Foster Declares “We Deserve Better”–Formal Announcement June 4

Saying “I’m running for mayor because we deserve better,” Democratic mayoral candidate Mary-Jane Foster will formally announce her candidacy June 4 at 6 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Downtown, according to a news release she issued Tuesday.

The vice president of University Relations at the University of Bridgeport and co-founder of the Bridgeport Bluefish baseball team is challenging Mayor Bill Finch and former Mayor Joe Ganim for the Democratic nomination. School board member Howard Gardner and multiple mayoral candidate Charlie Coviello are also announced candidates.

Foster lost a Democratic primary to Finch in 2011. The party endorsement will take place in July followed by a likely September primary. Finch is the favorite for the endorsement.

“Over the last seven years, the mayor has continued to spend and tax, tax and spend with no real economic development, growth in the tax base or jobs for Bridgeport residents,” said Foster in a statement. “His education reform agenda has created chaos and division. Now I’m reaching out to a diverse cross-section of people in our community who are ready for a mayor that knows how to create jobs, get the city budget under control, and see Bridgeport achieve its maximum potential. The past is just that–the past. What’s worth talking about is the future.

“We deserve better. We deserve an honest, ethical and effective government in our great city, not a place where career politicians come because they need a job. Bridgeport isn’t getting better every day–I’m running for mayor because we deserve better.”

In recent weeks Finch has been focused on the power of incumbency such as promoting new parks, school construction, a reopened Pleasure Beach and the redevelopment of the East Side, largely ignoring the opposition. “He’s focused on creating jobs, increasing economic development and continuing to lower our historically low crime rate,” says his Campaign Manager Maryli Secrest.

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20 comments

  1. I would love to hear a candidate say they will clear out the friends of the boss fake, non-earned or not-qualified jobs cluttering up the city payrolls, would save us taxpayers hundreds of thousands of hard-earned dollars.

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  2. I pulled for Foster last time but she really ran a lousy campaign. Surrounded herself with losers. What’s going to change? I guess if she takes enough of Finch’s votes it’s better for Ganim. So go for it, Foster. Any help Joe can get, the better.

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  3. “The Past is the past. We should be talking about the Future.” Was this a Freudian slip? An endorsement of Ganim? Will this be what the Ganim camp will be discussing this evening at Joe Headquarters opening being held on my 58th Birthday? I just thought I’d throw that in. 🙂 Phantom, there were some very wonderful people involved in Foster’s campaign but in truth, it was run very poorly. This time around I am not sure it is much better. I want to hear her vision for Steelpointe, Remington Woods, Seaview Avenue Corridor, Downtown North, and other BRICK AND MORTAR PROJECTS. The Joe Ganim mantra about the past being the past is an unfortunate Freudian slip and Mayor Finch is only talking about the future. I also agree with Phantom, Foster was surrounded by a lot of miserable anti-Finch people and not enthusiastic workhorses like myself. So this evening the Ganim camp will be discussing Foster’s unintended Freudian slip while I am celebrating my 58th Birthday. (I just thought I’d throw that in 🙂 .) I wish all the candidates well. In the end there can be only one. Mayor Finch … or ?????????

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  4. You have a unique way of interpreting things, Mr. Auerbach.
    Got Ganim on your mind? Well that’s another thing you have in common with Mayor Finch.

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