Ned Lamont and his personal fortune are expected to officially enter the race for governor on Tuesday.
Nice to have 10, 15, 20 million of your own dough to spend. Makes you an instant player. Because he has plenty of loot and built a profile defeating Joe Lieberman in a Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in 2006 only to lose to Joe in the general election, Ned starts as the guy to beat on the Democratic side. Former Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy, the party-endorsed Dem for governor in 2006, will have something to say about that.
Lamont and his army of Nedheads defeated Lieberman in the primary as the anti-war candidate. Lamont, however, had trouble persuading independent voters to see it his way. And this is still Lamont’s nagging challenge that may create an opening for Malloy. Who’s better suited to win a general election? The guy who had Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton and all the liberal special interests preening behind him into the cameras on primary night in 2006, or someone who has balanced budgets, attracted development, stabilized taxes, supervised a workforce? It’s not an easy juggle for Malloy either who will try to get to the left of Lamont on side issues without compromising his general election appeal.
Lamont had all the liberal’s liberals supporting him in 2006, the unions, activists and serial primary voters that generally decide primaries. Former State Comptroller Bill Curry, twice the Dem party nominee for governor, had a great primary profile, not good enough to win a gubernatorial general decided by Connecticut’s largest bloc, unaffiliated voters. Whether former ambassador to Ireland Tom Foley, former Congressman Chris Shays (if he decides to get in) or someone else, the ultimate Republican nominee is better equipped to stand up and scream: government is too expensive and if we don’t do something soon this state is headed for the rocks. That’s because they don’t need union support to win. Will the ultimate Democratic candidate boast the stomach to take on the unions, the state work force, the teachers, the professors, the college administrators? Not in a primary. So it’s a delicate balance: how to keep serial primary voters happy without general election voters viewing you as a sell-out.
The Dems, of course, will say we don’t tax the rich enough, blah, blah, blah. The problem with state spending, however, is a Democratic-controlled legislature.
Republican Governor Jodi Rell, still bolstered by high approval ratings, pretty much has given up. I’m outta here soon, let the next guy deal with it. Some legacy, eh? There’s no denying Rell’s Fairy Godmother appeal, but after six years on the job, what’s her legacy? What did she fundamentally change in six years? What major economic development initiative? What spending reforms? What urban renewal projects? Damn Democrats keep blocking me, she says. The problem with such an argument is that Rell never placed her prestige on the line to elect more Republicans. Yeah, she’d pick and choose a few Republicans she liked, but for the most party threw GOP candidates under the bus. And that’s why Dems have a super majority. In the end, she only cared about her own butt and was never able to leverage her appeal to govern effectively.
On a local level instead of saying I want to give Bridgeport a new high school, a new Congress Street Bridge, a new Pleasure Beach Bridge, urban revitalization money to clean contaminated properties … she says I’ll give Bridgeport another prison. Such leadership. Such guts. Such courage.
So when Lamont crows about how he’ll apply his private-sector experience–he made a fortune as a cable television service provider to college campuses–ask him what cuts he’ll make in state government to reel in a projected multi-billion dollar deficit. And oh yeah, what will he do about the state’s largest city? What will any of these candidates do for Bridgeport?
From Congressman Jim Himes:
Rep. Himes, Mayor Finch, Chief Gaudett to Announce 20 New Bridgeport Police Jobs
At one-year mark, Recovery Act is creating jobs, investing in Bridgeport
BRIDGEPORT, CT—Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) along with Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch and Police Chief Joe Gaudett will announce today that the Bridgeport Police Department is hiring 20 new full-time police officers, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act signed one year ago this week. Following a formal press conference at 3:45pm outlining the qualifications and application procedure, Himes will join an officer to ride-along during the first hour of the 4pm shift.
From Dan Malloy’s campaign:
LOCAL LEADERS FROM ‘EAST OF THE RIVER’ ANNOUNCE SUPPORT OF MALLOY FOR GOVERNOR
Notable elected officials, town chairs and community leaders from East Hartford, Manchester, South Windsor, Glastonbury and Bolton back Malloy
February 15, 2010 – Former Stamford Mayor and potential candidate for Governor Dan Malloy was joined today by a number of elected officials and political leaders from East Hartford, Manchester, South Windsor, Glastonbury and Bolton who publicly announced their intention to help “elect Dan Malloy as Connecticut’s next Governor” should Malloy become an official candidate.
