From Mayor Finch:
Mayor Bill Finch today announced the City of Bridgeport will begin recycling native soils from the Fairchild Wheeler Multi-Magnet High School building site for use at the Steelpointe Harbor Project. Beginning next week, trucks will deliver clean native soils to the Steelpointe Harbor Project launching the development phase of this long anticipated project. This soil recycling initiates the construction of 2.6 million square feet of new investment in the City of Bridgeport.
“This is the first step in work that needs to be done in order for the Steelpointe project to move forward. Recycling the soil from the high school construction site gives us a unique opportunity to conserve resources that we would otherwise have to truck in from greater distances, effectively helping us to save money and lower our carbon footprint on both projects,” said Mayor Finch.
The magnet high school site has an excess of virgin soil, (the overburden layer between topsoil and bedrock) and the Steelpointe site needs soil as part of the requirement to raise elevation to meet Flood Zone requirements, and to encapsulate soil on site in conformance with DEEP regulations. Up to approximately 47,000 cubic yards of soil will be removed from the school site during the next six weeks.
All local permitting is in place and state permits for Shoreline Stabilization and Marina Redevelopment have been advertised for comments with an expected approval date of October 2011.
This first phase will bring new construction activity on the Steelpointe Harbor site. Once the recycled soil is in place, infrastructure work on the peninsula will begin including, utility relocations, sewer separations, upgrading traffic signals and lane design to accommodate the new development and better serve the East Main Street neighborhood.
The City received an $11 million TIGER grant last October, which, when matched by funding from the Steelpointe developer will be used to finance the infrastructure work. This project is in the final design phase with a construction start date of March 2012.
Trucks will be active on site from 7:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The vehicles will use State Route 8/25 to I-95 to East Main Street exit to access the site, avoiding surface streets and heavily populated areas. The activity is expected to take about 6 weeks.
BREAKING NEWS:
OIB friend flyonthewall is killed by President Barack Obama.
www .youtube.com/watch?v=7sIDpPnUvs0
A very important message to town committee. Please do not be so disgusted you leave the Democratic Town Committee. You are both incredible people and have inspired many of the Foster supporters, myself included. I would support your efforts in a heartbeat. As time changes and moves on new faces will emerge. People do change. I remember when Moran was running for Mayor and how she was treated by the Republican party. When she won the primary they joined the fold all halfheartedly and had the energy and enthusiasm of slugs. People ARE PEOPLE. Sometimes when the stars are aligned just right and there is chemistry amazing things happen. It wasn’t Fosters time right now. History will tell us that. The history books will look favorably on Foster for her life accomplishments and her contribution to Bridgeport. She will not be remembered for any cronyism or bankruptcy bids. The people will learn even our Mayor Finch had chosen Foster as a first pick to be on his transition team as well as she was a major fundraiser for Finch. People change, their positions change. Their allegiances change. But life goes on. I am certain your presence on the Town Committee has had a great impact over the years and hope you will continue to do so. You both represent the checks and balances needed as well as eyes and ears for a new generation of Democrats. Do not let the results of this election jade you. Your contribution to the campaign were monumental. I think I was working 24/7 because of people like you. I would do it again! When I think of people like John, Zena Lu, Tom, Carolanne, Cheryl, BRYANT, JASON, DAN, SUE, STEVE K, CARYN, MARK, RHONDA, CONSUELO, MARCUS, VINCENT, MARIA, NANCY, Jack and oh yeah Mary-Jane, I feel blessed our paths crossed and expect somewhere along the way we will blend into positive energy making Bridgeport a better place and again polarize if we need to. Please stay with TC they are not all monsters. I would love to work on a campaign again with you as long as you are organizing the office and helping rallying the troops. I am as hurt as you are. But we move on because life moves forward. We stay positive because it is healthier. We stay in touch because somewhere along the line in a blink four years will pass and if Finch does not change the face of this city we will be working our asses off again. I am hoping he does a good job because I do not know if I can keep up this pace. lololololololol The best to all of us!
During the construction of the first schools in Bridgeport, the developers sold the topsoil to farmers so as to increase their profit.
Now, if schools want to install butterfly gardens, they need to purchase soil and fertilizer.
Bridgeport students who attend schools with butterfly gardens can tell you the difference between soil and dirt.
Warning! Commercial interruption!
GroundWorks Bridgeport is instrumental in coordinating and teaching high school students, and sending them out the the elementary schools to teach lessons on gardening. Give them your support, folks!
*** More hype only to go nowhere fast, no? *** Community Garden, Anyone? ***
“City Announces Soil Fill For Steelpointe”? Really? Are they going to put a $587 green sign there too? At a conservative rate of $90 per textbook, each taxpayer dollar spent on these self-promoting pieces of campaign hooey could have bought 5.3 textbooks for Bridgeport students. Or we can look at it another way, each sign is worth one tax rebate a Bridgeport taxpayer did not receive. And announcing a soil fill? Does that surprise me? No. There ain’t much else in Bridgeport to sing about these days, so they may as well celebrate dirt.
No, that would be soil.
Okay, soil. (snicker out loud) 🙂
Glad to hear the Super Walmart will be built on clean soil.
Heard whispers all day today about Dems supporting Rick Torres. People real angry about the shit that went on in the black churches; about the drivers telling people line B was the Republicans; about people getting paid to vote, etc. Heard if enough of us back Rick and the Republicans come out, it could happen. That’s how Mary Moran got in. I’m not convinced yet. But I’m listening.
city hall smoker, I’m trying to follow along with what you are saying but I’m a little confused, perhaps you can clear it up. You said, “Dems supporting Rick Torres” and “Heard that if enough of us back Rick and the Republicans come out, it could happen.” I don’t understand this and I don’t understand this either, “People real angry about the shit that went on in the black churches.”
