Segarra Says He's Under Attack From Perez Allies

Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra took over last summer after Eddie Perez was found guilty of corruption and resigned his office.  Now Segarra is running for mayor, and he says Perez’s political allies are targeting him.

 

Segarra appeared today/yesterday on WNPR’s Where We Live with John Dankosky.  He suggested that efforts by at least one of his opponents, State Representative Kelvin Roldan, have the feel of Perez politics.  Roldan worked for the former mayor and has taken public rhetorical swings at Segarra.

 

“Do you feel in some ways though with your position now that you’re under attack from the allies, the political allies, of Eddie Perez?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Segarra began his term in office by trying to turn the page and move beyond Perez.  He also began without the intent of running for a full term.  Now, both things have changed – Segarra is running for mayor, and he’s apparently trying to make an issue out of the Perez connections of his political opponents.

 

“It’s a political institution that came into being over a period of ten years.  These are allies that still don’t see the wisdom and still have not learned from how dangerous and how destructive this sort of political thinking that often times is very self centered can have in our community.”  

 

Segarra went on to say that people in Perez’s circle used public service to their personal benefit.

 

“Where were these folks ten years ago economically and where are they economically today. You need to do that analysis and when you do that analysis, it becomes clear who’s who, who’s in it for what, and what they are trying to accomplish.”

 

Segarra faces three other official candidates for mayor, including Roldan.  Efforts to reach to Roldan were unsuccessful.

 

You can hear the full interview with Segarra tonight at 7 on WNPR.