Two weeks from the underwhelming general election. Have any of you received fan mail from the mayoral candidates since the Democratic primary September 27? Could we see the lowest general election turnout percentage in history?
2007 was bad enough when the general election turnout was 23 percent, less than the percentage turnout for the primary. For years the state’s largest city could claim it wasn’t Hartford and New Haven where turnouts are below the pathetic line. Well now it is just like Hartford and New Haven: a brain-dead electorate, meager turnouts, one-party control. In neighboring towns such as Trumbull and Monroe minority party representation exists on legislative bodies. Not so in Bridgeport.
And even the anti-establishment Democratic voices are beginning to pack it in. Chris Caruso, two-time mayoral candidate, takes a state job and goes silent. City Councilman Bob “Troll” Walsh, after 16 years as the leading legislative watchdog, has one November council meeting left on the eve of the election before he says sayonara. Troll isn’t giving up, he just has other things he wants to do in his life. Andy Fardy (town committee here on OIB) has resigned his seat from the Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee. That cheer you just heard came from supporters of Mayor Bill Finch.
The Finch forces say good riddance, they’re nothing but obstructionists, they impede progress.
The next four years will be telling for the city. State control of the Board of Education. What will happen at Steel Point? How much will Governor Malloy weigh in to help the city? My guess is a lot more than his predecessor. He’ll need the party organization mobilized in 2014.
Would be nice to see some cranes in the air.
Now that you mention it–there has been absolutely nothing from any of the candidates. Finch and Foster killed more trees during the primary!!! Finch thinks this is in the bag–but he’ll do without my vote!!!
Amen!
So this election is a shoe-in for Finch? Then why all the big fundraisers? What’s he raising money for?
Maybe Beccaro’s mother needs another cell phone?
For Beccaro’s PAC, that’s what!!!
Finch and Woody couldn’t believe what the state has allowed them to get away with.
They want to start out with over $100,000 in their personal ATM machine.
Somebody’s got to pay for Finch & Wood’s personal cell phones, Internet, trips, dinners and holiday gifts … they shake down city contractors & employees, raise the money, dump it in the PAC and life is good. There’s no real oversight from the SEEC until someone files a complaint. It will be interesting to see if anything comes of the complaints Foster’s team filed and if anyone will analyze this year’s financial reports and file new ones.
As much as I don’t want another cloud of corruption over our city, I really hope Finch & Wood go down in flames and there’s a special election.
It’s pathetic how quickly the Post & the BRBC & … well, almost everyone … stopped asking questions & holding the mayor’s feet to the fire. Remember the days of the “Civic Alliance” & their mayoral report card? They were a group of business and nonprofits who met with the city quarterly to hold the mayor & his team accountable on key issues facing the city. Formed after Ganim went to jail. Remember when the CT Post actually had an investigative reporter who was watching and asking questions?
The apathy in this city has seeped into not only the electorate but also the business and civic leaders as well.
How can you hold Finch’s feet to the fire when you can’t find him?
He is at the ZOO.
What’s to be optimistic about? This is what B-port can expect from Hartford:
“The main point I would make,” said Pryor, “is that it is essential, given that funding is a factor in the success of the system, that the local parties resolve their issues as it pertains to the financial conditions.”
In other words, if your school system needs more money, increase your local mil rate.
Four more years of this BS? You have got to be kidding me.
What progress has been made in the past four years?
1. The sale of rain collection barrels?
2. Larger recycling barrels?
3. 2 million yards of dirt delivered to steel point at no cost to the developer?
4. 21 patrolmen per shift patrolling the city?
5. Jobs for all the political sick, lame & lazy?
6. Silencing the naysayers by firing them?
7. Leaving 87 board or commission seats unfilled?
8. Leaving the potholes unfilled and paving streets that don’t need it?
9. Disbanding the elected BOE for what reason?
10. Having dinner for you and your wife paid for by a friend’s PAC?
Progress, my ass.
The only “Cranes” you will see are up on I-95. Those are the drivers craning their necks to see what is not going on in the city or Steal Point.
Under new laws Finch is filling in potholes a half-ounce at a time.
Hey Ripper, the only “Cranes” you will see are in Ash Creek standing on Sue & Marty signs.
Good luck Bridgeport. You deserve what you have … Finch, Wood, Nunn, Carroll, Ficarra, Ramos, Testa, the Ganims, Newton, Brantley, McCarthy … Not a one has done anything for the good and welfare of Bridgeport …
I heard a rumor Americo Santiago would be running for the State Senate seat vacated by Sen. Gomes. Any truth to this, Lennie? We could ask Americo’s former number-one fan Joel?