Ron, there was a deliberate attempt by the machine, which included some black ministers (not Reverend Bennett), to deceive the minority and less informed voters. They spread untruths such as Mary-Jane Foster was like Sarah Palin, she was KKK, she was a Republican. Ask Ernie Newton–he fought these rumors on the streets and lost.
There’s a full-page ad in the CT Post today:
Jesus said,
“Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in my Name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many … then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many …”
(Matthew 24:3-14, 23-24)
This ad is very timely. I am very disappointed in the ministers who used their pulpits to preach hate and lies. Their parishioners then took those lies to the streets and continued to spread them.
This tactic may have helped Finch win the election but it also further divided our city.
Ron, I know Reverend Bennett is an honest and honorable man of God and he was not involved in this. But others were. And why? What was their motive? I don’t understand what they owe the machine. Do you?
city hall smoker, I am in agreement with you, I am aware of four IMA pastors who were passing out Finch literature at polling places. I fully understand their right to support and help their candidate and black ministers have a history of being involved with elections when legal and moral rights were being denied to blacks but that was not the case in this primary.
You stated, “They spread untruths such as Mary-Jane Foster was like Sarah Palin, she was KKK, she was a Republican.” I personally heard blacks saying what you wrote and when I attempted to explain to them it was not true it became a waste of time. I heard the comments in 2007 about Chris Caruso, that he was a racist and didn’t like blacks. I supported and worked to help get Chris elected and I had no problem telling people they were dead wrong about Chris.
Blacks in Bridgeport will never have political power in Bridgeport for a number of reasons such as too many blacks have jobs with the City and if they are on the Democratic Town Committee or they are an elected official or have been appointed to a board or commission they will never vote against those in power, never. Just look at the record, there are only two black elected officials, State Senator Ed Gomes and City Councilman Andre Baker who will step up and speak out.
Let’s look at the record in the East End, this section of the City has the highest voting percentage for Democratic incumbents in Bridgeport and what does the East End get in return for their loyalty and their vote to the Democratic Party? The East End has NO supermarket, NO pharmacy, NO gas station, NO anchor store of any kind but the East End does have plenty of liquor stores and they are within one block from public schools and Chinese Restaurants. No new developments, nothing but a false promise from Tate George and the mayor.
In closing, “it’s against the law to own a black man but you can still rent one.”
Ron, your posting also applies to Hispanic party/elected officials. The machine is also taking them as “pawns.” I’ll give you this and if you don’t play, I’ll take it back.
city hall smoker: It is hard to clear my head of it all to consider voting for the B’port Dem machine. Just trying to figure out whether to vote for Torres or Kohut.
city hall smoker // Sep 30, 2011 at 8:55 pm
to your posting
Consider if you abandon the system, then you leave free to create further chaos; the morally corrupt individualswho dominate the Finch administration and the Democratic Party Political Committee at this moment.
There are certainly other imaginative ways to remake the system of Democratic Party Politics rather than abandon it to Republican Party candidate, Rick Torres.
People, people, people who populate the Democratic Party Committee and are supportive of gross ethical lapses, unfair hiring practices and have turned the concept of public service to greedy self-service, are people who must depopulate the Democratic Party Town Committee of Bridgeport.
Knowing how representative the principles of the Democratic Party are to me, I couldn’t envision separating from this particular set of political beliefs.
By Monday I will confirm if write-in votes are accepted in the November election.
city hall smoker, I will let you know … otherwise we still have the lunch or dinner options for conversations at Bloodroot.
If write-in votes are accepted I will write in MJF.
On Mayor Finch’s Open Space Program on Steele Point, Downtown North, Congress Plaza, Seaview Avenue, East Main Street, Bryant Electric, etc. Who is paying for the upkeep and the grass cutting and what chemicals are they using to poison the soil to control all the invasive species of weeds?
Beneficially reusing suitable soil at another location makes economic sense. Otherwise, it’s a cost to properly transport and dispose of excess soil generated at the school. It reduces costs for importing borrow material at Steel Pointe too. A good move for both projects.
Any news about Steelepointe these days is good for the city of Bridgeport. I will be more impressed when the Steelepointe developers take a full-page ad in the Connecticut Post and New York Times touting the new 1 billion dollar project. Imagine, Stamford has taken Steelepointe’s original name and brought it to fruition, “Harborpointe.” I am pleased to see the announcement and hope this project moves forward with serious development. If it starts with a Walmart I can assure you I will teach the city of Bridgeport what a marketing campaign will do. G-d help us if a shovel goes in the ground for a big-box, low-paying retailer. I do give kudos to the mayor for thinking green.
A word to Zena Lu–IF DIRT IS worth celebrating then let’s do it! A word to city hall smoker–Mayor Mary C. Moran got in by winning a primary from a very popular former Republican Mayor, Leonard Paoletta. With the support of a group of youthful supporters known as the New Republican Voice, a group that knew how to excite volunteers and keep them coming to a “party” and most importantly, Moran ran against Thomas Bucci whose administration at the time was falling apart. A Republican in Bridgeport never wins an election, the Democrat loses. Finch is not that awful and that is why he is still in office. The people were just lazy and were not that disappointed with the way things are. I still believe Mary-Jane Foster will make an excellent Mayor. She needs to stay engaged and be seen. I remember Joe Ganim as well as Caruso showing up at every important meeting to make their presence known. I will not be one of those disgruntled political hacks who will undermine the current administration. I still say Eversley has got to go and the city could do with a few cheerleaders. The Seaview Avenue embarrassment last week was painful for all of Bridgeport. Let’s hope we can get the development project off the ground in the South End by the University of Bridgeport that will complement the neighborhood and school and put a high speed ferry there. May Steelepoint finally become a reality. And hope all of the Foster supporters always support the positive things going on in the city and not feel they need to go to another party unless they feel it will improve the city. At this moment I do not and hope the Finch administration stays focused on development as it the only thing that will help lower taxes. It takes a long time for these edifices to generate any tax revenues so we will all most likely suffer for a few more years. I have met a lot of incredible people during the Foster campaign and grateful I am still friends with those who were part of the Finch campaign. When a campaign ends you mend fences and put the past behind you. We will stay in touch and all together strive to make the city of Bridgeport a great place.
