Manchester Could Rebrand as a City Under Bill Led to Passage by Senator Rahman

Senator MD Rahman, Senate chair of the Planning and Development Committee, led passage Monday of legislation that will enable large municipalities like Manchester to officially designate themselves as cities rather than towns, better reflecting the communities’ identity.

The Senate sent H.B. 6957 to Gov. Ned Lamont’s desk on a unanimous vote, following a similar approval by the House earlier this month.

The bill includes a provision, championed by Senator Rahman, which gives municipalities a mechanism to designate themselves as cities under their charters. The change has been explored by Manchester, a community of around 60,000 residents, which has long referred to itself as the “city of village charm.”

Recently, Manchester residents have considered changing their charter to make the “city” moniker official. Since state statute does not contain any population or geographic thresholds to dictate when a community constitutes a city, Senator Rahman proposed H.B. 6957 to ensure residents have the ability to make the determination for themselves.

“This bill gives municipalities the freedom to define themselves on their own terms,” Senator Rahman said. “Manchester has grown significantly over the years and it deserves the right to reflect that evolution in its identity. This legislation empowers local communities to make that decision for themselves. It puts the question of who we are and how we present ourselves in the hands of the people who know and care about this place the most: the residents of Manchester.”