Next time you want to beg for coverage, praise coverage or complain about coverage at the Connecticut Post, there are two names to keep in mind: Jack Alcott and Ted Tompkins. They were named managing editor of content and production respectively this week. Alcott wrote on his Facebook page the other day:
Yep, it’s official. They made me managing editor/content at the Connecticut Post and for the Hearst Connecticut Newspaper group of dailies (Danbury News Times, Stamford Advocate, Greenwich Time). What a great and splendid gig!
Alcott and Tompkins are accomplished newsmen who toil in the world of corporate journalism. Not an easy thing these days, especially for guys who remember family-run operations. Step by step Hearst Connecticut Newspapers, the parent of the Connecticut Post, is consolidating the operations of its four Connecticut-based dailies Connecticut Post, Stamford Advocate, Greenwich Time and Danbury News Times. They call this economies of scale, or something like that. The Bridgeport printing press on State Street prints all four papers. Managing editors to cover all four papers. Scribes to write stories that appear in all four dailies.
Closer to home in Bridgeport it appears that Keila Torres Ocasio and Brian Lockhart have settled in as the regular city reporters with other scribes filling in on city assignments. Keila and Lockhart are efficient scribes navigating the serpentine world of city government. Would be nice if the Post could allocate a few more steady reporters to the city, but the coverage has actually improved from where it was several years ago when crickets were a way of life.
When a paper does not cover a city, knowledge is lost about a city and mistakes are made. And by the way, pols can do just about anything they want without scrutiny.
Alcott and Tompkins report to Barbara Roessner, the executive editor of Hearst Connecticut Newspapers. So congrats to Jack and Ted. Now can you guys (Roessner too) please allow OIB to run more than two paragraphs of a Post story without violating your fair use policy? Ah, no respect for a former Post scribe.
All the news they see fit to print?
Okay, let’s change the subject here. It doesn’t seem like OIB readers want to read about the CT Post. Since last week I’ve posted several comments on the lack of lobbying against Governor Dan Malloy’s proposed funding cuts on Bridgeport and other municipalities. On April 10, 2013, the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) went to the Capitol and strongly voiced their opposition to Malloy’s proposed State budget cuts to municipalities. I believe the mayor of Norwalk was the only representative of a large city present at the event.
As I watched the event, I noticed not a single member of the Bridgeport administration was present (maybe I just missed them or they’re camera shy). Is Bridgeport a member of CCM? Afraid to criticize the awful policies from their boy Dan? No! Don’t worry, they’re all working behind the scenes to get Danny boy to lay off the cuts.
I say there will be a tax increase. However, it won’t be a 2.5 mil increase or 6%. When the council decides to reduce the mayor’s proposed tax increase, expect the administration or City Council to explain this in part by stating it was because Governor Malloy reduced his proposed state funding cuts to Bridgeport.
I don’t see the Malloy administration totally backing away from the funding cuts. If he does, he may have no other choice come next year when it would be the worst time (too close to an election) to cut funding to municipalities or raise taxes. Either way, I’ll still remember my local representatives said it was because of Dan Malloy they had to raise taxes.
ct-n.com/ondemand.asp?ID=8888&autostart=false
It is good to see some attention to MANAGING Editors has been revealed. If I understand it these are the folks who are pointing out to reporters or at least guiding them to worthy areas for attention.
Naturally, were I in such a position I would be directing a lot of attention to the BROKENNESS of governance practice in Bridgeport. OIB has allowed me a place to report what I dig up and to get other ideas for research.
BOB, volunteers from Budget Oversight Bridgeport, for the third year are attempting to cover as many of the hearings and review sessions as possible. Of course there is no room for dialogue or discussion with members of the public who may actually know more about a subject and be concerned because of the level of their tax payments than the assembled Council persons. But that is the way things go today. Saturday April 13 is about Capital Budget. Big subject. Out of sight most of the time. 9 AM in Legislative Services office in the City Hall Annex.
Joel, go to Page 7 of the Budget report for simple numbers in the Mayor’s proposal. All additions to the budget came to departments other than Library and BOE. So the recommended $519 Million total less Library and BOE together totalling $226 Million leaves a City-side proposed budget of $293,379,000. The Mayor INCREASED the 2014 budget by $11,685,000. That’s a 3.9% increase in those departments alone. So the 6% budget increase represented by 2.5 Mils divided by 41.1 Mils contains about a 2.1% makeup for State funding decreases.
But where is the MBR for education and other educational increases? They are not presented. Does this mean taxpayers face an even larger increase? Who can answer that one promptly? Is this any way to manage a City, to present a budget, and to continue spending taxpayer money? Do you think the Council is confused? By the way, why would anyone ask the State Legislators for more funds when we have no evidence the budget proposed is bare bones? That’s what happens when you have removed the internal auditors, any monthly fiscal monitoring and any sense someone is minding the store … all you can trot out are the people (most of whom reside out of Bridgeport and pay taxes elsewhere) to be part of the “dog and pony” show that begs for more money. But no one is tearing up like Monday night when seniors and widows on fixed income begged for more budgeting. Kicking the can forward is catching the City unprepared for reality. What can Sherwood pull out of his hat now for Mayor Finch? Time will tell.