Candidate Profile: Leon Long, New London Mayor

NEW LONDON, CT — The 2023 municipal election is heating up in New London and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

New London Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

New London resident Leon Long tells Patch why he should be elected as mayor.

How old will you be as of Election Day?

41

Does your campaign have a website? If so, include the URL here.

https://Leon4NewLondon.com

Please give us your party affiliation.

New London Green Party

Education.

I graduated HS in 1999, in New York, then studied Graphic Design & Advertising at the Art Institute of Philadelphia

What is your occupation?

Promotions Director at Cumulus Media New London, Bartender at The Blue Duck Bar & Kitchen, Freelance Graphic Designer and Website Developer

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

My daughter is 12 years old and a straight A student, my 10 year old son is captain of his soccer team. (Mom and I prefer not to use their names, I hope you understand) My partner and I live in Hodges Square, New London, she manages her father's business, The Fishery in Westerly, RI.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

No. Never held public office, this is however my second run for office. Ran for New London City Council in 2021. I am currently a Co-Chair of the New London Arts Council.

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

First of all, 80% of our registered voters are not showing up to vote in our elections. I'm running to find out why and to let those voters know that in a Long Administration their opinion would be valued and sought after. Second, I have two jobs that keep me heavily involved in our community and there is a general consensus, in that community, that our elected leaders are becoming increasingly out of touch with the needs of New Londoners. At the same time, our municipality is relying more and more on entities from outside of New London to lift us up but the only thing rising is rent. This is a side effect of the new apartment buildings popping up all over town - most of them run by entities based outside of our city. Lastly, Mayor Passero appointing so many non-New London residents to positions of power in our government, we find ourselves relying on people who don't live in New London in charge of fixing problems created by people who don't live in New London. Our incumbents must answer for this.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it.

their wages are not enough to adequately address the rising cost of living in New London. What I intend to do about that is explore all options available to the city, or create new options, to keep the rising rents stable. With the city unable to ensure any raises in wages, we can work overtime to help New Londoners in other areas.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am not afraid to challenge an injustice. Mayor Passero has a long history of ignoring injustices brought to his attention and has even discouraged a New London citizen from fighting for what they thought was right. Beloved Carter has stated in an interview with Marty Olsen that she believes we should support our police department "100%". That statement leaves no room for improvement or even criticism. Supporting the police department "100%" certainly leaves no room to modify their budget in anyway and there are many New Londoners who agree that the police budget could be modified.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

In his 8 years in office, Mayor Passero has shown time and again that his focus is not in the city. While he may be making change within our city limits, it is merely surface level. There has been no significant positive changes made for New London residents that they have felt at home, only changes that they see when they leave their home. The Mayor will boast about keeping property taxes low but never address rising rents. Less than 40% of New Londoners own homes while more than 60% of New Londoners rent. This issue impacts all ages, genders and races. When it comes to issues of race, specifically, the Mayor has declared racism a public health crisis and then did nothing to address that crisis. And the failure from Mayor Passero that I am most offended by is his insistence on hiring from outside the city when it comes to his appointments within our government. This violates our charter and, worse, creates loyalty as those appointed rarely challenge the Mayor.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Affordable Housing, Arts & Culture as a real economic driver and Addiction, are three major issues I talk about that the incumbents do not talk about. New London is experiencing an identity crisis. Once known for a vibrant, diverse Arts & Culture sector, we see the list of art galleries shrinking and even the loss of some of our most prominent restaurants. As a Co-Chair for our city's arts council, it breaks my heart to say that our arts community is shrinking but, in terms of physical space, it is. New London is also traditionally a family-focused community. This can be seen in our love for our recreation programs and the pride we have in our public schools. The new apartment buildings are specifically to lure EB employees to live in our city and these employees are typically younger, single males with no children. I am running to ensure it is these new residents that adopt to our diverse, family-focused community, not our diverse, family-focused community that is forced to have to adopt for all these very new residents. While I welcome new New London residents, I simply do not want them to be introduced into the city at the expense of our very identity.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have worked with every level of our city government. While I have not held office, I have partnered with many of our elected (and appointed) officials to develop programs, organize events, promote our city, and connect our residents, local artists, and business owners, to opportunities from the city, the state or the federal government. In New London, conversations about economics quickly turn to the arts. As a charter member, and now Co-Chair, of the New London Arts Council, I have been able to see just how reliant New London is on the arts to drive our economy. Still, we have leadership that can't seem to figure out how to maximize our Arts Community. I can do that. Lastly, in my professional life (Cumulus Media New London) and in my private life (volunteering) I try my hardest to be a champion for those that fight hardest for our community, local non-profits.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

"One day at a time." While it is helpful - and even fun - to think about the future, most tasks require us to be present in the moment, considering the things and people that will be immediately impacted by the decision or plan we make.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I really want to be an example for our residents. From a young age my mother showed us the importance of giving to community. My dad, a Marine and veteran, instilled in us the importance of civic duty. That's why I want every New Londoner to see how important their vote is. Their vote is their voice and their voice deserves to be heard.