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We, the citizens of Norwalk, cannot afford to sit on our hands and hope Congress acts while more shots are fired on our streets ever year. Rather, we need a comprehensive approach to combatting crime in Norwalk, particularly violent and gun-related crimes. I propose a three-step approach that should get the safety ball rolling and build a foundation for great success.

The first step is to focus on community policing. In recent weeks, I was happy to learn Police Chief Thomas Kulhawik announced that his officers would be spending more time out of their patrol cars and instead walking the beat in an effort to build their relationship with the community. The randomness of their walks will also serve to keep potential perpetrators guessing and less confident in their ability to evade law enforcement. This approach has been implemented in cities across the country following its proven success in Sacramento, California where it was found to significantly reduce crime, especially in crime “hot spot” areas.

This transition to what is known as a “community-based approach” should be universally praised. The police’s visible presence in our community is exactly what we need to build trust and cooperation between the city’s residents and their protectors. If elected mayor, I plan to walk the beat alongside Norwalk’s police force as part of the effort. An increased presence can make an immediate impact, especially for our most distressed areas.

Second, we must address our growing gun problem. Unfortunately in Washington, common-sense initiatives lack the political will to match the public’s desire. Locally, Norwalk’s attempt at a gun buy back program following Sandy Hook also produced disappointing results.

Through the initiative and the generosity of a single donor, the police department received $5,026 and removed 18 guns from the street. It was the city’s first buyback effort and Mayor Moccia did nothing to help despite his ability to raise well over $50,000 for his election every two years. There is no doubt we deserve better. In cities across the state, mayors were raising money for their programs and managed to remove hundreds of guns from their streets in the wake of the shooting.

As mayor, I will institute an annual gun buyback program that removes at least 100 guns from our streets in its first year. I am committed to this goal and will strive to make the program an annual success. I will bring in the community stakeholders, business partners, and faith based community; I will seek out the necessary funds; and I will use my pulpit as mayor to see the program to success.

While community policing and a genuine gun buy back program can make a major impact on our violent crime, we must also find solutions that give our youth and teens positive opportunities providing them an alternative to the streets – which brings us to our third step.

I’ve announced an initiative to bring a Boys and Girls Club to Norwalk. The private-public partnership could do wonders for our city. The Boys and Girls Club in Stamford fosters a great environment for the community by providing thousands of children a year with numerous activities including after school sports, leadership programs, and homework clubs. Clubs like this do more than just keep kids of the streets and out of danger, they teach life-enriching skills and create more productive citizens. With the unexpected closing of the YMCA this year, the need has intensified.

These steps are just a simple start to strengthening our community and making our streets safer. We cannot afford to wait any longer. We need change and leadership now. And on the safety of our citizens, there can be no room for half-hearted measures.

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To the Editor:

I’m glad to see that the Norwalk Democrats are considering a real alternative to Mr. Richard Moccia. Vincent Mangiacopra is a different kind of candidate and the type of leader that Norwalk needs in the Mayor’s office.

His call for Norwalk’s Future Now is poignant, because Norwalk desperately needs to move forward.  Mr. Mangiacopra is not part of the bickering old guard – D and R alike – that has been “running” the City for the past 20 plus years.  Norwalk’s taxpayers are sick and tired of it.

During my time as Chairman of the DTC, Mr. Mangiacopra invested countless hours working to improve our city; fighting to ensure that all Norwalkers had a voice at the table.  He understands the issues facing the City and he has the creativity and managerial experience necessary to jump start Norwalk’s growth.

In his announcement speech, Mr. Mangiacopra proposed real solutions to help Norwalk reach its potential.  As a Norwalk business owner himself, Mr. Mangiacopra knows that small, local businesses are the engines of the City.  He called for the creation of an Economic Development Office to better streamline the process for businesses to move to Norwalk, and more importantly, to help existing businesses grow and prosper.  Mr. Mangiacopra understands that hammering businesses with taxes and fees won’t move the city forward or put people back to work.

He promised to vastly expand “community policing” with an aim at reestablishing trust between the police and the residents of Norwalk. He called for an around the clock, boots on the ground approach (including his boots) to let residents know that the City cares whether or not your kids are safe in the community. He also pledged to bring a Boys & Girls Club to the City. With the loss of the YMCA, this type of public-private investment is exactly what Norwalk’s children deserve.

Lastly, Mr. Mangiacopra doesn’t need reminder about the importance of a good public school system.  He lives with someone who knows; his wife Kelsie is a public elementary school teacher in the Norwalk.  Mr. Mangiacopra understands that teachers are much more than “budget busters” as the Republican leadership has expressed and he has pledged to work with the BOE and school employees to devise a plan to weather the current budget crunch and to create a topnotch school system that will attract new families (aka taxpayers) to Norwalk.