Auerbach Post
Do you really think Mario Testa is capable of bringing Bridgeport into an era of promise, prosperity and prominence? Has anything in the past 40 years given you the slightest clue this nefarious band of self-interested cheap-shoe hacks will do anything of a positive nature? If you live in Bridgeport, stick your head out your window and look both ways. Tell us what you see.
yahooy // Oct 1, 2011 at 11:59 am
To your posting
yahooy,
He did go overboard a little, didn’t he …
but he is my choice to be with in any campaign. His work is for real!
Sounds like he is willing to use all of his alleged perspicacious skill to work for the very people he worked so hard to defeat. I don’t think he realizes the people who beat us are still the same bums whom we all pledged to defeat in order that we might bring to the people of Bridgeport a better community and a better place in which we can work and live.
There is no morning-after metamorphosis here. Testa and his cronies are still the creeps who have driven this town into the sad state we are in. With them in office there is no hope. There is no promise. There is just much more of the same.
The BEST man didn’t win here. The graciousness of the rules of the Marquis de Queensbury do not apply. Our government is still loaded with people who are only interested in themselves at the expense of everyone else.
I shall not be gallant and pledge my support to the victor. Quite the contrary.
What the hell is the matter with him?
yahooy–I have loved Bridgeport since my father relocated here in 1967 while the city was on a downward spiral. I saw hope and promise. I have voted in every election since I was 18. I have voted for Republicans and Democrats. I HAVE NEVER JUDGED ANY GROUP OR PEOPLE BY THE PARTY THEY ASSOCIATE WITH. I HAVE ALWAYS JUDGED PEOPLE ON THE WAY THEY TREAT ME. Over the years I have heard the term Machine used on regular basis. I accept that Mary-Jane Foster lost the election. I do not blame the machine at all other than they were more skillful in getting out the vote. Let me also be clear. I have many friends and acquaintances who are members of that machine. I do not judge the masses. Mario simply enjoys his position because the Republican party in this city is beyond pathetic. Charlie Valentino is a perfect example. A leader of the party now giving rides to the polls with a worn-out Finch sign on it with duct tape. yahooy, I am not sure who you are but I do know Carolanne Curry. We had a fun campaign and I did work my ass off and my head is still spinning and body exhausted and fighting a bitch of a cold I am convinced I got from Mary-Jane Foster. I am not a chump nor do I have my head stuck up my ass. I supported Mayor Finch in the last election and it is sad he didn’t even know it–That is sad and pathetic. I do not have ill will toward my friends who are part of the machine. My Council women here in the 134th are outstanding and if they weren’t I may have challenged them. I was focused on change and believed in Mary-Jane Foster. Mayor Finch is in office for four years and I will not live four years in negativity. I wish Finch success as we are all in this together and any news of corruption, shady dealings or FBI investigations just casts negativity on the entire city and we all pay the price. I will not be happy listening to all the people who sat on their asses during this election say they should have come out and voted. Those lazy bastards represent the masses of the people here. I was satisfied with my efforts and have no choice but to move on. I am always engaged in what is happening and if Finch fails the people he will be held accountable. Why does anyone think I am wrong with my thought process? I always believed in a primary you do your best and then support the victor. Next time MJF will have a stronger ground crew and a slate that represents the best of Bridgeport and we will prevail. Until then I choose to live in the present and be positive. I know there are interesting leaders about to emerge and I am hopeful about the city of Bridgeport’s future.
yahooy // Oct 1, 2011 at 1:31 pm
To your posting
yahooy,
On this you are 100% correct. This was a political election campaign where good and decent people discussed issues and policies for the City and her residents. No, this was much more the challenge to expose the failure of any morality in an administration known for its callousness, its vicious pettiness, its unfair bullying, its bigotry and its obscene greed.
No self-respecting person would close tents to follow and support this administration. I propose challenging every administration practice and policy for the next 48 month right into September 2015. We cannot afford to wait until election year to begin the replacement effort.
My intent is to make “The Bridgeport Voter” the object of my affection and pursuit starting as early as this month. There are too many unanswered questions about the 34,000 Democrats who chose not to vote …
And also challenge the DTC elections coming up.
Steven great post. If the Finch Administration would get rid of losers like Eversley and add people like you he would’ve never had a primary to begin with.
Is Sal DiNardo going to supply the fill from his ownership of Remington fields?
Hey Steve! I don’t consider myself to be a frustrated political hack. I wish you didn’t either. I just don’t agree. And how are you going to feel when Testa/Finch make Fabrizi interim Superintendent of Schools? There is quite a buzz going on about that. Ayala was not acceptable for the MJF ticket with no conviction but Fabrizi is an acceptable Educational leader? Just saying. I think you were a great supporter of the cause, and maybe you are just a better person than I, but I still think this whole machine thing is despicable. Sorry.
Zena, Fabrizi was never convicted of anything and didn’t do jail time. But he does have some baggage including admitting drug use and testifying for a sex offender (I believe the victim was a 14-year-old girl). This alone makes him an unsuitable candidate for interim Supt. If the new Board of Education puts him in, it just shows they are another extension of the DTC machine. My brain is telling me this will never happen but my heart is telling me it could. This is Bridgeport after all.
“Fabrizi was never convicted of anything and didn’t do jail time.”
chs, Fabrizi was never convicted because he wasn’t charged. There was enough evidence to charge and convict him even if Fardy didn’t testify against him. Instead, Fabrizi agreed to testify against Fardy if he decided to take it to trial. There was video and audio recordings by the feds that could have resulted in a conviction of both. This case is and was very interesting. Why?
