BERLIN – Mayor Mark Kaczynski, who has led Berlin for the past decade, says his track record of fiscal stewardship, improving infrastructure and business development shows his commitment to making the city stronger and more resilient for residents.
“It was an honor to be able to volunteer my time for the citizens of Berlin,” said Kaczynski. “I was born and raised in Berlin and raised my family there. Because of my wonderful experience here, it is always important to me to make Berlin an even better place to live and visit.”
When Kaczynski took office, the city faced a significant financial challenge with $107 million in debt. He said reducing that burden while maintaining essential services was one of his key achievements.
“We paid down $55 million in debt and moved forward with responsible budgets,” he said.
He points to significant advances in public safety, including the purchase of new fire engines, the replacement of aging police and fire radio systems and a new police pension plan. These steps, Kaczynski said, will help the city recruit and retain qualified officers.
The mayor also noted improvements to roads, school buildings and public facilities.
“We have made improvements in many areas of our infrastructure by repaving more streets, improving our playing fields and golf course, completing HVAC upgrades at Willard School, replacing the kitchen at the senior center, beginning HVAC improvements in Griswold and Hubbard and improving safety in our schools,” he said.
Kaczynski added that these projects were completed while keeping taxes low.
“All of this was accomplished while our tax rate was one of the lowest in central Connecticut,” he said.
Under his leadership, Berlin also experienced steady economic growth. Kaczynski said changes in tax relief policies and business regulations have helped attract new businesses and encourage expansion.
“When I was elected 10 years ago, we reviewed our policies and decided to improve our tax relief policies and other changes that resulted in the creation of 149 new companies, 52 business expansions, and made $145 million in private business investment that helped create 1,609 new jobs,” he said.
He emphasized that responsible financial management has enabled Berlin to maintain a high credit rating.
“Because of our lower debt and responsible spending, we have earned and maintained a triple AAA bond rating from Standard and Poor's,” Kaczynski said. “This is very important because when we need to borrow money to finance a large project, such as upgrading our HVAC systems in our elementary schools, we get a lower interest rate, which obviously saves money.”
Looking forward, Kaczynski said he plans to continue to focus on community needs, such as affordable housing for seniors. He said construction on a new project with 70 units of affordable senior housing is expected to begin in early 2026.
“If I am re-elected, I will continue to work for the further growth of our city and a city administration that is open to all citizens of Berlin,” he said.