These investments cost money and Mr. Mangiacopra knows that.  But these investments are necessary to rebuild Norwalk and make it the vibrant and attractive place that it should be.  In the coming months I’m confident that he will lay out a detailed plan to bring forward Norwalk’s  Future Now and I am excited to endorse his candidacy for Mayor.

Marc Bradley

Norwalk Democratic Town Committee, Chairman (2010-12)

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But before I talk about our message of Norwalk’s Future Now and what it will mean for this city, I want to first start by introducing who I am for those of you who don’t know me too well.

My mom and dad, Karen and Frank, are here. My beautiful wife Kelsie is here, she’s a public school kindergarten teacher over at Cranbury Elementary and we own our home just around the corner from there on Thistle Rd.

Kelsie and I met during our time at Notre Dame Catholic High School where I swept floors after classes to afford the tuition costs. When I went on to earn my Bachelor’s Degree and Masters in City Management, I did it the same way—working full time while taking classes on nights and weekends.

For me, nothing has come easy – and I am grateful for it. I’m grateful because it has provided me a foundation of hard work and determination, something that I carry with me throughout this journey. In retrospect, that is what has drawn me to a career in public service – the ability to stand up on behalf of the people that don’t get all the breaks.

I’ve been fighting to elect good Democrats here in Fairfield County for the past decade.

The first campaign I ever worked on was a six-way primary for Mayor in Connecticut’s largest city– so when people ask if I’m concerned that there are three other Democrats in this race, well let’s just say I’ve been in tough fights before.

In 2010, I worked alongside Congressman Jim Himes in his re-election effort – the first test to see if we could hold onto Jim’s hard-won seat and we ended up being one of the most successful Congressional campaigns in the country. We are fortunate to have such a thoughtful and intelligent Congressman representing Fairfield County.

And while I’ve fought for good Democrats in elections, I also have experience in the public sector.

I served as the Economic and Community Development Coordinator for the town of Monroe, playing a vital role bringing business to the town. During my four-year tenure, we broke ground on Swiss Army’s North American headquarters and I helped bring along the first industrial park, adding over a dozen new companies and over one hundred quality jobs to the town.

All the while, I worked hand and hand with the business community to keep our goals aligned and used strategic tax abatements as a tool to attract new business.

I’ve worked in the court system, serving in Connecticut’s largest Probate Court. As a judge clerk I spearheaded adoption efforts to help find foster children homes. I spearheaded providing living wills to senior citizens in need. And the initiative I am most proud of was our successful advocacy to get funding for grandparents taking care of their grand chilldren whose parents were absent due to incarceration.

Today, I run my own communications firm, The Preferred Group. I’ve been able to use my experience to help small businesses grow using all media platforms

While some might question my age, I feel confident that my professional, educational and life experiences have given me the ability to effectively serve the city of Norwalk as Mayor starting on day one.

People have asked me why I decided to take this race on, why now.  No longer could I sit and watch our schools get shortchanged and our students neglected. No longer could I sit back and watch violence persist in our community while our leaders continue to turn a blind eye. No longer could I sit back and watch our void in leadership continue to benefit a select few at the expense of the many.

I feel this responsibility to take on this fight for the 85,000 residents of Norwalk, it’s time our government truly reflects the diversity of our city and it’s time everyone’s voices are heard.

Today, behind me sits the YMCA, a former community icon that closed with no warning a few months ago. Mayor Moccia said it was just a “sign of the times” and was “unfortunate.” I agree, it is another unfortunate sign of the times under Mayor Moccia and it’s time we choose a better way.

It’s the mayor’s job to go out and advocate for his city to attract new businesses and non-profits. It’s the mayor’s job to have a legislative agenda crafted with our community stakeholders in mind, so that Norwalk’s needs are heard loud and clear in Hartford. And it’s the mayor’s job to craft a long-term vision, draw a consensus and get things done.

Now let me tell you about what I see for Norwalk’s future.

As mayor I would work to establish of a Department of Economic and Community Development. The department would streamline the development process so that it is clear that Norwalk is ready to do business and welcoming to new projects. We will unite the departments in our development process with a clear vision set from the top because it is a top priority to bring new jobs and new opportunities to our city as quickly as possible.

Our location today is also symbolic in that we are on West Avenue – the gateway to our future prosperity. As your mayor, I will advocate to make our West Avenue Connectivity plan a reality and not just another study put on a shelf in city hall. It’s time that we encourage the Wall Street area to grow organically – with the arts and entrepreneurs leading the way. The Waypointe project, which is finally underway, is our first domino to fall, my administration will make sure that it is not the last – we will not give up the revival of Wall Street and we will not give up on 95/7.

