DANBURY, Connecticut — Former Danbury Mayor Mark D. Boughton, a familiar face in the city he once governed as its longest-serving mayor and on his well-followed social media channels, will be honored at the WestConn Society Breakfast for Student Success hosted by the WCSU Foundation in a ceremony from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, at the Amber Room Colonnade, 1 Stacey Road in Danbury. Proceeds from the event benefit the mission of Western Connecticut State University through the WCSU Foundation. Tickets are available at www.wcsu.edu/giving/.
WCSU Foundation President Cory Plock said, “We are recognizing Mark Boughton for his service to our community and the state. Wherever he works, Mark has made things better for his constituents. We also appreciate that he is a product of Danbury and WCSU, and he proudly extolls both to everyone he meets.
“Additionally, in his former role as mayor, Mark was the chief purveyor of robocall emergency weather information,” Plock said. “Constituents could count on Mayor Mark for his timely and expert guidance through snow emergencies of all levels, left conveniently in mass quantity on their answering machines and voicemails during each weather event. His verbal delivery of the information was also second to none. Constituents sat at the edge of their seats whenever Mayor Mark uttered the phrase, ‘At this time,’ followed by a pregnant pause. They knew that what came next would signal the arrival of either a light passing flurry or a meteorological apocalypse, the likes of which Danbury had never seen. Constituents rather sadly had to find other avenues for weather information after Mayor Mark’s departure from city office. Listening to the National Weather Service or the Weather Channel, everyone got used to shaking their heads in disappointment, confused as to whether they needed to move their car off the street or not. It was only then that we knew Danbury would never the same without Mark Boughton.”
Born and raised in Danbury, Boughton attended Danbury public schools and graduated from Danbury High School in 1982. Upon graduation, he attended Central Connecticut State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in History. He went on to receive his master’s degree in Educational Psychology from Western Connecticut State University.
Boughton was nominated to be commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services by Gov. Ned Lamont in December 2020. A resolution confirming his nomination was approved by House members of the General Assembly’s Executive and Legislative Nominations Committee in January 2021, and by the Connecticut House of Representatives in February 2021.
At the Department of Revenue Services (DRS), Boughton has prioritized fair and equitable tax administration and excellent customer service. He is leading the department during a multi-year modernization initiative, which will stage an environment that supports data-driven tax collection, offers enhanced online tax filing and payment options, and promotes voluntary taxpayer compliance. The DRS initiative aligns with the Lamont Administration’s design to modernize state government and provide taxpayers with convenient, easily accessible services.
In addition to his duties with DRS, Lamont named Boughton as his senior adviser for infrastructure in December 2021. In this role, Boughton acts as the Lamont administration’s senior voice on infrastructure. He coordinates a multi-agency approach to administering funds from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Boughton and his infrastructure team work to ensure that the investments made with these federal funds are coordinated, strategic and equitable.
Boughton served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1983-89, where he achieved the rank of sergeant. He returned to Danbury High School in 1987 to teach Social Studies. As a highly regarded educator, he continues to be a leading advocate of quality education for all children.
According to his bio, Boughton has always had a deep love for public service. He served as a member of the Danbury Planning Commission from 1995 to 1998 and later went on to serve three years as Connecticut’s 138th District State Representative. During his time as State Rep., he achieved a perfect voting record in the General Assembly, where he was ranking member of the Environment Committee, as well as a member of the Education Committee.
Boughton was the longest-serving mayor in Danbury’s history, elected to office for a 10th term in 2019. During his time in office, he was committed to top-notch education, infrastructure enhancement and public safety. For several years under his leadership, Danbury was selected as the “Safest City” in Connecticut, and among the best places to live in the U.S. Boughton remains devoted to keeping Danbury as the “Greatest Place to Live, Work and Be Educated.”
To order tickets for the award breakfast, go to www.wcsu.edu/giving/ or call (203) 837-9820.
Western Connecticut State University changes lives by providing all students with a high-quality education that fosters their growth as individuals, scholars, professionals and leaders in a global society. Our vision: To be widely recognized as a premier public university with outstanding teachers and scholars who prepare students to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.