Manchester Alderman Tony Sapienza won't seek reelection
Tony Sapienza
Tony Sapienza
'I want to thank the people, the residents of Ward 5,' Sapienza said. 'I've been in this seat for 10 years as of this week, and I want to thank the people for the opportunity, for allowing me to represent them, and I want them to know that I do not intend to be filing for reelection in the upcoming filing period.
'We do have a young man named Jason Bonilla who has stepped up and is running for the seat. He's a fine young man, and I sure would like to see some young people on this board.'
Mayor Jay Ruais thanked Tony Sapienza for his service.
'These are tough jobs, as you know, often they are thankless jobs, and anybody that puts their name on the ballot deserves a great deal of respect,' Ruais said.
'I look forward to finishing this term,' Sapienza said.
Jason Bonilla, a school board member from Ward 5, announced in April he will run for the Ward 5 alderman seat in a video posted on social media.
Speaking in both Spanish and English, Bonilla said he's ready to move 'on to the next chapter.'
'I'm running for alderman in Ward 5 to support all of our city departments, including our public schools, and to strengthen our businesses, especially our local ones,' Bonilla said. 'I will fight to keep our streets and parks clean and safe, to ensure our sidewalks are accessible and our roads are well-maintained, and work with law enforcement to remove fentanyl and opioids from our streets.'
Bonilla said he is also committed to tackling the housing crisis, ensuring affordable options and reducing homelessness.
'I will do this by collaborating with local organizations and city departments, because no one in our community should be forgotten,' Bonilla said.
Bonilla was appointed to the Board of School Committee in 2021, after Jeremy Dobson resigned his seat prior to moving out of the city.
Bonilla was elected to the school board in 2023.
Bonilla, a Salvadoran American, worked with AmeriCorps for two years in the Boston and Washington, D.C., public schools 'showing black and brown youth that we existed, that we were out here ready to advocate for them, to listen to them, and to push to them to follow their dreams.'
Bonilla landed a career as a recruiter for City Year in Manchester, going from 'squeegeeing throw-up at Forest Hills' in Boston to recruiting young people of color across the region to serve as peer mentors in the Queen City.
Bonilla was nominated for the Ward 5 school board seat by Tony Sapienza.
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