Former Mayor Joe Ganim, seeking to reclaim the job he lost in 2003 following his conviction on federal corruption charges, filed an exploratory committee Thursday morning saying “Real progress for our city can only happen if we improve the quality of life for all the people of Bridgeport in every neighborhood.” Ganim handed the paperwork to Town Clerk Alma Maya. Ganim also made the announcement this morning on the Chaz & AJ radio show here
Why exploratory committee versus candidate committee? Under an exploratory Ganim can raise a maximum personal contribution of $375. In doing so it allows him to go back to that same person to raise another $1,000 in a full-blown candidate committee for mayor. Mayor Bill Finch has amassed a warchest of close to $400,000. Ganim and other Finch opponents have a lot of ground to make up. So look for Ganim to raise some quick money, invest some of that into a public opinion poll, and raise his public profile in local media in an effort to immunize himself from eventual attacks that will come from Finch’s political operation. He will follow up with a full candidate committee.
Meanwhile, Finch supports a bill in the Connecticut General Assembly that would ban corrupt politicians from office. If passed the legislation would go into effect January 1, 2016.
Either way, it allows Finch to draw a contrast with Ganim as an opponent. It also allows Ganim to talk about second chances, in a city loaded with folks who desire second chances.
School board member Howard Gardner and multi-mayoral candidate Charlie Coviello are in the race. Look for Finch’s 2011 Democratic primary opponent Mary-Jane Foster to jump in soon.
Ganim has been schmoozing members of the Democratic Town Committee for support at the July endorsement session. Finch has a leg up there, but Ganim is trying to build an organization for a September primary battle.
Ganim issued this news release announcing his exploratory committee:
Former Mayor Joseph P. Ganim, who is credited with rescuing the city of Bridgeport from the verge of bankruptcy while serving as its chief executive from 1991-2003, filed paperwork this morning to explore running for mayor again. Saying, “Real progress for our city can only happen if we improve the quality of life for all the people of Bridgeport in every neighborhood,” Ganim filed the paperwork at the Town Clerk’s office in City Hall.
During his years in office Ganim is credited with eliminating huge budget deficits, stabilizing taxes, implementing community policing, cleaning up neighborhoods throughout the city and jump-starting economic development.
In a prepared statement, Ganim said “because I believe we can build a stronger Bridgeport that creates jobs, improves schools, and halts the rise in property taxes, today I am forming an exploratory committee to run for mayor to create a better Bridgeport that works for everyone.”
Over the past few months Ganim has been talking to residents of Bridgeport to get their input as to whether or not he should run for mayor. “I have been humbled by the positive response,” Ganim has said, adding “I am truly interested in the opportunity to once again serve this great city to make Bridgeport work for everyone.”
An Op-Ed piece appeared in the Connecticut Post newspaper last month outlining Ganim’s accomplishments as mayor, as well as his hope for a “second chance.”
A letter to the 90-Town Committee members went out last week asking for their support. In it, Ganim said that he valued their opinion and advice and wanted to hear their thoughts, their questions and their ideas, before making his final decision.
Over the next couple of months Ganim will continue to meet with residents, taxpayers, members of the clergy, businessmen and elected officials. “During this exploratory period, I will continue to build bridges and reach out to Bridgeporters to get their ideas on how to move our city forward,” Ganim said.
He concluded by saying, “In order to build a better Bridgeport, we need to work together…as we did in the past, and will do again in the future.”
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice …
Bill Finch will be on “Suicide Watch” with this move. Just in case, National Suicide Prevention: 1-800-273-8255.
Ron, that was a home run!
Ron, you made me laugh out loud. Hard.
Ron Mackey, I truly laughed out loud when I read your comment. Very funny!
Hahah, Ron Mackey. Bill Finch’s next law he is trying to get passed, “no one named “Joesph” should be allowed to run for Mayor in Bpt.” I still can’t get over Bill holding that press conference yesterday to announce it’s spring and more work will be starting on that future church building now. He thinks we’re all idiots, that press conference was just an opportunity to bring up Ganim’s past, plain and simple. Hey Bill, the people of Bpt aren’t stupid, geeezzz.
They elected him twice, didn’t they?
How’s that for smart?
Joe Ganim: I deal with business people every day and they say they wouldn’t touch Bridgeport with a 10-foot pole because of its pay-to-play rule. What do you think you are doing to improve that “myth or reality?” Trying to regain your old office is of no help.
Some people think Ganim is showboating. He’s working it. He’s spent years away from politics and is delighted to regain the spotlight, thanks to radio shows, newspapers and things like this blog. He’s even rented a condo to explore the urban scene he’s missed so much and keep the dream alive. As the exploratory stage morphs into the candidate committee, investigative reporters ponder the possibility of a political conspiracy–and that’s the juiciest of rumors.
We need a Mayor who knows how to hold the line on taxes.
