UPDATE: Mayoral candidate Mary-Jane Foster on Friday released an updated 50-day plan if she’s elected the city’s next chief executive that covers public safety, taxes, development and education. See here. Some OIB posters wondered if Foster had backed away from her long-held position to enforce the City Charter prohibiting city employees from serving on the City Council. So we asked. Her response follows: “I am not, will not back away from where I have been for almost five years.” Foster made clear that as mayor she will not allow city employee councilors.
From the Foster campaign:
Mary-Jane Foster’s campaign has rumbled to new life, taking Bridgeport politics by storm. In an unprecedented move seen in this election, Foster has taken advice and best practices from Bridgeport residents on the campaign trail. Today, her campaign has released her updated 50-Day Plan.
The plan, which highlights her commitment to the city’s fiscal and operational transparency, effective and open methods of communication with necessary state allies, tax reform, and economic development, emphasizes addressing many of the concerns Foster hears while door knocking.
“I have been knocking doors each and every day, all across this city,” Foster said. “After spending time knocking in the East Side, North End, and Mill Hill, and being introduced to city residents who for decades have felt overlooked and betrayed by city government. I am staying committed to transparency and letting residents know what they can expect from a true Mayor. My plan has been well-received and restores much of the confidence that has been lost with our residents.”
Foster says she became adamant about releasing the plan prior to the election due to her desire to put forward a tangible and substantive plan as a way for voters and residents to read and see how seriously she was taking her candidacy. She added that this plan also gave her a more defined platform than her opponents, many of whom are running on generalities and vague promises.
To read more about Foster’s 50-Day Plan, voters and residents are encouraged to visit her website at www.fosterforbridgeport.com. Foster is running for Mayor on Row G in the November 3rd general election.
Love the new website. Go MJF.
Uphold the city charter–out the window. No longer conflict of interest mentioned, which probably cost Finch the primary. I suppose she believes the anti-Joe vote is in the machine for her and she has simply changed her mind about that little detail and the importance of it for honest transparent government. As the mayor and an attorney she would have the power and know how to win the case to adhere to city charter and honor home rule. She has cited recent court rulings in CT where the judges upheld similar lawsuits. And Hennessy thought the unions stabbed him in the back.
I praised the original “First 50 Days”Mary-Jane Foster published here on OIB on July 11, 2015. See
onlyinbridgeport.com/wordpress/foster-outlines-50-day-plan-as-mayor/
Today, on reviewing MJF’s “updated” plan, I find the following items from her original plan missing … or am I missing something?
• Recruit an experienced and visionary director of economic development.
• Eliminate “no show” and “ghost” jobs from city payroll.
• Commence the planning for an innovation district in every section of the city, to reclaim and repurpose existing buildings and create entrepreneurial startup opportunities.
• Aggressively work to recruit new businesses to Bridgeport.
• Work with the new director of finance to better align the city’s needs with the budget–in particular the Board of Education budget and the public safety budget.
• Will insist that financial reporting adhere to City Charter requirements.
• Eliminate unnecessary services in order to hold the line on property taxes.
• Reorganize the City Attorney’s office and reduce the amount of outsourced legal work.
• Bring the University of Bridgeport fully into the fabric of the community and utilize the many resources it can provide the city.
• Will not tolerate unethical behavior in the city administration including discriminatory practices such as hostile work environments and sexual harassment.
• Will uphold the City Charter provision that prohibits municipal employees from serving on City Council.
I’m left with the impression these won’t happen in her first 50 days. But then when? When does the candidate, in revising her plan, think the above will happen if she is elected?
It’s too bad the Foster campaign didn’t do a mailer highlighting some of the first 50-day plan … and also issue a detailed version of, or revision to, the well-received original 50-day plan as a PDF online or via a CT Post piece.
This revision raises lots of questions, no?
Yes, Peter.
The “first fifty days” revisions reflect the co-opting of a level of ethical thinking and behaving that Mary-Jane Foster has represented herself to be.
Carolanne, you are going to comment on ethics and you’re working for Ganim. Really kind of an oxymoron.
Ganim supporters are jumping ship to Mary-Jane Foster and Rick Torres. Foster is reclaiming the Ganim votes she lost in the primary and Democrats for Torres signs have replaced Ganim signs. This is the general election and for those who are not illiterate, Foster most likely will win. For those who are illiterate going through the Bridgeport school system while Ganim was Mayor will have to wait to meet Foster in person. Vote row G.
Basically, ALL educated Bridgeport residents vote for Foster. ALL non-educated Bridgeport residents vote for someone else. I’ll vote for a candidate who knows and understands people’s struggles.
I’m glad I’m not as literate/smart as you.
Steve,
Really? Illiterate people vs. literate people? After posting for weeks, your message should be getting honed, not exploding. I don’t want to alienate you though, because other than that trash, you have been fair. Foster is on line G, so you are right, 74% of the town, or the illiterate masses, will not be able to read that far down to vote for her anyway.
Park City too, line G is going to be a mountain to climb. But look for the only woman on the ballot running for Mayor.
Gotta think this is a last hurrah for some of the Ganim supporters, let’s see if I can get the impossible elected.
NOT A CHANCE.
From your lips to God’s ears, Andy.
Yes Pete, it does. I admire your intelligence Pete, and respect your allegiance to the Democratic Party but I really hope you hold MJF’s feet to the fire and demand to know what she plans to do about the city charter in particular and the other points missing from her new plan.
I just had a chance to watch the debate on Channel 12. Not only did I have the wrong impression of MJF as a politician, I never heard such resentment, to the point of sounding like an evil, scorned woman as I listened to her comments. While she had plenty to say about the past, its failures, perceptions and so on, she put it all on Joe, not a word about the former mayor she criticized for years. Her facial expressions said it all, I think even she knew how phony she looked and sounded. I was embarrassed for her. Charlie was right on when he pointed out she is now part of the machine. Rick and David were good, and gentlemen. Joe was as he has been throughout the campaign, focused, calm, and very secure looking.
Lisa Parziale, I must respectfully disagree. I thought Foster sounded terrific. I think Charlie Coviello sounded like an ass on WICC and News 12. Both times he was attacking Foster and not once addressed Ganim because he is an ass-kisser. I have become increasingly disappointed in Coviello and every time I think he has an ounce of sophistication he returns to the trash he is. I especially liked the way Ganim spoke to Charlie on WICC as if he were already the Mayor and wanted Charlie to tell him what he could do to help him. Ganim has a past and we blame him for a lot. It is all justified. The public needs to hear about it and it is about time Foster started addressing Ganim’s sordid past! Joe has been cool, calm and collected and it appears he is on mood-altering medication. I would say Lexapro? Thorazine? Escitalopram? Valium? The entire campaign people have been saying the same thing.
The youth employment idea/objective is definitely on target, but it is not really a “plan;” it is just an idea that needs to take the form of a plan. The rest of the “50-day plan” is not a plan, just a “boilerplate” executive checklist that could have come from a Management 101 textbook.
There is no mention, much less a plan, for creating the tens of thousands of local, living-wage jobs for the parents of the “youth” targeted by the idea for a jobs program. With “families” still in poverty, the youth initiative isn’t going nearly far enough, no matter what form it takes.
And of course, how would a Foster Mayoralty relieve the crushing tax burden on homeowners?
Yes. Joe Ganim has a detailed plan with lots of specifics. Mary-Jane doesn’t. Joe Ganim didn’t need to present a manager’s checklist as a plan; he already managed City Hall efficiently. History can confirm his management skills, just as it can be used to continually exact payment from him after the fact of his court-imposed penalties.
Foster wants to delay the re-val two more years, which means 52% of the homes on the eastern half of the city are paying up to 500% more in taxes than the value of their home.
Let’s see an example of someone paying 500% more in taxes than the value of their home.
Jane Street–sold for $35,000 in May 2011, pays $5,600 in taxes, at correct mil rate should be $1200. Tax numbers are rounded in this example. Public record, easy to find on Zillow or city hall.
Jen, $5,600 is not 500% of the sale price, check your math.
You are correct. The taxes are based on 70% of value, so it should be taxed on $24,500, making the fair taxes about $1050, but because there is no re evaluation since 2011, the property owner has only overpaid taxes by about $18,000 year to date since the purchase. Golly, that sure must make you feel better.
You can’t add up the years someone owns a house then add up the taxes for all those years and say the person paid five times the sale value. Just Republican BS.
www .zillow.com/homedetails/39-Jane-St-Bridgeport-CT-06608/57243695_zpid/
Joe should not have payment continually exacted from him, for his crimes, as you say. Funny you should put it that way, though.