Malloy met with the large group of supporters in East Hartford on Monday morning, and said he was “overwhelmed and energized” by the showing of support. Local leaders lending their support to Malloy include:
From East Hartford:
· Bud Salemi, Chairman, East Hartford Democratic Town Committee:“I believe Dan Malloy is the Democratic Party’s best chance to win the Governor’s seat this fall. Dan has a record of achievement, a command of the issues and the determination to meet the challenges our State faces today. East Hartford voters face those challenges everyday of their lives and I believe Dan’s message will resonate here as well as across the State. Dan Malloy is our kind of candidate!”
· Melody Currey, Mayor, East Hartford:
“As a Mayor, I understand just how important Dan Malloy’s service as Mayor of Stamford has been in preparing him to be Governor. Dan spent 14 years in Stamford creating jobs, building affordable housing, lowering crime, and delivering balanced budgets year after year. That’s what Connecticut needs.”
· Gary LeBeau, State Senator (D-East Hartford), Commerce Committee Chair
“Now more than ever, we need proven leadership to help rebuild Connecticut by growing jobs, investing in new industries like biotechnology and alternative energy, and creating a more vibrant and livable future for our state. With Dan Malloy’s leadership, we can do precisely that.”
· Jason Rojas, State Representative (D-East Hartford)
· Henry Genga, State Representative (D-East Hartford)
· Bill Horan, Vice Chair, East Hartford Town Council
· Barbara-Ann Rossi, East Hartford Town Council
· Marcia LeClerc, East Hartford Town Council
· Marc Weinberg, East Hartford Town Council
· Mary Alice Dwyer-Hughes, Chair, East Hartford Board of Education
· Ram Aberasturia, Secretary, East Hartford Board of Education
· Jeff Currey, Member, East Hartford Board of Education
· Pat Gately, Vice Chair, East Hartford DTC and State Central Committeewoman
· Cathy Condio, Secretary, East Hartford DTC
· Frank Vignati, Treasurer, East Hartford DTC
· Chris Stone, Former State Representative, East HartfordFrom Manchester:
· Michael Pohl, Chairman, Manchester Democratic Town Committee:“Dan Malloy has the knowledge, experience and type of innovative ideas that Connecticut so desperately needs at this critical time in our state’s history. The next Governor has to be able to hit the ground running, and Dan is the person best qualified to do precisely that.”
· Margaret Hackett, Chair, Town of Manchester Board of Education:
“Dan’s track record in Stamford when it comes to education convinced me that as Governor he would be a partner to schools statewide. Year after year he invested in his city’s school system, and created the state’s first citywide pre-school program, ensuring that all 4-year-old children have access to pre-K regardless of their economic circumstances. That kind of executive focus on education is vital to Connecticut’s future.”
· Lisa Paggioli-O’Neill, Secretary, Town of Manchester Board of Directors:
“I support Dan Malloy for Governor because he understands the tremendous challenges facing Connecticut’s towns and cities. Dan has a proven record of creating jobs, improving schools and reducing crime. He’s turned Stamford into a model American city while operating on a balanced budget. As Governor, Dan Malloy will provide the type of dynamic leadership Connecticut needs.”
