate. You have been extraordinarily successful in the past and we are very grateful your help. I look forward to working closely with you over the years ahead, as we pursue our mutual dream of a Springfield renaissance.

I look to Governor [Deval] Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray to help restore self-governance to Springfield at the earliest possible moment, to provide adequate levels of state aid so that we can deliver basic municipal services, and to make available much-needed incentive financing for community and economic development. The governor has reached out to Springfield and we appreciate his demonstrated concern. We look forward to expanding our partnership as we undertake concrete action to maximize the potential of this city.

I look to our legislative delegation to Beacon Hill to continue their work on behalf of Springfield. Senator [Stephen] Buoniconti and Speaker Pro Tem [Thomas] Petrolati have already arranged meetings for me with Senate President [Therese] Murray, Speaker of the House [Salvatore] DiMasi, and the Chairman of Ways and Means Bob DeLeo. I thank you for your support and I look forward to working with our outstanding delegation.

I look to the control board to work shoulder-to-shoulder with our local elected officials to deal effectively with the short term issues that cry out for resolution, as well as in the longer term effort to restore local governance. I look to the City Council and the School Committee to work with me to make the tough decisions that will restore the state’s confidence in our ability to routinely do the right thing.

I look to our neighborhood organizations from the North End to the South End, from to Hungry Hill to Forest Park, from Mason Square to Indian Orchard, and from downtown to Sixteen Acres to rise up and play a constructive role in the rebirth of this city on a neighborhood-by-neighborhood basis.

I look to our private sector to have confidence in the future of this city and to make the private investment in both people and facilities that will grow our economic base. I ask the private sector to step up in the spirit of a public-private partnership for economic renewal.

And finally, I look to citizens all across this great city to recognize that the city of Springfield cannot be all things to all people. But that, working together, we can and we will make this city, once again, a truly great place to live, work, play and raise a family.

My most important partners in this exciting effort are my family.

Today is a day of great pride for my mother Clara and my father Alfonso. It has been a long and winding road to this podium from my parent’s dark days during World War II in Italy where they survived the onslaught of the Nazi occupation. My parents are my inspiration.

Mom and Dad, thank you for nurturing your son to be almost as strong as you are. Please stand to be recognized. At home, my beautiful wife Carla and my daughters Cassandra and Chiara keep me well-grounded in reality. Needless to say, they are my most ardent supporters. At the risk of being in big trouble when I get home, let me ask them to stand to be recognized.

In closing, I am reminded of the words of John Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. As they contemplated life in a new world, Winthrop told his brave followers: “For we must consider that we shall be as a City upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us.” Certainly, the eyes of all citizens of the city of Springfield are upon us today. I ask that we forge together a new consensus for progress and that we move forward to achieve a collective vision of a new renaissance for Springfield.

For too long, there has been a tendency to focus on our shortcomings. Now is the time for public officials, the private sector and ordinary citizens alike to rally to our cause with unbridled optimism for the great future that we can build together. Winthrop, by the way, is one of my favorite political leaders. After all, he was elected a total of 12 times. So, let’s get started. We have a lot of work to do. May God bless the city of Springfield. Thank you very much.

Below is the text for Mayor Perez’s inaugural speech.

Mayor Eddie Perez inaugural speech, January 7, 2008

State, local elected and appointed officials, and most importantly, family, friends and the residents of Hartford: I am honored and humbled by your trust you have placed in me to serve as your Mayor for another four years. We’ve come a long way in the last six years, but the journey is far from over.

In order to frame a vision for the future, I look to the beautiful phrase that defines the city seal of our government: “After the Clouds… the Sun.” The sun is shining on Hartford. Together, we have ushered in a new era of hope, inclusiveness and progress. You can see and touch the accomplishments in every
neighborhood. There’s new housing, new retail, new schools and there’s much more: Crime is down to historic lows. Our school system is aggressively raising academic standards so that more of our kids go to college. And our neighborhoods display pride with new streetscapes and new businesses. But we cannot afford to rest on those achievements alone.

Tonight, I will share my vision for the next four years, and I invite the help and cooperation of residents, businesses and elected officials to bring our communities together, create more opportunities for our residents, increase business development, and build a brighter future for our children.

Hartford must be a city where there is fair and equal access to affordable health care. As many as 34,000 uninsured people live in Hartford, that’s almost one-third of our residents. To address this, I began the Mayor’s Healthy Communities Initiative. This has helped the uninsured find a medical home. But without the government expanding funds to Husky and similar programs, we cannot reach
enough people and we cannot afford to wait. That is why I am convening a health insurance task force made up of health care providers, insurers, and medical experts to report back in 180 days on how the city can partner with the private sector to provide affordable insurance for working families who are not eligible for federal and state programs.

