Just received a press release from J. Stan McCauley who has outlined his platform/planned ordinances should he become mayor of Hartford. For your reading pleasure, I’ve emboldened the more interesting items:

Administration 1. I am going to restructure, from top to bottom, the Executive
Office Staff.

a. Literally rethinking the way the Office of the Mayor is run so that
a functional Mayoral support team is limited to 10 people.

Economic Development – Growing the Grand List, and growing jobs!

2. I will bring a Bio-diesel fuel production facility to
Hartford.

a. It’s a green company.

b. Provide needed jobs.

c. City diesel vehicles will be retro fitted to use this fuel.

d. Reduction of the environmental impact on our air and wetlands.

e. Reduction of lung diseases associated with diesel emissions.

3. I am going to work with state officials to make Hartford the
“Low Budget Motion Picture” and “Recording Arts” capitol of the world.

a. Provide entry level jobs and training for city residents to break
into Connecticut’s growing film industry.

4. I will lead a taskforce to establish a Small Business
Employment Tax deduction that would offset the rising cost of doing business
in Hartford due to property tax-revaluation.

a. This will help hard pressed small businesses to stay in Hartford.

b. Small businesses in Hartford hire Hartford Residents so this
translates to jobs for Hartford residents.

5. I will establish and hold the first “Hartford Annual
International Idea Festival”.

a. Searching for new business opportunities to come to Hartford using
venture capitalist.

6. I will lead a taskforce to establish the “City Employee
Housing Program”.

a. Initially for police officers and teachers so that we can recruit
personnel that will live in the city as well as provide an incentive for
city residents to apply for jobs as police officers, firefighters, and
teachers.

7. I want to fast track commitments to the creation of a serious
regional transportation system that allows rapid transportation throughout
the Metro Hartford Region.

a. Transportation to and from jobs!

Education and Youth

8. I will establish the Mayor’s “Urban Education Initiative”.

a. An Executive Branch intervention program whose mission is to
provide leadership training and mentoring for Weaver, Bulkeley, and Hartford
Public High schools students.

9. I will establish the “Young Women Empowerment Initiative” that
will be headed up as a volunteer effort by the First Lady.

a. This is a pregnancy prevention program that focuses on the serious
consequences to school age youth that engage in sexual activity.”

b. The seriousness of this issue can not be understated!

c. School violence, low grades and a host of other issues can be
linked to this.

10. I will establish youth “Neighborhood Recording Studios”.

a. This is a very comprehensive youth empowerment program designed to
give talented young people around the city the tools needed to succeed in
the recording arts.

b. 3 song demo deal released after a “back to school” summer talent
show.

11. I am going to implement “Citywide Block Camps” – for summer
vacations.

a. Certain city street would be closed off for the city youth to have
activities on their streets with a mini stage for performances.

b. Staffed by volunteers from the neighborhood.

Crime and Public Safety

12. I am going to establish a regional anti-drug program in
conjunction with Federal, State, Local law enforcement and area community
groups.

13. I want to move forward my anti-crime initiative.

a. Under 2 for you! – Reducing the police response time down to two
minutes for urgent calls.

14. I am going to start my “Ex-offender Training and Apprenticeship
Initiative”

a. “The One for One Flip” to regain our neighborhoods.

b. Provide entry level jobs and training for city residents to break
into Connecticut’s growing construction and building trades.

15. Create a skateboard park for Hartford and regional youth.

16. Create the “Greater Hartford Riding Range” – for Pocket Bikes,
Mini Bike and ATVs.

17. I want to establish a taskforce to look into street racing
permits so that the L Street drag strip would be a safe place for the
Saturday/Sunday auto and bike races.

a. Fire safety, health, and other concerns would then be addressed by
having inspections on the vehicles entering.

Respecting the judgment of my fellow citizens as I seek their mandate for
reform, I hereby pledge my name to this Contract with Hartford.

So, maybe it is all fun and games. I’d be curious to see if any other candidates can match him on the skatepark and legalized street racing. You know, you can battle crime, poverty, and pregnancy via intense, punitive measures, or you can address these things by creating positive alternatives. I don’t know about anyone else, but the kids in my neighborhood wouldn’t suffer from having some additional creative outlets.