HARTFORD –- State Rep. Tony Scott, R-112th, voted in support of the new State Police Union contract, which passed 142-1; and State Sen. Marilyn Moore, D-22nd, another member of Monroe’s state delegation, announced she will run for mayor of Bridgeport.
In a press release about the State Police Contract, Scott said, “there’s a shortage of State Police Troopers and the incentives in this contract are necessary to build up the ranks to effective strength, with a goal of stemming the rise in crime that Connecticut is currently experiencing. Law enforcement efforts have been hampered by the Police Accountability Bill, so I’m glad the legislature took a step today toward showing the men and women in uniform that the state has their backs.”
The contract covers 888 employees over four years at a cost increase of $79,363,062, including $3,500 bonuses retroactive to July 1, 2022, and with a 2.5 percent wage increase for contract years 2022-2023, 2023-2024, and 2024-2025. There’s also a wage reopener for contract year 2025-2026, according to Scott.
Several additional bill proposals seek to help law enforcement safely do their jobs:
- Protect law enforcement and municipalities from being forced to settle in qualified immunity cases because any denial under current law bars them from appealing that decision until after jury decision. (HB 5361)
- Evaluate the use of force from the perspective of a reasonable officer in the same situation, based on the totality of the circumstances known to or perceived by the officer at the time, rather than with the benefit of hindsight, and that the totality of the circumstances shall account for occasions when officers may be forced to make quick judgments about the use of force. (HB 5361)
- Provide clarity and list circumstances under which police can be decertified for undermining public confidence. (HB 5362)
- Restore the ability for police to request consent searches during motor vehicle stops when there is reasonable suspicion of a crime. (HB 5361)
- Require P.O.S.T. to rewrite the police pursuit policy to allow pursuit of property crime offenses. (HB 5361)
- Create a special account for families of officers killed in action. (HB 5363)
Moore throws her hat in the ring
Sen. Marilyn Moore, who represents the town of Trumbull and sections of Bridgeport and Monroe, filed the official paperwork with the Bridgeport City Clerk’s Office to campaign in the upcoming mayor’s race.
In a press release, Moore pledged her administration would provide a safer, more prosperous future for Bridgeport residents.
“By declaring my candidacy, I am responding to the thousands of people who voted for me in 2019,” said Moore. “For them and for my love of this great city I am going to fight for victory for all of us.”
“The struggles of the people of Bridgeport have grown over the past four years, and the cries of residents have fallen on deaf ears,” said Moore. “While crime and gun violence permeate our city, we have not experienced a commitment from this administration to provide a strategic plan.”
“While nearby towns are recovering financially and fancy buildings pop up downtown, our neighborhoods are getting poorer and seeing less and less economic opportunities,” she said. “Bridgeport belongs to all the residents, not just any particular neighborhood. Promises and plans are just not enough we need a visionary who can deliver.”
“My promise to the Bridgeport community is built on a foundation of what I’ve delivered as a legislator; a Commission to address gun violence, over $2 million for nonprofits in Bridgeport to address youth violence, and funding for economic development. The promises of this Mayor have not come to pass, and we cannot continue to put our hope and trust in this failed administration. People of Bridgeport, I see you, I feel you, and I am here for you. Together we can turn around the city we all love so much.”
Moore, a lifelong Bridgeport resident, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, attended Bridgeport public schools, Housatonic Community College and the University of Bridgeport. As a disciple of Mount Aery Baptist Church, she declares that God has blessed her abundantly and all the glory and honor belong to Him.
Moore ran for Mayor in 2019 and garnered more votes in the Democratic primary at the polls only to fall short after absentee ballots were counted. Considering the dynamics of the narrow loss four years ago, Moore promised new campaign tactics to go along with the successful strategies that nearly unseated the incumbent mayor.
“In my campaigns I have always taken on the entrenched interests that seek political power only to help themselves, not the people,” Moore said. “This campaign for mayor will be fueled by the power of the people, adhere to the principles of honesty and integrity, and go toe-to-toe with the corrupt machine at all levels of campaigning. We will leave no stone unturned to secure victory in September and again in November and return City Hall to the people.”
Moore was first elected to the 22nd State Senatorial District in 2014 after defeating an incumbent Democratic state senator in a Democratic primary.
She is currently chair of Housing, General Bonding, and vice-chair of Finance, Revenue and Bonding, and is a member of Executive & Legislative Nominations and Legislative Management.
She has served as chair of Human Services and Children and a member of Education, Environment and Public Health Committees. She is nationally known for her advocacy on behalf of breast cancer and is an active participant in the war against hunger, social justice, gun violence, and racial equity, according to the press release.
Moore currently is co-chair of Connecticut Fatherhood Initiative, 2 Gen Advisory, the Governor’s Council on Women and Girls, and championing programs that address gun violence intervention and prevention in Connecticut.
In 2022, Marilyn said she secured over $2 million to address youth gun violence prevention for organizations in Bridgeport. She also authored legislation to create a commission on Gun Violence Prevention under the Department of Public Health.
Her commitment to her constituents is demonstrated in her proven ability to address complex problems, according to the press release. She said she strives for equity and to address the disparities across our communities and has the experience and vision to improve the city.
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