Luis Cotto's father, like many from Hartford's Puerto Rican community, arrived in the 60s to work on the fields of the Connecticut Tobacco Valley. As he saved, he was able to send for his wife and settled in Hartford where Luis and his four sisters were born. Luis' childhood mirrored the historic progress of the City's Puerto Rican Community.

Luis served as Altar boy at Sacred Heart Church, the religious incubator for many of the city's Puerto Rican Community Leaders, like Mayor Eddie Perez. He Attended 'La Escuelita', Ann Street Bi-Lingual School. He attended Middle School at Quirk Middle School, steps away from Maria Sanchez's candy and newspaper stand on Albany Avenue.

This commitment to community combined with his love of the arts has helped Luis in his career as an arts administrator. Luis has worked for many of the City's cultural institutions including: The Wadsworth Athenaeum, The Hartford Stage Company, Guakia, Real Art Ways and the Bushnell Center for Performing Arts. 

Luis has also worked for more than 10 years as a Recreation Assistant with the City of Hartford's Parks and Recreation Department. Until its closing in December 2007, Luis and his sisters combined their passions and talents to create La Paloma Sabanera Coffeehouse and Bookstore in the Frog Hollow neighborhood. La Paloma Sabanera was featured in several national magazines, including the New York Times, where it was hailed as "an emerging urban force." 

Luis serves as chairperson of the Public Works, Parks and Environment committee. He has dedicated himself to the difficult task of fighting for the City’s parks during a time of economic hardship. On several occasions, he has stood up to defend public park land against private development. Through his committee work, he has also worked to bring fiscal accountability to the special events process.

Significant legislation that Luis has passed include an ordinance protecting the rights of immigrants when they seek City services, a “Ban the Box” ordinance that expands employment opportunities with the City and City vendors for ex-offenders,  a 1% for the arts ordinance that ensures that public art is included in public development projects and an ordinance that permits backyard composting. Luis has also empanelled a “Skateboarding Task Force”, with the charge of developing a plan for the construction of a legitimate skate/BMX park at New Ross, County Wexford Park, “Heaven”.

Mayor Perez has appointed Luis chairman of the Hartford Landfill Citizens Advisory Committee as part of the post-closure activities of the Hartford Landfill. Luis has relished this opportunity to facilitate the conversion of a blighted landform to Hartford’s North End into a positive new feature in Hartford.

Luis welcomes your input. He can be reached at 860 757 9573 or cottl002@hartford.gov. Or, he can be reached through his executive assistant, Brendan Mahoney, at 860 757 9568 or mahob001@hartford.gov.