This is exactly what I’m talking about regarding the power of incumbency. Mary-Jane Foster announced her campaign for mayor three weeks ago. Her campaign hasn’t issued one news release since. OIB has received nothing from the other two announced Democrats for mayor John Gomes and Charlie Coviello this week. Nothing. Knock knock, anyone home? It’s not like there’s nothing to air out. Meanwhile, Mayor Bill Finch is doing what he’s supposed to do strategically. From Finch:
Waltersville School Elderly Housing Plan Announced
Mayor Finch, developers, City Council representatives herald new housing project for seniors
Flanked by more than 50 seniors citizens from the City’s East Side, Mayor Bill Finch today announced the formal plans to transform the former Waltersville School into 65 units of modern senior housing.
Elderly Housing Development Operation Corporation, or EHDOC, the company overseeing the transformation, is one of the most highly regarded developers of senior housing in America. The Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based firm has developed and operates senior complexes in 15 states, the District of Columbia and in Puerto Rico. They have already established two Connecticut facilities, one in Stonington and the other in Bristol. In addition to the 65 units of housing, 55 of which are targeted to low and very-low income seniors, the facility will also have a community space which will be open to the East Side seniors for meetings and other gatherings.EHDOC teamed up with Bridgeport Landing Development LLC, the master developer for the nearby Steelpointe Harbor project, and their plans have already been approved by Planning and Zoning and the Bridgeport City Council.
Mayor Finch was pleased at today’s unveiling saying, “What could be better than this? We’re starting early on this portion of Steelpointe and we’re getting fantastic new housing for our seniors.” The Mayor added that projects such as this are, “critical to Bridgeport’s future. Housing is the engine that will drive us back to greatness.”
John Olsen, President of the Connecticut AFL-CIO was instrumental in bringing all parties together. At today’s unveiling he praised EHDOC and the Finch administration. “EHDOC has the top scores at HUD among all the firms developing and operating senior housing. They will fit perfectly into Mayor Finch’s vision of renewed greatness for Bridgeport’s East Side. This is the start of a true renaissance for Bridgeport.”
The Executive Director of EHDOC is Steve Protulis who echoed Olsen’s comments saying, “Your Mayor is dedicated to serving the needs of your senior citizens as am I. I have great respect for his dedication to this program which I believe will be the first of many to come in Bridgeport.”
City Council members Lydia Martinez and Manuel Ayala, both of whom represent the East Side, also joined the Mayor at the announcement. “We’re very happy that we’ve been able to approve the proposal for this much-needed housing,” said Ms. Martinez. “This will help our senior citizens with two of their most urgent needs–a place to live and a place to gather.”
EHDOC is now submitting applications for needed HUD Section 202 grants along with other state and federal assistance. The projected cost for the project is $14.5 million and the timeframe is linked to obtaining the government approvals and loans.
I’m surprised MJF’s campaign hasn’t issued more press releases. They must be up to some other sort of campaign subterfuge. Same with Gomes. Charlie Coviello? Old hat. He’s waiting for his buy-out payment from DTC and the Finch campaign.
The unions representing the city employees are a joke. They took no time to examine the budget, if they did they would have seen this was a false budget made to look bad and thus get them to give in to the Finch Administration demands. They were told everyone was biting the bullet. The mayor and his appointees received raises last year and this year. The unions were told the city is tightening their belts and taking back all the cars department heads and other were allowed to take home. This was not done, everyone still brings the city cars home and they are used after hours. Not a bad deal with gasoline at $4.25 per gallon.
Many city departments last year and this year have budgeted for jobs that are not filled, thus screwing the taxpayers and giving the mayor a lot of money to play with. Not a peep from the unions.
Public Facilities has started using seasonal workers year ’round thus taking work away from career employees. They were even used during the winter to plow streets. Does anyone remember what the streets looked like after each snowstorm? Not a peep from the unions.
The mayor has hired a ton of political friends to bullshit jobs. Did the unions say anything? NO.
The city has failed to make two $30 million payments to the pension fund, did the unions who formerly represented these employees say anything? No they did not. The prevailing union thought is screw them they are already retired who cares.
If the union heads were not in the mayor’s pocket they would have formed a political action group comprised of all the city union members. While many live out of town they have a stake in what happens here in Bridgeport. This group could work with a candidate in getting out the city voters and thus have a political power base that would help their membership. The problem is they are too lazy or their leadership is too dumb or too much into Finch’s pocket in any case they are a non-factor and thus get what they deserve. Shame on them. Hey John Olson, kiss my ass.
It was a tough winter. No one could’ve cleared all the snow off the streets. In Black Rock it was piled in vacant lots and front yards.
town committee // May 5, 2011 at 6:07 am
to your posting
tc,
I don’t know yet about your candidate, but I think you know mine has already said publicly those cars are off the road the day he walks into the Mayor’s office. This is criminal the Mayor is letting this kind of abuse continue after he has known since CitiStat first brought this to his attention in Jan or Feb of 2009. We have the chart showing where these cars go every night when they leave Bridgeport. We know several of the boys at 999 Broad changed their city plates to unmarked plates and they took off any official outside markings on their take-home car. Yes, you’re right about the gas …
tc,
What is going to resonate with voters? Will they care about cars taken home out of Bridgeport or pension fund contributions that aren’t paid? What’s going to move the voter out of their chair into the voting booth on September 13, 2011?
*** As usual, “who’s zooming whom” is the question for city workers and the “big change” candidates continue to do “just enough” to remind us they’re actually running for mayor! Is OIB the only place making some noise concerning local politics in general? *** Looking for love in all the wrong places? ***
Mojo // May 5, 2011 at 8:59 am
to your posting
Mojo,
OIB can only be the place where local politics are openly discussed … Lennie is not afraid of the retaliatory action which the Mayor is so quick to take.