Bill, go ahead and have another community meeting in Black Rock but let me tell you this, you have NEVER had a community meeting up here in your own neighborhood. That’s okay, we will take care of you in 15 months.
Andy,
You and I have been monitoring some of the absurd compensation paid to City employees working in the trades. Salary plus health insurance plus retirement in excess of $90-100,000 per year for more than one person. Do people in Bridgeport care about things like this when they pay taxes?
Now look at the invitation again (assuming a plumber can fix a leaking pipe, or an electrician rewire a room safely), what should someone working for the City do when assigned to prepare an invitation?
A) Read a document before sending it out?
B) Ask someone else to proof it?
C) Use spellcheck, perhaps?
D) Ask someone to show you where the “Gynamsium” is located?
See you at the Gynamsium, perhaps? Time will tell.
John, can you believe we are paying two plumbers a total of $180k in salary not counting benefits? We are paying painters $70,761 and electricians $77,521 and a Mason $67,600; all of these do not include benefits. These salaries are more than the union members who actually work construction make. These are all political jobs. Why do we have them?
Mayor Finch’s update on “education” should be a hoot. I wonder if he will update his audience on how he has illegally underfunded the “education” of 20,000 students for both 2012/2013 and 2013/2014. In addition, he plans on doing it again for 2014/2015.
*** TAXPAYERS KNOW ALL TOO WELL, GIVING MORE MONEY TO THE BPT PUBLIC SCHOOLS SYSTEM AND THEIR POLITICAL BOE DOES NOT REALLY JUSTIFY BETTER SCHOOLS, GRADES, ETC. ***
Mojo, the most underfunded public school systems in CT are also the worst performing. That includes Windham, New Britain, Waterbury, Bridgeport, etc. Adequately funding schools is not the only answer but it is an important step in the right direction. Public schools cannot solve all the social ills and inequity in impoverished communities, but it helps impoverished student achieve equity in their education.
Jim,
Favor us with a little more detail, please. Help your credibility with readers.
It may be accurate about NO TAX increase next year across the entire City. That is not impossible because the Mayor has kept the “ghost positions” and assorted “unused in three years or more” line items throughout the City departments.
And since there is less than 1% chance of revaluation occurring before November 2015, this prophecy begs for a fact-based explanation.
If you don’t want to explain, Jim, it is your option, clearly. But credibility with audience will continue to decline, right? Time will tell.
I wasn’t invited to this gathering in the “gynamsium.” Apparently, it’s only for people who are active in the community. Couldn’t make it anyway as I’ll be at Yankee Stadium rooting for the Rangers. Maybe JML can fill me in on all the important discourse that transpires, assuming he’s invited. Time will tell.
Phil,
You mean to tell me with all you have done in Black Rock for years, you are not an intimate part of the Mayor’s Community Cabinet, and thus certainly an important part of this meeting?
Last night as you were writing this I was at City Hall waiting for a delayed opening of a Special Meeting of the ECD&E group. My interest was in the Tax Abatement proposed by OPED that was tabled the week before. A number of approvals were issued by the Committee after some fair questioning to pursue Federal and State money to assist health, environment, nutrition and other City programs. Council persons were aggressive in making sure City expenses were limited (or in-kind and available) to get the “free dollars” for the City.
Then came a revised tax abatement plan with initial tax payments at $140,000 rather than $120,000; with $1.6 Million total rather than $1.3 Million; and an opportunity for an audited one-time reset of tax payments if the project “effective gross income” exceeds a certain rate for the 6-10 year. The vote was unanimous support even though the CC folks know this is still less than half what would be paid for the project with new $10 Million investment on this land. They are hopeful for the car taxes (density issues not discussed for ten years), for the building permits that may generate $250,000 the first year, and the trickle down economic effect for all the retailers in Black Rock. Full services at half pay? What a precedent this will make. There were three commoners in the audience … taxpayers with no voice. I raised my hand to contribute to the phrasing of the agreement to be sure that the audited reset opportunity would happen in five years. The co-chair in charge, Jack Banta, denied me an opportunity without asking his fellow committee members. Later in the meeting I raised my hand again, and his denial was repeated but I indicated that I was looking for his reason for denying that opportunity to speak from him so it would be a part of the record. He claimed Chairman’s discretion. So be it. The investors from out of town, looking for something from the taxpaying public are treated with more respect than a local taxpayer? Avoidance of questions is the real purpose of this rule in the CC rule book.
