Mayor Bill Finch is scheduled to host his next public budget presentation Thursday, 6 p.m. at the North End Library Branch, 3455 Madison Avenue. City residents John Marshall Lee, Andy Fardy and his wife Pat Fardy are urging residents to attend. Last Wednesday in Black Rock the mayor addressed a packed crowd of residents concerned about his proposed tax increase. See their notice below:
Mayor Finch wants a 7% tax increase, an increase of 2.7 mils and the people in Bridgeport are saying “NO” loud and clear at the first two of his four public hearings.
Look at city personnel positions that are approved each year in the budget and go unfilled. Sixty (60) plus “GHOST” positions scattered throughout the City office’s amount to over $5 Million annually. Cut this from the budget, saving Millions.
Reform of Bridgeport’s education system serving 20,300 students is primary. Reform with a price tag of $7 Million from the City, the city can reduce this Cost by eliminating the “GHOST” expenses easily.
We need to monitor the overtime in the Police department, which amounted to approx $2.5 Million over budget.
Pension obligations are another reason for the Mayor’s 7% increase. MERF funding for police and fire pension in the coming year reduces City Pension B funding by $2.5 Million, so decrease the $6 Million down to $3.7 Million in the proposed budget.
Economic development has failed to produce net gains during the Finch Administration. If we are not developing any new Tax Base, Why should any non-union employee get a raise, there should be a raise freeze for all non-union employees.
Bridgeport taxpayers, this Budget is going before the 20-member city council this month. The twenty Council Members need to be aware of some of these items and action taken to cut expenses before the budget is approved … it is their job to review, ask questions and address taxpayers issues before a vote.
Talk, Call or Email your council representatives.
They have to vote soon, but we need them to ask important questions and make the necessary changes before the vote.
NOTE: Upcoming Budget Hearing is April 19th North End Library 6p.
See you there; tell your neighbors and friends Please.
Council representatives names and numbers will be available at that meeting.
Thank you,
Pat Fardy
John Marshall Lee
Andy Fardy
Ask Tom Sherwood and Mayor Finch why they are transferring employees from grants onto the General Fund. Ask Tom Sherwood and Mayor Finch why they are sending grant money back to the state and feds. Ask Tom Sherwood and Mayor Finch why they are refusing to accept grant money so they can lay off employees they don’t like. You’ll get bullshit answers but ask the questions anyway.
After Tom Sherwood and Mayor Finch give their bullshit answers to the above questions, file an FOI request and get the truth.
I watched the video of the Black Rock budget hearing. Sherwood was nervous. He is not used to being questioned by people who are smarter than him. Keep up the pressure JML, Andy and Pat. Sherwood will get so hot he’ll have to take off that tacky vest!
*** Expose the usual mumbo-jumbo presentation with good solid questions concerning P/D and BFD overtime, political jobs, pending suits (in dollars) against the city, unfilled ghost positions over three years, incoming city revenue (not projected) and overall outgoing city spending, etc. Have condensed budget copies available so those attending can follow along during questions; and notice if any council members show at the presentation! *** KEEP NOTES ***
Good points Mojo. Ask Tom Sherwood and Mayor Finch about the amount of TAXPAYER money they are spending on outside attorneys (Bohannon) because they illegally terminated or demoted union employees. Ask Tom Sherwood and Mayor Finch about the promotions of political peeps since the November election. Then wait for the bullshit answers.
After listening to Finch and Sherwood’s spin for two hours the other night, what comes to my mind is a Comprehensive Audit of the City’s Finance Department. I know the Justice Department does this for free.
Pat, Andy and John know more about the City budget than Mr. Sherwood.
How long has Mr. Sherwood been working for the City?
SHERWOOD was present and accounted for when Bpt was under the aegis of the State’s Financial Review Board. So he has the years. But somewhere along the way an inordinate level of greed and corruption became part of the budget numbers under this man.
No number is accurate … No number is valid … And no statement is truthful. Begin from there in order to do battle for a City budget meant to meet the needs of the City of Bridgeport resident and taxpayer, not the greed of certain City Hall favored.
By the way Christopher Rosario, one of the “favored” now has another new position with the City for which he has no preparation, no knowledge, no experience and no skills to administer. All he is required to do is say “yes, how high” when the Finch/Wood administration asks him to jump.
Tom Sherwood is using the grants as his own personal slush fund, spending the money on whatever he chooses. He is turning back grant money as an excuse to lay people off he or Adam Wood don’t like. I listed the questions above. Someone needs to ask them.
By the way, Chris Rosario wasn’t the only one hired for Tom Coble’s job. Deb Simms was hired as well with a HEFTY HEFTY HEFTY salary increase. Ask Sherwood where that money came from.