· Josh Howroyd, Former Mayor, Manchester
· Jay Moran, Member, Town of Manchester Board of Directors
· Rudy Kissmann, Member, Town of Manchester Board of Directors
· Maria Cruz, Member, Town of Manchester Board of Education, and Secretary, Democratic Town Committee
· Peter Labelle, Democratic District Chairman, Nathan Hale
· Carl Stafford, Democratic District Chairman, Waddell
· Jim McCavanagh, Former State Representative, 12th District
· John Topping, Former Member, Town of Manchester Board of Directors
· Colin O’Neill, Member, Manchester Democratic Town Committee
· Richard Cormier, Democratic Volunteer and Retired Education Leader
· Chuck Barrera, Constable, Member Manchester Democratic Town Committee
· Tom Stough, Labor Leader and Member, Manchester Democratic Town Committee
· Sandy Stough, Labor Leader and Member, Manchester Democratic Town Committee
· Doug Norwood, Member, Manchester Democratic Town CommitteeFrom South Windsor:
· Joan Walsh, Chair, South Windsor Democratic Town Committee
· John Pelkey, Mayor, South Windsor
· Ed Havens, Deputy Mayor, South Windsor
· Betty Kuehnel, Member, South Windsor Democratic Town Committee
· Tony Duarte, Member, South Windsor Democratic Town CommitteeFrom Bolton:
· John Toomey Jr., Chairman, Bolton Democratic Town CommitteeFrom Glastonbury:
· Tom Kehoe, State Representative, Glastonbury
Ned camp responds:
LAMONT 2010 STATEMENT ON MALLOY ENDORSEMENTS
Joe Abbey, Campaign Manager for potential candidate for governor Ned Lamont, made the following comments in response to the endorsements announced today by Dan Malloy:
“Ned is not a career politician and has never been the insiders’ choice for office. In this political climate, it’s clear voters want candidates who will challenge the status quo and shake up the system, and who won’t participate in the same old political deals motivated by selfish political ambition that they’ve seen become commonplace in both Washington and Hartford.
“As this campaign progresses voters who are concerned about their jobs and the future of Connecticut are going to see a stark contrast between the candidates vying for the Democratic nomination for Governor.”
Why, I wonder, would Ned’s camp bite on Malloy’s endorsements? And why would Ned castigate folks supporting Malloy? I gotta think some of them supported him for U.S. Senate. Malloy spokesman Roy Occhiogrosso shares his take.
Why’s Ned overreacting like this? It’s a little unsettling. Is he seeing significant support moving toward Dan, and getting rattled by it? There’s more to come. And did he really use the term ‘selfish political ambition?’ Ironic.
Rell was the “Teflon Mom!”
And Malloy couldn’t beat DeStefano with the endorsement.
“Oz” Griebel has the Courage, Heart, and Brains to lead Connecticut.
Quotable Quote:
Republican Governor Jodi Rell, still bolstered by high approval ratings, pretty much has given up. I’m outta here soon, let the next guy deal with it. Some legacy, eh? There’s no denying Rell’s Fairy Godmother appeal.
“Rell’s Fairy Godmother appeal” is a fantastic description of our governor. It stopped me in my tracks. It’s why I read this blog. Lennie is a documented wordsmith.
I was laughing so hard I nearly fell out of my chair …
I really don’t give a damn about either downstate Democrat running for the governor’s job.
I care about what is happening here in Bridgeport.
Last night we had another major fire in the Remington Arms property on Seaview & Grant. According to the FD there have been over a dozen fires here. Captain Rivera the FD spokesman sounds like an apologist for DiNardo in his statements to the CT Post. Rivera states that it is a complicated situation and FD has been working with him (DiNardo) for years. Rivera states that it would be costly to tear down the buildings and take care of the brownfields.
My question for Capt Rivera is how costly would it be if one or more of our brave firefighters dies or gets permanently injured fighting a fire in these derelict buildings?
While it is true these mill-constructed buildings are strong and well constructed every fire weakens them and makes them more dangerous.
The other issue is every time we fight a fire in these building we expose large portions of the city to delayed fire responses because we have so many fire companies tied up at these fires in a vacant building.
It’s time for the city to get off its ass and get these buildings knocked down.
Maybe it’s time to hire an outside expert and find out exactly where and what the pollutants are and I don’t mean use DiNardo’s remediation company. I don’t want to see one Firefighter hurt at one of these fires. They are not expendable.
From strictly a Bridgeport point of view neither Lamont nor Malloy will do much for Bridgeport. As I have written in the past it is to the advantage of the downstate towns to keep Bridgeport from developing major industries or major businesses. Some ask why and the answer is simple. If Bridgeport starts to develop big time the workforce that now commutes every day from Bridgeport and the valley to Stamford will start taking the new jobs offered by Bridgeport redevelopment. These politicians are not worried about the high-salary jobs they are worried about the mid-range jobs. The salaries they pay are in the $20K to $35K range. If the commuters take the Bridgeport jobs the salary range in the downstate market would have to go up significantly to keep the people commuting to Stamford and the other downstate cities or towns.
