Tom Swan, the executive director of the Connecticut Citizen Action Group, a driving force behind Connecticut's public financing program for legislative and statewide office, writes in this op-ed about his organization's growing disenchantment with the mayor of Hartford, Connecticut and the hope for a municipal public financing program.

Swan mentions the allegations of unethical involvement with building contractors that have risen up around Mayor Eddie Perez, and suggests a parallel between those actions and those of ex-Governor John Rowland, whose indictment and imprisonment spurred action at the capitol to enact public financing in the Clean Elections model for the state.

Perhaps, as Rowland's scandals moved state legislators to action, these questions over Perez will propel discussion of public financing for Hartford elections. Writes Swan:

Hartford deserves a clean slate that pledges to outlaw self-dealing, establish clear and transparent standards for city contractors and enact municipal public financing for elections. Hartford can become the city we all hope it to be, but only if real actions are taken to restore the public trust.