Hector, to answer your question, I am not aware of anything having to do with Sen. Gomes getting replaced. Ironically, in the last conversation I had with Senator Gomes, I asked him how long he intended to hold on to his seat and he answered: “How long do I have to live?” Gomes first needs to get the endorsement as this will decide his political fate. Americo is known for picking on candidates on or close to their death bed and I’m sure he feels for Sen. Gomes the same as he felt for Chico Rivera. Optimistic? I’m more on the Uptimistic side. We can only go up (Which way is up, Lennie?) as I can’t see things getting any worse. The worst will be felt when the taxes are raised and the property owners realize it’s too darn late to complain or do anything about it. I won’t be marching, protesting or criticizing anyone in the party. I’ll have fun telling people to STFU and pay their taxes. I’m thinking Town Committee (not Andy) and other options. Back to 2008 or square one and if all else fails, I can always start the Americo Santiago fan club.
Hector,
Don’t you think someone should die before you start throwing dirt on him???
I realize nearly all of the politicians in the city have declared the Good Senator dead and gone but he had triple by-pass surgery; not a heart transplant.
So will all of the scummy politicians keep keep their rancid, ugly thoughts to themselves and give the man a break?
Shame on you, Hector. I didn’t realize you were among the scum of the earth but I guess you proved it with your own words.
Bob, I had no idea Sen. Gomes was not well. I wish him a speedy recovery. My comment concerning the “vacated seat” was totally tongue in cheek as I KNOW he hasn’t vacated it. When the subject was brought up to me I took it as another sneaky attempt from Americo to get something without anyone being aware. That’s why I labeled it a rumor. I respect Sen. Gomes even though we have had our differences in the past and would never wish him ill. If it is between him and Americo, Sen. Gomes gets my vote and support all day, every day. I hope this clarifies my position. As for the scum of the earth comment I’ve been called worse … but hope you really don’t feel that way about me.
Thank you, Bob.
Lennie, I will still be around. I plan on attending all the budget hearings for the next budget year with BEACON2.
The town committee was a waste of time. There was no room for people with ideas or people who don’t like having a candidate pushed down your throat.
The town committee is just a shell of what it was when I first went on. We at one point could help the neighbors, the neighborhood with local city problems. In the 138th that’s not possible any longer as the leader of the district and certain people she put on the TC are in it only for themselves, i.e. pay raises and promotions. Here we are, a large voting district with no NRZ, NO boards or commissions and on many nights no police protection. I know the other members of the 138th TC are glad to see me go. Keep up doing nothing.
Optimistic? Are you kidding me? Any hope we had to restore prosperity, promise and prominence were dashed when Finch ‘orchestrated’ his primary win.
You know why the best we can hope from Steelpointe is Walmart? Nobody in their right mind would invest in Bridgeport so long as Finch is mayor and the Calamarians control the city.
I say again, loudly and clearly. The politicians had absolutely nothing to do with the renaissance Stamford enjoyed in the early ’70s. The corporate spenders told the politicians what they wanted and what they needed. One of the things the corporate spenders needed was for the politicians to ‘butt out.’ They did and Stamford is a showplace. Had the politicians balked and insisted on business as usual, Westchester, Rye, Rye Brook and White Plains would have gotten all of the corporate development that went into Stamford.
Mario Testa is too stupid to realize he is the parasite all of corporate spending is distancing themselves from.
The only good thing about putting a Super Walmart at Steelpointe is AlDi would follow right behind them. So would Shoes for Less. These cheap-shoe politicians need to benefit in some way.
I am optimistic and yes I did get a mailing from Finch on the weekend. I voted for Foster not because I did not like Finch but because she had a better message. Finch is a nice guy who I disagree with some of the things he has done. Come election day Finch or Jeff will get my vote and I will be voting for all Dems with the exception of John Slater. Slater will be getting my vote for sure.
Coming on here complaining about their mayor like babies will not do anything. We saw that in the primary, just does not make sense.
donj: What is with you and the “babies” thing? It makes you sound like a child. People can visit this blog and vent their frustrations if they want to, donj, and if you don’t like it, don’t read it. Seriously. You can’t control it, donj, so let it go.
What we saw in the primary was disgusting. The people of Bridgeport sat home on their collective asses. We will be hearing from these brain-dead voters when the get their next tax bill but by then it’s too late.
Unfortunately I expect a low turnout at the General Election. If Mary-Jane Foster filed the papers for a write-in, I would change my prediction. There are so many voters who know Bridgeport’s fiscal, education, and most important, political house is in disarray. They joined together in the strongest reform effort in recent memory. Now, they are faced with three Mayoral candidates who are not up for the challenge of reforming those three important sectors of Bridgeport’s government.