Last evening, a police officer was tasked with sitting in on the session. Who called for this extra expense? Overtime regular or extended? Is the fear quotient that high with the administration? Or was it because Adam Wood was present to say a few words and was looking for protection? From City personnel speaking to grants? Or to members of the public looking for information? A thank you to Bill Coleman for providing adequate info at both meetings so the public could see what the Council was considering. And another thank you to Lydia Martinez, a ECD&E co-chair who allowed me to speak, after questioning her colleagues, the week before.
A final vote on August 4, it appears. Will it pass on the Consent Calendar, or be pulled out for review? Talk the subject up with your taxpaying neighbors. Time will tell.
Andy, why are you questioning what we are paying are plumbers painters etc.? You yourself worked for the city and know most of the buildings are old and the pipes and wiring etc. is old and not easy to work on. I myself work for the city and have a lot of dealings in my building with these trades and have seen what they have to go through for what looks to the average person a simple job but in a 60+-year-old building is a nightmare. In my opinion they aren’t paid enough. So with that said are you suggesting we sub all these trades out? How much do you think it will cost when a water heater bursts at 1 am for these subs to come out?
Well, I am certainly in favor of looking at privatizing many of these trade jobs. You tell me why we need a mason? Tell me why we pay plumbers $95,000 and why we pay painters $70,000-plus. A friend worked at a school with a broken outlet in the hallway, a city electrician was called and showed up and duct taped the broken outlet and a year later it’s still broken.
People who actually work in the trades away from city employment don’t make the money these politically connected people do. BTW how much does that broken water heater cost me with plumbers on staff, is that double time or time and a half?
This prick has his pension and now he’s telling all the other City tradesman to fuck off, telling the City to privatize all the trades to save money.
What if the city privatizes the Fire Departments and Police? So after your house burns to the ground the Fire Department hands you a bill for $20,000.
Andy, you suck!
Jim, the name-calling becomes you. Little people like you feel like tough guys when they talk like that. You are 100% right, I have a city pension, how about that? I also pay taxes here in Bridgeport. I know you don’t pay taxes because you don’t own anything in Bridgeport.
There is nothing wrong with looking into privatization to see if it’s cost effective to go private, if it’s not then fine. Let me ask the mighty Jim Fox how many painters do you know who make over $70K.
BTW Jim, do you have the 300 politically connected Black Rockers who are getting tax breaks or is this another one of your delusions. Jim, keep trying, you will get it right sometime after all no one can be wrong as many times as you have and not be right one time. Jim, you are not smart enough to screw with me.
I’m sure all the City Unions and Fire Department members are shaking their heads and saying this prick once worked with us? You’re just a little guy with a big mouth!
Jim, another dumbass answer by you. I am a little guy with the ass to back up that big mouth. You still have not named the Black Rock 300, you know why? Because you are full of shit, that’s why. Not denying you don’t pay taxes in Bridgeport interesting you have so much to say and it doesn’t cost you anything.
Jim, go ask a cop or a firefighter how he feels about a city painter making more than they are. Ask them how they feel about a city plumber making $34,000 more than they are. As the saying goes, once a dumbass always a dumbass. Don’t worry Jim, we understand.
Lennie: I apologize, I told you I would no longer argue with the mentally challenged. I forgot and answered Jim Fox. I will stop arguing with him and hope his meds kick in.
Fine. From now on, you take orders from me. Weasels and wimps have no place in Bridgeport–that’s why I was recruited to come here.
Your first task is to read my new book: All by myself, the story of how one citizen extinguished a suspicious 2-alarm fire while the arson expert slept.
LE,
Your new book? Title please? (And maybe a listing of your ‘old’ books as well, including the one regarding aluminum headgear, or was that just a Bridgeport rumor?
Your ‘novel’ description prepares us for a real ‘barn burner.’ Time will tell.
All By Myself is the title. The setting is San Diego California, meaning any similarity to OIB bloggers is coincidental.
No Pain, Lotsa Gain is the story of how chewing aluminum foil prevents cavities and trips to the dentist. It was a regional hit.
Bill, go ahead and have another community meeting in Black Rock but let me tell you this, you have NEVER had a community meeting up here in your own neighborhood. That’s okay, we will take care of you in 15 months.
