Paul Bass Photo
Boughton in the WNHH FM studio during gubernatorial run.
Mark Boughton is making it to the state Capitol after all — not as governor, as originally planned; but as top tax collector for a different governor from a different party.
Boughton, the Republican 10-term mayor of Danbury, is the state’s new commissioner of the Department of Social Services.
Gov. Ned Lamont — the Democrat who won the 2018 gubernatorial race in which Boughton made an unusuccessful bid for the Republican nomination — announced the appointment Friday.
“Mark has earned a reputation as being a dedicated public servant and hard worker, and his experience as mayor provides him with a considerable amount of knowledge on the inner workings of government, particularly when it comes to the impacts certain measures can have on the local level, where they are closest to home,” a release from the governor’s office quoted him as saying.
“I firmly believe that a bigger table, open door, and creative solutions will help produce the best outcomes for the people of our state, regardless of someone’s political affiliation. I thank Mark for making the decision to join our administration and I look forward to having him serve in this important capacity.”
Boughton had run for the 2018 gubernatorial nomination calling for the elimination of the state income tax. Now he will be in charge of collecting it. As mayor, he enjoyed bipartisan support. He also became an early national advocate of keeping immigrants out of the country, driving them out of Danbury.
In the same Friday gubernatorial release, Boughton praised his new boss: “Governor Lamont’s team has shown its dedication to the people of our state since he took office, especially during this pandemic, and they have been great to work with through this transition. I stood by the governor when our state saw its first case of COVID-19 back in March, and I am proud to become a member of his team as he continues to lead the state during this unprecedented period.”