Scenes from fundraiser
In a jam-packed Boca Oyster Bar Thursday night at the burgeoning multi-use Steelpointe Harbor redevelopment area, Mayor Joe Ganim hosted his kickoff fundraiser for re-election in 2027, with guests that included Governor Ned Lamont and his Lieutenant Governor partner Susan Bysiewicz, hauling an estimated campaign-cash bounty of roughly $100,000.
The event destination was chosen on multiple levels, a signature development for the city and the state on the same property where more than 400 units of luxury housing rises along the waterfront, about 90 units classified under the state’s Build For Connecticut program with a mid June move-in date for the first wave of housing at the Amenity-filled The August.
(Full disclosure: I am moving there this summer.)
Build For Connecticut is a state-sponsored program that provides reduced rental rates designed for middle income individuals and families, offering an attractive price point from market rate with approximately $500-$700 lower per month. For instance studios start at just under $2,000 per month and a one-bedroom about $2,100 per month.
Ganim and Lamont at fundraiser
The state has a valued subsidy investment at this development, something both Lamont and Bysiewicz noted mingling among the roughly 200 attendees, both of whom in a current re-election year, seeking a third four-year term.
At these types of events with something on the line for supporters and opponents, perhaps someone’s trying to drop a turd in the party punchbowl, this one directed at the governor by Callie Heilmann, co-founder of the civic Group Bridgeport Generation Now, who according to Ganim campaign operatives, wrote a $150 check to attend the fundraiser. Heilmann, based on this News 12 report, infiltrated to cause “good trouble.”
(Quick, cash that check, before she cancels it. Take the money and be an ingrate.)
Heilmann tried to shout out Lamont’s support for Ganim, arguing the state is underfunding city schools by tens of millions, something with which Ganim administrators privately agree. Heilmann was also the leading vote producer among a slate of candidates that won all nine seats in a March Democratic Town Committee primary in the Black Rock/West End 130th District.
Another town committee member who was on the property but did not enter the building was Board of Education Vice Chair Joe Sokolovic who arguably has been the most vocal of the state and city underfunding Bridgeport schools.
Sokolovic for years has stated a salient point that state spending for schools has not kept pace with inflation for a decade, leaving communities to pick up the pieces, especially poorer cities, cheating students and parents.
Lamont the other day, under pressure in an election year, announced a study to examine an equity cost-sharing formula that will not deliver education relief any time soon. Sometimes, a study is just another way of buying time to say no.
Sokolovic responded this way:
Hartford needs 74 million to Avoid cuts.Bridgeport Needs 44.1 million to avoid cuts.You are 18 million short to even fix the damage you’ve done to those districts.There are 167 more districts and at least a dozen in a similar situation percentage wise. We are not going away Ned. You will be though if you don’t fix it.
Rude Girl !
Tom Kelly,
Can you be more truthful? Rude? It’s a political fund raiser. When things get overheated, as to funding fair and equal educations for Bridgeport youth which is not happening, and you pay $150, perhaps you have to raise your voice to avoid being ignored. Bridgeport parents of school age youth likely are not interested in the continuation of State control but inadequate funding legally and legislatively.
Callie Heilmann is a ‘woman’ (not a girl, old man) with positive ideas and activities for Bridgeport’s future. She has been informing Bridgeport citizens for ten years now, hardly a newcomer and has joined a neighborhood coalition to run for and win nine spots on the Democratic Town Committee. That is a change for Ganim2’s neighborhood. Causing ‘good trouble’ is a marker for the many who are no longer willing to sit idly by hoping that democracy will endure and public service will happen without informed and regular oversight.
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Lennie reports (unofficially) that about $100,000 was raised from last night’s gathering of 200 folks, some from outside Bridgeport. Does that indicate an average $500 check from each attendee? Financial political support does not come from charitable visions as no tax deduction if offered for such. It comes from belief in political philosophy, professed policy, and actual process of leadership in the main. As a long term municipal leader, what are the specific reasons why $100,000 can be so easily raised 18 months before a mayoral campaign? When you review Ganim2’s actual annual public comments and list the actual facts of outcomes, it is hard to see what the attraction is. As always, time will tell.
Glad to see the Bridgeport Police Department and Stolen Pointe respect the 1st amendment , I hope I had something to do with that! Was nice not to be falsely arrested again.
What an eventful week for advocacy, yet the Governor remains tone deaf and thinks he can deflect from his abysmal record on education funding. As I marched dressed as a Billionaire( https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1BxaYuGbWo/with ) CT4all on tax day to demand a wealth tax to fund CT the Governor was addressing the wealthy town of Westport CT as 1500 postcards demansing tax equity were delivered to his office.
During his address a question was asked about laid off librarians and rather than express a desire to help the problem he tried to change the narrative to deflect the blame.
(Start about 46 miutes in to hear the tone deaf Governor’s false narrative https://youtu.be/qAmU2NVIZD8?si=NdkM1pyA3ZBj7gDw)
The only thing he got partially right is that the former superintendent should not have increased central office staff as pandemic funds ran out. (This was corrected after she separated from service, which seems to have upset the Governor and used as an excuse to usurp local control of our district in another attempt to deflect responsibility)
However, prior to the arrival of the previous superintendent our district had the leanest central office in the entire state. Under the hiring spree (which the sensible board members fought) of the prior superintendent central office staff did not double but rose to slightly above state average. While I disagreed with the hiring these jobs are not unimportant and are positions wealthy districts take for granted.
Under Ned Lamont’s and Joe Ganim’s latest underfunding in the 25/26 school year we reduced central office staff to a below average number to be the eighth leanest administration in the state after tens of millions of dollars in cuts including EVERY SINGLE LIBRARIAN. We are facing 44.1 million dollars just to avoid cuts. This is not a Bridgeport problem. This is a problem with most Black and Brown non affluent districts because of Lamont’s obstruction to equitably funding our schools to selfishly protect himself from tax hikes.
I want my Librarians Back Ned so that means an additional minimum of 50 million for Bridgeport alone! Fix the formula, not the election. You will not win Bridgeport nor any of the big cities by sucking up to the DTC’S and showing up at their fundraisers.
It’s time to actually suck up to the voters and give the voters what they need. Fully funded schools. If you think you could win the cities in a primary when several will be forced to announce school closures, you have another think coming.