After a year long battle between CTPOA and Democrat Mayor Tim O’Brien over his landlord licensing ordinance and 9-1-1 Hot Spot fee, landlords turned into political activists and helped decide the New Britain elections outcome.
CTPOA helped organize landlords back in September and began having landlords register their tenants to vote as well as telling those that do vote, to vote for Erin Stewart. The effort paid off as on election day the landlords delivered nearly 1,000 votes to help the 26 year old Republican to an 1,100 vote victory and become mayor of New Britain despite a 5 to 1 disadvantage in registered Democrats over Republicans in the Hardware City.
Landlords became fed up with being called “Slumlords” and attacked repeatedly in the press by O’Brein and vowed to replace him, on Election day, they kept that promise. This marks the first time landlords in Connecticut became political and organized themselves for an election, something they vow they will do in the future if they are ever attacked again by a politician.