When the federal prosecutors were in the process of handing down the indictment (which was sealed), a huge error occurred. The Federal prosecutor released sealed Grand Jury evidence to the media.
They then apologized for the error and re-sealed the Grand Jury evidence. That is called Prosecutorial Misconduct. One of the most difficult cases to win and prove is Prosecutorial Misconduct, especially after a guilty verdict (not sure how it plays when a guilty plea is entered like in Fardy’s case). But there is only one in the history of federal cases that was argued successfully. I know this because it has a Bridgeport CT connection. I attended SHU in the early ’90s hoping to become a paralegal (didn’t finish). I have another friend I grew up with and we always dabbled in legal studies. We couldn’t afford the school cost as we had children to maintain. He moved to Puerto Rico where an attorney gave him work since he knew English. He then was able to get his paralegal certificate. Since 2000 we’ve maintained communication and I help him whenever he needs me to play legal devil’s advocate–as we call it. The only Federal Prosecutorial Misconduct case to ever be argued successfully was researched and the brief prepared by two Puerto Ricans from Bridgeport. The lawyer gets the credit. I’ll get you the case and other info if you don’t believe it. Fardy and Fabrizi should have gotten the case thrown out by the judge. Fardy’s and Fabrizi’s lawyers were incompetent and negligent in their handling of that case. It’s only my strong opinion.
Fabrizi lawyer John Gulash’s handling of the case was genius.
Sure, if you consider making a deal to testify against his friend “genius.” Lennie, whenever sealed indictment facts are released prematurely whether intentional or mistakenly, that information or evidence becomes ‘tainted.’ A prosecutor can’t just re-seal the evidence and apologize–this doesn’t untaint the evidence. If copping a deal is “genius” then we have nothing but genius attorneys all over America.
Fabs, then a sitting mayor, was fortunate he was not charged. Good lawyering had something to do with it.
Zena you are no political hack! I like Ayala and like Mayor Fabrizi. The city would have to get rid of Ramos to make Fabrizi the Superintendent. If they did, I must be honest, I can live with that. John Fabrizi just happens to be one of the people of the “Machine” I like and respect.
You are doing a 180° switch. I understand most of what you have said since the election has been over but there are two things that get to me.
1. You are okay with your two council people? Great, neither has done anything other than vote 100% with the administration plus they voted for this false budget we now have.
2. You are okay with Fabrizi being the interim head of the BOE? Look at his history and tell me that again. You really believe the kids in Bridgeport would benefit by this appointment?
He’s looking for a job.
yahooy: That is abundantly clear!!!
No 180 degree switch, tc. I have known Michelle and Tom Lyons for years. I have known Fabrizi since High School and later while working with Moran. I have never said anything negative about my council women or Fabrizi. Fabrizi had issues. They were addressed and he didn’t run for re-election because of them. Michelle and Amy-Marie have worked hard in the area and have always returned my calls with answers and I have always voted for them as well as everyone I know. I have known John and Mary for 20-plus years. I guess I am no different than anyone else. Politics does indeed make strange bedfellows. I can be naive sometimes but always forgiving when someone pays their dues. I supported everyone on MJF’s ticket although I was not happy with all of her choices. So now we are after the election. tc just for the record other than Fabrizi’s support of that kid at the behest of his son and his “other” issue, I will not let that define John Fabrizi. I liked him as Mayor. There were things happening in the North End and he was from what I hear a very good teacher and involved with the Board of Education for 25-plus years I think. tc if someone came up to me tomorrow and filled my ear about you. I would say you do not know them like I do. I would support the two of you in a heartbeat. My social circle extends far from the political realm. I sometimes forget where I know people from whether it is from politics or Home Depot. I do know one thing. I do what I do with passion if I believe in it. I do not judge groups. I am always on the outside looking in as I am not a person who becomes part of the rank and file. My tune does not ever change. I am about Bridgeport. My favorite topic is economic development. I love the arts, museums, and the symphony. I am comfortable in all different ethnic groups. To me it’s all about the food. I am comfortable in every corner of Bridgeport. I believe in the future of this city. I might also add I have known Bill Finch for over 20 years. I used to live in his neighborhood. Nob Hill. Mary-Jane Foster made an impact in this city and Bill Finch won. Does anyone really want to hold their breath for four years and watch the city fall into the abyss? That’s not me. I will support the administration until it is time to re-evaluate and I will do what I believe is right. I have never asked for anything and I certainly have never gotten anything. I wish the best for everyone. Go easy on me it is my highest holiday and a time for reflection and forgiveness. It is never too late for redemption. How many years tc have you been involved with the “Machine?” I am certain you had/have many friends still there.
Well Steve if it is your holiday, Happy Holiday! I have known the players you mention for almost as long or longer than you. I know a lot about them politically and have watched them change from idealists to party hacks. Finch was a reformer full of piss and vinegar now he is a mere shell of what he was. Fabrizi bled Bridgeport blood but John changed. I remember how he hated Finch and how he badmouthed him, then on nomination night Fabrizi gave up his credibility and became just another hack when he nominated Finch. A man has to stand up for what he believes no matter what the price, he did not stand up. I have been on the TC too long and will be leaving shortly. Most of the people I have met and care about are gone now, of this present group there are not many I would want to claim as friends, sad to say.
Thanks chs! I stand corrected in this information, but I still STAND!!!
Soil from the new school is not free, biggest cost of soils is trucking, all who bid on this project had to carry cost to truck material to Steele Point. At going rate of $85.00 per hr, 16 cubic yards per load one round trip equal to one hour, it would require 2940 loads at $85.00 per load which will cost $249900. This is under perfect traffic and weather conditions.
