Should Hartford annex surrounding towns?

[MadVlad]

The subject of annexing surrounding towns comes up all the time. We all know we have a better chance of seeing Jesus Christ come down from the heavens and give Hartford some pearly gates than see any land annexed, but I figured it'd be fun to speculate on annexation.

Personally, I wouldn't stop with East and West Hartford. I'd definitely include Windsor, Wethersfield, and possibly Bloomfield and Newington. I think that would bring the city's population to approx. 350,000. It would also remove us from the "Most Dangerous" list, make Colt Firearms a Hartford Company again, allow Hartford to market itself a little better (imho, not that I know anything about that), and allocate some tax money more efficiently.

[beerbeer]

This type of move would also make for a more efficient city government. You wouldn't need six fire chiefs or six police chiefs of six head of economical development and on and on. It would save a lot of money and should have the resut of loweerig taxes.

However, I think that five fire chiefs would be against it and so on. It's a tough sell.

[TaylorG4444]

It would also make Hartford 140.3 sq. miles, which is about the size of Detroit, MI at 138.7 sq. miles (city proper 1990).

[TaylorG4444]

Do you think it would have an effect of Trans-Atlantic service to Bradley?

[HartfordTycoon]

Do you think it would have an effect of Trans-Atlantic service to Bradley?

I think it would have an effect on trans-atlantic flight and everything else really. I don't think we should stop with annexation. I think we need to reinstate county government in CT, for real this time. Then we could pull a Pittsburgh move and disincorporate the city effectively leaving the city as the seat of county. Hartford County is almost 1,000,000 in population that would also certainly gaurantee that Springfield and maybe New Haven would be included in the metro area of the mega city Hartford, with the Hartford County towns basically like little boroughs.

[MadVlad]

I think it would have an effect on trans-atlantic flight and everything else really. I don't think we should stop with annexation. I think we need to reinstate county government in CT, for real this time. Then we could pull a Pittsburgh move and disincorporate the city effectively leaving the city as the seat of county. Hartford County is almost 1,000,000 in population that would also certainly gaurantee that Springfield and maybe New Haven would be included in the metro area of the mega city Hartford, with the Hartford County towns basically like little boroughs.

I wouldn't have a problem with that at all, except we're in the minority here. I really hate how people live in their little cubicle worlds, "oh, who cares about Hartford, I never go there". Well, congratulations, you are now officially a buffoon!!! Everything that exists in this area largely has Hartford to thank. These little towns like Avon, Simsbury, Glastonbury, Farmington, they'd be farm towns if Hartford didn't exist. They wouldn't have nice shops to go to, they wouldn't have spas to go to, and they'd probably be living around Boston or New York. What affects Hartford affects it's suburbs, bottom line. Hartford suffers from bad press, then so do the surroundings. I really love to think of the people that do this having little kids...... you know, the little kids that will eventually grow up, state "this place sucks" and move to San Diego, Atlanta, or Denver. Then mommy will cry in her milk because her baby is sooooo far away. We need to modernize our area, join the 21st century, position ourselves to compete nationally and globally. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening on the scale that we need....

[blink55184]

as the first post states, this is a dreamy discussion! but a great one at that.

No one thinks Manchester would be on that annexation list?

So many people from Hartford are moving there..its sadly but quickly "gheto-tizing"

I think its 56k residents is already higher than a few towns listed to annex.

Buckland would be a great area to say "it belongs to Hartford"

[MadVlad]

Well, when I came up with the list, I really didn't go by population, I went by towns that are directly adjacent to Hartford. All the towns I mentioned border Hartford. If we went by popultaion, I'd include New Britain (71k+)...

[TaylorG4444]

I think it would have an effect on trans-atlantic flight and everything else really. I don't think we should stop with annexation. I think we need to reinstate county government in CT, for real this time. Then we could pull a Pittsburgh move and disincorporate the city effectively leaving the city as the seat of county. Hartford County is almost 1,000,000 in population that would also certainly gaurantee that Springfield and maybe New Haven would be included in the metro area of the mega city Hartford, with the Hartford County towns basically like little boroughs.

When you say that the Hartford County towns would be boroughs do you mean that ALL of Hartford County would be "HARTFORD", but each town would exist by itself? Kinda like NYC has Queens, Brookyln, Staten Island, Bronx, and Manhattan, but are all considered "New York City"?

