The City Council’s Budget and Appropriations Committee Monday night conducted a public hearing on Mayor Bill Finch’s proposed $520 million spending plan for the budget year starting July 1, with a majority in attendance from Black Rock, the waterfront hamlet whose residents pay a whole lot in taxes (is there a pulse in the rest of the city?), including 2011 Democratic mayoral candidate Mary-Jane Foster and David Walker, the former U.S. comptroller general, among the speakers who urged the city’s legislative body to dig deep to protect taxpayers from another increase.
A report from Keila Torres Ocasio, CT Post:
Tears flowed and tempers rose Monday as residents of the city’s priciest neighborhood begged the City Council’s budget committee not to raise taxes for the second year in a row.
Sharon Dominici, a widow and senior citizen, said property taxes on her Black Rock home have increased from $5,200 to $18,000 annually in just over a decade.
“I love Black Rock. I love Bridgeport. But I feel I can no longer live here,” Dominici said, before pausing to wipe away tears. “I’m asking you please to keep this budget low, to keep the taxes at least how they are now, and to decrease them as the years go by.”
Read more here.
Black Rockers crying while minimum wage workers get smacked in the head also with new taxes.
No one cares what Walker and Foster say. They don’t care what the working poor say.
Everyone who owns property gets smacked with 6% if it goes through! Understand?
I had a cup of coffee with John Gomes this morning. He knows about taxes and lots more. Why are you generating neighborhood, class, worker/retiree warfare? What’s your goal? It won’t help anyone but Bill Finch. Is that your goal? Time will tell.
Will Sue Brannelly save Black Rock or Finch?
The only person generating class warfare here is you John with your mindless tea party redbaiting.
Chosen 1–you are a serious loser.
Ditto.
I was at this meeting and my heart bled for those with such outrageous tax bills. We have the highest taxes in the NATION. Did you hear me? Highest in the NATION!!!
That is absolutely crazy. Many of the speakers made wonderful suggestions to this board. But I think it will all fall on deaf ears, as they will abide by this Outrageous Mayor’s demands.
They have to cut expenses, there has to be an answer and there is a answer, but nobody is listening.
What a shame, Bridgeport is a shame.
What is the answer?
This is why we vote for anyone but rich people, no one trusts them they only care about their taxes. At least the Machine spreads election money into the streets.
Chosen 1: Your statement you and others vote for anyone but rich people is off the wall. If what you say is true look what you have put in office here in Bridgeport over the past 20 years. A mayor who went to federal prison and another mayor who was in trouble with the Feds and now Finch who is taxing ALL of us to death while he and his cronies receive large pay raises.
So I say take a look at your voting record. You know you could have been one of what you call the rich people. What did you do or not do that prevented this?
You don’t consider your Bridgeport Idol–John Gomes–as rich? How many homes does he own now? We didn’t hear your idol speaking up for the poor until after Finch cut him loose. Had he still been a part of the Finch administration, do you think he would have turned down any of his raises? Try your luck at answering these question to start with.
John Gomes actually has done something. And he is far from a millionaire.
They may not be rich when you vote for them but they will be rich when they leave office. Both Clinton and Obama increased their net worth enough to make Bush look like a pauper. Both Finch and Malloy will leave office as very wealthy people. The biggest care Democrat representatives have about the poor is not being one.
Chosen 1 forgive, me but you are one dumb f**k.
There are answers. The people in power just don’t want to make tough choices.
The economy sucks. Everyone is hurting throughout this country. Bridgeport needs to do what most people are doing. They need to stop rewarding themselves with pay raises and make hard choices.
Very simply put, cut every budget by 10 percent. End of story. Council people, grow some balls. Cut everyone 10 percent, allow no salary increases in political appointees and don’t ask any group for givebacks until the mayor and his cronies do givebacks first.
And I bet you are the one who bitches and moans the loudest when something is cut that affects you directly. Cut political appointees 10%, many of them shouldn’t have these jobs in the first place. But don’t make low-paid employees bear the brunt unless you are prepared to make some similar “hard choice.”
BRG,
When I said cut everyone 10 percent I wasn’t necessarily talking people. I mean cut every department’s budget 10 percent. I don’t care if they lay off people, slash office supplies, negotiate new copier contracts … Get every department to cut 10 percent off of whatever their budget is for this year.