Yes, yes,
“Forgive Me” Joe Ganim was a fairly effective city manager. He was also convicted of racketeering, using public office for personal gain. A three-judge panel declined to reinstate his law license because he lied on the witness stand. The Honorable Chase Rogers and her colleagues on the Connecticut Supreme Court upheld the ruling. Allowing Ganim to practice law would set a bad precedent and seriously compromise the integrity of the judicial process.
Mary-Jane Foster has compromised her own integrity by aligning with Bill Finch, John Stafstrom, et al. Rumor has it she will keep approximately 22 people in their municipal jobs, part of a deal negotiated with the machine parts. If true that would explain why she took “eliminating ‘ghost’ and ‘no show’ jobs” off the fifty-day miracles list.
Bridgeport Kid, Foster’s alignment with Finch is the reason why she will win in the general election. Keeping some of Finch’s better appointments will be wise, but not necessary. Mary-Jane Foster has her own agenda.
I agree with everything you said about Ganim! Rick was very wise to talk about it at the WICC debate. His closing comments resonated with many and this debate was replayed a few times. Terrible debate, but Torres was very good.
Steve, if you’re going for the only woman on the ballot approach, then you’d better start hammering it hard now, because that angle does not have much traction yet. Mary-Jane’s entire candidacy is based on Finch’s mistakes. That’s not much of a starting point. Finch’s campaign should be ashamed, deflated and in no way ready to fight for a virtually unknown candidate after losing the only incumbency primary in city history. I like Finch. Think he was his own worst enemy, but likable to me. Decide if it’s going to be only woman on ballot, literate vs illiterate, or line G is for winners. Because you need to get on it fast.
Yeah, we know how efficiently he managed city hall, right into a prison sentence.
Exactly!
This is the height of denial and delusion. “He has already managed City Hall efficiently?” Yes, until he trashed it and this city with his avarice, greed and federal crimes. “History can confirm his management skills?” Oh yes, Mr. Kohut, history can surely do that. Perhaps you missed last Sunday’s Post: “Legacy of Greed.” I have every right to think the last place that’s safe for Joe Ganim and Bridgeport is to elect him to the mayor’s office. I agree with second chances and I’ve benefited from them. But you don’t place offenders in the job from which they committed the original crime. We can’t risk the reputation and progress of the city, either, on a bet Joe Ganim is a superman, able to surpass the recidivism odds that working in the old situation bring on.
Jeff, even with Joe Ganim not re-elected to mayor, you will still be able to get together and smoke cigars with him. Your continual exacting of penalties line won’t hold, switch now before it is too late for the campaign. Giving him back the Mayor’s seat is not the same thing as wishing him to go his own way in peace, with no additional penalty.
Jeff,
Is this the place to look for the “detailed plan with lots of specifics” you mention for your candidate?
www .ganimforbridgeport.com/issues_1
Jeff, oh Jeff, do you read your posts prior to hitting submit? I read the detailed plan you alluded to in your post, let me just say, SMH. C’MON, MAN.
Brief outline of plan and steps:
www .torresforbpt.com/
Interesting, the pro-Torres Black Rockers are spending more time going after Foster than Ganim. Tells me they’re more concerned with a neighborhood win than a citywide win.
They want to Rock the Vote!
It’s easy, they are scared because Finch did a job on beating down Joe Ganim and now Finch is out of the race plus they feel Ganim can’t expand his base. Being pro-Torres will not expand their base so they have to go after MJF.
Ron, if Finch did such a good job of beating down Ganim? Rick Torres is the man for the 147,000 residents of Bridgeport this time around. He alone will focus on the larger community rather than the select few. He also has the momentum to win this race. You are welcome to talk with him directly, his cellphone number is 203-610-4724. Come on board with true passion for the residents of Bridgeport.
Momentum, what momentum? This is what I do know, Torres can’t expand his base with black voters and also with Hispanic voters and the reason why is simple, it’s spelled REPUBLICAN. I have no need to talk to Rick, I’m just one person and Rick needs to talk to whole communities but it’s kind of late in the game for Johnnie come lately.
Go your way in peace if you don’t want to talk when given someone’s cell number. He has a sizable base in black and Hispanic communities. The lottery also gave him a gift as Foster is nearly off the ballot on line G. She is a mistake candidate that had nothing but Finch’s loss. Actually, if you follow the trail, perhaps she is line G because someone had access to the lottery. Conspiracy yes, but not impossible I can tell you that. This is Torres vs. Ganim and walking the streets the people know Ganim is playing them with the whole I am you crap. I’ve heard the statement, “I’m not voting for Ganim” from people I would not think even knew there was an election coming up. Good for them. By the way, they are black and Hispanic.
Please, you were doing okay until you said about Torres “he has a sizable base in the black and Hispanic communities,” what a joke. Why not showcase those blacks and Hispanics, well maybe he doesn’t want his white supporters to or he doesn’t have that support. WOM, word of mouth, would have gotten around the black community about Rick Torres and that people are talking about Torres and they are going to vote for him, well, they are hearing crickets.
Lennie, you are far too sophisticated for that. Foster is a citywide candidate, Ganim has a ceiling on his votes, Torres or Foster is the decision for people who are not voting for Ganim anyway. I do want to acknowledge, as a Torres supporter, in trying to win over people on the fence about Torres or Foster, it is not wise to alienate people by attacking Foster in any way personally. She has always seemed a fine lady and smart and accomplished. But Bridgeport politics being what it is, she already has lost the support of unions, and other large groups who were with Finch, who cannot but support a Democrat, even if it rubs against any adage of honesty that remains in politics. So while these groups cannot publicly support Torres, due to phantom fears and that old Democrat at any cost idea, she doesn’t seem to be able to hold her own with them and will be ignored if elected. Which just is not going to happen. Torres already has a sizable base, with the help of Democrats and independents, he can beat Ganim.
Ron, what black and Hispanic base does MJF have? She is not going to get any remnants of Finch support in those communities. People did not like Bill, that is why he lost. She is unknown to them and not many are going to search the ballot for line G. Bam.
Park City too–regarding Foster’s minority support, let’s start with her support from the City’s only two state senators–Marilyn Moore and Ed Gomes. Next unfounded charge?
People love Finch and Foster has most of his supporters. What support does Torres have?
Lennie, I only recognize 1 pro-Torres Black Rocker who’s posted so far, Jennifer Buchanan. Who am I missing?
My post does not go “after” Foster. Quite the contrary, it’s calling for Mary-Jane to address what appears to be a significant change of course since her July “first 50 days” piece here on OIB. Subsequently, she’s addressing some of it. Good.
I’m busy volunteering to assist Toms and Lee in their campaign for City Council in the 130th, which no major party candidate or independent Democrat running for mayor seems to care about.
Toms and Lee for CC 130!
www .youtube.com/watch?v=7HeFV7jXANg
… to date, Toms and Lee:
More than 50 City Council meetings attended, combined;
More than 40 addresses to the Council, combined;
Endorsements from a growing and diverse group of community leaders, including:
Sister Eileen Boffa, co-founder of Mercy Learning Center of Bridgeport;
Andre Baker, State Representative and Bridgeport Board of Education member and former City Council representative;
Donna Curran, former Bridgeport City Council representative for the 130th;
Howard Gardner, Bridgeport Board of Education member;
Don Greenberg, PhD, professor emeritus, Fairfield University, and active supporter of the Black Rock Community with his wife, Maxine (also a Toms and Lee supporter);
Scott Hughes, head librarian, City of Bridgeport;
Melanie Jackson, current Bridgeport City Council member;
Miguel Tomasio, owner and operator of the long-established Taco Loco restaurant in Black Rock;
Brock Hotaling, recent chairman of SCORE! of Greater Bridgeport, business technology internship leader at the University of Bridgeport, Executive Director of International Visitors Committee of Connecticut in Westport, CT;
Joel Gonzalez, a former Bridgeport City Council representative for the 130th;
Con Filardi, an active supporter of the Black Rock community.
Toms and Lee for CC 130!
www .youtube.com/watch?v=7HeFV7jXANg
Pete, there’s been an overall unimpeachable pattern of posters who I know live in Black Rock who’ve chosen to spend way more thunder on Mary-Jane Foster than Joe Ganim. Why is that? They have a myopic viewpoint of preferring to win their neighborhood than a citywide race. That’s not a winning strategy for the Torres campaign.
Lennie, you raise an interesting observation, which I cannot meaningfully address. Thanks for allowing me to post.
Toms and Lee for CC 130!
www .youtube.com/watch?v=7HeFV7jXANg
Oh boy. My mind just went blank.
