Dean Esposito, a Common Council member for 10 years, a Town Clerk for a year, and a lifelong Democrat, will run for mayor against Republican incumbent Mark Boughton in November.
Esposito was chosen by 160 people at the Danbury Democratic convention in City Hall last night after two other candidates for the nomination withdrew.
After Esposito, 45, was named the Democrats' top choice, he thanked the party for its unity. He then raised questions about immigration, the city's unsigned police contract, and the moratorium against multi-family building in most residential neighborhoods that Boughton put in place.
The moratorium was scheduled to last six months and end in September after the city improved zoning regulations to halt over-building.
"It looks like the moratorium is being extended," Esposito said. "Why was nothing done over the last five months? If we need better regulations, where are they?"
Esposito said the reason Danbury is one of the safest cities in the country is that the police do a great job. But he pointed out the police haven't had a new contract in three years.
"If this issue isn't resolved in the next few months, it will be resolved within a month of my taking office," Esposito said.
Esposito accused Boughton of building walls between Danbury residents by calling for the state police to enforce federal immigration law, an idea rejected by the state Commissioner of Public Safety.
"As mayor, you represent the city's residents," Esposito said. "You have to evaluate what is best for everyone."
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On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
The amended complaint states that plaintiffs sought to remedy the continued discriminatory and unauthorized enforcement of federal immigration laws against the Latino residents of the City of Danbury by Danbury's mayor and its police department.
Plaintiffs allege that the arrests violated their Fourth Amendment rights and the Connecticut Constitution because defendants conducted the arrests without valid warrants, in the absence of exigent circumstances, and without probable cause to believe that plaintiffs were engaged in unlawful activity. In addition, plaintiffs allege that defendants improperly stopped, detained, investigated, searched and arrested plaintiffs. Plaintiffs also allege that defendants violated their Fourteenth Amendment rights when they intentionally targeted plaintiffs, and arrested and detained them on the basis of their race, ethnicity and perceived national origin. Plaintiffs raise First Amendment, Due Process and tort claims.
Plaintiffs request declaratory relief, damages and attorneys fees.
On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