Andy,
You and I have been monitoring some of the absurd compensation paid to City employees working in the trades. Salary plus health insurance plus retirement in excess of $90-100,000 per year for more than one person. Do people in Bridgeport care about things like this when they pay taxes?
Now look at the invitation again (assuming a plumber can fix a leaking pipe, or an electrician rewire a room safely), what should someone working for the City do when assigned to prepare an invitation?
A) Read a document before sending it out?
B) Ask someone else to proof it?
C) Use spellcheck, perhaps?
D) Ask someone to show you where the “Gynamsium” is located?
See you at the Gynamsium, perhaps? Time will tell.
John, can you believe we are paying two plumbers a total of $180k in salary not counting benefits? We are paying painters $70,761 and electricians $77,521 and a Mason $67,600; all of these do not include benefits. These salaries are more than the union members who actually work construction make. These are all political jobs. Why do we have them?
Don’t forget the garbage men who make $80,000 a year.
Mayor Finch’s update on “education” should be a hoot. I wonder if he will update his audience on how he has illegally underfunded the “education” of 20,000 students for both 2012/2013 and 2013/2014. In addition, he plans on doing it again for 2014/2015.
*** TAXPAYERS KNOW ALL TOO WELL, GIVING MORE MONEY TO THE BPT PUBLIC SCHOOLS SYSTEM AND THEIR POLITICAL BOE DOES NOT REALLY JUSTIFY BETTER SCHOOLS, GRADES, ETC. ***
Mojo, the most underfunded public school systems in CT are also the worst performing. That includes Windham, New Britain, Waterbury, Bridgeport, etc. Adequately funding schools is not the only answer but it is an important step in the right direction. Public schools cannot solve all the social ills and inequity in impoverished communities, but it helps impoverished student achieve equity in their education.
There are over 300 property owners receiving tax breaks in Black Rock, from the Finch 2009 revaluation. All politically connected!
Check your taxes here, just put in your address –>www .zillow.com
Also: There will be NO TAX increase for Black Rock in 2015!
Jim,
Favor us with a little more detail, please. Help your credibility with readers.
It may be accurate about NO TAX increase next year across the entire City. That is not impossible because the Mayor has kept the “ghost positions” and assorted “unused in three years or more” line items throughout the City departments.
And since there is less than 1% chance of revaluation occurring before November 2015, this prophecy begs for a fact-based explanation.
If you don’t want to explain, Jim, it is your option, clearly. But credibility with audience will continue to decline, right? Time will tell.
Jim, prove it.
Time will tell.
I wasn’t invited to this gathering in the “gynamsium.” Apparently, it’s only for people who are active in the community. Couldn’t make it anyway as I’ll be at Yankee Stadium rooting for the Rangers. Maybe JML can fill me in on all the important discourse that transpires, assuming he’s invited. Time will tell.
Phil,
You mean to tell me with all you have done in Black Rock for years, you are not an intimate part of the Mayor’s Community Cabinet, and thus certainly an important part of this meeting?
Last night as you were writing this I was at City Hall waiting for a delayed opening of a Special Meeting of the ECD&E group. My interest was in the Tax Abatement proposed by OPED that was tabled the week before. A number of approvals were issued by the Committee after some fair questioning to pursue Federal and State money to assist health, environment, nutrition and other City programs. Council persons were aggressive in making sure City expenses were limited (or in-kind and available) to get the “free dollars” for the City.
Then came a revised tax abatement plan with initial tax payments at $140,000 rather than $120,000; with $1.6 Million total rather than $1.3 Million; and an opportunity for an audited one-time reset of tax payments if the project “effective gross income” exceeds a certain rate for the 6-10 year. The vote was unanimous support even though the CC folks know this is still less than half what would be paid for the project with new $10 Million investment on this land. They are hopeful for the car taxes (density issues not discussed for ten years), for the building permits that may generate $250,000 the first year, and the trickle down economic effect for all the retailers in Black Rock. Full services at half pay? What a precedent this will make. There were three commoners in the audience … taxpayers with no voice. I raised my hand to contribute to the phrasing of the agreement to be sure that the audited reset opportunity would happen in five years. The co-chair in charge, Jack Banta, denied me an opportunity without asking his fellow committee members. Later in the meeting I raised my hand again, and his denial was repeated but I indicated that I was looking for his reason for denying that opportunity to speak from him so it would be a part of the record. He claimed Chairman’s discretion. So be it. The investors from out of town, looking for something from the taxpaying public are treated with more respect than a local taxpayer? Avoidance of questions is the real purpose of this rule in the CC rule book.