Tyisha Toms and John Marshall Lee are excellent candidates. Ganim will lose Black Rock by a landslide but will be working their asses off in Black Rock for Torres and Katy. Isn’t politics a strange game? It isn’t surprising.
Because the majority of people recognize Rick is effective and the Joe people know the message is, Rick cannot win Mayor so keep him on council. Katie, with three family members as city employees HAS to be elected by her brother, Danny Roach or they lose their ability to continue to feed off the city coffers.
Lennie, that has always been my position on OIB with John Marshall Lee, David Walker, Jennifer Buchanan and any others. They need to go past Ellsworth St. They just focus on Black Rock and in Citywide elections they act the same way, they act like Bridgeport is just Black Rock.
Wow, I had not idea the Green, East Main Street, East Side, the Hollow, the North End and the South Side was now part of Black Rock.
Ron,
Hi, I just left an informal coffee listening session at Chaves Bakery (way east of Ellsworth) with John Marshall Lee and Tyisha Toms with a woman from PT Barnum housing, a woman from Lenox, and a senior from an apartment complex in the 130th. Did you know John has been a volunteer at PT Partners for the past two years and is on the board of Greater Bridgeport NAACP? You are welcome to come next Saturday. Hope to see you there.
Pete Spain, first let me say I have the highest regard for you and I enjoy the private dialog we have. As for John Marshall Lee, I like John and I appreciate the time and effort he puts into his research of facts about issues facing Bridgeport and then sharing it with everyone, JML has a true love for this City. I’m really glad he’s running as a Democrat and hope Ms. Toms and John are successful in their run for the City Council. Pete, I’ve noticed how JML has reached out and expanded himself to others outside Black Rock.
Pete Spain,
Tell JML it is way too close to election day to be conducting informal coffees hours at Chaves Bakery. Saturday morning at 10:00am the candidates should be knocking on doors whether it is the Black Rock or PT and places in between.
Ron, don’t confuse that statement with Rick Torres. You are unbelievably strong in this view, and also unbelievably wrong. There is simply no other candidate as truly concerned with the full body of residents in Bridgeport than Rick Torres. On another note, I am an independent and really can’t stand various aspects of both major parties. But I will say Bridgeport should be lucky enough to have a man of the integrity and smarts of Dave Walker in some helpful capacity.
Ron, we have listened to those who said to knock on all the doors, and we are doing so, especially those where 130 candidates have been infrequent. You are one of those who made that observation. We have followed the advice not so much because of the advisers, but because if your intent is to serve all the people, then you have to give all the people a chance to meet you and know about you.
There are streets where only two families receive a CT Post daily instead of the 50-60 residents on that block. That is an info embargo in a way. Where do people get their info if they have no paper, are older without recent technology, and maybe they only hear about it in conversation? Hard to reach, but then again, do they vote? What issues can get them to the polls? That is the reason for door knocking.
There are good people everywhere but many are busy just keeping life together. Politics is a turnoff so voter turnout is low. But a district in Bridgeport is not too large in order to inform, and credibly sway voters with facts that meet their understanding of the City situation they observe and live with every day. OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE, TRANSPARENT and HONEST are four values that relate to almost everything we have raised that needs change here. So a conversation can quickly become a great learning experience for the candidate and for the voter without promising them the world, just a willingness to apply caring and competence to whatever task presents. The 130th is a diverse area. It has different communities within the larger Bridgeport context. They all need representation by genuine servants of the public. Our ticket of TOMS-LEE is.
The desire for change in Bridgeport is not party bound. The question is how many people will go to 10E and 10F on our “bowling scoresheet” ballot this year. Time will tell.
Many people living in Black Rock think they are too good to be associated with Bpt.
Yes, and I can’t stomach that and that is not Rick Torres by one shred. He is handicapped by that potential fact far more than a part of it.
I believe Rick cares about the entire city.
Name them Andy, please.
Take the phonebook out and start with whomever you want who owns a home there. A few years ago a guy came up to the golf course and wanted to play golf. The cashier asked him where he was from and he stated Black Rock. She said you mean Bridgeport and he said no I live in Black Rock. The cashier said in that case you have to pay out-of-town rates. The golfer quickly changed his mind and said he lives in Bridgeport.
Yes, there seems to be many people citywide named A. Guy. So that is one example.
Please Jen, don’t lower yourself to BS posts like above, you either missed the meaning of the post or chose to ignore it.
Not BS Andy, I asked you to name them. You suggest the phone book and gave the answer some guy, and I gave you credit for the golf course, even without a name. One example you mentioned is not the many people in your original post.
One is Jennifer Buchanan, another is David Walker. Rick Torres, how many more do you want? Oh yeah, Phil Blagys and the list could go on forever.
Foster, Coviello and the others have been doing a good job of reminding voters why Joe Ganim is a bad choice for mayor. Ms. Foster is no saint either. She doesn’t have a record of 16 felonies but she hasn’t offered much in the way of concrete plans for making the city of Bridgeport a better place for the people who live here. And you ought to be ashamed of yourself for trying to bait us.
Kid, I can’t help myself!
Something for voters to think about on the November 3, 2015 Bridgeport Mayoral Election:
If you are like me and want to send the message corruption needs to stop and will not be tolerated anymore in our great city please hear me out. If you are like me and got sick to the stomach by the result of the primary please hear me out. If you are like me who does not want to put the fox back into the chicken coop, please hear me out.
The Ganim campaign has seen the results of the Democratic Primary as a victory. I beg to defer. Ganim had 6264 votes in the primary. The total of votes between Finch and Foster was 7036 (and this total does not include Coviello’s votes). What this means is the majority of Bridgeport voted against Ganim. The reason Ganim won was because of the splitting of the votes.
Last I heard there are going to be seven people, correct me if I’m wrong, on the ballot this year. I believe this is a strategy by the political machine in our city to confuse the voters and split the votes. A low turnout by voters and splitting the votes will work in Ganim’s favor.
We need to prevent this scenario from playing out. We need to back up a candidate who can be trusted, is good for the city, will not destabilize the city, will keep the city moving forward, and has a chance of winning. I believe Mary-Jane Foster is that candidate.
I did a little research on the makeup of voters in Bridgeport. Correct me if I’m wrong but I found 40,000 registered Democrats, 15,000 unaffiliated, and 3,000 registered Republicans. The makeup pretty much explains why a Republican candidate has a zero to none chance of winning in the city. This is the point I want to drive home.
Enrique Torres supporters, please don’t take this as an attack on your candidate’s integrity. Your candidate may possess the qualities I’ve describe above as the type of candidate we need with one exception. He has no chance of winning. Mr. Torres has run for mayor many times and has lost. The makeup of the voters I have shown above pretty much dictates why.
We need to unite behind one candidate. Ganim can be defeated. But in order to accomplish a victory, we need to prevent a splitting of the votes and get a large turnout at the polls. Let me used an example: Ganim gets 8000 votes, Foster gets 7000 votes, and Torres gets 7000 votes. Ganim wins. While 14,000 people voted to defeat Ganim (majority of the voters), Ganim wins with only 8,000 votes due to the splitting of the votes by the other candidates.
If someone is going to win the election, it should be because the majority of the voters cast their vote in their favor. It should not be because of strategizing by the powers that be to manipulate the results. The city can’t afford a split vote where the majority of votes will not determine the winner.
I believe Mary-Jane Foster is the candidate to vote for. She is a Democrat who is running as an independent. She can be trusted, is good for the city, will stabilize the city, will keep us moving forward, and has a chance of winning.
Democrats, unaffiliated, and Republicans unite for a victory. Mary-Jane Foster is the honest candidate who can win.
Unity for a Victory in November. Vote for Mary-Jane Foster.
Hernandez the Concerned Citizen. Have I read this somewhere before? Could I have read this on some Facebook page? Excellent post. People are waking up from a deep sleep. Mary-Jane Foster is meeting and greeting people everywhere and changing minds and getting support. I supported Foster four years ago and have been a staunch Finch supporter. Every Finch supporter will be supporting Mary-Jane Foster. They know what is at stake. The future of our city. Row G for the Victory in November. Unity for Victory, Vote Foster Line G. You have beaten both Bridgeport Kid, Park City Too, John Marshall Lee and myself for the longest and passionate post. Hats off to you, sir!!!
Is Foster really drunk?
www .youtube.com/watch?v=i1BKR53qxOY
Sonny, you’re completely warped.
