Bill Finch (politician)
| Bill Finch | |
|---|---|
| 53rd Mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut | |
|
In office December 1, 2007 – December 1, 2015 |
|
| Preceded by | John M. Fabrizi |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Ganim |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Sonya |
| Children | Peter, Christopher, Atticus and Aiden |
| Residence | Bridgeport, Connecticut |
Bill Finch (born March 4, 1956) was the mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut and former majority whip in the Connecticut Senate. A Democrat, he was elected Mayor of Bridgeport in November 2007 with approximately 76% of the vote.
Finch grew up in Trumbull and Bridgeport. He attended the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics, and while he was there served as the student representative to the University’s Board of Trustees and was elected President of the undergraduate student government. He and his wife, Sonya, have two boys, Atticus and Aiden; his two older sons, Peter and Christopher, both grew up in Bridgeport and attended Bridgeport public schools.
After graduating from college, Finch moved back to Bridgeport where he became a City Council Member for nine and a half years. While on the City Council, Finch developed a record of cutting taxes, aimed to create new jobs, and was involved in public safety by voting to add more police officers to the city's force and promoting programs such as gun safety lock distribution.
As a councilman, Finch helped negotiate the construction of the Bluefish Baseball Stadium, the Arena at Harbor Yard, and Steel Point. He also served as member of the Grow Bridgeport Fund, the Connecticut Zoological Society, and the Leo J. Ryan Education Foundation Board of Directors.
In 2000, Finch was elected State Senator for the 22nd district, representing Bridgeport, Trumbull, and Monroe. He served in the legislature as Senate Chairman of the Environment Committee and as Senate Vice Chairman of the Transportation Committee. He was also a member of the Education Committee and the Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee.
As a Senator, Finch's legislative priorities included property tax reform, smart growth initiatives, education funding, expanding the Husky healthcare initiative, combating underage drinking, transportation issues, and gun control and crime prevention. Upon arriving at the Senate, Finch initiated the "Who Wants to Change the World?" Contest – a program to involve youth with government. He also promoted an ongoing movement to recognize and preserve the works of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.
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