Updates from State Rep. Farley Santos for Oct. 10, 2025

October 10, 2025

Some things transcend what we tackle in our day-to-day lives.

As you likely already know, Mayor Roberto Alves was recently diagnosed with Large B-Cell Lymphoma, a form of blood cancer.

To show our solidarity with our friend, our brother, and the great leader of our city, we decided to surprise him by joining in and shaving our heads, too. (A video of me going full Michael Jordan/Mr. Clean can be found here.)

Mayor Alves is one of my best friends. When Frank and Larry showed up to find him in the chair, we didn’t hesitate to sit down and do the same.

Our community has rallied around our mayor with love, strength, and support.

We’ve got his back, today and always, just as he always has ours.

Firefighter Tax Abatement ... At Last

When I was on the Danbury City Council n 2021, I had the privilege of joining then-Councilmen Roberto Alves, Frank Salvatore, Rich Molinaro, and others in advocating for a volunteer firefighter tax abatement program, an effort that as of Thursday, had been in the works for nearly 19 years.

Unfortunately, previous administrations had shown little movement on the issue, failing to recognize the dedication and service of our volunteers.

It wasn't until (now) Mayor Roberto Alves was elected that this initiative finally gained the support it needed from the top. Last night, I watched with pride as Frank Salvatore Jr., a steadfast advocate for the program, and Joe Britton, who led the ad-hoc committee, worked alongside Mayor Alves to pass this long-awaited abatement.

Congratulations to this administration for getting it done, and more importantly, to the volunteers who give so much to our city. This recognition is long overdue, and it’s truly well-deserved!

Thank you, Danbury Volunteer Fire Department!

Northwell Health Tours DHS West

Collaboration drives success. Great to welcome the Northwell Health team to Danbury High School West for a tour and discussion of future collaboration to expand opportunities for students and support Danbury’s growing economy.

Honoring The Very Rev. Williams

It was a privilege to stand with Mayor Alves to honor The Very Reverend John J. ‘William Achen’ Williams for a lifetime devoted to faith, healing, and community. Even at 99, he continues to inspire everyone he meets with his love, peace, and interfaith spirit. It was equally as special to witness the entire congregation praying for the Mayor’s health. What an outpouring of love.

Jamming at the Jamboree

Congratulations to all the marching bands who lit up the Jamboree this weekend! I had the honor of joining BOE Member Kate Conetta to present trophies to these incredibly talented students, and even had to bow before a medieval King while handing over His Majesty’s prize! Huge shoutout to the DHS Marching Band, especially this year’s seniors, what a performance!

Latino Policy Summit on Higher Ed

Moderated a session at the 2nd Latino Policy Summit on Higher Education and the looming risks of federal funding cuts. It was an energizing and wide-ranging conversation with Dr. Rosa Rivera-Hainaj of Albertus Magnus College and Dr. Mark Overmeyer-Velazquez of UConn-Hartford, diving into both the challenges facing Latino communities and the opportunities ahead. These discussions matter and so does the work that follows.

POP MART Opens!

POP MART is officially open at the Danbury Fair Mall! Khloë and I were there early to help cut the ribbon, and of course, she gave me the full rundown on Labubus (still not sure I get it

).

This is the newest global sensation in retail, and I’m proud to have worked with the great team at Danbury Fair Mall and Pop Mart’s corporate leadership to bring it here to Danbury. Every new store means jobs, energy, and opportunity for our city, and this is just the latest example of the growth and momentum we’re building here in Danbury.

Stop by and see what all the buzz is about!