I think the Torres campaign is using the Moran strategy. Democrats for Torres. Those signs are all over the North End. Torres knows Ganim already has the votes from the primary. Foster has been catching fire every time she has an audience. Torres wants to keep the Republicans and peel away the Foster votes before he goes after Ganim. I thought Torres’ last-minute attack on Ganim during the WICC debate was priceless. Democrats for Torres is a brilliant strategy. It was brilliant when I had 500 pins made Democrats for Moran. It made Democrats feel comfortable crossing party lines. Just sharing the facts as I see them. I know for a fact Foster’s support is growing. People are talking. Of course Black Rockers are going after Foster, Ganim has no support there. None, zero, zilch! Foster is on row G. That is about as difficult as having a write-in vote campaign. Vote row G is going to be our mantra. Row G. Get it? Got it? Good! Row G.
Definitely using the strategy of trying to get Democratic votes, and independent votes, that is no secret and should not be one. With Ganim running, on the tell the kids it’s okay to be a felon platform, who else will they vote for? Torres or Foster, calling all Democrats, Torres is the only candidate not backed by entrenched special interests. It’s Bridgeport, they are really special in their interests. Don’t get offended, it’s not you.
With respect to Coviello and other candidates who really are not in the running to win.
Steve, that is great to hear Democrats for Torres signs are “all over the North End.” That is what it takes. Torres backed a Democrat for mayor two cycles ago. He is interested in Bridgeport first.
This is nothing more than tricks. I will put a sign in my yard saying Republicans for Foster and I’m a Democrat.
I would pay good money for a photo of you holding that sign, standing in your yard! I laughed out loud at your post Ron, your spunk is a quality I greatly admire about you.
Row G? Get real! Being that far down the ballot is a huge handicap.
There is an inverse relationship between being at the bottom of the ballot and being on top at the end of election day.
It certainly is.
The Political Steering Committee at Black Rock CT USA has endorsed Mary-Jane Foster for Mayor and John Marshall Lee for City Council.
www .BlackRockCTUSA.com
Who is this group? I have never heard of them and it won’t make a difference. Endorsements don’t mean much in a campaign like this.
Endorsements don’t matter-unless they include a group this large:
www .CitizensWorkingforaBetterBridgeport.com
LE,
When you post a good one I will let you know.
By the way, the one above was a GOOD one.
Why not Tyisha Toms?
Por otra parte, el Comité de Dirección Política en solitario PUEDE uno Ser el mejor respalda Mary-Jane Foster, alcalde de Bridgeport. Vota para el 3 de Noviembre.
Only one can be the best = www .Solounopuedeserelmejor.com
Mi amigo , eres el hombre más delirante en la tierra, fin de la historia.
Of the three preeminent mayoral candidates, Torres is the ONLY choice for change. Joseph P. Ganim is a crook. Mary-Jane Foster is a liar and a hypocrite. Responding to Charles Coviello during the News 12 debate she claimed to not be affiliated with “the machine” even though she has accepted Bill Finch’s endorsement and John Stafstrom’s fundraising help. (Rumor has it she agreed to save 22 machine jobs as part of the deal.)
Where the other five candidates are talking the talk, Rick Torres is walking the walking, writing and passing resolutions for the benefit of the people of the city of Bridgeport.
NAME them, Kid.
Name five of them, Kid.
Rumor has it the Kid loves making rumors.
Kooris is indicated in the CT post article, remember him? The guy who brought us 30-plus year tax abatement developments? Tom McCarthy, again per the CT post article regarding conflict of interest, Foster wants fresh eyes on the ruling, and if it stands she will have a “serious conversation” with him and from emails from her husband to a few select Republicans, Adam Wood is someone they now admire and have a new appreciation for his abilities. However, this is just a guess from the CT Post article about Foster’s plans, and emails from her husband. Happy to forward all of them to you if you would like to see them. I have no idea why they were sent to me from Jack. He was most angry he was not invited to the Torres fundraiser at BRYC headlined by Larry Kudrow. Again, happy to forward the emails to you.
Jennifer, please forward them to me. SAUER82855@aol.com. Not my birthday, btw.
RUMOR HAS IT??? Really, what bullshit. Tell Rumor to give me a call or write me an email.
Free speech, you old coot. I did identify it as a rumor.
C’mon Derek Brown, I know all is supposed to be fair in elections, but you’ve stepped beyond good taste and class. Name five of the 22 party machine jobs.
I’ll be so kind as to quote Lennie, “Pete, there’s been an overall unimpeachable pattern of posters who I know live in Black Rock who’ve chosen to spend way more thunder on Mary-Jane Foster than Joe Ganim. Why is that? They have a myopic viewpoint of preferring to win their neighborhood than a citywide race. That’s not a winning strategy for the Torres campaign.”
Derek Brown, aka Bridgeport Kid, get in where you fit in.
Well Donald, when you post you would vote for Foster or Joe if they made you believe they could help you get what you want, what we all want, remember? Homes, jobs, good schools for our children, and we have indeed put our jabs into Joe. We happen to think, from door-knocking and the ministers and community leaders we have spoken with, the majority of voters citywide are smart enough to figure out Joe is not the answer without reminding them over and over of his past. We are, however, pointing out he is being backed by one side of a political machine that preys on its poorest and most helpless citizens, which affects all of us. Finch has done the same, and Foster, in putting off the re-val for two more years is also complicit.
We have done the research, I posted an example above. $35,000 house sale and they still pay $5600 in taxes. In the Hollow. So go ahead and beat the Republicans to death here, but we are really trying to open people’s eyes to the absolute horror the two faces of this machine is doing to its citizens. Oh yes, and thank Rick for exposing and outing the booting program, which preyed on the poor, once again pushing the other city council members to wake up and see what that DTC they, their family members who have city jobs are doing to the majority of the citizens of this city. Take a look at the New Haven school lunch program, similar number of students, four additional school buildings, similar demographics, 11 million dollar school food budget, 3.4 million in employee pay and benefits. Bridgeport, $4.5 million in food and $10 million in employee pay and benefits. Literally taking the food out of the mouths of the children in the city who are the most in need. But hey, I could be wrong, there is no machine with Testa and Stafstrom fighting for control, and there is no mafia.
Jane St. is not in the Hollow, it’s on the East Side.
Thanks Andy, duly noted.
Lennie seems to be limping along, he is not even in the conversation. I can understand his potential animosity for Ganim, but pretending Torres is only in the election to win a council seat in Black Rock is weak. Now I like Lennie and don’t want to have a pissing contest, but let’s do this, it’s Bridgeport.
PARK CITY TOO, LENNIE IS A CLOSET GANIM SUPPORTER. THAT IS OBVIOUS
I watched the debate today on channel 12. Electing Mary-Jane Foster is the same as electing Bill Finch. Mary-Jane has embraced all of Finch’s ideas and constantly dwelling on Ganim’s past will help get her elected? It didn’t help Finch. Charlie Coviello whom I don’t agree with much said it best in his closing statement. I don’t see Mary-Jane Foster going into the inner city and telling the gangs to bring their guns to the gun buyback program. Dave Daniels was right about the summer and it is going to get worse. Many of those shot have yet to retaliate.
Worry of getting shot by random bullets coming from Stratford Ave and hitting someone sitting outside Starbucks or parking in the lot at Bass Pro will chase more people out of Bridgeport than the fear of Joe Ganim being elected.
Residents are concerned about their immediate needs, taxes, crime, public schools, I say public schools because the 95% who do not have children in charter schools have been left behind and not funded, so they are not concerned about charter schools.
The feeling of the majority of people in Bridgeport and especially those not living in Black Rock is Black Rock residents do not consider Black Rock a part of Bridgeport. I attended many of the meetings of the NRZ in the West End years ago and the big fight was over State Street and Marina residents wanting to claim Captain’s Cove as part of the NRZ and Black Rock residents claiming it was in Black Rock, not Bridgeport.
This election is about the future, not Joe Ganim’s past. UB got a second chance when they were about to go bankrupt with an infusion of private and taxpayer money. Since I am a taxpayer you could say I gave them a second chance. Everyone deserves a second chance.
In watching the debate, the ONLY time I saw Joe get excited and lively is when he talked about the many developers and businesspeople he has spoken with who are excited to come back to the city if he is elected. I am pretty sure I kinda saw his pupils turn into $$ signs. Is this better, Lennie?
Everyone deserves a second chance and Joe Ganim’s started when he left office. Those “wilderness years” were a time of rest, reflection and rehab, what critics would call a government-financed political comeback, complete with second-chance legislation.
I would say he has had 5, yes FIVE chances already, called past reelections.
CC,
I was present during the meetings before the Black Rock NRZ was formed and have so continued. The West End NRZ was formed previous to Black Rock. When our paperwork was ready for the City it necessarily included a map of the territory. Our considered request was for a territory that ran beyond I95 highway on the South Side of the RR tracks over to Admiral Street.