The perceived and actual conflicts that are within the members of the Democratic Town Committee are not good for the City as a whole. There is no way Mayor Finch can make decisions that are for the greater good. If he did, the DTC would not forget. It is human nature. He has to answer to the body that nominated him. Due to voter apathy Bridgeport has dug itself into a political hole; a deep dark political hole that benefits a precious few. Yesterday’s CT Post articles only affirmed what everyone knew. There is not one person to blame. It is voter apathy.
Am I optimistic about Bridgeport’s future? Frankly, no. If I saw new voters getting engaged and working to change things I would be optimistic.
There is one bright light in all of this. The 131st has a young man running for city council. He has had an ad running in the top right-hand corner of OIB. I met him. I asked him a lot of questions. He bought his condo six years ago in the South End. His wife told him to stop complaining and do something. So he is running for City Council. He has watched his home and his investment stagnate. So, he engaged. I am going to vote for John Iannuzzi because he represents the change Bridgeport needs. He represents the new young blood that cares about the City as a whole. He will not be beholden to the conflicts and baggage that are holding this City back. He wants the City to move forward. He wants his home and his investment to be secure. I am going to see if this bright light can become a beacon for other folks to jump in and work for change. I encourage those in the 131st to vote for John Iannuzzi.
This isn’t about whether Mayor Finch is a good guy or not or whether the city council folks are nice people. This is about the group that nominated them. The membership of the Democratic Town Committee has over 70% of their immediate family working for the City or the Board of Ed. How can the Mayor, elected positions and Council members act in the best interests of the greater city when so many of the people who nominated them hold them accountable for their family employment? It is a nonstarter. It can’t happen. It must change. That can only happen if the voters WAKE UP!
Is this possible?
NO.
Not optimistic at all. As long as the city ordinances are “overlooked” i.e. Council people and/or their family members have jobs with the city, we WILL NEVER have fair representation. I am quite sure the whole thing will implode and the State of CT will have to take over. That may be our only hope. Do people actually read what B2 writes? We are on a collision course with disaster.
Basically I am an optimistic person. Crashes and chaos can usually be avoided when caring adults have a larger goal in mind than serving themselves and a few friends. And it helps when the “adults” are operating in an environment where actions are open to the public, where leaders are accountable for their stewardship of all types of resources (including money) and transparency is the rule rather than the exception.
We live in a City without a dedicated “financial board” that would presumably include those who have had a broad financial education, some fiscal experience professionally or through public service, have no perceived or actual conflicts of interest with regard to City business and be willing to dedicate significant time and service to questioning all things financial. The Budget and Appropriations Committee does not fit that bill today.
In addition they do not get comprehensive or timely info from OPM, Finance, etc. If they do not receive and review balance sheet info more than the one time of year they may look at a CAFR (Annual City audit), how will they realize City property and buildings have decreased values? How will they see the debt, obligations, etc. increasing? Both of those trends reduce the ultimate net worth of all of us. That is not good, but if you have no info, you can only guess at the result.
And if the City budget documents at budget time tell us there is an internal audit staff, and there is none, then we are being told a lie. And if the work of our external auditor on which we expend more than $300,000 annually, that is supposed to be in the City Clerk office is not fully posted there, should we be concerned? Where is our oversight, the public’s right to ask questions and speak their concerns publicly, and the right to strong financial representation as in other municipalities? I do not see it in any measurable form. Perhaps the rating agencies, the State OPM and auditors need to pay some attention to some of these facts. When the adults at the wheel of this vehicle are not being reminded of their legal duties, of what they cannot do with money and budgets, of the penalties they can suffer personally for fiscal misbehavior, or the problem with presenting half-truths or outright lies to the public, maybe behavior stays uncorrupted, but when oversight is out of sight, and auditors are a fiction at best, or when the public is so ignorant we think the Budget and Appropriations Committee is a true and formidable fiscal watchdog, then, my friends, we are drinking the ‘wild juice.’ And the funny thing is Mayor Finch at that moment will accuse the public of not supporting the administration with attendance at meetings, speaking their mind, and dialogue over brown bags. Mayor Finch, it is beyond time to open up Council sub-committee meetings to timed questions and comments after each agenda item. Anybody agree? Who disagrees? If this is what works in AAA communities, like chicken soup, it couldn’t hurt in Bridgeport. It would be covered in the meeting minutes. The administration might have to pay some real attention or at least respond. It is a terrible thing to be silenced, as Council rules have effectively silenced the Bridgeport public. What say you?
Lennie, can you post the 2003 election results precinct by precinct? Where are the areas Torres ran strong in? Did he run well in his home precinct of Black Rock? Do you think Finch will beat him at Black Rock?