Hans Hartman

Hans Hartman’s Issues:

Public Safety & Crime

Problem: High-profile, violent assault raised safety concerns, lack of respect for the law.

Proposed Solutions:

• Law-and-order first: Increase visible police presence in problem areas; zero-tolerance for repeat or violent offenders. Increase the number of K-9 Units. Install cameras to identify offenders. Have “Police Call Boxes” that automatically dial 911 in New London (can be sponsored).
• Improve lighting: Improve lighting on the streets and walkways in downtown. Move to taller posts with an efficient lighting, to make identification from the width of the widest single lane road downtown.
• Stricter sentencing advocacy: Pressure state legislators for tougher sentencing for violent crimes and bail reform to stop the “revolving door.”
• Community accountability: Empower neighborhood watch programs, faith groups, and civic associations to partner with police in reporting and deterrence.
• No defunding: The Police Department will be the last agency in the city to lose funding. No other department can receive additional funding if the P.D. is being cut. This includes the Mayor’s Office.

Tax Equity & Property-Tax Burden

Problem: Heavy tax-exempt base, revaluation shifted burden onto working families.

Proposed Solutions:

• Broaden the tax base: Actively recruit new taxable businesses and developments into New London to dilute the impact of tax-exempt properties.
• Reduce Tax Abatements: Any business that makes a profit, should be paying taxes. If you are building, or in your first 90 days of operation, you are exempt. You are building a new house and receive your C.O., 90 days from that day – No Tax. Those with tax-exempt status for private dwellings, would be asked to participate in an educational program of mentorship, for the improvement of education in New London.
• Spending restraint: Cap annual city budget growth at inflation + population growth. Give responsibility and accountability to find better processes to streamline their jobs. Take care of the people working to keep the City Clean and Safe.
• Taxpayer relief first: Enact homestead exemptions or phased-in assessments to protect homeowners, especially seniors, from sudden hikes.
• Cut bureaucracy: Reduce city payroll and overhead before asking residents to shoulder more taxes. Administrative offices May Not expand or receive raises for 2 years after a tax increase, more than the National Adjusted COLA as calculated for Social Security Residents of New London. The Mayor’s Office will ALWAYS BE THE LAST to receive pay increases. I believe this issue should be put to a vote by referendum.

Education Funding

Problem: Budget deficit, frozen federal grants, bad decisions in the past, calls for use of reserves.

Proposed Solutions:

• No blanket bailouts: Resist raiding reserves. Instead, require line-item audits of the Board of Education (BOE) to identify administrative bloat, unfunded mandates, and duplicative or fiscally positive, deleted programs.
• Performance-based funding: Tie budget increases to measurable improvements (test scores, graduation rates, vocational placement). Make School a place of learning and social interaction with children of their own age. Not a place of indoctrination. Time spent by a teacher talking about their personal self, is inappropriate and leads to moral and legal issues and liability.
• School choice expansion: Encourage competition by expanding magnet/charter opportunities in neighboring towns through outreach programs and offer school vouchers so parents can “vote with their feet.”
• Private-sector partnerships: Bring in trades, businesses, and community organizations to co-sponsor national programs instead of relying solely on city funds. Allow businesses to have “Memorial Bricks” or plaques as to their donation to the construction or rehab that was donated.
• Involve the community in the education process.
• Improve the “walk/ride your bike” infrastructure: Many families would rather have their children walk to school or ride their bike. Taking a bus that stops and starts every 50 yards in some cases, is not the answer for budget restraint. This also keeps our children healthier.

Ocean Beach Park Finances

Problem: Chronic losses. Insufficient oversight. Sodexo contract end(s)(ed) 09/01/2025.

Proposed Solutions:

• Privatization of management: Lease or sell operations to a private company under strict performance standards — the city retains ownership, but taxpayers are not on the hook for annual deficits.
• Market-based pricing: Raise fees for non-residents while keeping New London resident passes affordable, ensuring those who benefit most (tourists) bear costs.
• Cut non-essential programming: Focus on core services (beach access, maintenance, safety) and eliminate city-subsidized extras.
• Public-private sponsorships: Allow naming rights and private sponsorship of amenities (pavilions, concessions) to offset maintenance costs.
• Public Investment: Set up an Investment Corporation to improve Ocean Beach Park. Set up a bipartisan Watch group to oversee the Investment Corporation. Have the City Council oversee the group that is watching the Investment Corporation.

Sail Fest Cancellation

Problem: Budget decisions lead to this year’s elimination of a major cultural/economic event.

Proposed Solutions:

• Nonprofit foundation model: Hand Sail Fest entirely to a community-led, non-partisan, non-organization-related, nonprofit foundation. The city provides in-kind services (permits, policing, 1⁄2 the cost of the first-year insurance) only - no direct subsidies.
• Corporate sponsorships first: Require businesses, in relation to their location to Sail Fest, to fund the bulk of expenses through sponsorships or Goods and services. Areas that are historically impacted by Sail Fest will also have the duty of helping the entire community with funding. This suggestion is something that should only be brought up, discussed, voted on as a Referendum proposed to the Citizens of New London. 
• Volunteer-driven: Expand reliance on volunteer staffing (civic groups, veterans’ groups, churches) instead of paid, city overtime.
• Different approach: Bring in professionals to plan the event. Get those with a track record of putting on a successful and profitable street carnival.

Principles Applied

• Fiscal discipline → Audit, cut waste, and cap spending.
• Personal responsibility → Families and businesses should have choice and accountability.
• Private-sector solutions → Leverage sponsorships, nonprofits, and market pricing over government subsidies.
• Law & order → Restore safety by backing police, enforcing laws, and rejecting leniency for repeat offenders. “Shine a Light on Crime”
• Taxpayer fairness → Protect working families from subsidizing inefficiency or exemptions without contributions.

Hans Hartman

Candidate for City Council

• From a family of 20 children – 14 adopted from around the world - I learned compassion, hard work, and the courage to speak up.
• Entrepreneur. Filmmaker. Inventor. Philanthropist. Mentor. Volunteer. An active member of my Parish. I’ve built businesses, served on the State Advisory Board for the D.E.C.D., and I always put people first.
• I live here. I own a home here. My wife and I are part of this community—and I’m committed to making it stronger.
• I listen, I act, and I stand up for what’s right.

Vote Hans Hartman -  Because You Deserve Better