Hey! Bill Finch, it’s called Zero Base budgeting, you’ve been spending our taxes like a drunken sailor!
Eight years and not once has he spoken about holding the line on taxes, not once!
Eight Million dollars for a park to nowhere, so polluted you wouldn’t let your kids eat a sandwich there! Finch has the balls to call it waterfront property!
Mayor Finch’s economic development projects have a 20- to 40-year return on our tax dollars.
Black Rock taxes have gone up over 30%, some homes over 40%.
Finch’s slogan should read “Bridgeport is getting better every day for my friends.”
I’ll take 10 Joe Ganims over one Finch!
Most are politicians living in Danbury Federal Prison so they won’t be hard to find.
Bob Keeley; CUT TAXES!!!
Bob Keeley; working the system so the system works for you!
I’ll see your 10 Joe Ganims and raise you one Queen of Hearts. That would be Mary-Jane Foster, of course.
Bob, I’ll keep my 10 Joe Ganims and raise your Mary-Jane queen of hearts, with Finch’s suicide queen Stevie Auerbach! Now beat that!
JIMFOX, I’LL LET THAT COMMENT GO only because you are an old man stuck in a time warp with a vain attempt to embarrass me. LUCKY FOR ME I AM A self-actualized guy who accepts you see me as a threat to your dream of a convicted criminal Mayor because as you say he toed the line on taxes and that is why we are broke. I forgive you not because I think you are just mentally challenged, I forgive you because anyone who throws another individual’s name in the mix to attempt to provoke and embarrass is just a plain asshole with quite a few screws loose. If referring to me as a queen gives you pleasure then by all means enjoy, after all I am gay and I appreciate your ignorance. Usually those comments come from frustrated closeted married men who cannot deal with social change. I forgive you as I would all gay Republicans I know. I see them as stupid and ignorant also. So you are in good company, Mr. Fox.
Stevie, don’t blame me because you never had your Bar Mitzvah!
Not until you see Uncle Sam hold the line on spending will you see taxes stabilize in Bridgeport.
Joe Ganim robbed Bridgeport of opportunity, looted its reputation and stripped its self-respect. That’s what happened the first time he moved to town to run for mayor. Whatever can we expect from his latest move to town? A heaping dose of humiliation. Make that a double dose.
Lol, this is going to be a hot race! I’m at work in Stamford, a corporate setting and I hear somebody near me saying how all politicians are corrupt they just don’t get caught and Ganim was a good mayor. Wow, seems like he really has a lot of support from people just talking here, politics talked at work and Bridgeport politics at that.
Off topic, but Norwalk is paying entry-level officers $62,000 while Bridgeport just $47,000. How do they plan on attracting people with this low pay while Norwalk is starting off with great pay?
Money, who is concerned about money? I do not see many OIB comments when I post info on money issues, specific and general. If Bridgeport had/has a “pay to play” reputation, shouldn’t more people be looking at the money issues?
Well if you think about it, there are businesses benefiting from the building campaign, aren’t there? School buildings? Parks, all over. And now playgrounds and ball fields. Millions of dollars. From what source? Yes, some is bonded with the State picking up around 80% in the past, but what are the other sources of dollars, and approvals, and monitoring to see about change orders that are expensive in the long run. Where is the oversight?
If we have privatized the management of all this construction activity, what is the cost of such privatization? Where are the opportunities for job-wanting Bridgeport residents? Why aren’t these public connections more numerous and front and center in City public relations? Any thoughts from OIB readers? Time will tell.
When Finch got his raise along with all his flunkeys at City Hall Annex, remember what he said. So Bpt would remain competitive to attract qualified people. What a load of bullshit!
Hey Wingnut, every time in the past 30+ years when I went to downtown Bridgeport, I had to wear my hip boots.
I find it hilarious Finch and Ganim are fighting over who deserves credit for Steal Point.
The answer is NOBODY. Nothing has happened. One building is being built after 20+ years and they are going to fight to see who deserves more credit???
Only In Bridgeport where the circus never left town.
Next they’ll be fighting over who deserves more credit for Downtown North.
The buffoon who seized all the properties under eminent domain in an effort to demolish all of them, against the state’s historic preservation laws or the buffoon who sat in office for seven years before he realized he should do something.
This campaign is getting better every day.
Be kind to Bob Walsh. He was born to legislate and this might be as close as he gets to an executive position.
Bob Walsh has a real executive position, at a real job, at a real business, that makes real money every day.
This is a reality Local Eyes cannot comprehend.
C’mon, let’s compare. You get my Irish up. You don’t have to be a leprechaun to know Bridgeport is a jackpot.
(wink)
This is Finch’s mentor:
“Malloy said that in the days after his November re-election leading up to his February budget address, he lived with many drafts of a new biennial budget, including one that cut spending by $1.2 billion.”