Also this site had an access road and was subject to many acts of illegal dumping of demo waste, oil drums and many other wastes which may or may not have contained many kinds of hazardous waste which could then be carried to an already hazardous site. All this material should have analytical test for chemical composition that may be harmful to workers and school site. This site is far from virgin land. Think of your child and fellow neighbors who may work there, demand these tests.
Thanks for the info, bpt guy. Looks like our environmentally friendly mayor is once again misinformed.
Mario Testa blew his whole wad to get reelected Mayor. That’s it!!! There are no more people out there who think he is pretty, except donj who, for some stupid reason, is bragging about voting for Testa in the general. Testa got his entire support group out there.
If Torres is going to be successful, he is going to have to muster up more votes than the perennially loyal Testa crowd.
It has been done before. Mary Moran beat Bucci. In all deference, Speedy Gonzalez could have beat Bucci that year. The city’s financial picture at that time was bleak. We had unprecedented homicides occurring nearly every day. Our taxes were killing us. Business was bailing like there was a plague and our students were dropping out nearly as bad as they today. Bucci didn’t lose that election, he was run out of town. The irony is the conditions of the city are far worse now than they were in 1989. Because the Post is Testa-controlled and Jim Buchanan hasn’t got the balls to speak out, no one really knows how bad it is here. This BLOG is the only real forum but too few utilize this resource to make a difference as evidenced by the primary results.
We have one more shot at ridding this town of Mario Testa. We need MJF, Gomes, Caruso, Newton (for whatever that’s worth. He sure as hell didn’t come through for MJF in the primary) to formally align themselves with Rick.
Torres does not have the financial strength to do this alone and the local Republican leadership is impotent and ineffective.
I don’t know anything about Kohut. I could be saying the same things about him. We’re reaching into the bottom of the barrel again and of the two rotting apples left, Torres is the better pick.
If he (we) has any chance, he need our support. He needs our money, he needs our energy and he needs our efforts.
yahooy, are you saying Mario Testa is an honorary member of the Connecticut Post Editorial Board?
I would be loathe to associate the word ‘honorary’ when referring to Mario Testa.
yahooy // Oct 1, 2011 at 11:38 am
To your posting
yahooy,
It ain’t gonna happen …
We all should be doing your research as to whether there can be a write-in vote in November … After that there is the Democratic Party Town Committee elections! That’s where you make a statement; not through capitulating to the Republican Party. You follow what is going on with them, don’t you?
Let’s check out write-ins on Monday.
The objective is to rid Bridgeport of Mario Testa. Does it really matter what we call ourselves?
I insulted and embarrassed Mario Testa at the polls on Tuesday. Now I do not think he will allow me in his restaurant and if he does will I be poisoned? I have to admit I wouldn’t blame him. I was mean-spirited and ruthless. But as always, honest to a fault! lolololololol Sorry Mario!
I found your rebuttal to be wordy.
Anyone who professes to support Mario Testa supports four more years of the same crap that put us where we are right now.
Do you honestly think Mario Testa, Finch, Wood and Sherwood et al. are capable of doing the things MJF could have done to restore dignity to this city?
Steve, can you give us a flavor of your exchanges with Mario?
Well that isn’t going to happen, yahooy.
Torres needs an organization behind him. He needs to bang out those press releases just like MJ did. Start with the contaminated soil being delivered to Steele Point. I’ve seen him in debates; he made some good points about storming the castle and getting rid of Tom Sherwood. I think we can all agree with that. He’s a personable guy–but does he have what it takes to be mayor?
city hall smoker we need to unite as Democrats. You may not be a big fan of Bill Finch, but I am sure there are other Democrats in Bridgeport or anywhere in the state you can support.
It is easy to Monday-morning QB the election. If Mary-Jane Foster was such a great candidate her supporters weren’t too energized to fill out them ballots. Poor job all around by the campaign.
RollingintheCreep // Oct 1, 2011 at 12:33 pm
To your posting
Rolling …
Major misperception on your part. This campaign is on the way to rewriting politics, Democratic politics, in Bridgeport.
Now that many of us finally have a handle on the political permutations this party system has taken over the past four decades just to retain a suffocating grasp on City Government operations. That’s a lot of money, folks!
That’s public service turned into self-service! Let’s end it.
How?
Carolanne, you are the eternal optimist. I hope you are correct, but you and I have had conversations about low informational voters and Bridgeport unfortunately has an abundance of them. Outreach is hard, boring and not very sexy. It requires sustained organizational commitment and it seems many of the MJF supporters are tired and disillusioned by the primary process. Going to be hard to sustain momentum and engagement for the next four years.
Borderline, my ass!!!
lolololol
Hello all my OIB friends and foes. I first want to say I do not HATE Bill Finch. I actually think he is a nice man, a good father and he is making his “green” mark on the planet. That said, I do HATE the machine politics he represents. I really hope all of you MJF people join the Torres team. I think Rick has learned a lot and if elected he will surround himself with the brightest and the best. He will dismantle the machine piece by piece. No more retired cops getting $500 a day as crossing guards, BOE audit will be demanded complete (where the he%* is it?), no more no-show jobs, no more take-home cars. (Black Rock Councilwoman’s sister has one sitting in her driveway. Can someone please tell me why I have to pay for her travel expenses? Again, I like this person BUT I DON’T WANT TO PAY FOR HER GAS!!!) Please join the Torres camp. If nothing else he will continue Mary-Jane’s work in exposing the fraud. Let’s pass the torch to him. He is ready, he is brave, and he needs our support. Remember–all politics are local!
I have been shoveling info about the ‘dirty’ financial facts uncovered for about one year now. It is hard to grow anything substantial in dirt, especially City dirt, because of years of exposure to contaminants that have even killed the earthworms that work and enrich the soil with their castings. Turning and loosening the earth, adding castings and other organic materials and letting the light in are all steps towards increasing growing results. All dirt needs these actions to provide the conditions for good growth.