[HartfordTycoon]

When you say that the Hartford County towns would be boroughs do you mean that ALL of Hartford County would be "HARTFORD", but each town would exist by itself? Kinda like NYC has Queens, Brookyln, Staten Island, Bronx, and Manhattan, but are all considered "New York City"?

Basically, that's what I hear they are trying to do in Pittsburgh currently. Only they already have a functioning County Government in place in PA, I think. So all they need to do is disincorporate the city of Pittsburgh, thus Pittsburgh as the County Seat is really the only entity that matters. I don't know the current status of that though.

PittsburghPostGazetteSeries

[Jerry2]

Annexation is something that cities like Louisville,KY and many more are using to simplify government. It makes a lot of sense, esp. in small townships that exist in N. England. However, with N.E. being a liberal stronghold, I don't see that happening anytime soon. The majority of the people here would like to keep things the way that they have always been. With change, there is disorder....and this mentality hurts the area. Hartford is a mere 17 sq. miles and my city a mere 18, but yet both of these cities have separate townships that share our name and our borders. Hartford has West and East Hartford. Providence has North and East Providence. If these towns were combined to form 1 city, the land areas would be around 46 sq. miles for the 2 (roughly equal to Boston ) and the populations woud be around 205K for Hartford and 260K for Providence. Imagine how much $$ each respective state would save on a consolidated school district, city services, and a trimmed budget? One mega-district with every border town is unrealistic here in NE, but why is this happening in other vities around the USA? It's because some political figures run their respective cities like businesses and other cities ( namely in the NE ) run them to cater to their voters.

[HartfordTycoon]

Annexation is something that cities like Louisville,KY and many more are using to simplify government. It makes a lot of sense, esp. in small townships that exist in N. England. However, with N.E. being a liberal stronghold, I don't see that happening anytime soon. The majority of the people here would like to keep things the way that they have always been. With change, there is disorder....and this mentality hurts the area. Hartford is a mere 17 sq. miles and my city a mere 18, but yet both of these cities have separate townships that share our name and our borders. Hartford has West and East Hartford. Providence has North and East Providence. If these towns were combined to form 1 city, the land areas would be around 46 sq. miles for the 2 (roughly equal to Boston ) and the populations woud be around 205K for Hartford and 260K for Providence. Imagine how much $$ each respective state would save on a consolidated school district, city services, and a trimmed budget? One mega-district with every border town is unrealistic here in NE, but why is this happening in other vities around the USA? It's because some political figures run their respective cities like businesses and other cities ( namely in the NE ) run them to cater to their voters.

You are absolutely right. The way we do things in the North East is pretty ass backwards at times. It's funny that this is supposedly progressive part fo the country, yet we are afraid to try new solutions to old problems. IMO the repsective states of RI and CT would be infinitely stronger with large cities to be a focal point of the state's attention. If PVD and HTFD consolidated with, as you said, the towns that share our names and borders, many problems would be greatly alleviated.

[Jerry2]

You are absolutely right. The way we do things in the North East is pretty ass backwards at times. It's funny that this is supposedly progressive part fo the country, yet we are afraid to try new solutions to old problems. IMO the repsective states of RI and CT would be infinitely stronger with large cities to be a focal point of the state's attention. If PVD and HTFD consolidated with, as you said, the towns that share our names and borders, many problems would be greatly alleviated.

It's not just Prov. and Hartford. It's common all over New England.

[GregV]

It's not just Prov. and Hartford. It's common all over New England.

Although I'm all for improving Hartford, I'm not so sure we should do it at the expense of West Hartford. Imagine if the two were merged. Sure there would be tons of cost savings, but what would happen to Hall and Conard High Schools if Hartford students were bussed there en masse? Would West Hartford lose some of its appeal and begin to trend downwards? Perhaps, but West Hartford is not foolish enough to ever let something like this happen.

[Jerry2]

Although I'm all for improving Hartford, I'm not so sure we should do it at the expense of West Hartford. Imagine if the two were merged. Sure there would be tons of cost savings, but what would happen to Hall and Conard High Schools if Hartford students were bussed there en masse? Would West Hartford lose some of its appeal and begin to trend downwards? Perhaps, but West Hartford is not foolish enough to ever let something like this happen.