It would be in Bridgeport’s best interests at this point in time if Chris Shays ran for governor. I don’t believe in modern times there has been a governor from Bridgeport.
It’s time Bridgeport got its fair share of state aide and the only way I see that happening is if we elect someone from Bridgeport to the statehouse.
Are you insane!?!
Shays lived in Bridgeport as a way to decrease the vote against him vs. to invest in this town.
More importantly he didn’t deliver for Bpt both because of the city’s reputation for corruption, but also because he was persona non grata with the Republican leadership in Washington. He was too liberal to have influence with the hardcore conservatives. So he lost his leadership post on one of his Homeland Security sub-committees. He couldn’t bring home any serious bacon back to CT.
He flip-flopped on almost every major issue pre-election vs. post-election in order to get some independent and Democratic votes. For example, he was for a timetable to pull out of Iraq pre-election. Then he voted against it post-election. The list could go on.
He is a good guy and has a big heart. But I have not seen a demonstration by his actions a commitment to turn around Bridgeport.
I have been called nuts before so I guess insane falls into that range. Politicians from both parties flip-flop all the time. Just check the Washington Dems and how they are now flip-flopping.
My feelings were and are that at least we would have a chance to get something for Bpt from Hartford with him there. The other announced candidates are going to do squat for Bridgeport as it is not in their best interests.
The other factor is that at least he has lived here and from what I have read is moving back here.
Let’s start with, “He is a good guy and has a big heart.” Can that be a first round favorable qualifier for a candidate for office? How many people running for the office of state executive and can have people say, good guy and big heart after observing them for three decades?
Does he have political experience? Here you have to give him credit for winning more elections than probably any previous candidate for the office of Governor. So he has a savviness about campaigning and winning multiple times unknown to his competition.
Remember he ran and won in the CT Legislature before going to Washington, so he has experience as to the nature of our legislature with its smaller-town mindset emphasizing 169 communities rather than regional concepts of serving its citizens.
He has also had experience in attempting to upgrade election practices and financing as well as working across the aisle in a truly bipartisan manner. Perhaps he could keep the election focused on the overall mission of the State, to do those things that others cannot do by themselves effectively or efficiently with the most quality and the least expense???
If it is about bringing bacon to Bridgeport, then how do we mark the Bridgeport delegation generally or specifically, for any time period you want to look at??? So if no one has had success at bringing home the bacon, according to critics, why use that as a criterion? Why not measure by the candidate exhibiting the most positive characteristics and the fewest impediments???
Finally, the man has energy and spirit that goes far beyond what is in it for himself or family. He did not need to move to Bridgeport in any case and because of party affiliation predominating with many on this blog there is little appreciation for what he actually delivered. With the huge registration bulge of Democrats exceeding Republicans in the City, the unaffiliated or independent vote is sometimes ignored. At a time when party politics was emphasizing positions at the farther regions of platforms, Shays could more frequently be found around concepts and solutions that could be said to inhabit the middle. We need practitioners of the possible in politics these days and he seems to be one of them.
I guess we can question whether he has the talent to be Chief Executive of State Government but then we would have to ask ourselves why we don’t ask that question of ourselves when looking at our candidates for Bridgeport’s executive, our Mayor, in past elections. I am happy to think that he still has ‘public service’ in his blood, and that blood is not tired!!!
Optimistic I feel the same way!!! We all know his vote totals would have been worse if he lived somewhere else and I know that for a fact and that is why he lives here … we already saw what he did in office and he did not deliver for the city so he is old news. But since Shays has lived in Bpt he has a 6000 voter base for every election in Bridgeport who will come out and vote for him. Russo on the other hand is a guy that would stay in Bpt win or lose. And honestly I can say I like Russo and he is a damned hard worker. He should have run for gov. John Slater is a Republican that I would vote for. I voted for him in November for city council. He is a young man with a bright future.