The City cut the request back to Bostwick Avenue. By doing so, they told us they were respecting the views of the West End business community as there are no residences between Admiral and Bostwick, only commercial ventures. The lines drawn by the City include all of PT Barnum units AND Captain’s Cove. They are contiguous properties for the most part along with the Aquaculture School and are important parts of community life in the “real West End” of Bridgeport.
In the Democratic primary Ganim ran poorly throughout the 130th. Perhaps that is a reason for fewer signs by the Ganim team for the general election than there were for the primary. TOMS-LEE ran ahead of Ganim and the Democratic endorsed candidates ran on the Finch line where voters were encouraged to vote the straight Line A. With the decrease in Ganim physical presence in the 130th, what will voters be told to get them to vote the different LINE A GANIM team this time around? Time will tell.
Jennifer, I certainly believe you truly believe Ricky is the leader Bridgeport needs at this time. I personally don’t agree as I think Mary-Jane Foster is that person Bridgeport needs at this time.
What troubles me is the malevolent villains from Black Rock who constantly malign Mary-Jane’s character with obvious lies and distortions. I believe one can push their candidate’s qualities without casting aspersion on another for no other reason than because they can.
Jennifer, I truly believe in Freedom of Speech with no exceptions whatsoever, however because you can, should you?
We know her. We have experience with her duplicity. That is her character. Elections should be personal. And, the anti-Torres camp certainly thinks it is just fine to distort and malign him, and many have never taken the time to even meet him.
MJF’s duplicity?
We know her, Donald. Or in my case, I’ve known plenty like her in Fairfield, Black Rock, Westport (and the upper middle class bedroom community of Hartford where I spent my adolescence). Ms. Foster is well bred, well groomed, intelligent and was raised in a very comfortable middle class environment. The campaign propaganda makes her life out to be a valiant struggle of determination. It is seriously doubtful she ever had to stand in line waiting for a block of government-issued cheese, that she was ever on welfare or had to live in a homeless shelter or a boarding house. I watched the debate. Torres and Coviello took win and place, respectively. Ganim was visibly uncomfortable, stammering “um” and “er” several dozen times while trying to pull answers from the depths of his cerebral cortex. He offered only boilerplate rhetoric. The same can be said for Ms. Foster. Other than boasting “I have the leadership skills to run the city!” she had nothing much to offer. When she denied having any relationship with La Machine it was more than obvious she was lying. Finch’s endorsement brought more than a few cogs and gears to her campaign effort, including John Stafstrom, the attorney who handles the city’s bonding business for the law firm of Pullman Comley. (Mr. Stafstrom is also a well-connected political fundraiser and served as chairman of the Democratic Town Committee while Mario Testa was on a self-imposed sabbatical. He has plenty of juice.) So don’t tell us it’s okay for you to criticize Rick Torres for nonexistent connections to the Koch brothers or Mitch McConnell (a centrist, by the way) or John Boehner or the Tea Party or any other right-wing extremist. That is character assassination. When we criticize Mary-Jane Foster it is for the things we know to be true about her. She lives in Black Rock but she is not one of us. As a matter of fact, her carefully maintained facade slipped a few months ago. She was angry at R. Christopher Meyer, Joe Ganim’s campaign attorney. What she did was very telling: A few weeks prior to the primary she came into Harborview Market in the middle of the morning rush. Place is full of people, including a large number of children and retirees. She screamed and yelled at the top of her lungs at Meyer, cursed like a sailor, “you fucking asshole!” and “you goddamned liar!” and “mother this!” and “mother that!” She was angry the Ganim campaign had started a rumor she was really just spoiling for him, but the reason hardly matters. It was her behavior that matters. Her 9% showing forged a rumor into the truth.
People still talk about that over coffee at the market.
Wow.
I think that was pretty well done. Good piece. Let’s give ourselves journalism awards. I watch the debates and find Foster to be talking in run-on sentences while appearing exasperated, glossy-eyed and about to cry. Didn’t know she could come out punching and swearing like she just floated to shore on a homemade raft. Nice.
Granted, with families and children present the language was inappropriate, however I did like the exchange when Chris said I walk with Joe 60% of the time and never heard him say that. Her response I support 100% which was along the lines of, Well Chris, you can walk Joe the F#CK out of town.
You are totally full of shit. Were you there? I can answer that, no. Mary-jane DOES NOT USE THAT LANGUAGE AND IF she had a problem with Meyer she would have called him. You are afraid MJF is going to win, so you spend your time on the blog posting lies and innuendo. Kid, do some good for your candidate and walk the neighborhood. Here is one more thing, Stafstrom did not fill in for Mario when he was away so that another rumor you posted. Grow Up.
Sorry Andy, it was witnessed by many people. Shocked people. Have you asked Mary-Jane if this is fact or rumor?
Jen, you were not there so it’s all rumors by supporters of the opposition candidate.
Andy,
Why don’t you give Chris Meyer a call? He’ll confirm the story.
Why don’t you call Chris Meyer? He will be the next city attorney so why would he tell me the truth?
Okay, at the risk of posting too often, I am tired of hearing the whole Torres from Black Rock shit. Do you mind if he lives there and runs a greatly successful business? Black Rock is a nice place, it is also a slum dive like everywhere else. If you really know it. Go down to St. Mary’s by the Sea, take a walk, it’s a public park. I don’t live there, can’t buy one of the houses on the water. But I don’t confuse the place with a man who grew up in the projects of Bridgeport and did well by hard work. In fact, he reminds me of many black, Hispanic and white people throughout Bridgeport whom I know, who have raised themselves up and respect themselves and others. I will go toe to toe with anyone on here for who knows more people from every background and station in life. I also know Rick Torres is one of the people. He told me a story of an analogy that a great black civil rights leader had said. I said Rick, you may in your heatr feel that way as well, but there will be no way to explain yourself to people in these terms. He is more street-concerned that many. Trust.
Jennifer, everyone is aligned with someone so my question is whom is Ricky aligned with? Larry Kudlow who took $325,000 he pocketed from the Koch-funded Mercatus Center according to counterpunch.com.
Are Larry Kudlow’s motives pure or does Ricky follow the dictates and the ideology of the Kochs? Inquiring minds want to know.
No one Donald, he is aligned with no one, except every hard-working, poor, successful, downtrodden, hopeful person in this city. No one has Ever said he has sold out, is corruptible, dishonest or not loyal. Except Jack McGregor who threw him out of Republican leadership when Rick endorsed Caruso for mayor, because Rick put person before party. We are running this campaign on a shoestring, no big checks from any of those Nasty Republicans you are so worried about. But your Democrats, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep control of the city budget, jobs, contracts, cause driveway gate, city council members spending their stipends on their own personal expenses, bonding for Bass Pro and …. Well, obviously something to fight to control for sure. The donors are a matter of public record.
Which is one of the reasons it is so hard for anyone other than machine-backed candidates to get elected, without a voting bloc, such as unions, DTC members pushing out the vote, by reminding people I got your cousin, brother, sister that job, contract with the city, you owe me. Every vote is a victory for non-machine candidates because it means they worked hard, door by door to earn the trust and vote of every person.
As for Kudlow, Jack said his son is a close personal friend of Larry, and he (Jack) is an acquaintance and Jack is backing Kudlow in his Senate bid against Blumenthal. I wonder how that helps Foster as she lobbies for state and federal aid.
Jennifer, did Larry support Ricky or not? Did Larry take money from Koch-funded Mercatus Center? Charles and David Koch are notorious for amassing a business empire well-known for destroying the environment and hijacking the political process to ram their privatization and business agenda on the country. But what is equally egregious about their political activities are their efforts to dismantle years of civil rights progress. The Bridge Project, a non-profit organization devoted to “opposing the conservative movement’s extreme ideology and exposing its dishonest tactics,” recently released a 16-page report on the Koch brothers’ funding of groups that have been accused of suppressing minority voter turnout, destroying unions (particularly in Wisconsin) and attempting to get rid of Social Security. Are they Ricky supporters too?
I am not the treasurer and do not know if Kudrow wrote a check or not. It is public record. I doubt we would refuse his check, and we would have taken Jack’s also. The Koch brothers have not reached out to us, or given any money as far as I know. Neither has Rush, Malcom X or the Black Panthers as far as I know. But more than a few citywide Democrats have, including black and Hispanic ministers. I only know this because I was standing at the reception table at a couple of fund raisers and we offered to comp them at the event, but they insisted it was important to them to offer all the support they could, both volunteer time and financial. I am pretty sure Putin and the Chinese have not offered support either. If you honestly think Rick is in any way, shape or form like the Koch brothers or any one of their mindset, well I am now kinda both sad and a tiny bit worried about your research into the issues and platform of the people on the ballot in Bridgeport.
