Days before he submits his budget proposal to the City Council, Mayor Bill Finch Wednesday night met with a select group of Black Rockers to test the pulse of the neighborhood. When a mayor visits the highly active neighborhood ya just never know if you’ll get a piece of The Rock or peace in The Rock. From Brian Lockhart, CT Post:
(Finch) spent plenty of time venting about state government bureaucrats slowing Bridgeport’s progress, unaffordable municipal employee benefits, the city’s lack of developable land and the media.
“We’ve got a lot of problems that really aren’t of our own making,” he said.
He insisted despite those challenges his five-year-old administration is doing great work in education reform, redevelopment, green initiatives and public safety.
Read more here.
I was with JML last night at Black Rock School handing out the information that we found concerning the budget.
The mayor shot himself in the foot again by inviting select people to this meeting. We talked to people walking by and the general response when asked if they were invited was NO we were not good enough to be invited. I guess the mayor’s idea was to try to drive a wedge into Black Rock.
In the article above the mayor is going to ask for union concessions again. Is he kidding? The last time he got concessions he gave his staff and department heads significant raises. I don’t think the unions will fall for this again other than 1522.
If anything this meeting served to upset people more rather than put them at ease.
“I was with JML last night at Black Rock School.”
That just puts images of Waldorf and Statler in my head! hahahaha
i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/4207592192/h2BE04077/
Are you spelling your name correctly?
Brick,
For a sharer of humor, I suggest withholding your laughter (until after the person goes to the site) works better. So it is fun to speak truth to power, though some people find that statement offensive in this climate. Which word is off-putting to them, do you think?
We met some people with City titles from outside the neighborhood and quite a few more who are untitled but concerned about what’s going on. If there were 40 people from the ‘hood the audience did not exceed that level. The Mayor knows PUBLIC MEETINGS on a subject like CITY SERVICES and CITY EXPENSES announced at the Library by email would have had double the number out. But that was not the purpose, and it was not the result, nor was your entertainment I will guess. So your entry this AM indicates how difficult it is to deliver a message that informs, educates and persuades by the City. You have to really understand what is (or isn’t) in their skulls already when a message tries to enter. Perhaps you have a dominant humor button that shortcuts inquiry into the info we were distributing. Time will tell.
Mayor Finch, Chief Gaudett, Elaine Ficarra, Fire Department representatives and many neighbors and friends attended the “select” meeting at Black Rock School courtesy of the Mayor’s invitation to a limited list of “active” folks from Black Rock.
Andy Fardy and I were present as well, with signs on City budget process featuring blind and muzzled watchdogs amidst Charter violations, along with my SNOW SHOVEL. Remember the blizzard?? (If we fail to hold the Mayor responsible, or let him blame the Feds, or yahoos, etc. we are drinking the Kool-Aid, aren’t we?)
The Mayor has disagreements with what I state. Gee whiz taxpayers, how can that be? Most of what I post are factual statements, observations any interested citizen can make if they take the time. These are not opinions, Mayor Finch, no matter how hard you serve to distance yourself from these facts. When you connect the three pages of facts we distributed last evening to about 50 citizens, if you don’t sense the broken governance we suffer under, manipulated mightily by the Mayor and his advisers, we should go over the material again.
On one hand let’s weigh all of the “good things” the Mayor is attempting to grow in Bridgeport, and in the other hand let’s stack up the costs. We personally face this all the time as individuals. We need to prioritize, not protest our hands are tied, or blame the Governor, or 21 months of Police overtime excesses in the millions (after all, who is minding the store?) … Time will tell.
This was Bill’s Pet Rock!
How about a piece of a Rap?
www .youtube.com/watch?v=7ZsKqbt3gQ0
“On one hand let’s weigh all of the “good things” the Mayor is attempting to grow in Bridgeport …”
JML, you mean like the marijuana growing facility?
I was really hoping you would look in the other hand, the one that pays the bills for the Bill. I sat in on the Pension Board meeting that presides over Pension Plan A assets for the mostly retired police and fire personnel.