So be it if they sacrifice personnel. I doubt that would really happen though. Most budgets are so padded it should be easy to cut a measly ten percent.
It’s such a shame the article was so one-sided. Yes, inaccurate too as it creates the spin only Black Rockers attended and spoke. Not true. But it opens the door for further spin from those who want to paint a picture of an elitist minority of crybabies, not true.
The good news is readers can tune into Government Access TV to see the great suggestions and critiques made by these exceptional people who spoke. The entire session was recorded. I, unfortunately do not know how to access the schedule of its showings.
No one has had a better relationship with the churches than Ganim.
Finch’s relationship with the working poor and churches blew away Foster’s. She needed a GPS to find East Main St.
Not true. I volunteered with Mary-Jane and she most certainly did campaign in areas like the East Side and East End. Many of the people in this so-called reform group like Dave Walker indeed probably don’t and probably don’t care.
Yeah Chosen 1, those were the old days when minorities voted the way the bible-thumping Reverends told them. Minorities are getting more astute and think for themselves. Joe Ganim would have a hard time finding support in the churches. Your constant assaults on Mary-Jane Foster are questionable as well as your adoration of John Gomes. Who are you, Chosen 1? if you are attempting to be John Gomes’ Public Relations point person, you are failing miserably and doing John a disservice. Finch and Ganim have been politicians in Bridgeport for decades. Why wouldn’t they have a better relationship with area churches? In fact, wasn’t it the area churches that perpetuated Foster as racist and Republican? Why are you even talking about Foster, was she not speaking on behalf of the Bridgeport taxpayers?
Chosen: Really??? Ganim’s relationship with the churches sure helped him stay on the straight and narrow. NOT.
Finch’s relationship with the poor, you’re kidding right? He tried to take the vote away from all people in relationship to the BOE.
Do i have to remind you tax increases affect the poor also? What jobs has Finch brought into Bridgeport that employed the poor? Zero. None. NADA.
Chosen, I almost forgot. MJF has done more work with the poor in the past 20 years than Finch has even attempted. BTW the election is over. One more question, what have you done to help Bridgeport?
Lennie, your title is “Black Rockers Protest Budget Proposal.” It should read “Bridgeport Protests Budget Proposal.” I realize Black Rock pays high taxes and the assessment is so out of whack! I live in Bridgeport, my mail is addressed Bridgeport CT. If mail were addressed Black Rock CT or Hollow CT, etc., where would that mail go? This is Bridgeport and the assessments have to be reevaluated. That is only one of the problems with our high taxes.
The city needs an Economic Director who knows what he/she is doing. We need development to help with this economy and get some monies in this city. What are they doing? Nada, nothing.
I am giving up on this city.
Setting the stage, Bridgeport is in the same boat as Waterbury, Hartford, Springfield MA, Lowell MA etc. Industrial revolution-era cities with all the environmental problems, societal ills, regional facilities (hospitals, prisons, etc.).
In all these cities, those very significant challenges are then compounded by voter apathy resulting in one-party Democratic rule. Because of that disengagement, the elected officials pay no price and mediocrity reigns supreme.
Consequently we have a Mayor with next to no practical work experience who can’t do the nuts and bolts stuff and has department managers, many of whom are equally mediocre and don’t really care about the money … We can always raise taxes!
10% pay cuts where possible, furloughs and layoffs, sell the airport and the golf course.
Start being tough.
Let’s start with you. You want city employees to take a pay cut and layoffs. Let’s stop plowing your street. And selling the airport is an idiotic idea unless there is some way to keep it running. The airport should be a major part of economic development.
BRG,
What benefit has the airport been to you in the past five years? In that time period, Mayor Finch has allowed the Director to move from a budget where revenue and expenses balanced to today. The latest report is for January (received in late March over one month late as usual) and shows the Airport budgeted expenses have increased from $1,123,000 by $13,085 of increased full-time pay to $1,141,000. And the revenues that were proposed to be $842,000 for the 2012-13 year have been reduced by $85,200 to project a June loss of $384,319. The Airport will have lost over $1 Million during the time period “as a major part of economic development” as you refer to it. Do we need all the employees to operate at this revenue level? Does anyone care? Does it make a difference one of our City Councilpersons is employed at the Airport? Time will tell.