It’s time to bring our partners in organized labor back to the table so we can build these projects and those to come effectively, on budget and on time, putting more Norwalkers back to work.

In addition to taking a hands on approach to improving our economy and bringing jobs to Norwalk, I’ll take on our community’s growing crime problem.

South Norwalk is known around the region for its restaurants, nightlife and historic community atmosphere. But too often to the residents of Norwalk it is known for rampant violence that happens on almost daily. These unfortunate incidents tear away at the fabric of our community.

Shots are fired in our city on a regular basis and it’s time we stand up, fight back and let all of our citizens know that you should not have to live in fear to get off of the bus, walk down the street or drive in a particular neighborhood.

But to effect an outcome, you need to affect the culture.  We need to put more cops on the street and rebuild the trust in our community. Trust is established by actions, not words. As leaders we need to be present not only in a time of emergency, but in other times of need.

As mayor I will walk with our police officers on the beat in an effort to have our public safety officials more present out in the community. It’s time that we get back to a community based model where we all realize that we are in this together to keep our streets safer and protect our families.

And while we need to focus on and improve the relationship between our community and police. We also need to focus on giving our children and teenagers positive opportunities.

That’s why my administration will advocate tirelessly to bring a Boys and Girls Club to our city.

When you look at the great work being done by the Stamford Boys and Girls club, from its leadership programs, to its after schools sports for children and homework clubs, you’ll start to understand why adding a Boy and Girls club to Norwalk will have a dramatic effect in keeping our young people off the streets and out of trouble.

This leads into perhaps the greatest task I will have as mayor and one that’s closest to my heart as my wife, Kelsie can attest, and that is education. Norwalk has a tremendous foundation for our schools with dedicated teachers, staff, and administrators. As with many of Norwalk’s problems, the problem comes from the top down.  The superintendent search has garnered national attention from many applicants.

But let’s not forget we’ve had five different superintendents under Mayor Moccia, with another one on the way. The lack of consistency is unacceptable and I blame the mayor’s lack of vision.

We need to get back to the basics which is to get the teachers the tools they need to be successful in the classroom. That means funding education properly, implementing Common Core fully, keeping the libraries open, and creating a culture where we begin to raise the bar on ourselves.

We need to give our students the opportunity to succeed in the fields of tomorrow, Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics, also known as STEM. STEM will increase our students’ ability to prosper in these changing times and is linked to the economic prosperity of Norwalk as a whole. In formative years, it is our responsibility that we create a first class Early Education environment that leads to long-term student success.

It’s our duty to keep our fundamental commitment to our students. I ask you, do you feel we are keeping that commitment today? Our teachers are partners in this effort and as mayor, I won’t treat our teachers as budgets busters but rather the people we entrust with the future of Norwalk every single day.

Kelsie and I live here because we believe in Norwalk’s potential. On the campaign trail we hear that a lot – “Norwalk has great potential” – and it is true. However, it is also true that the same approaches to the same problems by the same people, isn’t going to cut it anymore. The Moccia administration continues to give us band aid after band aid, tax hike after tax hike and yet we have no long term plan for future prosperity.

The old ways of doing business are close to changing and that is the opportunity we have in this election. In this election, we can put an advocate in the Mayor’s office, an advocate to demand Norwalk’s future now, on behalf of East Norwalk, Rowayton, South Norwalk, Broad River, West Norwalk, Cranbury, Silvermine, Village Creek. On behalf of this city we all call home.

Whether you are working class or upper class…no matter your color, no matter your means, no matter your age, this campaign is about us.

So we need you to sign up to volunteer, we need you to contribute money, we need you to stand up with us and spread the word that Norwalk is ready to move on. We’re ready to move on to being the city we know, we can be.

My name is Vinny Mangiacopra and I am actively seeking the Democratic nomination to be your next mayor this fall and with your help – we cannot be beat.

Thank you all very much for joining us today.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM THE ANNOUNCEMENT

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CAMPAIGN LAUNCH EVENT

Introduction by: COUNCILMAN WARREN PENA

Keynote speech by: OUR NEXT MAYOR, VINNY MANGIACOPRA

When: 3 P.M., SATURDAY, MAY 4
Where: FERA PARK
Park at Lockwood Mathews Mansion
295 West Avenue. Norwalk, CT 06850

Please direct questions or requests for additional information to Will Sharry – wsharry@gmail.com

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From an email sent to our supporters:

Dear Friends,

By now you are probably used to our upbeat, motivational emails about the campaign, but today I want to send a note about the city of Boston and the tragedy that transpired on Monday.

That day, in the face of terrible evil and darkness, Boston showed what its city is made of. We’ve seen incredible videos and heard the stories about the courageous first responders, volunteers, bystanders, and even marathon runners who ran straight towards the blasts to help those in need.

