Last week’s tornado delayed formal city action to begin closing a multi-million dollar hole in Mayor Bill Finch’s budget approved by the City Council. The new budget year begins Thursday.
The next few days are key. Each day that passes into the new budget year makes the task of closing the hole more difficult. The city is relying on municipal unions, which say they’ve already given plenty, to cough up more. Uniformed services represents the city’s largest areas to lessen he gap.
What happens if the police and fire union leadership say go punt? It places a greater burden on Acting Police Chief Joe Gaudett and Fire Chief Brian Rooney to squeeze savings. Finch has told the chiefs if you can find savings without layoffs go do it. If not, layoffs will be part of the solution. One area in the police department budget that could receive a large haircut is police overtime. A check of the budget shows $6 million has been plugged in for the new spending year. If that’s on the table for a cut, why didn’t city bean counters just trim it back in its proposed budget? What’s a reasonable amount in OT to cut, $2 million? And how does that square in light of last week’s tornado?
If police layoffs occur the most recent recruits will be the first to go. It seems as though the city is starting to hit bone. How many more layoffs can the workforce take without impacting essential services? One thing is for sure, layoff lists exist. And is the mayor willing to sacrifice political/discretionary appointments?
Thoughts With Ralph Mojica
Sorry to hear the passing of Migdalia Mojica, 51, of Bridgeport, sister of former City Councilman Ralph Mojica. Graveside services will take place Tuesday 12:30 p.m. in Lakeview Cemetery. The Charles Dougiello & Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Storm Update From Mayor Finch:
Bridgeport EOC Tornado Recovery
· The City of Bridgeport EOC and Mayor’s Office in coordination with the Connecticut American Red Cross set up a Mass Care Distribution Point at the Steelpointe parking area at the Corner of Ann and Pembroke Streets on Sunday, June 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
· During that time 102 adults, 58 children and 41 families were seen by American Red Cross disaster aid specialists. Their information was recorded and the residents availed themselves of the snacks, fruit, ice and water on hand at the distribution point.
· On Monday, June 28, the Mass Care Distribution Point will be set up at the Cesar Batalla School, 606 Howard Ave., which is being used as a shelter for those who have been displaced by Thursday’s storm. Residents who need transportation to Cesar Batalla are asked to call the Emergency Operations Center at 203.579.3829 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. for assistance.
· On Monday, at Batalla, the Red Cross and EOC will be distributing water, ice and will provide light food for those residents impacted by the tornadic event. We will also be referring residents to various agencies to meet any specific needs they may have at this time.
· On Monday, City, State, American Red Cross and FEMA officials will be canvassing streets in the affected neighborhoods to assess damage. Mayor Bill Finch will join FEMA officials during the canvass.
· In addition, Cesar Batalla School will remain open as a shelter until 9:00 a.m. Monday June 28, 2010. Residents located at the shelter will be assisted by City and State Social Services Departments and the American Red Cross regarding any unmet housing needs.
· We continue to ask residents, businesses and non-profit agencies to contact the City of Bridgeport EOC at 203.579.3829 to report storm-related damages. This will allow us to document the addresses and locations impacted by the storm and provide this information to FEMA on Monday. We also urge those impacted by the storm to contact their insurance provider to determine coverage.
· As of Sunday afternoon, 43 customers in the private Oakview Association off Lexington Avenue were still without power. Association managers were working with a private provider to restore electricity to the association buildings.
· Throughout the rest of the City, according to United Illuminating, there were approximately 10 customers on Oak Street that were still without power. And, some sporadic outages continue.
· City Public Works crews have been working nearly ’round the clock since Thursday clearing streets of downed trees and other debris, concentrating their efforts on the lower East Main Street area that was hardest hit by the storm. The lower part of East Main Street from Nichols to Cedar is now open.
· Washington Park remains closed.
· City sanitation and recycling routes will continue as scheduled in the coming week.