This approach will not replace the need for more comprehensive reform at the national or state level. But as a caring community, we must explore all options to provide much-needed access to health services, and give our residents the additional security and hope that they deserve.

Hartford’s economic health is important, too, and I pledge to continue our positive momentum. All across the city, you can see new public and private development: New retail on Albany Avenue and Park Street; a new school in Blue Hills; new Public Housing at Dutch Point; and a new senior center on Maple Avenue. No, we must make sure the progress continues.

This year, we will make our first investment from our Neighborhood Development Fund by targeting some of Hartford’s most stubborn blight. With seed money from the city, we hope to leverage more than $100 million in additional investment in our neighborhoods over the next few years.

The Hartford 2010 planning process identified a critical need to tie North Hartford to development downtown. In the next six months, I will unveil a comprehensive redevelopment plan for this area stretching from the empty Clarion Hotel on Constitution Plaza to Myrtle Street ion Asylum Hill. This plan will enable the city to condemn and acquire blighted commercial properties in the area and begin to prepare it for new investment.

Any discussion of downtown needs to address the question of the future of the Civic Center, now known as the “XL Center.” In 2013—that’s five years away—the state turns the Civic Center over to the City of Hartford. At that point, the city, state, and region will have a clear choice: invest in a world-class coliseum, or let the current facility face the same fate as the now demolished New Haven Coliseum. Over the past year, we conducted a study to determine the feasibility of making the Civic Center the home to a professional sports franchise. The good news is that with significant corporate support, a new NHL or NBA team—as well as our UCONN Huskies—could be playing in a new arena in Hartford. However, the price tag for a new world-class facility that would serve the people of our state could be as much as $400 million. That, my friends, we simply cannot afford, without significant
participation from the private sector, region and state. Any such investment should complement a larger community development strategy that takes Hartford to the next level, building on the Six Pillars project. Other competitive regions have done the same. We should learn from and follow
their examples.

To address this significant challenge, in the coming weeks, I will assemble a task force that will explore the level of state, corporate, and regional support for building a new arena. Hartford’s corporate community and I will invite the governor, the president of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House to appoint representatives to serve on the task force. A joint planning process will ensure that when a state of the art facility is built, it will meet the needs of Connecticut for decades to come.

Any new development in our city must include good jobs with good wages and health care for Hartford residents. Thanks to a strong partnership with unions, women and minority business owners, we have created hundreds of new jobs in the past six years. You have my pledge that we will continue to build on this solid foundation.

We must also continue to chart a bold new course in our school system. We are pursuing a reform plan that is based on generating real academic results which connects kids to college and the workplace of the 21st century. There’s a sense of urgency here. That’s why we are going to take the reform effort to a new level by creating smaller class sizes, giving parents more choice, and holding our school system accountable for results.

My friends, I respect and honor the trust you have placed in me to lead our city for the next four years. I have always regarded public service as a vocation, not merely a job. I have always tried to conduct myself in a way that will inspire others to pursue this vocation in their lives: service to others before self.

To encourage the highest standards of conduct in our governing process, I am proposing two reforms this evening for consideration by the City Council: first, the appointment of an independent ethics counsel, reporting to the city’s ethics commission, that will assist the commission with its work, and provide advice and education to city employees on adhering to Hartford’s code of ethics. Second, I will ask the City Council to consider adopting public financing for the campaigns of mayor, council and treasurer. The city should take potential conflict out of the way we finance political campaigns.

There are other important issues that my administration will concentrate on during the next four years: fighting to fix the broken property tax system in our state; working with neighboring towns on a regional transportation system; and linking the busway with the airport and rail service in a seamless fashion. We must find ways to give us a competitive edge to promote smart growth and to encourage economic development. We must create ways to showcase that Hartford is a diverse city that is one of the country’s premiere cities for arts, culture, and history, the largest job center of the state, the insurance capital of the world, and a great place to live, work, play, and raise a family.

My friends, the clouds over Hartford have lifted, and the sun of progress is streaming in. Together we have accomplished so much, and together we will accomplish much more. We will not hide our light under a basket, but place it on a stand so all may see. Yes we can, Hartford! Si se puede! God bless our city and thank you.

This entry was posted on Monday, January 7th, 2008 at 12:15 pm and is filed under City Council, Community building, Downtown, Events, Hartford, Public spaces, Springfield, Urban Compass.