In this case he is Wild Bill, looking for a deal that will earn him way above market returns. However, he forces his advisers to tell him a significant market drop in equity holdings along with $30 Million benefit withdrawals puts in peril illiquid potential opportunities in private investments. You see it is not in his nature to be prudent and share the facts or the constraints, kind of like a teenager. And he is practicing his financial experience with our money. (Maybe I am a bit cynical today, because he showed up late for the 1:00 PM meeting in his office. Everyone else was there including Counsel from Pullman Comley charging how much per hour to take minutes??? And the actual business of the meeting took about 20 minutes actually, but getting Bill’s investment ideas vetted took double that. Anyway one hour of quarters in the meter was inadequate and I earned a $35 ticket. That sucks. Bill is late in getting those cards that operate the meters like New Haven in action as we used to have. But he is not fined!)
Time will tell.
People who take the time to become informed about the issues will not be fooled by the rhetoric of the city’s current political leaders. Last year’s pay raises should be rescinded, hiring and pay should be frozen, overtime should be limited, and benefit programs should be restructured before even thinking about additional tax increases. The Mayor has not been true to his word when he promised to “hold the line on taxes.” In addition, he seems to be unwilling and/or unable to lead any real government transformation effort. Tom McCarthy and other employees on the City Council have blatant conflicts of interest in connection with budget and other issues. They seem to be unaware of what ethics are and what conflict of interest means. The City Council’s job is to represent the taxpayers and provide a check and balance on the Mayor. So far they are doing a poor job. Let’s see what happens with this year’s budget.
Walker was screaming the loudest at the council meeting on the snowplowing … like a spoiled child holding a tantrum. Yet Mr. Walker wants rank and file city employees to take the brunt of austerity measures. Several times I have asked here for Mr. Walker to tell us what his federal pension is. He complains about the federal debt, about taxes, about everything yet he won’t say what his pension is … and btw Mr. Walker I am not a city employee in case you think that is why I am defending our city employees … it is just I for one appreciate our police and our teachers and our firemen and DPW rank and file workers who try to make our city liveable under a mayor who doesn’t give a damn and people who expect to be catered to.
BlackRockGuy,
You have little integrity. I have answered your question about the fact I do not have any federal pension or retiree health benefits many times and yet you continue to ignore it. In my view, government workers should have pension and retiree health benefits that are comparable to other major employers. Bridgeport’s retiree health benefits are far in excess of that level. In addition, last year’s increase in the Mayor’s salary and various top managers salaries was not justified based on performance. It’s time government employees joined the real world on pay issues. Real median household income in Bridgeport is declining due, in part, to poor performance by government officials.
Workers in the private sector have been getting increasingly screwed over by their employers in terms of pay and benefits and you think that is a good thing? And you think we should do the same for our rank and file city employees? And you have the nerve to attack my integrity. I don’t like the Mayor or the machine that runs this city … but the people who work for it for the most part are good decent people. You ask people who probably don’t make anywhere near what you do to make sacrifices and then you attack someone else’s integrity … unbelievable.
And isn’t it true Dave your labor relations with rank and file employees at the GAO were to say the least less than perfect? In fact there were charges of unfair labor practices filed against you by a federal employees labor union. Here is a link to an article discussing it.
www .govexec.com/oversight/2007/06/union-files-unfair-labor-practice-charge-against-gao-chief/24722/
BalckRockGuy,
The claim you referred to had no merit and was dismissed just like your baseless assertions should be. If you did the research or wanted to tell the truth you would have found that out and not even referred to the matter. Just another lack of integrity on your behalf.
BlackRockGuy, you posted the same question regarding the pension on the CT Post after you were answered on this blog. I too question your integrity on this issue. The private sector is profit driven with regard to pay and benefits, the public sector is paid by our tax dollars, from the private sector pay we receive–so what is your solution–our pay is less, our benefits are less but you want us to pay even more taxes to support government employees? This is not an issue about the goodness of anyone, but the real fact the math does not work.
Read my previous remark. And Mr Walker you did evade my question … nice tap dance … all those years in govt service and no pension, no govt version of a 401(k) … And what was Mr. Walker’s last salary … he expects janitors to make sacrifices for the budget but I doubt he knows what the word means … I find it curious someone who has a rep for being against public unions comes into this city with some well-funded “think tank” and immediately starts bashing public-sector workers.
BRG,
Your pants are on fire … you asked multiple times and Walker answered you … multiple times. NO GOVERNMENT PENSION. What part of that did you fail to understand? Or do you have memory issues? You know, it happens. So now you are after his income, etc. to what purpose when YOU DON’T EVEN PROVIDE YOUR NAME.