· On Monday, the City will be demolishing two buildings that were heavily damaged during the storm: 1238-60 Main St. (the former Ethical Pharmacy building) and 371-377 E. Main St. (the building that can be seen from I-95 with the precariously hanging billboard frame). No time has been set for demolition as yet; we will update as information becomes available.
· Also, several buildings on East Main Street have been deemed uninhabitable by City building officials: 410-424 E. Main St. and 411-417 E. Main St. Residents of these buildings who wish to gain access to remove valuables and personal items should call 203.579.3829 and assistance will be provided. Under no circumstances should residents attempt to gain access to the buildings without an official escort.
· “I am extremely proud of the response by our Public Works crews, police and fire departments, our Emergency Operations Center personnel, the American Red Cross and area first responders to this most unimaginable disaster. I am especially proud of our residents, who have been very patient and calm throughout this crisis, and who have been helping their neighbors and friends during their time of need. We are working diligently with state and federal agencies to get assistance, to provide temporary housing and aid to those who need help. I would encourage everyone to document the damage to their home – photos, video, receipts – so that we can meet the federally mandated threshold that will enable the City to be declared a disaster area by FEMA,” said Mayor Bill Finch.
This Buys Lots Of Commercials
From Dan Malloy:
MALLOY/WYMAN ROLL OUT EDUCATION PLAN
June 28, 2010 – Dan Malloy and Nancy Wyman, the Democratic Party’s endorsed candidates for Governor and Lt. Governor, today released their formal plans for education, which are available at www.danmalloy.com/policy/education.
Malloy and Wyman’s plan focuses on finding fairer and more equitable ways of funding education, maximizing opportunities for every student, and beginning new initiatives to improve our education system that include:
· Focusing on early childhood education
· New innovations in teaching and learning
· Connecting students to college and the workplace
· A modern higher education agenda
“As a young boy who faced a learning disability, I understand the importance of schools in helping all students reach their potential,” said Malloy. “If not for the help of caring, dedicated teachers who treated me as more than a test score, I would never have been able to overcome my disability, graduate from law school and have a successful career as a prosecutor and Mayor. That’s what schools can help you do, and on my watch that’s my dream for Connecticut’s children: that they are given every chance to succeed, and that the environment in which they learn leaves the same impact on their lives that it left on mine. The plan we’re introducing today will put Connecticut on that path.”
Comptroller Wyman brings a wealth of education experience to this effort. During her eight years as State Representative, she served as House Chairperson of the Education Committee and Chairperson of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Elementary and Secondary Education. From 1979-1987 Wyman served on the Tolland Board of Education and was Vice-Chairperson for four of those years.
“Job growth is the single biggest issue facing our state right now and I believe that our schools must become better at serving as pipelines between the classroom and the workplace,” Wyman said. “That means we must prepare our students not only for college, but for technical and vocational careers that are vital to Connecticut’s economy.”
Concluded Malloy: “I won’t let anyone tell me that real, measurable gains can’t be made to our education system. As Mayor of Stamford I helped lower the city’s achievement gap, established the state’s first universal pre-school program for 4-year-olds, and invested more than $225 million in capital improvement projects to improve technology and school security. The result is that Stamford’s school system is now routinely recognized as one of the top urban school systems in the United States. Nancy Wyman and I want to bring those same successes to all of Connecticut.”
From Governor Rell:
Governor Rell: Appliance Rebate Program Will End on July 15
Consumers Received Nearly $3 Million in Stimulus-Funded Rebates Since January 25
Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that Connecticut will end the stimulus-funded appliance rebate program on July 15, after consumers received nearly $3 million back on purchases of washers, refrigerators, AC units and other qualified energy efficient appliances.
“The program was a phenomenal success on so many levels,” Governor Rell said. “Consumers were able to swap out thousands of older model appliance with more energy efficient products for long-term cost savings. It was also good news for retailers who moved more merchandise out the door to help their bottom line. Many consumers were able to combine the state rebate with dealer and manufacturer discounts as well.”