In the case of B’port, it will read Mayor Finch said that in the nanoseconds following his re-election he was presented with many budget drafts and all of them contained a 10% increase in taxes.
Just like Malloy, Finch will say “This is the new reality. Get used to it.”
Don’t get too psyched up. I will predict Ganim will raise taxes a minimum of 15% saying Finch has lied (everyone will believe that) about the city finances and this is the minimum increase he can come up with to avoid bankruptcy.
Steve Auerbach will be leading a prayer vigil at Steal Point.
I predict Joe “trust me if you can” Ganim making a halfway decent splash in the primary but the November election will be Finch or Mary-Jane Foster’s to lose.
Speaking of Prayer?
Wishing everyone a Happy Pesach and Holy Easter Season!
In memory of Marilyn Goldstone–04/02/2007.
G-D BLESS MARILYN GOLDSTONE. I FINALLY FOUND HER GRAVESTONE.
SHE WAS LUCKY TO HAVE A FRIEND LIKE YOU, GRIN RIPPER.
HAPPY PASSOVER AND HAPPY EASTER TO ALL. PEACE.
Steve–She loved you, too. Thanks!
Bob Walsh “10 Ganims and you will raise 1 Queen of Hearts,” you must be talking about McCarthy.
Magoo
McCarthy is like the Dorothy’s companions in the Land of Oz.
No brains, no heart, no courage.
I’ve been asking folks all over if they’d vote for Ganim. Nothing scientific of course, more water cooler type stuff. Guess what. The overwhelming response is not just a yes, it’s been “hell yes.” Probably 9 out of 10. People were appalled at what Finch pulled in front of Steel Point. He had better stop his Ganim bashing as it isn’t working and push his record of accomplishments. Oh never mind. He doesn’t have any. Go Joe, go!
I have to say the vast majority of people I have spoken to within Thomas Hooker want Ganim. Even people I thought would never even consider him didn’t so much as flinch when I asked them if they would ever support Ganim. It didn’t matter if they were black, Hispanic, white; or young, middle-aged or elderly. People’s love and admiration of him is really overwhelming.
OMG! Channel 12 News Question of the Day is about who has the best chance of being elected in November.
The options are Mayor Finch, Joe Ganim or other. Ganim is in the lead, other is in second, and Mayor Finch is dead last. I think that is pretty embarrassing for Mayor Finch. Second place is not even a specific candidate and that category is beating our two-term incumbent mayor. They just list “other.”
Hyperbole, exaggerated, overstatement, magnification, embellishment, excess, overkill, rhetoric. Now listen to the speech Finch gives, he talks about construction jobs, but how many of those construction jobs are Bridgeport residents? Is the construction company from Bridgeport? Hyperbole! He talks about two new hotels on this site, did I miss the announcement about two hotels opening up on this site? Hyperbole! He talks about a new movie theater on this site; did I again miss the announcement of this new endeavor?
Hyperbole is used to exaggerate, as a rhetorical device used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but not meant to be taken literally. This is the same meaning of the word “bullshit!”
That’s why you can’t trust Mayor Finch; he’s a habitual liar who would rather tell a lie for free than tell the truth for money.
Donald Day, I appreciate your experienced observations of our city on this blog.
However, I take exception where you post:
“… he’s [Finch is] a habitual liar who would rather tell a lie for free than tell the truth for money.”
Donald, as you know, his lies–and those of his communications apparatus–are paid for quite handsomely–by city and state taxpayers.
And his campaign lies will be paid for as well by some tax dollars and by some powerful forces that aren’t too interested in what a majority of Bridgeport voters think.
This is a shame because, ultimately, the lies will end up being paid for by those of us left when the sh** resulting from all these lies hits the fan (e.g., revaluation).
So true, Pete. I didn’t think of it in that way.
Donald Day, you wrote “that’s why you can’t trust Mayor Finch; he’s a habitual liar who would rather tell a lie for free than tell the truth for money.”
Now there’s something we CAN agree on. 🙂
Well, we’ve had Finch’s taxpayer-funded ministry of public enlightenment doing ‘Bridgeport is getting better every day’ events.
Now we have Joe Ganim’s ‘make Bridgeport work for everyone’ campaign.
We are in for a real education.
The schedules for reviewing the Finch budget for the new year by the City Council should be posted soon. Taxpayers should see what passes for tough minded fiscal review in the City.
More importantly, if the format of each department budget remains the same as recent years, take time to look at what are posted as past goals and acheivements as well as for the new year and see if you could stand less government in that area. Tell your Council person about your feelings. They may or may not have knowledge but they are up for elections as well. Who has experienced a “belt tightening” in private industry budgets? Who has seen one in Bridgeport? When? Time will tell.
Great points, JML!
It is great to hear people remembering the great and caring Marilyn Goldstone. What a gal! I’d say Rest in Peace Marilyn, but you were way too active to be peaceful. I’m sure you are keeping them all on their toes up there. All my love.