Charter school advocates have made independent expenditures in local legislative races. Four Democratic primaries will take place on Tuesday. From Mark Pazniokas, CT Mirror:
In its filings with the State Elections Enforcement Commission, the group says it is supporting Soto over Hewett, Bradley over Gomes and Stallworth over Pereira. It had reported incurring expenses of about $5,500 as of Wednesday evening.
Charters Care, an affiliate of the Northeast Charter Schools Network, reported spending less than $4,000 on literature and T-shirts promoting Stallworth over Pereira, an outspoken opponent of charter schools, and Rep. Terry Adams of Bridgeport over Dan Dauplaise. Chris Harrington, the treasurer for the PAC, could not be reached for comment.
In addition to the charter school groups, Planned Parenthood also is making independent expenditures for the first time in Democratic primaries, spending about $14,000 sending mailers in support of two state senators, Terry Gerratana of New Britain and Marilyn Moore of Bridgeport.
Full story here.
Here we have another do-nothing Chair of the Bridgeport Board of Education cutting a deal with those who want to dismantle our true public schools, drain funds away from our true public schools, and want access to our $245 million dollar budget.
This is a call to action! If you have not done so already, please get to Ed, Marilyn, or my headquarters and volunteer just a few hours.
If you can help with election day by phone banking, driving voters to the polls, poll standing, etc. please do.
Let’s not let elitists and charter school paid staff from New Haven decide the outcome of our elections.
They haven’t been victorious in a single effort so far. Let’s not let them start now!
What about the countless residents who support Charter schools? Parochial schools? Parents should have a choice. No? Bridgeport residents should be forced to send their kids to failing schools? Parents can’t even get their child into a Magnet School. So young couples, move to Bridgeport where your child is destined to fail? I believe in Charter schools and I believe in a school board of non-elected political people. What percentage of voters have a clue who the BOE nominees are in any given election? Maybe 15 percent of the already extremely low voter turn out?
Do you believe the people should have a voice/vote in their communities such as schooling/education? Do you believe the mayor should appoint school board officials? Do you believe city/town officials should be elected or should the State’s Governor appoint them? Do you believe the Governors should be elected or should the President appoint them?
And Steve Auerbach, truth to tell, what did Tom McCarthy say or more importantly do, as CC leader regarding the announced BOE $15 Million shortfall in Bridgeport this year.
Tom, Tom,
He’s your man (wink)
If he can’t do it
Perhaps no man can?
But perhaps you need to be a woman who cares about children and families to ask hard questions and get attention in State chambers? Tom has not done this locally. What makes you think he will change by driving to Hartford? Time will tell.
Perfectly stated, JML!
Steve,
I believe in the tooth fairy but unless she starts leaving a million dollars when a tooth falls out we can’t afford everything you want.
You end up destroying the B’port schools to please a small group of students.
Here is a recap of my research.
Charters Care was filed with the SEEC on July 13th.
Jeremiah Grace, the Director of Northeast Charter Schools is the Chairperson and his address is listed in New Haven.
Christopher Harrington is identified as an officer residing in New Haven.
Jose Alfaro is also listed as an officer residing in New Haven.
Do you see a trend here?
They opened the PAC with $10,000 donated by none other that Jonathan Sackler who is the co-founder of Achievement First Charter Schools. In addition, he kindly donated $50,000 to Mayor Finch’s Charter Referendum in an attempt to deny us our right to vote for BOE members.
On 7/28 they reported spending $899 on t-shirts for Stallworth.
On 07/30 Real Reform Network Now donated an additional $5,000. They also spent $1,125 on literature for Stallworth.
On 8/2 Sound Equipment was purchased to be attached to vehicles on behalf of Stallworth for $186.00, and $1,050 on voter lists for Stallworth.
On 8/3 they reported spending $1,646 for a room at the Holiday Inn and about $480 on canvassers.
That is $5,386.00 over the $27,000 taxpayers paid into his campaign.
For those of you who participated in a poll a couple of weeks ago; this serves as evidence that Stallworth did not do well, therefore they are hitting the ground to TRY to save him.
Can you post links so any of this can be verified? You know, just in case you are mistaken or SOMETHING.
jonathanpelto.com/2016/08/05/dfer-achievement-first-inc-flow-charter-school-money-connecticut-campaigns/
UPDATE:
Charter Care submitted another filing that indicates the following:
– $52.50 was spent on an administration for someone from Windsor.
– $720.00 was spent on canvassers for Stallworth.
– $125 was spent on prepayment on food for the week at Tiago’s.
– $125 was spent on Euclid Hill Group LLC in NY “organizing.” voter lists by precinct on behalf of Stallworth.
That’s another $1,023.00 spent by the Greenwich billionaires and millionaires to defeat little ole me.
This is what I discovered on another one of their PACs called Change Course CT.
They first filed on July 18, 2016.
The Chairperson is Colin Dowell who resided in Westport. The Treasurer also resides in Westport.
Do you see the consistent theme here?
On 7/8 they hired Carr Marketing in California.
on 7/8 they spent $1,095.64 phone banking for Dennis Bradley. They also spent $434 on behalf of Stallworth and in opposition to me.
on 7/24 they spent $974 phone banking on behalf of Dennis Bradley. They also spent $742.00 on behalf of Stallworth and in opposition to me.
on 7/24 they spent another $812 phone banking for Stallworth and in opposition to me.
on 8/2 they spent another $274 phone banking for Stallworth and in opposition to me.
on 8/4 they spent $2,444.48 on photography and walk lists for Stallworth with SKDKNINIKERBOCKER in Washington DC. They also reported spending $4,190 in Direct Mail for Stallworth.
That totals an additional $8,896 on behalf of Stallworth.T he grand total is an additional $14,282.00 over the $33,150 we raised combined with our state grant.
And we still have six days of filings left.
You don’t spend this kind of money on a state rep., but especially one who is holding his own. My guess is their poll showed Stallworth was in trouble and the Charter $chool billionaires, millionaires and Wall Street investors are doing everything in their power to save their little charter $chool prince.
It will be interesting to see what happens on August 9th.
The Greenwich billionaires, millionaires and Wall Street executives have now spent over $15,000 to help their prince Stallworth and to defeat me.
Not a single funder or officer of these PACs are residents of Bridgeport.
In fact, apparently the treasurer of Change Course CT is Dacia Toll’s daughter who is the CEO of Achievement First Charter Schools.
Steve, the issues of school choice are irrelevant here. The issue is the ethics and conflicts of interest of serving multiple masters. A Board of Education member must be focused on the fiscal management and curricular deployment of the local public schools. The BOE members’ master, in this case, are the students utilizing the public schools. Being beholden to any other group fragments one’s focus and calls into question one’s ethics, motives, loyalty, and honesty of effort. Especially when the interests of the multiple groups are conflicting, such as with charter schools. Accepting even an endorsement from such a conflicting organization should be seen as a red flag even to you, no?
Something put the fear of GOD into Planned Parenthood for them to make 2016 their flagship year regarding the practice of donating to a political cause in Hartford. They could not have picked a better year if you ask me. Way to go PP, the mailers you designed and sent out were well done and well received!
The Moore GOTV piece came yesterday, and it was another beautifully executed piece of mail by the Moore campaign. The banners across the bottom that list the numerous organizational endorsements and show photos of profiled personal endorsements are impressive! Nice photo of Sheriff Murphy, too.