Last evening, a police officer was tasked with sitting in on the session. Who called for this extra expense? Overtime regular or extended? Is the fear quotient that high with the administration? Or was it because Adam Wood was present to say a few words and was looking for protection? From City personnel speaking to grants? Or to members of the public looking for information? A thank you to Bill Coleman for providing adequate info at both meetings so the public could see what the Council was considering. And another thank you to Lydia Martinez, a ECD&E co-chair who allowed me to speak, after questioning her colleagues, the week before.
A final vote on August 4, it appears. Will it pass on the Consent Calendar, or be pulled out for review? Talk the subject up with your taxpaying neighbors. Time will tell.
Andy, why are you questioning what we are paying are plumbers painters etc.? You yourself worked for the city and know most of the buildings are old and the pipes and wiring etc. is old and not easy to work on. I myself work for the city and have a lot of dealings in my building with these trades and have seen what they have to go through for what looks to the average person a simple job but in a 60+-year-old building is a nightmare. In my opinion they aren’t paid enough. So with that said are you suggesting we sub all these trades out? How much do you think it will cost when a water heater bursts at 1 am for these subs to come out?
Well, I am certainly in favor of looking at privatizing many of these trade jobs. You tell me why we need a mason? Tell me why we pay plumbers $95,000 and why we pay painters $70,000-plus. A friend worked at a school with a broken outlet in the hallway, a city electrician was called and showed up and duct taped the broken outlet and a year later it’s still broken.
People who actually work in the trades away from city employment don’t make the money these politically connected people do. BTW how much does that broken water heater cost me with plumbers on staff, is that double time or time and a half?
This prick has his pension and now he’s telling all the other City tradesman to fuck off, telling the City to privatize all the trades to save money.
What if the city privatizes the Fire Departments and Police? So after your house burns to the ground the Fire Department hands you a bill for $20,000.
Andy, you suck!
Jim, the name-calling becomes you. Little people like you feel like tough guys when they talk like that. You are 100% right, I have a city pension, how about that? I also pay taxes here in Bridgeport. I know you don’t pay taxes because you don’t own anything in Bridgeport.
There is nothing wrong with looking into privatization to see if it’s cost effective to go private, if it’s not then fine. Let me ask the mighty Jim Fox how many painters do you know who make over $70K.
BTW Jim, do you have the 300 politically connected Black Rockers who are getting tax breaks or is this another one of your delusions. Jim, keep trying, you will get it right sometime after all no one can be wrong as many times as you have and not be right one time. Jim, you are not smart enough to screw with me.
I have to stop sugarcoating my words.
I’m sure all the City Unions and Fire Department members are shaking their heads and saying this prick once worked with us? You’re just a little guy with a big mouth!
Jim, another dumbass answer by you. I am a little guy with the ass to back up that big mouth. You still have not named the Black Rock 300, you know why? Because you are full of shit, that’s why. Not denying you don’t pay taxes in Bridgeport interesting you have so much to say and it doesn’t cost you anything.
Jim, go ask a cop or a firefighter how he feels about a city painter making more than they are. Ask them how they feel about a city plumber making $34,000 more than they are. As the saying goes, once a dumbass always a dumbass. Don’t worry Jim, we understand.
Lennie: I apologize, I told you I would no longer argue with the mentally challenged. I forgot and answered Jim Fox. I will stop arguing with him and hope his meds kick in.
A–hole!
See what I mean, Lennie? I will keep my word and leave him be.
ACF, does that mean you made a mistake with handling me?
NO.
Fine. From now on, you take orders from me. Weasels and wimps have no place in Bridgeport–that’s why I was recruited to come here.
Your first task is to read my new book: All by myself, the story of how one citizen extinguished a suspicious 2-alarm fire while the arson expert slept.
LE,
Your new book? Title please? (And maybe a listing of your ‘old’ books as well, including the one regarding aluminum headgear, or was that just a Bridgeport rumor?
Your ‘novel’ description prepares us for a real ‘barn burner.’ Time will tell.
All By Myself is the title. The setting is San Diego California, meaning any similarity to OIB bloggers is coincidental.
No Pain, Lotsa Gain is the story of how chewing aluminum foil prevents cavities and trips to the dentist. It was a regional hit.
Really.