I’ll keep putting out info about fiscal and governance issues, but my biggest disappointment of the week as I think about it are the majority of parents and relatives of youngsters who passed by the polls and did not vote. Were they registered and Democrats? Fair question, but by the numbers you would be guessing at least 70% or higher were. So where is the constipation in this constituency? Their kids have been dealt the most potential harm during the past four years with ineffective administration and accountability that is absent. Do they know their vote matters, and Bill Finch flatlined the local education budget and put insufficient pressure on audit completion that caused much of the frustration the BOE faced and decided to end!
A young person I met tells me about disruptions in busing, class sizes exceeding 29, and changes happening each week where parents are not timely or just poorly informed. Instead of viewing the education system from the top alone, why don’t we have a weekly OIB Education Day. What are the facts behind the Columbus School fiasco? Costs and effects on the kids. Let’s hear from those who see the system daily in all its glory. Are there great things happening? Where and what are they? Maybe there is some credibility in the ascension of John Fabrizi if he is seen moving items around his office? Maybe not, but the real scoop on the schools is happening in classrooms all over the City as teacher after teacher practices their profession to the best of their ability. Results are tough to come by. Maybe we can start our own scoreboard. Why was CEA and BEA support directed away from Finch in the primary?
From my point of view I cannot at this time tell you exactly what the total revenues coming to BOE are from all sources, or how many people in what Department sections are working for BOE, yet. Perhaps the info the new Board will present this week will assist in better understanding. We can hope so and we can request it be so. Time will tell.
Yes, that would be dirt.
The support was directed away because Finch never returned their questionnaire.
And the BEA is still waiting for an overture from the current board over concessions. These things aren’t through the press. A little respect, please.
BEACON2 // Oct 1, 2011 at 5:11 pm
To your posting
B2,
I feel the only constructive take I can bring away from Tuesday’s events is to really take your question and my question about the rather amazing non voter turnout for such an amazing election or rather non-election. 5400 people deciding the future for 143,000 Bridgeport residents doesn’t make sense to me.
I have already put the wheels in motion to take this concept to implementation. Starting in October 2011, we start an intensive 40-month project with the intent of doubling voter turnout. We have been relying on traditional means of producing votes on election day. This needs to be examined.
I have now joined the ranks of the paranoid in Bridgeport, for reasons I won’t mention on this blog. One fact I am sure of, which is not a product of my new-found paranoia, is Finchies, many of them, read this blog. For me, issues, experiences and opinions on published facts are items I will blog about. Strategies and plans that are on the burner to become movements or efforts, I am privy to, or my own future plans to help in the effort to make this City better, are not. I don’t want to give them any more help than they already have.
That’s kinda scary … what happened? Should we all be scared? I thought this blog was anonymous. Is it?
I think she’s saying we shouldn’t discuss strategy on this blog. Whether we decide to back Rick Torres or initiate a write-in campaign for Mary-Jane, our discussions should be in person and not on the blog.
I’m hearing from some credible sources Finch is about to retire Larry Osborne and Tom Sherwood. Anyone else hear that?
What about the uneducated, belligerent and vindictive money pit called Bridgeport Fire Chief?
It’s nearly 11:30am. I’m at the Colony Diner, once the hub of political dialogue in Bridgeport. Not so much lately but present nonetheless.
I asked my pundit colleagues what they thought of your suggestion Sherwood and Osborne were on their way out. I was surprised when this august group concurred, further suggesting subpoenas are about to fly. No allegation or suggestion of wrongdoing, just speculation that MANY in the Calamarian camp are heading for the hills as the hammer is about to drop.
BTW, the Colony Diner is a fine place to go for breakfast but Rick Torres still makes the best double egg with bacon on a toasted Chaves roll. Much better coffee at Rick’s to boot.
BG,
If Tom Sherwood departs, then the velvet-gloved hand leaves the stage; and who replaces him? Is there anyone on the financial bridge of HMS BPORT who could have kept the old barge afloat this long with the obligations and debt increasing in the face of moribund economic development and decreasing values for most properties on the Grand List? Probably not.
So if Sherwood leaves, who takes over the financial ship of state and do they do so with or without a strengthening of the financial department to eliminate the number of weaknesses and deficiencies in City finance noted by external auditors? And will we once again have an “internal audit staff” that is competent, protects the City and is respected by the administration? We are not talking about trading baseball cards here, but about knowing the revenue streams, when the monies are due, and juggling the drop-dead dates when promises must be fulfilled to keep a current administration in office. And the main reason this one has stayed in office is because he waved the “no tax increase” banner for four years while pushing unbalanced budgets forcing about $180 Million of obligations, responsibilities and new debt into the future. That trick will not repeat for the next four without a financial crash.
See Bridgeport Girl’s comment! 🙂
Correctamundo, Bridgeport Girl! 🙂
Lennie I would in person but certainly not on the blog. I was very mean and aggressive, he was embarrassed and humiliated and ran off–Jumped in his Mercedes and sent Ganim to find out who this Auerbach was!!! lolololololololol I am not usually that mean-spirited. I can get loud but never that mean! I told him he needs to leave he is losing votes for Finch. (That was one of the nicer things I said.)
THIS ELECTION WAS VERY DISAPPOINTING WITH THE LOW VOTER TURNOUT.
I DO NOT REGRET ANY OF THE TIME AND ENERGY AND THAT WAS A LOT SPENT ON THIS CAMPAIGN, MARY-JANE Foster was surrounded by a mirror that reflected the constituency of this city. An incumbent never loses an election unless they really suck. Did Finch really suck? Not according to the voters. Will Mary- Jane FOSTER disappear? I hope not! If she really believes in the city she will remain engaged. If she disappears then there will be a lot of supporters disappointed. I do not think I will be disappointed.