I just heard from Rick’s treasurer, as of today Larry has not written a check or donated money to the Torres campaign.
By the way, as far as I know Mary-Jane lives in Black Rock also, and Ganim had a nice house on the water in Black Rock you can drive by anytime you like. I guess he is in Easton now, would you like Mary-Jane to move to East Main Street? How about Arctic St? I’ll tell you a story of when I delivered a pizza there during the height of some drug wars at midnight one day. I brought it there warm, I think the lady and her family appreciated it. Torres. A vote for Torres is a vote for Bridgeport.
Joe lives in a condo he is renting in Bridgeport according to a resident of the building. We had a great meet and greet there, after about an hour with Rick, one resident offered to cement Joe’s door closed. We declined her kind offer.
Jennifer, since this whole blog wants to surmise about supporters and Larry took money from Koch, I believe Koch supports Ricky as well, don’t have any proof, but that never stops anyone.
According to the Nation, the Koch brothers hosted a secret summit on June 16 at the St. Regis Monarch Bay resort, in Dana Point, Calif. Besides a number of notable Republican politicians in attendance, one of the most controversial men giving “dinner remarks” was Charles Murray, a co-author of The Bell Curve, a book which argued that blacks and Latinos have lower IQs than Asians and whites.
That is a hilarious post.
Jennifer, you think this is funny?
Conservative media voice Larry Kudlow has been making the rounds for Republican mayoral candidate Enrique Torres, first at a fundraiser last Sunday in Black Rock. Another is planned for this Sunday in Ridgefield.
Where is the Kudlow money coming from, the Koch brothers?
Since the 1990s, the Kochs have given at least $23.3 million to think tanks focusing on attacking the minimum wage. Raising the minimum wage would create a “culture of dependency,” they claim. A huge share of America’s minorities would suffer under this agenda.
Yes, it is funny it was a secret meeting, yet you have somehow dug up the facts of the secret meeting. Yes, it is funny because it has long been known IQ tests are culturally biased towards white culture and therefore the author is an idiot. Tiger Mom’s and Asian culture, to paint it with a broad brush, value learning and school achievement very highly, thus they of course score higher on tests than other cultures. Geez.
The Koch brothers lobby national politicians. The connection to Larry Kudlow is strictly business. Kudlow, like Rush Limbaugh, is a media figure, a professional right-wing asshole. The “squeaky wheel” concept applies here. Make a little (or a lot of) noise, generate some controversy and count the money as it rolls in. Howard Stern has made a tidy fortune with the same concept (although Mr. Stern operates on a somewhat lower moral plane). The same could be said about Joe Ganim. His campaign to reclaim the mayoralty has been controversial from the start. Think about it. Takes a lot of chutzpah to run for public office after being convicted of rookery, taking bribes and practicing several of the Seven Deadly Sins on the taxpayers’ dime.
Ms. Foster is not a controversial figure, just a polarizing one. We see through the facade, see the superficiality of her image, the lack of substance in her pronouncements. Some are buying into it, many more are not. The fact of the matter is Mary-Jane Foster comes across more as one of the conservative Republican figures both you and Mr. Mackey are desperate to connect to Rick Torres. She is business-centric, making the city hospitable to the corporations and individuals who have the cash and clout to spend big bucks here. She may not neglect the people of the city of Bridgeport who need long-term living-wage employment, lower taxes, decent housing and quality education but we are secondary to creating a business-friendly environment.
Rick Torres and more than a dozen campaign volunteers spent the afternoon walking the East Side, talking to the people. He won many converts and was received quite warmly by the Latino community, in spite of Mr. Mackey’s pronouncements the Latino community will not vote for him. (The only negativity comes from the union goons or king in Ganim’s campaign office on East Main Street.) Ms. Foster gives the impression it would be distasteful for her to spend a lengthy period of time walking the streets of the barrio or the ‘hood to curry votes. Wouldn’t want to scuff those Louis Vuitton shoes.
You really are a misinformed Jerk. MARY-JANE HAS WALKED THE BARRIO AS YOU CALL IT AND HAS COVERED ALL THE STREETS IN THE East Side. You are really clueless. I can’t wait to see the vote totals and then you can tell me how well Torres was received.
You wrote the following and I quote “She is business-centric, making the city hospitable to the corporations and individuals who have the cash and clout to spend big bucks here.” Could you tell me what’s wrong there? I guess in your pea brain you think she should recruit the people getting out of jail to come to Bridgeport. You really don’t know anything about MJF other than what people help you write.
Andy,
Go crawl back under your rock.
Kid, is that it? Go crawl under a rock.
Andy,
You saying this or that in Mary-Jane Foster’s defense doesn’t carry much weight. As far as Bill Finch’s continued employment with the city of Bridgeport she has said only “No deals were made” to enlist his support. No one asked if he was going to have a job in her administration if she is elected, and that’s a very big IF. No one from her campaign has anything to say when asked about the matter. Ms. Foster can answer herself questions about Finch’s continued employment and the 22 jobs, and she can answer them specifically and directly. “No deals were made” is just not going to cut it.
Regarding her outburst in Harborview Market: it was witnessed by dozens of people. Her language was coarse and profane. Mary-Jane Foster is not Agnes of God.
Again Kid, you are posting rumor and innuendo. Bill Finch was not promised a job by MJF. I know this because I asked her. I am sure some people hired by Finch may retained but chances are slim. The number 22 is out to lunch as you are. Nobody said she was Agnes of God but out of all the children their parents and seniors not one person who was there.
Why doesn’t Torres move to Arctic St. or Jane St.?
Lennie needs to take a drive around Black Rock and see Torres signs 10 to 1. There is no need to sell Torres to Black Rock, we are sold on him already.
The number of Torres signs on public property posted without permission probably approaches 50%. It’s funny, the Torres signs are popping up next to Ganim and Foster signs to try to usurp attention. I hope no one takes them down. They tell a tale.
And the most visible sign in the history of signs goes to John Weldon, once again. They are huge and can be read from 1/2 mile away.
When did signs start VOTING?
Who left your cage door unlocked?
Ha! Ha!
Answer the question Kid, when did signs start voting?
Jennifer, I wonder if those black and Latino ministers whmo you talked about were told of the Kudlow, Koch brothers connection to Ricky. In the interest of transparency, what do you think, they might want to know that? Do they read OIB?
Donald,
Give it up. There is no connection between the Koch brothers and Rick Torres. You’ve been listening to too many right-wing conspiracy theorists.
They were at the Kudlow event. They seemed very knowledgeable about the speaker and his positions.
Donald (my apologies to all for being over-represented on this particular thread), it is not yet time to get desperate, reaching out into national politics to see if Rick Torres was invited to sit with the Koch brothers. I also don’t care for Larry Kudlow’s bow tie, but he wants to run for office soon, so he is around fundraising a bit. At least this fundraiser is not a connected developer wanting sweetheart tax abatement deals, jobs for in-laws, etc. Actually, that fact of backroom Bridgeport politics is no longer a needed promotion, it is well understood. Even Ganim and Foster are trying to be the “anti-machine candidate now. They talk about transparency in government, but don’t thank Torres for the term, or the rest of the bi-partisan council that passed the transparency resolution recently. Does anyone think the word transparency suddenly appeared in their vocabularies? Torres has actually become the leading candidate from whom they take talking points. I still can’t figure you or Ron Mackey out, because I don’t know why, when you are so concerned about blacks in Bridgeport, a fact I definitely do not deny you mean, you think a wealthy white woman would be better qualified to see to their needs than a Latino man from the projects? Is it a Spanish thing, a Black Rock thing, or a Republican thing? Because I cannot figure out your true dislike for Torres. I also do admire your passion and participation and ideas, so no, I am not going to get into any mudslinging, because I do not feel that towards you.
Raymond, I don’t dislike Ricky, what I dislike is the vitriolic malevolent garbage emanating from Ricky supporters. We should support Ricky because he is Latino from the projects? I don’t support Clarence Thomas, Herman Cain, Ward Connerly or Ben Carson. Oh pardon me, what was your point?
I would argue we should support Rick based on his actions as a city council record: resolution to close the coal plant, passed (never presented by anyone else before), resolution to stop the car booting passed (never investigated or exposed by anyone else before), veto giving private developers 35-year tax abatements, passed. Land-use tax pilot, applied for, which prevents blighted and vacant property from receiving property tax reductions, fair tax for every individual homeowner. Right now both Joe and Rick have public records to run on. Foster has her words and the company she keeps for people to judge her by.
