HARTFORD, THE CAPITAL city of Connecticut, is an example of troubled cities throughout America. As automobiles clog the outbound highways during the evening rush hour on a typical weekday, the city becomes a ghost town. Over the years, more and more residents have moved to the suburbs and the city has seen its population shrink from almost 150,000 in 1980 to approximately 125,000 today. Condominiums built during the 1980s to attract middleclass families have been abandoned. Many restaurants have been closed and shuttered, hotels have closed their doors, and retail stores have left for the suburban malls. Hartford, which is home to some of the nation's largest insurance companies, has also been hit by corporate downsizings in which thousands of people have lost their jobs. Manufacturing firms have relocated elsewhere. Unemployment in the city is well over 10 percent, nearly double the national average of 5.5 percent. And the number of.....
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