Michael Buscetto III, a 37-year-old developer who grew up in New London, wants to be mayor of the city. His goal is not the old, hackneyed one-year term served by a powerless mayor, but a new order in which the mayor has plenty of authority and exercises it.

"The mayor's position is not respected, not fully respected," said Buscetto. "I favor a mayor as a stronger position politically."

So, does he favor a strong mayor and a major charter change that might eliminate a city manager's position? He claims he's not sure he's finished his thinking on that issue. Nor does he know what the Charter Revision Commission chaired by former Democratic Mayor William Satti will recommend, but Buscetto says the mayor needs more authority over personnel, budgets and economic development. That sounds like a strong mayor, a stance that would put him directly in conflict with the opinion of Democratic Town Chairman Anthony Basilica.

Buscetto started exercising power last Monday night when he got his fellow Democrats to agree to a take-no-prisoners approach to changing priorities in the city budget. And while he doesn't commit to the idea of a "strong mayor," most of his ideas conform to the theme of a strong mayor elected directly by the people and possessing much greater powers.

City manager not fully apprised

Buscetto has proposed wiping out most of the city planning and development department jobs, beefing up the police and fire departments and cutting in half the increase in the education budget. And he didn't tell City Manager Martin H. Berliner in advance about the specifics. Nor did he tell Basilica, Buscetto says.

Wouldn't it have been courteous to inform the city manager?, Buscetto was asked. He replied:

"He didn't know the whole plan, but he knew I had something in mind. He didn't know the details. Truthfully, I would have expected the city manager to come up with something like I did. His budget called for a 2-mill increase."

Basilica said he and Buscetto did not discuss any specifics about the budget and his ideas for changing departments. "I didn't know they were doing it," said Basilica. "I help people get elected. I had my time as city councilor and mayor. What people do when they get elected is, whatever the four votes on the council do."

"He's 1,000 percent right," Buscetto said. "Tony Basilica hasn't made one phone call to me on any issue or vote."

Basilica said he still adamantly opposes a strong-mayor form of government to replace the city manager format. He has expressed his opinion in talks with Councilors Wade Hyslop, John Maynard and Buscetto, he said.

Buscetto says a mayor with stronger powers must be a visionary who nonetheless can put together a strong team and work well with the other officials. He says the city needs stronger economic development efforts and much better follow-through on issues in many departments.

"Departments are ignoring people's requests, and that has to end," says Buscetto. "It's going to take guts and persistence. The people want service. Change can happen. How you adjust to change is critical. Nothing stays the same. We're going to look deep into the issues and, one by one, take on the problems."

Buscetto was too extreme in his approach to the development department, and he certainly owes City Manager Berliner the courtesy of keeping him informed. But he's correct when he says residents want New London government to be more responsive, more imaginative and more efficient. They're tired of hearing about the great potential of the city. They want results.

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Morgan McGinley is a former editorial page editor for The Day, now retired.

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