Jason Bonilla announces run for Ward 5 Aldermanic seat

MANCHESTER, NH – Ward 5 Manchester Board of School Committee Member Jason Bonilla on Monday announced on social media that he will be seeking Ward 5’s seat on the Board of Mayor and Aldermen this fall.

Bonilla was appointed to the Board of School Committee in late 2021, and was elected outright in 2023. While he says that he has appreciation for his tenure on the Board of School Committee, he has grown frustrated with the limitations in his role when it comes to helping Ward 5 students and his neighbors as a whole.

“I’m tired of facing these barriers, I want to do more for the city of Manchester, especially Ward 5. My heart is in the schools, but I want to make sure the families receive the support they need to thrive, make sure that families get what they need and know that they have someone in their corner,” he said. “My love is for this city and I want to push myself to grow more and do more for the City of Manchester.”

In his announcement video, Bonilla said in Spanish and English that some of the key issues of his campaign beyond continuing his role advocating for public schools include keeping city sidewalks and parks clean, providing support for police to address the ongoing opioid epidemic, supporting the city’s businesses and working with public and private organizations to address the city’s housing shortage.

He believes that these initiatives can be achieved by gathering stakeholders and seeking compromises that work for all of the city’s residents. While he strongly identifies with his Salvadoran heritage, and believes that Manchester residents who have a first language other than English deserve a greater seat at the table, he wants to represent not just these unheard voices, but everyone.

“In Manchester we really got to do what’s best for the city. All issues matter and we have to compromise to find best practices for helping every single individual,” he said. “While I have my own identity that I am very proud of, I want to represent and help everybody. I want to find new voices, ask additional questions and find new paths toward solutions.”

Bonilla also said he would not support raising taxes “just for the sake of raising taxes,” but felt that infrastructure investment is important for the benefit of the city, such as EPA-mandated sewer upgrades expected to help frequent flooding faces by Ward 5 residents and the proposed new Beech Street Elementary School set to be located in Ward 5.

“We’ve got to think of what infrastructure we’re going to leave our kids, and those discussions are often not easy,” he said. “We have to provide better city services that reflect rising costs while being mindful that rising cost and taxes are also impacting our families.”

The filing period for this fall’s municipal elections will take place from July 16 to 27.