You're right. It would never happen. West Hartford could shut 1 high school down and convert the other into 1 conglomerate of higher education that would serve the greater city of Hartford.

[ctman987]

Being able to have West Hartford Center/ Blue Back Square as part of Hartford would be an amazing feature. Also having schools like Kingswood-Oxford and Northwest Catholic as part of Hartford would be helpful (in a small way but nevertheless helpful). I know for example Watkinson is more involved in Hartford and more diverse then Kingswood.

[MadVlad]

I don't think it would make any difference, school-wise. Kids usually go to highschool wherever their geographical location dictates, I don't see anyone going all the way out to West Hartford to get into a school...

[HartfordTycoon]

I don't think it would make any difference, school-wise. Kids usually go to highschool wherever their geographical location dictates, I don't see anyone going all the way out to West Hartford to get into a school...

Actually Vlad, hundreds if not thousands of kids from poorer communities like Hartford go to school across town lines using alternate addresses and other techniques all in the pursuit of a safer more orderly learning environment. It's really pretty sad. At least now with the Magnet Schools our brightest have the chance to escape and go to better schools in Hartford, but I do wonder what the effect will the old forgotten public schools.

[Bill Mocarsky]

I don't think it would make any difference, school-wise. Kids usually go to highschool wherever their geographical location dictates, I don't see anyone going all the way out to West Hartford to get into a school...

You are very right. In some towns in the area, it is getting tougher to attend a public school outside the district of your legal address.

[MadVlad]

Actually Vlad, hundreds if not thousands of kids from poorer communities like Hartford go to school across town lines using alternate addresses and other techniques all in the pursuit of a safer more orderly learning environment. It's really pretty sad. At least now with the Magnet Schools our brightest have the chance to escape and go to better schools in Hartford, but I do wonder what the effect will the old forgotten public schools.

So then, how would annexing West Hartford change anything? Would they be more prone to use a West Hartford address than they already are? I don't think so, I personally don't see the difference.

[HartfordTycoon]

So then, how would annexing West Hartford change anything? Would they be more prone to use a West Hartford address than they already are? I don't think so, I personally don't see the difference.

I agree with you. I don't think it would make that big of a difference. I truthfully don't see too many negatives, even for West Hartford. They get to become the ritzy section of the State Capital, and Hartford becomes a truly mid-sized american city and a very large city in New England and CT. I think the benefits of consolidation far surpass the drawbacks for all municipalities that would be involved.

[uconn99]

In a few years Stamford will be Conneticuts biggets city. It really is a shame that Hartford is not currently the biggest city in the state populaiton wise. Hartford is the seat of the states economy. A city like Stamford full of NYC castaways should not be Connecticuts largest city.

[drc72]

Intially West Hartford was never suppose to seperate from Hartford. That was never the master plan for the Hartford area. Of course a select few in the West section of the city decided to form their own town charter and cut Hartford in half. Honestly I think Hartford would have an easier time getting East Hartford back. History has said that Hartford has made attempts to annex West Hartford back into it's borders, but of course it never materialized. Columbus Ohio has actually annexed a lot of suberbs and their population has increased dramatically and they are doing very well. Hartford needs to the same.

[Whaler0718]

It's absurd to me that West Hartford, Bloomfield, Newington, East Hartford, etc., aren't all part of the City of Hartford. They could still operate like boroughs, with a great deal of autonomy, but the city would be responsible for master planning, as well as police, fire, sanitation, etc. Why have six police and fire chiefs, when there could be one of each? Same goes for the rest of each fiefdom's administrators. Integrating all of the region's students into a single district would obviously benefit Hartford's students. Of course, the suburbanites will allege that it would do so at their expense, but, frankly, a little integration would help their kids as well, rather than growing up in a bubble. Anyway, I like to dream, so I'd be curious to hear thoughts on this proposal.

Just to make it clear, I don't think this is politically feasible--I'm trying to fend off the inevitable "never gonna happen" posts. Yeah, I get that, but what if? If it could happen, would it be a good thing?

[drc72]

West Hartford would ideally fit into Hartford city proper perfectly. Will it ever happen? I doubt it.