Steven,
I genuinely feel you are suffering from PPSD. Post Primary Distress Disorder. You need to take a very long rest.
You are correct, I do. Planning a very nice cruise as soon as the weather gets cold. Casa Mata, Key West, Grand Cayman LEAVING FROM TAMPA. Do I DESERVE IT? YOU BET YOUR ASS I DO. I do believe there is such a disease. PPSD, but I believe I am handling it very well and respectful, no? My head cold is better today and I will be enjoying time at Roseland in Shelton. There will be no conversation about politics. I can remember when Sunday breakfast always took place at the diner on lower Main Street. When every political wannabe held court. I am glad I have my Sundays back. Caruso must have been thrown out of there because he now hangs at White’s diner and my favorite is the Galaxy that will forever be the Town and Country diner. Be well, all!!!
Finch is too much of a stupid nothing to hate. Wood is evil. Hate Wood. Write in MJF, Write in MJF, Write in MJF … worth a try. At least make Finch remember a large number of people think he is incompetent. Maybe if he is up against 3 people he won’t get 50% of the vote. Embarrass him at least. I’d work for MJF on a write-in for free. This time we could tap Unaffiliateds and R’s and 44% of Dems. Who’s with me?
HEY! How did you come back from the dead? Obama’s “whack” wasn’t hard enough? You should have returned before I sent the flowers. I’m glad you’re back, flyonthewall!
Mary-Jane, Mary-Jane, Mary-Jane, …
fotw: I’m in.
Isn’t that strategy self-defeating with Torres running in the general? Wouldn’t the Republican vote, or at least a good portion of it, go to him? Is the goal to take one more shot at getting Finch out, or to just try to embarrass him? Confused here. It would seem to me a united front, no matter which way it is constructed, is the only chance there is at this point to retire the dead WOOD! Help me out here!!!
There is no help for you. Finch will be the Mayor for four years unless he is taken away in which case we have McCarthy. No Republican has a chance in Bridgeport. But then again, he might get votes just because of his new super cool bus he is driving around in. Torres, that is! Was good to see him at Winthrop the other day.
I am not aligning myself with any strategy, Republican, Independent, Write-in or whatever. I simply asked for something be clarified. Statistically speaking, which strategy has the best chance at attaining the goal, and what is the goal? Do we want to embarrass Finch, or try to get him out? And who are “we?” I know you are not “we,” and that’s cool, but I am not voting for Finch and I want my vote to count. On a side note, ya just never know when someone is posting under a different user name …
fotw,
You are wasting your time and energy on a pipe dream. MJ got destroyed, the people spoke volumes by NOT coming out to vote for her. Best shot to hope for, the pac money scandal blows up and a special election is held … but even then I see MJ supporting Gomes in that scenario should it happen.
Total agreement except the typical apathy of the voters demonstrates only they are lazy disinterested bastards, completely clueless as to what can be done to improve our city. There was no message against MJF here. Finch v. MJF in the general elections means MJF wins by mandate.
Testa is a skillful primary operative. Too few people get out and vote. It’s easy for him to muscle all who owe him and intimidate them into voting the way he wants. He doesn’t have that juice in a general election where more people vote.
Lesson learned …? File as an independent; beat the bum in the general election.
yahooy: Is there a reason we should file independent for the general to vote against Finch?
Negative. In the general election you can vote for whomever you wish. Even if you are a registered Independent, you can vote for Democrats or Republicans as well as your Independent candidates if you so desire.
In a primary election it is important you be registered within your party of choice so you may select the party candidate whom you feel will best serve your interests. Only registered Democrats could vote in the Finch v. MJF recent primary.
It has become my opinion the Calamarian Rule is too powerful for any Calamarian-controlled candidate to lose in a Democrat primary especially when the incumbent is a Calamarian as is Finch.
Next time, I think we should ignore the primary and file as an Independent and meet the Calamarians head-on in a general election.
As I stated before, if that two-faced dog Keith Rodgerson had relinquished his independent slot when asked by Chris Caruso in the last primary, Caruso would have won overwhelmingly in the general election and we would not have had to endure the vulgarities of Mario Testa’s shenanigans over the past four years and we would not be in a position to have to put up with his crippling grip on the very essence of our right to live in a community which strives to serve the citizenry.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MARY-JANE FOSTER FOR AN OUTSTANDING RUN FOR MAYOR. I AM SO SORRY FOR THE LIES TOLD ABOUT HER. SHE IS A CLASSY PERSON.
MARY THANKS FOR MAKING YOUR TENT BIG ENOUGH FOR SINNERS LIKE ME.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WORKED SO HARD TO GET HER ELECTED. STEVE, TC AND HIS WIFE, CAROLANNE, JOHN GOMES JUST TO NAME A FEW. I STOOD AT DUNBAR ALL DAY AND MANY PEOPLE VOTED FOR MJF. ALTHOUGH WE LOST BY 23 VOTES WE REALLY WON! BECAUSE THAT’S A DISTRICT THAT GOES 3 TO 1 FOR INCUMBENT MAYORS.
MANY BLACKS WERE UPSET WITH ME FOR GOING WITH MJF BUT IF I HAD TO DO IT AGAIN I WOULD.
ONCE AGAIN MJF THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT A CLASSY LADY LIKE YOURSELF.
Mr. Newton.
Word at the Colony Diner this morning is you are completely genuine and your work for MJF was at the highest standard and in the best interest for all of the people who live in this town.
I congratulate you for your efforts on behalf of all of us who are desperate to see the change we need to restore our once-cherished dignity.
Godspeed.
Agree with the above–Thank You Ernie Newton, Thanks for
batting with the good guys. I thought you were sincere with your efforts and you have my respect. Thanks.
