The vast majority of Council members believe strongly that the people of Bridgeport want our city to move into the 21st Century. Unfortunately, Marcus Brown and Mayor Ganim don’t.
by 195 
BRIDGEPORT – At last night’s City Council meeting, Charter Revision was on the agenda. Since the start of the year, Charter Revision has been a top priority for City Council President Aidee Nieves and Council Reps Tyler Mack, Scott Burns, Ernest Newton and other Council members who ran in 2021 on good government, transparency, and democracy.
Bridgeport’s municipal charter is like our city’s constitution. It determines how our city is governed and how power is – or isn’t – shared. And it has not been revised since 1992. A “yes” vote last night would have initiated the process to establish a citizen-led Charter Revision Commission who would be tasked with researching and recommending reforms. After a set period of time, the commission’s recommendations would then appear on Bridgeport voters’ ballots for approval.
As Councilman Boyd put it last night, “the world has changed in the past 30 years.” The vast majority of Council members believe strongly that the people of Bridgeport want our city to move into the 21st Century.
Unfortunately, Marcus Brown and Mayor Ganim don’t. For those who’ve been paying attention, you may know that last night was one of Marcus Brown’s last City Council meetings. In January, he will move onto the State Legislature, representing the 127th District. Brown talks a good game about being independent but his voting record shows otherwise. It was a fitting end to his time on Council that he derailed Council’s main priority – empowering itself to be independent of the Mayor’s administration – without any public reason or explanation given. A disappointing legacy to leave behind, to say the least.
After committing to his Council colleagues that he would support the resolution for Charter Revision, Brown did not keep his word and resoundingly voted NO, making it clear to the Council and Bridgeport residents that his loyalty does not reside with the people and moving the city forward but to Mayor Ganim. The sad thing is it didn’t have to be this way. In April, Brown was supportive when the City Council worked tirelessly to pass the Empowered City Council Act (ECCA). Taken from The People’s Platform, ECCA passed 15-3 and directs the city of Bridgeport to staff the City Council with the support it needs to be a strong and independent branch of our local government, including legal counsel, up to 5 legislative liaisons, and a fiscal analyst. It also committed the City Council to begin the Charter Revision process.
Mayor Ganim – who is clearly afraid of City Council exercising its own power – used bullying tactics during this year’s budget season to prevent Council from hiring its staff. Which is a shame, because they really could’ve used the support of their own legal counsel last night, when the Mayor claimed that in order to pass Charter Revision they needed 14 votes, even though 13 votes constitutes 2/3rds of the current Council, since there is still a vacancy in the 139th District.
Council had the 13 votes it needed but it wasn’t enough. The measure failed. It could have had 14, if Councilman Brown had the courage to leave a different legacy behind.
Voting YES on Charter Revision:
Voting NO on Charter Revision:
(Michelle Lyons, 134th District and Jeanette Herron, 133rd District were absent)