The state received about $3.4 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to fund its rebate program, which began January 25. Program organizers say there is only about $800,000 remaining and, as a result, will bring the program to a close on July 15. Rebates will be honored on all eligible appliances purchased through July 15.
The rebates apply to purchases of Energy Star qualified refrigerators, freezers, washers, air conditioners and central air systems. In May, the Governor sought and gained approval from the federal government to expand the program to include water heaters, after many homes had to replace them due to severe flooding in March.
To date, the rebates have been processed for more than 23,000 appliances. Clothes washers and refrigerators accounted for more than half of the purchases.
For information: www.ct.gov/opm/ApplianceRebates or call 1-877-WISE-USE or 1-877-947-3873.
The rebates will apply to the following Energy Star qualified appliances:
· Clothes washers – $100 rebate
· Refrigerators – $50 rebate
· Freezers – $50 rebate
· Room air conditioner units – $50 rebate
· Central air conditioning units – $500 rebate
Each Connecticut residence is permitted one rebate per replaced qualified appliance, and up to three (3) room air conditioners.
The rebates, funded through federal stimulus funds, will apply to the following Energy Star qualified water heaters:
· Electric Heat Pump – $400 rebate
· Gas Storage – $100-$200 rebate
· Gas Tankless – $250 rebate
· Solar, Electric Backup – $400 rebate
· Solar, Gas Backup – $400 rebate
Imagine this. A tornado rips through your city on Thursday. Trees ripped from the ground and laying atop houses and cars. People go without power. Tree limbs in the middle of streets. The Governor comes, our U.S Senator comes, our Congressman comes, FEMA responds. We’re asking for federal money to finance the cleanup. Yet we have a parade on Sunday????????? Why don’t we blog about that?
Has this blog been sold … out?
Uncle Milty and Finest One
How much inside overtime was collected by the blue wall on the parade and when the walls blew and the shit flew???
Police Union could give up their manhole monopoly and pass along costs and savings to department to cover inside overtime. Tell Hop-A-Long Finch to tell his “Acting” Chief to get rid of the horses. Tough times require tough decisions and not a tough shit attitude by all sides.
Condolences to Rafael Mojica Jr. and his family on the loss of his sister. Mojo is a stand-up guy.
Quite poetic Grin. I don’t know the numbers, but I bet it was significant. The horses are financed through grants. Federal money will pay for storm-incurred expenses. As for the parade??? As far as the union issues go … I’ll say this one last time. That contract was negotiated, voted on, ratified with the union, and our city council during this Finch administration. Do you remember the $600 tax/vote buyout? I do. That happened during this administration as well. Well a few months in, it was disclosed that due to financial problems this city faces, the $600 is a no go. Well these contracts were negotiated during these same problem times, and unions across the city gave things up in order to get what they got. Now when it’s time to pay the piper, there’s an issue with finances. I find this pattern of behavior quite disturbing, because State labor law requires both sides negotiate in “good faith.” That is the LAW, but according to the last few days of blogging here, the LAW means nothing under CERTAIN situations. Oh, the negotiators and numbers crunchers who work for the city, as well as the law firms that were hired out, probably did not do their due diligence prior to making promises that the forecast revenues cannot support. Or did they even forecast revenues??? Hmmm. Anyway they all still have their jobs, so we’ll assume they performed exactly as instructed. This leaves violation of State Labor Law as the only viable option. My opinion: Why doesn’t the city get rid of the City Attorney’s office? They hire out everything anyway. That’s $3 million right there. And don’t discredit my theory if the numbers aren’t exact. I’m sure you get the point.
Give ’em hell, Milton!!! By the way Milton, the GOP state senate candidate challenging Ed Gomes has a meet and greet July 14, 4 to 7 at Tiago’s.