Ernie, thank you for your effort. It was a pleasure working with you and I am glad people see you have again become an upstanding individual and your constituents love you still! Mary-Jane Foster will not disappear. To the chagrin of yahooy and Government Cheese, I am not looking for a job with the opposing administration. It would have been an honor to serve if asked for Mary-Jane Foster. Back to Ernie, you realize you had the respect of all of us and I was happy to change my opinion after working with you. You need to educate your constituents. No one group should feel they have any group locked up and in the pocket. Elected officials need to work for every vote!!! If they are not being served well then they vote accordingly!
Thanks, Ernie.
By losing the primary to Finch the 138th TC district is doomed to four more years of nothing.
We have two of the most senior members of the council and yet we don’t have what every other district has.
1. No NRZ zone
2. Not one person on a board or commission
3. Poor police coverage even though we have the largest coverage area in the city.
4. Dirty streets
5. No grocery store
6. Flooding conditions in many areas of the 138th.
7. Selective garbage pick up, they only pick up the city-provided cans.
The list goes on and on. Do we deserve this? Probably because the people up here vote blindly for the same do-nothings as long as they are on the party line. I believe the people in the 138th would vote for Rootie Kazootie if he were on the top line.
I would have liked to have said it’s been a great run being on the TC for these many years but I have failed and failed miserably. I could not beat the machine and make this a better neighborhood or city. It’s time for others to step forward or stay at home but it’s time for me to move on. I have resigned from the town committee effective 9/30/11.
God bless AMERICA and GOD bless BRIDGEPORT.
Oy vey!
I for one do not believe I got destroyed. I believe there are many of us who still believe we can effect change unless you give up and lay on the couch and hide. You can still be heard; tell one, tell two, so on and so on.
That’s the truth!!! bpt guy!
Ernie and yahooy, your dialogue is what it’s all about. “A HOUSE DIVIDED CANNOT STAND,” we must continue our dialogue, stay united to effect change, keep on chipping away, bite them at every chance, watch over them, let them know we are there, don’t let them think we are defeated because we are not.
tc, you fought the fight, I for one, not for one minute believe you were beaten. You will be vigilant and when you are needed again will be there, because you love your neighbors and our Beautiful City of Bridgeport.
Lennie, the primary did not reflect voter sentiment, it reflected voter apathy.
Lennie, the vote reflected what Mario sees in the mirror. Himself.
tc.
I came to know you this past year. Neither of us are teenagers these days, but it has been fun putting 1+1 and coming up with 2 about some of the City Financial story where before there was pure ignorance in too many areas. No rewards any longer from DTC duty. Good enough. Give it up. Their loss.
More important to the City future is year two of Operation BOB. In 2012 we will have more folks, asking more questions before and after the B & A meetings, getting better informed than the Council members themselves. That couldn’t hurt anything except their pride. And perhaps we can keep the questions resonating so the CT Post or another paper, or radio/tv and blogs make an attempt at informing our public.
In our CT education system the kids are graded 1. Below Basic; 2. Basic; 3. Proficient; 4. Goal and 5. Advanced on Reading, Math and Writing and in certain grades on Science. Well, if we threw some basic City governance and finance questions at fellow citizens where would our body politic score today? Poorly enough, I am afraid, to make you turn “green,” although that is not Finch’s ultimate sustainable goal. Lots of teaching to do. A “first class for the community” is on Thursday October 6 from 6-8:00 PM at Jettie Tisdale School. Community is invited to participate in a Community Forum on the 2011-12 BOE Budget, something that should have been handled locally about six months ago. Let’s see how the out of towners handle Bridgeport problems inasmuch as we were not operating at a “proficient” grade level as a community.
I am looking forward to BOB 2.
Need to respond to a few comments regarding Larry Osborne, Labor Relations Director. If Osborne “retires” it will not be to avoid a subpoena. It will be for gross incompetence. His job these last 4 or 5 years was to put out the fires, not start the fires. He has stirred up more shit and created more problems than I care to think about. He was never qualified for that job and the only reason he got it was because Fabrizi had a personal vendetta against Edmund Winterbottom. Osborne has no law degree, no formal training of any kind. His previous job was at the Boys Club. He was rewarded by Bucci and given a job because he worked against Charles Tisdale during another famous Bridgeport primary and he has somehow managed to hold onto his job and get promoted (what was Fabrizi thinking?). Finch should have fixed this when he got in but he did not. Maybe he’ll fix it now. The Fixer thinks he should.
When people are placed in a position requiring skills or expertise of a certain kind or at a certain level, and they do not have that, then you can say they are over their head. And when an employer has created a pattern of cutting budget amounts meant to educate and upgrade skill sets, an administration does not improve their personnel. What happens? Well based on frequent posts on OIB, more than one City employee has fought the handling of their work assignment. This gets us into the legal area, and that means extra and undoubtedly some unnecessary expenses. We also have settlements that might have been avoided. And then if positions or re-filed job slots open up, the possibility of getting other work-unready appointments. It’s a fact Finch has not run on excellent government services to the people of Bridgeport. Rather he has bragged about 50,000 calls (complaints?) getting answered, but since the efficiency part of CitiStat is disabled at this time, there is no action towards improvement. And certainly, for the good folks who know their jobs and are at their posts doing their best, it is difficult to maintain a good attitude when all around them a psychological ‘reign of terror’ exists. It would be interesting to see how many ‘actions’ or suits are being worked on relative to current or former City employees. And where do “settlements” show in our budget? What is the line item for burial of such information?
Beacon: Probably buried in an offset against accrued legal fees, or some other accrual or reserve, in the balance sheet to keep it from showing high impact in expenses especially in the case of a large settlement payout. The budget would show a reserve or accrual. Could even be offset against a reserve for an extraordinary loss (if that category even applies in City Finance) … I would think. But then again … I am a simple girl who may not know what she is talking about.