Yes, the council voted to close down the UI plant. It’s still open and the vote was symbolic. Rick has 1 or 2 things that basically did not help anyone. Don’t start with Ganim, he should not be allowed to run for mayor. What good are you going to tell me about Ganim?
Yes Donald, they are all Republicans. You do not support any Republicans regardless of race, creed or color. Your party loyalty is strong and long. Your willingness to put your reputation on the line to support your party and their candidate is well known. I can understand you do not like what you perceive as attacks on your party and candidate. No one does. If Foster had not changed her 50-day plan from her primary promise, and her CT Post article about the conflict of interest stance, and there is no denying she has watered it down considerably, you would be 100% correct to call anyone out on being malicious and attacking her on no grounds. The only deal I have ever said was she agreed to say she likes and admires Bill Finch. I would also ask you to step back and take a look at the Torres attacks, we have the wrong or secret black and Hispanic supporters, donations are public record, nothing very secret about that, Torres has been very public in print and media about his controversial tattoo and what it means to him and why, he has never tried to hide it or defend his stance regardless of the interpretation of others. Your candidate has left herself open to suspicion and conjecture based on her statements in both her plans and numerous printed articles over the years both about her view of Finch and his ineptitude and city backroom deals. She has done business with the city when she brought the Bluefish here, the backroom deals she has spoken of, well one can most certainly wonder why she would have a basis for reference to backroom deals. I just find it annoying Foster supporters think it is perfectly on the up and up to malign and attack the character of Torres but cry foul when your candidate is given the same treatment. Let us go forth and STOP this city from electing the one Democrat we both agree is wrong for this city, Joe.
You don’t support them because they won’t give you a JOB!!!
I think there is a connection and I will say it long and hard to anyone who will listen, just like you do. Kudlow plus Koch brothers, plus Ricky equals a bad deal for blacks and Latinos in Bridgeport. You can’t serve two masters, the question is who does ya boy serve, the Koch brothers or the residents of Bridgeport.
Don, of course there is a connection with Kudlow in fact he is talking about running for the US Senate here in Connecticut against Dick Blumenthal so of course he will need Torres in order to make his run with the help from the Koch brothers. Don, know what’s funny, Torres talks to a few black ministers and a few Hispanics and they are so happy but they won’t give any names. The Republican Party in Bridgeport has NO connection with the black community none at all but they think talking to a few black ministers will get them votes.
The door is always open, Ron. But I doubt you’ll knock. Al this anti-Torres bullshit is just baseless bigotry. You’re not even making a point. Admit it, you’re just trying to agitate.
Oh Derek Brown, stop it. You said, and I quote, “Rumor has it she agreed to save 22 machine jobs as part of the deal.” You know that is BS yet you said it to malign Mary-Jane. Now when the same journalistic misdeeds are used with respect to Ricky you say this anti-Torres bullshit is baseless bigotry.
Why is that baseless bigotry because he’s Latino and why is it okay for you to out and out lie about 22 jobs for Finch’s people and then you preface your lies with the rumor tag? You know Derek, the thing about throwing shit into a fan, you never know who is going to be hit.
Well Don,
No one from the Foster camp is denying the 22 jobs rumor. Go ahead, say I’m full of shit. Various comments Ms. Foster has made to the local media have more or less confirmed the rumor.
As to her behavior that morning in Harborview Market, it was inappropriate but nearly justified. It was also very telling. She let the mask slip. Now she comes out with a campaign biography ghost-written by Brian Williams? You can put that fictional hard-luck story to bed.
You are totally full of shit. Were you there? I can answer that, no. Mary-Jane DOES NOT USE THAT LANGUAGE AND IF she had a problem with Meyer she would have called him. You are afraid MJF is going to win, so you spend your time on the blog posting lies and innuendo. Kid, do some good for your candidate and walk the neighborhood. Here is one more thing, Stafstrom did not fill in for Mario when he was away so that’s another rumor you posted. Grow Up.
I heard from more than a dozen people who were there, Andy. Mary-Jane Foster is not Snow White. We saw the face behind the mask.
Kid, you did not see the alleged incident. Yeah, I am sure 12 people came up to you to say MJF used the F word. That is total bullshit posted by a person caught in a fib, or a fucking lie.
It’s not a lie, Andy. I confirmed everything from more than one source.
Kid, you are a liar and bullshit artist. You did not confirm anything with anybody.
The answer is the residents of Bridgeport. Ganim is a man who wants back into the same position he was dragged out of. Mary-Jane is a mistake candidate who would be completely gone if not for Finch’s loss and has no support of her own in the larger city, her name is not even known. Rick Torres is an honorable man who puts Bridgeport residents first. You can fight with the Republican party all you like. Rick was a Democrat in Bridgeport who found it impossible to work within a corrupt party. He is an independent-minded person who became a Republican on the premise that all people can do better with fiscal responsibility, social teamwork and compassion for the most vulnerable among us. He has a substantial base of support throughout Bridgeport and recently passed the only transparency measure in Bridgeport government seen in decades, with full support of the majority Democrats now serving under a waning administration. A vote for Torres is a vote for legitimacy and transparency for the government of the people and by the people of Bridgeport. I say a vote for Torres is a vote for Bridgeport. Go Torres.
Are you also going to tell them not to read the two Foster 50-day plans to compare the pre-primary promises and see what has changed? Are you going to tell them to ignore her statements in the CT Post regarding the conflict of interest and McCarthy and Kooris? Are you going to tell them to ignore their tax bills? What can you produce in public writing or email to back up your clever connection?
A man’s word is his bond, women just change their mind might work.
People who have known Rick for years scratch their heads when they hear him painted as this far-right maniac. Take three minutes out of your life and if possible listen with an open mind then respond with a little more knowledge of who Rick is.
www .youtube.com/watch?v=9kP_ndk1yHs
Rick will be a bigger social justice mayor than any mayor in Bridgeport history. And what have Democrats given us in recent years? It is time for the Real Change only Torres can bring.
I am voting for Mary-Jane Foster on November 3rd. I hope you will join me in voting for her on Line G.
Mary-Jane Foster has been active in many parts of our city stating her case, With her as Mayor, this will be a City we can all be proud of.
Mary-Jane Foster will not appear on the Front Page of the Post as other candidates because She is Not a Crook and She is Not a Prejudiced Candidate.
Mary-Jane Foster is Capable, Willing and Able to do the job as Mayor of our City.
No questions asked, a Vote for Mary-Jane Foster for Mayor is the Correct, Right and Just way to go for this city.
Mary-Jane Foster for Mayor, Vote Smart and this City will be Better and Things will Change with the right Mayor and persons in place.
See you on Tuesday November 3rd at the Polls.
Jennifer, you say those ministers at that Kudlow event were very knowledgeable about the speaker, you know that’s not true. Stop that. Do you think anyone knew of Kudlow’s association with the Koch brothers or even who the Koch brothers are? You are a very knowledgeable women and conventional wisdom tells me you didn’t even know of his association or connection with the Koch brothers. Stop me when I’m wrong, my dear.
Who are all these black and Latino ministers who were at this event and wrote checks? Any members of the IMA or you didn’t ask? That’s rhetorical because Mackey and I both know there isn’t an answer forthcoming.
Donald,
Larry Kudlow is not running for Mayor of Bridgeport, Rick Torres is. The Koch Brothers have nothing to do with the Torres Campaign. Guilt by second- or third-hand associate is inappropriate and a desperation move.
Oh tea party Dave, who cares? Is this why you Black Rockers have made a career of demonizing Mary-Jane Foster?
“Joe Ganim is Joe Ganim, and I don’t think he should be back on trial,” said John Slater, Bridgeport’s Republican Town Committee chairman. “He’s already served his time.”
Donald,
You are showing your ignorance. I am an independent-minded and inclusive Republican. Mary-Jane is a friend of mine but I am voting for Rick because I believe he represents the best chance for real change and a better future in Bridgeport. He has also committed to appoint people based on merit and to have an honest, open and bipartisan Administration.
Clearly Mr. Walker I am no match to your level of ignorance.
Mr. Walker, I thought you were moving. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass. Go run for the senate in another state.
Mr. Walker, for an intelligent man knowing the odds you are not too bright nor could you be a friend of Mary-Jane Foster. Let’s see the value of your home when you help hand Ganim the keys to the kingdom. Rick is a nice guy and I am glad you are capable of overlooking RICK’S STRANGE IDEOLOGY AND TATTOO. He cannot win and it could be a very sad day in Bridgeport on Nov. 3rd.
You are no match for his intelligence either.
If you only knew.
It is. I included too many links showing the Koch brothers donate to Democrats so it is being moderated. Time delay for Lennie to review.