You put words in the mouths of other people and then use those words to attack them. How long have you enjoyed playing with yourself in that manner?
You use the word ‘curious’ and I find it curious you are mainly focused on personal attack of individuals rather than pursuing a change in governance practice in the City that beggars all of us from an 80-year-old woman on a fixed income who spoke to me this morning about her concerns, to the public union members, who to a great extent do not live in the City and pay property taxes here. What’s your story? Time will tell.
Actually John he didn’t answer my question and as he was a high-ranking public official I think we are just as entitled to know what his compensation package was including any retirement benefits be they pension and/or some 401(k)-type plan. As for my keeping my anonymity I am hardly the only one here doing that and I have my reasons and as a private citizen that is my business. I am NOT the former Comptroller General. Read the link I provided … he is not some knight in shining armor … more like the boss from hell. As for Black Rock Barb it seems the only name-calling here is from you and Mr. Walker. But I guess you feel we must all kiss his ring and pledge fealty to him just as Finch expects us to do with him and Mr. Vallas. Pardon my paranoia but none of these three individuals give me the warm and fuzzy feeling they have the best interests of ordinary people at heart. You don’t like my posts then don’t read them … it’s still a free country.
Government 401(k), or as we like to call it, 403(b) or 357 plan, is hardly a pension. It is just like an IRA. All the money in it is yours. The government does not match funds.
Actually according to several websites the employer can match contributions … doesn’t say whether or not the federal govt does.
BRG–We will read your remarks when you take the time to read and respond to the questions and remarks made to you. Most people think you are a bitter man with no agenda other than to bring others down to your negative, name-calling level–here and on the CT Post. Time to ignore you until you make up your mind to be part of the solution. I am starting to think you are the spin doctor for Finch.
You think I’m bitter, you must not have seen Mr. Walker carrying on at the snow meeting. I was just as mad as everyone else there. I believe his performance is probably preserved for prosperity on the internet … find it and decide for yourself but he isn’t the answer to what ails this city.
BlackRockGuy,
I have no trouble with what is on the internet about that City Council meeting. I stated facts and told the truth. I also expressed the outrage many Bridgeport taxpayers felt. Did you hear the cheers I got? Did you see the people coming up to me afterward and ever since? You are not living in the real world.
BlackRockGuy,
A 401(k) plan is a defined contribution retirement savings plan and not a defined benefit pension plan like most government workers in Bridgeport and CT have. I participated in a 401(k)-type plan for about six years like all federal workers hired after the mid-1980s. I rolled over the related balance into an IRA. As I told you in a previous blog post, I lost my CG pension plan when I left after about 10 years and saved the taxpayers millions in pension and retiree health care costs!!! GAO also saved the taxpayers 110 dollars for every dollar invested when I was Comptroller General. I’m happy to hear what you have done to help the country, state, city and the respective taxpayers.
See, Dave? BPT will never change. Everybody will curse and moan and next election cycle Finch will be mayor. You offer some ideas and you are an SOB. You have no right to comment ’cause one time a hundred years ago you got some government benefit and you were late to work once. Plus, you were not even born in BPT. Do yourself a favor and move to Fairfield.
So the final question is, who was the dog and who was the pony?
It’s time to acknowledge reality. Mayor Finch has raised taxes significantly during his Administration. A huge increase occurred effective July 2009 due to the increased assessments as of October 2008. The increased assessments were not accompanied with a commensurate decrease in the mil rate resulting in higher tax bills for city taxpayers. Last year he raised the mil rate and many people expect him to ask for another increase tomorrow night. If he does, he will make it clear he’s part of the problem rather than part of the solution.
Like we don’t know that already, Dave. Cutting salaries for low-level city employees is not the solution. Cutting patronage jobs like PR personnel and getting light industry to come back from the suburbs is!
BlackRockGuy,
Who said cut pay for low-level employees? Not me. I said roll back the pay increases for Mayor and selected City Managers that accompanied last year’s tax increase. I’m all for cutting a numbers of patronage jobs as well. We should also freeze hiring unless it’s a critical position. In addition, we should ensure all current employees are qualified for their jobs, show up for work and perform satisfactorily.