Boston showed character, compassion and strength of community in that moment. And in the days since Bostonians have continued to show their unflappable resiliency while they mourn their losses and search for answers.

Boston has given us a shining example of what a city should be. As we pray for our fellow New Englanders and everyone affected by this tragedy, let us also take inspiration from the courage and bravery they have shown us and the world—I know that I will each time I drive by a flag at half-mast in Norwalk.

We send this message to you with prayer and hope for the future of all humanity.

Sincerely,

Vinny Mangiacopra

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NORWALK – Candidate for Mayor of Norwalk, Vinny Mangiacopra, filed his quarterly fundraising report with the town clerk today, reporting $25,533.00 raised since he announced his candidacy January 22nd. The campaign has $22,957.45 cash on hand.

“I think people will be surprised by these results,” Mangiacopra said. “Our team has worked very hard to get our message out and it’s been extremely well received. Many Norwalkers are ready to turn the page on the past and get onto the business of making our city the vibrant place it can be. This is just the beginning of the support we are building across Norwalk, Fairfield County, and the entire state of Connecticut.”

Mangiacopra’s report shows 232 donors. 68 of those donors are from Norwalk. More Norwalkers donated to Mangiacopra’s campaign than any other campaign in the race. Mangiacopra attributes the success to enthusiasm about the message of his campaign, noting over 5,000 visitors have gone to his website www.NorwalksFutureNow.com.

“When it comes to drawing a contrast with the Moccia Administration, we are head and shoulders above our counterparts,” Mangiacopra added. “We have the campaign that is bringing the most people to the table, likeminded in that they are demanding Norwalk’s Future Now. The same people trying to solve the same problems isn’t going to cut it anymore,” Mangiacopra said.

Vinny Mangiacopra is District D Democratic Chairman and runs his own communications firm, The Preferred Group LLC. Vinny holds a Masters Degree in City Management from the University of New Haven and a Bachelor’s Degree from Sacred Heart University. He resides with his wife Kelsie Fedor, a Norwalk kindergarten teacher, in the Cranbury section of Norwalk.

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As we learn time and time again, Norwalk is a political football in terms of how it is treated in Hartford. And it’s happened again. First, Gov. Malloy’s proposed budget cuts approximately $1.3 million dollars from Norwalk’s funds. In response, the Board of Estimates and Taxation cut $1.45 million from the Board of Education to make up the difference. Then this week, the state education committee changed the Education Cost Sharing formula, which resulted in a cut in Norwalk’s allocation. The result: our school system loses again. And every time, the current administration of Mayor Moccia’s responds by finger pointing rather than smart strategizing.

Moccia appointee Fred Wilms immediately blamed the state delegation for the formula change saying Norwalk is “getting shafted.” Let’s be very clear, however, Mayor Moccia has no legislative agenda coming from his office. In fact, he complained about the money Norwalk was originally supposed to get from the state under the old formula, claiming it had “more strings on it than Mario Puzo with `The Godfather.’” These are typical reactions by this administration and it’s a poor reflection on our city.

Now more than ever, a municipality has to be very prepared and aggressive in seeking aid from the state. Every city our size and larger has a legislative agenda that comes from City Hall. Moccia’s administration, on the other hand, waits for Hartford to dictate terms to it and then lashes out and finger points. The loss of the car tax will be a big hit to Norwalk’s budget. Instead of lobbying and showing why Norwalk needs it, Moccia responded as no mayor should, threatening to shut down the city government. Why can’t we have an active dialogue with those in Hartford? It is the Mayor’s job to set the priorities for his/her city and urgently convey to the Hartford legislative delegation what to work toward during the session. Right now, we don’t have that and it shows.

Who suffers for this lack of foresight? We all do. We do not get our fair share from the state. The results are our local property tax goes up while our schools continue to get short changed. This hurts our property values as well.

A legislative agenda from City Hall is a basic function of a modern day Mayor’s office. It lays out how we can help our business community get the resources it needs to make Norwalk the vibrant community we know it should be. A legislative agenda from City Hall allows us to work with our partners in education, stating loud and clear that we are advocating for a first class learning environment for our children. A legislative agenda from City Hall gives us another tool to make our neighborhoods safer, combating violence and homelessness while attracting dynamic programming to our city.

In my administration, an annual legislative agenda will be a fixture. We’ll work with our fellow stakeholders and create a game plan for Norwalk in Hartford. We have to. Times are tough and the money is spread thin. We can no longer afford to be at the bottom of the list. It is time Norwalk had a Mayor who was its number one advocate. I intend to be that Mayor.

Vinny Mangiacopra is a Democratic Candidate for Mayor of Norwalk.

Op-Ed can be found here

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“Sooner, rather than later.”- Vinny

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