Mary C. Moran

Mary Chapar Moran[1] (born August 1, 1933) is an American politician who served as mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut from 1989 to 1991. She is the first and only woman to be mayor of Bridgeport. A member of the Republican Party, Moran ran in 1989 and defeated incumbent mayor Thomas W. Bucci flipping Bridgeport's leadership from Democrat to Republican. Her victory was considered an upset as Bridgeport was heavily Democratic.[2] She served for one term, before being defeated by Joe Ganim thus returning Bridgeport back to Democratic leadership. Her tenure was extremely unpopular exclusively due to her decision to file for municipal bankruptcy for the City Of Bridgeport,[3] which the U.S. bankruptcy court rejected regardless.[4]

Mary Moran
50th Mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut
In office
November 13, 1989 – November 11, 1991
Preceded byThomas W. Bucci
Succeeded byJoseph Ganim
Personal details
Born (1933-08-01) August 1, 1933
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Political partyRepublican

Electoral History

In 1977, Moran unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for city clerk.[2][5]

In 1989, Moran–then "a self-described housewife and real-estate broker" without experience in public office[2]—won the Republican nomination for mayor in an upset, narrowly defeating the party-endorsed candidate, former mayor Leonard S. Paoletta, with 2,004 votes (50.4%) to Paoletta's 1,972 votes (49.6%).[5] Moran proceeded to defeat two-term incumbent mayor Thomas W. Bucci. She received support mainly from white voters,[6] and argued that under Bucci crime went up as and financial issues became worse.[2] Moran was a Republican nominee in a heavily Democratic city, yet won the election by 11 percentage points.[2] Moran was sworn in at the Klein Memorial Auditorium on November 13, 1989.[2] Her victory was considered an upset by observers and was understood to be a rejection towards Bucci rather than an acceptance of her policies who called for "cutting city services, except for police and fire" and not increasing taxes except during a potential municipal bankruptcy.

Mayor of Bridgeport

In 1988, the year prior to her election, the State of Connecticut had imposed a financial review board for the city.[7]

In 1991, Moran became famous for filing a municipal bankruptcy petition for the city in U.S. bankruptcy court in an effort to avoid an 18 percent tax that the financial review board had proposed.[8][9] The petition was unsuccessful; the bankruptcy court determined that Bridgeport was not insolvent.[10][11][12]

Moran's move was deeply unpopular, even vilified.[13][14] The filing "made Connecticut's largest city a symbol of the nation's urban struggles."[15] In a 2012 op-ed, Moran defended the decision as the only way to address Bridgeport's steep structural budget deficits.[14]

Moran lost the 1991 election to Joseph P. Ganim. Ganim received 15,768 votes (54%) compared to 10,951 for Moran and 2,258 for other candidates.[16]

References
  1. Steve Halvonik, Groups Credit Smith With Assist, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (February 9, 1990).
  2. Nick Ravo, A Novice Reigns as Bridgeport Mayor, New York Times (November 15, 1989).
  3. Sullivan, p. 93.
  4. George Judson, U.S. Judge Blocks Bridgeport From Bankruptcy Court, New York Times (August 2, 1991).
  5. For First Time, Democrats Choose A Black for Mayor in New Haven, Associated Press (September 14, 1989).
  6. The 1989 Elections: Connecticut: New Haven Picks First Black Mayor, New York Times (November 8, 1989).
  7. Gerald Benjamin & Richard P. Nathan, Regionalism and Realism: A Study of Governments in the New York Metropolitan Area (Bookings Institution Press: 2001), p. 13.
  8. Rob Sullivan, Political Corruption in Bridgeport: Scandal in the Park City (The History Press, 2014), p. 93.
  9. David Berman, Local Government and the States: Autonomy, Politics and Policy: Autonomy, Politics and Policy (Routledge, 2015).
  10. Jeff Holtz, Bridgeport Mayor's Office, and Race for It, Drawing Spotlight as Usual, New York Times (June 10, 2007).
  11. Benjamin & Nathan, p. 13.
  12. George Judson, U.S. Judge Blocks Bridgeport From Bankruptcy Court, New York Times (August 2, 1991).
  13. Sullivan, p. 93.
  14. Mary C. Moran, In 1991, bankruptcy was best for Bridgeport, Connecticut Post (September 14, 2012).
  15. Kirk Johnson, Bridgeport Mayor Falls, but No Wide Anti-Incumbent Trend Is Seen, New York Times (November 6, 1991).
  16. Kirk Johnson, New Mayor in Bridgeport Faces the Same Old Problems, New York Times (November 7, 1991).
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