I get the point and I got my $600.00 check from Finch a couple of years ago. Unfortunately when I went to deposit it at the bank they stamped it, NSF. “Non-Sufficient-Finch.”
I feel your labor pain. Public Pork for Ponies sounds like a good sausage campaign.
Check the record Miltie.
When the police contract was before the council I spoke to the matter and predicted exactly what happened. I said I would vote in favor of the contract on the belief it was negotiated in good faith but I believed the city would come back and seek new concessions before it was over.
The city has yet to do anything long term to address the finances and this will continue until they do.
And don’t worry TC your wish will come true very soon.
Milton: I think having the parade on Sunday was a good thing. It showed the city could come back from storm damage and the day-to-day process could continue. Streets were open and damaged trees were being removed by a hard-working public facilities department. I drove around the city and viewed the damage. There were a few multi-family dwellings that were destroyed and many damaged but enough to shut down the city? NO.
The labor relations you are talking about will be enforced. The PD will get their raises as per the contract but there will be fewer of them on the job when they are implemented. Is that a violation of the labor law? NO.
Hey Milton maybe you should be looking at the PD management team. They budgeted $6 million in OT funds. With a 500-man department that averages out to $12,000 per man in OT payments. Is the $6 million really necessary or is it a way to feather the payroll?
I agree … the parade is necessary because it is an event that brings together the people of Bridgeport. The one-day celebration is a necessary display of our citizen’s perseverance. Eliminating it would be a bigger blow to the city than its cost.
Finch continued to hire political cronies like Deb Sims during the hiring freeze and while most of the employees were suffering from unpaid furloughs and no increases. Has Finch laid off even one of these cronies? The answer is no. That’s where the story is Lennie.
One last comment on Pete: When the mayor’s son (figuratively) spits in the face of authority and then brags about it on his facebook page, something is terribly wrong. Did I miss something or did he not even apologize for his idiotic behavior?
Smoker, you’ve raised a good point, one that I raised today. Will the mayor spread around the pain?
I think the budget committee and the council both fell down on the job. The budget committee held meetings with all the city departments yet made NO cuts to the budget requests. They sent back a budget with a built-in deficit to the council who voted for this deficit budget with relatively few questions.
You mean to tell me there was nothing in any of these budgets that could be cut? The PD’s $6 million in projected OT could not be trimmed? The police chief and his 4 deputies and 1 assistant chief should have been brought on the carpet and made to explain.
There was no cut in the 4% raise for mayoral appointees, another area that could have been cut.
Salaries for the 40 political cronies who were put on the payroll in the last year could have been eliminated and the list goes on.
Politics are being played by ALL our elected officials and the little guy on the employment scale is being screwed once again.
I know what happened at that meeting, Bobby. I was there. You did raise a concern, as did Holloway, but I said the contract was approved, and unanimously so.
TC, just because money is there does not mean you have to spend it. That $6 million is just what the name suggests; a budgeted expense. If the PD comes in under that number, the Chief looks great, if they arrive at that number, it’s all right, if he goes over, it’s a problem. By the way, never have I seen a police officer (one who is not in control of his own hiring anyway) get hired to come in and do nothing, just because there’s money in the budget. Departmental overtime is used to fill vacancies, or staff special events. The officers you see doing “road jobs” or construction jobs are not being paid from this fund. They are actually being pimped out, and the city gets a $10/hr per officer kickback. That’s right. The city gets paid when officers stand over those holes at construction sites; and those officers are doing those jobs, over and above their contracted weekly work schedule. The last figure I heard is it averages about $1.5 million per annum. That doesn’t go back to the PD, it goes to the GF, and no one seems to ask about that.
The staggered raises we’re scheduled to get saves the city $1575 per officer, a price it will take each officer 17.5 years to recapture. I voted against this contract because I also knew we’d be having this conversation today. When I tried to explain this to my co-workers, I was quickly silenced by those close to the negotiation process. This place never changes. Shit in, shit out, as far as I’m concerned.