Boy, you’re dumb. If Bridgeport can’t get real (the kind that raises revenue ASAP) Economic Development going in Bridgeport with land that is fully under the control of the city, how in hell is Bridgeport supposed to get the airport moving in the right direction with the town of Stratford in the way? The airport will expand and improve when Stratford has ownership of it. It’s easier said than done in BRG’s head.
Joel. People who willingly mutilate their bodies by cutting off their fingers shouldn’t be calling anyone dumb.
All the development around the airport would be in Stratford while BPT absorbs the cost. Have you seen the airport recently? It looks like it got hit by a hurricane, and that was before it got hit by a hurricane. The only reason to keep it and the golf course would be so the minimum wage working poor you are always talking about have someplace to golf after going for a ride in their airplanes.
BRG,
2 + 2 still equals 4. If you do not have the money, raising taxes is not the only solution.
Better business administration of city departments is a must. How can 24 out of 26 be over budget? Mediocre management due to an apathetic electorate that continually re-elects 3rd-raters who do not know how to run a city and do not want to work hard enough and make the painful decisions.
Sell the airport to an investor group that will do what’s required to grow it into a regional asset. What does the City know about growing an airport?
Cutbacks are required. I have had to deal with them in the private sector. Not pleasant, but necessary.
A city is not the private sector. Let them eat cake as you advocate is not an answer. Let’s cut services YOU use.
Why aren’t you arguing 2 + 2 = 5.3? I’m waiting!
What services do rich people use for all the taxes they pay? They send their kids to private school. They have home security systems, private trash pick up and home fire suppression systems. As a general rule those who pay the most demand the least but keep it up. Maybe you can get them all to move out then you will be better off. To become rich all you have to do is chase off everyone richer than you. Once you are at the top of the food chain you can happily pay the taxes and enjoy it.
“This year’s budget presents us with some very tough challenges due to the funding cuts proposed by the governor,” says the mayor.
Notice every time the mayor pins the blame for the need to raise taxes on the governor, he doesn’t throw out Dan Malloy’s name. Governor Dan Malloy will be facing the voters before Bill Finch has to face the Bridgeport voters. Last week on one of my postings I questioned why Bill Finch, the entire City Council and the Bridgeport delegation are not putting the necessary pressure on Governor Dan Malloy–the cause of all this tax increase anxiety.
Last month, Bill Finch and other mayors got together at the State Capitol to protest (the quietest protest I’ve heard of) Dan Malloy’s proposed elimination of the car tax. According to some reports, the car tax elimination idea is on ice and the group of mayors went back to their cities claiming a victory. The elimination of the car tax was just one of the many ideas being kicked around the Capitol. The idea raised other serious revenue shortfall issues for the towns and this idea was obviously dead coming out the gate.
I understand Dan Malloy was at the Arena with Bill Finch and City Council President McCarthy enjoying the March Madness basketball game. What a great opportunity to convince Malloy to do the right thing. Holding him by his ankles out the window of the City of Bridgeport’s Sky Box at the Arena would have been one heck of a scene. “Okay, I’ll do it, just bring me back in guys.”
It would be a good idea for CW4BB to organize a trip to Hartford. I’d bet they would hear us much better than reading our concerns on this blog. Imagine the busloads of people the Bridgeport Machine would have been chartering to Hartford if a Republican Governor were the one doing to us what the Dan Malloy administration has done to us so far.
I’ll take this one step further. I’ll put my money where my mouth is. I have a $500 check towards the cost of organizing a trip to Hartford. Call me at 203-345-9597.
Actually Joel, this idea has been under discussion. I will put the right person in touch with you if you wish.
Finch took the vote away Andy and the schools performed better and there were no BOE fights. Bridgeporters need to be told whom to vote for; according to you Andy, they can’t get it right.
Not true, Chosen … Vallas and Finch and Holy Moley were and still are ripping off the school budget and spending huge sums on outside consultants, which is one of the reasons Finch lost the Charter revision.
Chosen 1, You are right there were no fights, you don’t get fights when you put a bunch of bobblehead dolls together. Bridgeporters need to be told the TRUTH and when they are they vote for right over wrong. BTW, tell me how the schools performed better.
According to the stats and the fact there’s new schools being built someone needs to show me where Vallas has done a bad job. He blew away Ramos.
As far as the vote, people aren’t stupid. The only reason Foster went near the East Side was she had GOMES by her side, she can’t relate to the people so they vote for who spreads the money to their church.
OMG is Chosen 1 John GOMES??? Lennie?