Considering the Koch brothers also donate to Democrats I am sure the ministers did their research before they put their money where their mouths, hearts and souls are.
www .politico.com/story/2014/03/koch-brothers-democrats-104787
/www .truthrevolt.org/news/obama-biden-schumer-and-hillary-clinton-took-koch-brothers-money
Donald Day, like I said, Larry Kudlow plans on running against Richard Blumenthal for the US Senate from Connecticut. Kudlow his a deep interest in Rick Torres because Bridgeport is the largest city in the state so Kudlow needs Torres to become the mayor of Bridgeport. Let’s not forget we are talking about Republicans here and we all know their work, enough said, they are no friend to blacks as a group, now they will find one or two they will show off.
Well Ron, considering you posted Blumenthal must be voted out of office, along with Himes and Murphy, you have plenty of time to find a better Democrat candidate in this Democrat-heavy registered and voting city to defeat both Larry and Blumenthal.
Jennifer, I don’t have to do anything.
Of course you do not have to do anything. Sorry if you thought I was being bossy rather than making a helpful suggestion to you. Yes, I know my problem is twofold according to you, I will not change parties or leave Black Rock as you have suggested to me on many occasions.
Jennifer, I have not said you should leave Black Rock. Jennifer, the entire South was once loyal Democrats but after the Voting Rights Act was passed in 1965 and the 1968 Civil Rights Act was passed, the entire South change and became Republicans, now isn’t that sad, blacks finally got the right to vote and they didn’t like it. Now Rick Torres.
Not leave for good, just leave the district to spread the CW4BB message to bring in more citywide residents. Sorry for the shorthand in my post.
Jennifer, I was trying to help you expand your base.
You don’t know Rick. Stop making things up. Who is Enrique Torres? Briefly, an intelligent man who is all heart, further left than any Democrat I know when it comes to his fierce defense of the underserved. At the same time a responsible fiscal conservative who will respect how our tax dollars are spent. He is the only candidate who will be tough enough to stand up and end the cycle of corruption in city hall. He is the only candidate who will work for the people of Bridgeport. I believe he is just what Bridgeport needs at this time. HE IS HIS OWN MAN and it looks like people are not buying the made-up lies about him any longer. Anybody believing Bridgeport needs Real Change, honestly has Only One choice, Torres. If you believe all is well in Bridgeport, vote for one of the other guys.
I don’t need to know Rick Torres. You said this about Rick Torres, “intelligent man who is all heart, further left than any Democrat I know when it comes to his fierce defense of the underserved,” well why won’t he speak out against the Republican Party in their efforts to cut back the voting rights of blacks in a number states or their fight to block EVERYTHING President Obama attempts to do like “ObamaCare,” a Republican idea former candidate for President Mitt Romney, who as Governor of Massachusetts put in place there, or their failure to attract blacks and Hispanics into their Party, where is Rick Torres’ voice on those issues, I mean he is a Republican and this issues and more are why blacks and Hispanics will NOT vote for Republicans in national, state and local elections. What say you, Rick Torres?
He actually has spoken out against the national Republican platform on many occasions. However, one must meet Rick and be engaged in what the other side is doing to witness and know this.
Jennifer, what did he say, it must not be that important because if it were you would think Rick would want those who are not supporting because he’s a Republican would want to hear how different Rick is from those other Republicans so it’s really not that important to Rick. Did Rick put his concerns in writing and give them to the national Republican Party leadership?
Because we are in Bridgeport politics and national politics does not currently have a platform. All politics is local, but it would be way off in left field to start talking about national politics. Rick is a Democrat turned independent who became a Bridgeport Republican to have a voice and platform distinct from the Democratic town committee and its masters who box out all views that don’t serve their limited interests. Torres puts Bridgeport first.
You just don’t get it, because you don’t know or understand the voting pattern, they don’t trust, like or vote for Republicans on any level but they see and hear what Republicans say and do and they won’t vote for them.
Ron, you ask questions only the man himself can answer. You have his cell number, give him a call. Better yet, get off your ass, drive down to the market and talk with him one on one. Oh right, you won’t do that because you think you know all there is to know.
Rick needs to get off his ass and get out of Black Rock and to the East Side and East End and tell those voters why they should vote for a Republican. And while he’s over there give them yard signs saying blacks for Torres and Hispanics for Torres, I’m sure with Rick’s gift of talking those yard sighs will be over in those communities.
He was in the East Side on Saturday afternoon. The response was highly positive. The only negativity came from the union goons working Ganim’s East Main Street campaign office. He had black clergy walking with him. Everywhere he went the people were warm and welcoming, saying Foster and Ganim had been there too but the residents knew they’d forget the East Side after the election. The people over there, black, white, Latino, all knew they were talking to one of their own when Rick asked for their vote. So all that bullshit you’ve been spouting, Rick Torres will not get any votes in the black and Latino communities, is just that: bullshit. I was there, d-d-dude. Saw it with my own eyes. Time for you to stop talking trash about things you know nothing about.
Derek Brown, thanks, you made my point. Rick just got over there on Saturday? And who were the clergy?
Well said Ron Mackey, he has never publicly spoken out against the policies the Republican party uses to keep blacks and Latinos down, but now that he is running for Mayor he’s now the voice of the downtrodden. Please, conventional wisdom tells me after he loses this election he will go back to the silent majority.
Rick Torres has addressed those issues in clear and unequivocal terms, Donald. Look at his legislative record as an Alderman. Just because he did not spell it out for you does not mean he didn’t do it. Just look at the resolutions he wrote and lobbied to pass. He more or less eliminated the notorious “boot and tow” program that targeted black and Latino drivers. He is responsible for raising the financial threshold on foreclosures, relieving the debt burden for lower income black and Latino homeowners. He advocates for greater involvement of parents in their children’s education. Whupping, are you so obtuse? It’s as if you are proud of your ignorance.
Rick Torres worked his way out of the ‘hood, opened a successful business and created a sense of community where there was none.
(Notice I spelled your name correctly without adding a definite article. You do have a resemblance to The Donald Trump.).)
Derek Brown, wow, based on what you and Jennifer are saying Rick Torres is too good to be the mayor of Bridgeport. You guys are saying that is getting blacks and Hispanics to vote for a Republican then Rick needs to on the national scene for the Republican Party, he could show them how to get blacks and Hispanics into the Republican Party. Wow!!! What a bad dream.
Oh Derek Brown, I bet you fancied yourself a bully in school, stop it. Sticks and stones, Derek Brown. I’ll tell you what I told Mr. Walker, clearly I am no match to your level of ignorance.
Or my intellect.
RM and DD’sonly interest is themselves, not the city of Bridgeport!!! And MJF tries to be so high and mighty going after Ganim because he is a FELON. MJF needs to explain her DOUBLE STANDARD by putting Tito Ayala on HER line when she ran for mayor in the past! Can you say HYPOCRITE?!!!
Rick Torres needs to tell us why he’s just starting to go to the East Side or the East End. I guess they don’t count because if he values their vote then he would have been in those communities years ago instead of just getting there now. Yes, we do have a interest for ourselves and that’s honest good leadership with MJF.
You say Hypocrite by spelling it, Pilsbury Doughboy
You are right, Ganim vs Ayala–spell it any way you want!!!
Lennie, most of this thread could be sold as fiction.
Lennie,
For sheer volume, is this the longest thread?
I count 13 people who have made one content only including Hernandez the Concerned Citizen and Jim Fox.
About 10 people have posted 2-9 times among them Lennie with 4, LE with 5 and Pete Spain with 5.
Steve Auerbach comes up with 14, Donald Day with 15, Ron Mackey with 19, Bridgeport Kid and Park City too are tied with 21 entries.
At the moment Andy Fardy who threatened to go silent several weeks ago, blew a gasket and is in second place with approximately 29 entries.
Resting atop the pile of posters at the present moment, more or less, and a dubious sign of achievement is Jennifer Buchanan with 40 entries. And thus there are more than 200 posts, the meaning of which we can dispute, but Lennie is certainly getting readership, isn’t he? With 15 days to go, Time Will Tell.
Now John, we have to give Jennifer a pass here because she has such an impossible job trying to sell Rick Torres.
At least she has someone to sell. Mary-Jane Foster is snake oil.
Okay, she has someone to sell but nobody’s buying that garbage.
Okay Kid, here is how this could all backfire. We know it is between Foster and Ganim. We know you hate Finch and Foster. I happen to love them both. Rick is going to lose. Tyisha Toms and John Marshall Lee will win Black Rock and Foster will be Mayor. Ganim’s weakness will hurt Katy and Burns. And that is just desserts for the Republicans of Black Rock.