Optimistic – TC just talks pure garbage sometimes and he is always wrong on election predictions for some reason, I notice a pattern about him. I don’t think you’re nuts TC I would not go that far.
donj: Just tell me what Ned Lamont stands for. Yeah he did good when he beat Lieberman in the primary but he lost to him in the general election when independents got to vote. In case you have not noticed the independents have the national Dems on the run.
Predictions (not Mine) are that it is quite possible the Dems will lose control of the senate and the house in November.
Prediction within the next 2 weeks one of Obama’s white house insiders will fall on his sword and resign could be Rahm Emanuel.
donj –
I agree with your assessment of Rob Russo. He is committed to the long-term success of Bridgeport and is a smart, honest and great guy. He is a Republican I respect and could vote for because he is committed to his beliefs.
My issues with Shays is … what one person calls savvy another calls … shall we say disingenuous. In general, he hasn’t been a firm independent with strong views, he has shifted positions based on political calculation.
I do agree with a few things Beacon2
1) Shay did fight for campaign finance reform and suffered a political price for that. I give him lots of credit for that.
2) We do have inadequate leadership in Bpt who don’t work together to successfully bring home the bacon from the state capitol.
Wow, Lennie, going pretty hard negative here.
“The guy who had Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton and all the liberal special interests preening behind him into the cameras on primary night in 2006, or someone who has balanced budgets, attracted development, stabilized taxes, supervised a workforce?”
Why go back that far? Malloy had Jesse Jackson behind him on stage last week.
“The Dems, of course, will say we don’t tax the rich enough, blah, blah, blah. The problem with state spending, however, is a Democratic-controlled legislature.
Republican Governor Jodi Rell, still bolstered by high approval ratings, pretty much has given up. ”
Given up? She never even tried. Remember when she was going to vastly increase the state’s education spending by raising the income tax? She’s basically a liberal who tries to throw the Republican base enough bones so they don’t feed her to the wolves.
Sorry Grack, sometimes I can’t help myself.
You are right Rell only cares about herself. I am supporting Ned Lamont for gov.
By the way does anybody know how many registered Democrats there are at Black Rock school? I always wondered what was the breakdown between Republicans and Democrats here.
“town committee,” I am in agreement with your comments about fire at the Remington Arms property on Seaview & Grant. You said, “according to the FD there have been over a dozen fires here. Captain Rivera the FD spokesman sounds like an apologist for DiNardo.”
Andy, Captain Rivera was only saying what Fire Chief Rooney told him to say. Your concerns about those fires and the health and safety of the firefighters are in the hands of Chief Rooney and as you notice he never makes any statements but he is the person who is responsible.
Riddle me this:
“The building is owned by developer Sal DiNardo, and the department has been working with him for years on trying to keep the buildings safe, Rivera said.
“For quite a few years we have been battling with him to take care of it,” he said. “We have meetings once a month to discuss them.”
Has the department been working with him or battling with him???
It can’t be both!
Come on Ron, riddle me this:
“He’s stuck between a rock and a hard place,” Rivera said. The buildings sit on properties that are deemed brownfields for the contamination the companies that used them left behind, which means whatever is done with them will be expensive.
“It’s going to cost him to get rid of them or to fix them, and he owes back taxes on them,” Rivera said. “It’s an ongoing situation.”
Does Rivera have a clue as to what he is saying?
Sal bought the buildings with delinquent tax liens already in place and with full knowledge of the property being contaminated.
If he is not acting as an apologist for Uncle Sal then he should simply shut up and stick strictly to the facts about the fire. The chief may be able to tell him what not to say but he cannot make him make comments if he simply chooses not to.
And where in the world is Councilman Curwen? Is he still in charge of security at the building? And if so why isn’t he held responsible?
TC, you should have been handing out literature about this fiasco when you ran against him. There is only one thing certain about a friendly fight. The person who agrees to that is always the loser.
Grin: You are right. I did not see the forest for the trees. I concentrated on issues within the district and that was my mistake. I wish you would have reminded me then. It is a fact that Curwen is still in charge of security there.
Basically I hold the city responsible, they have the power to handle this problem but all we get from them is a wink and oh yeah there are brownfields. That must make the residents of that area feel great.
Ron: I rode by and around the site this morning and if there ever was an attempt to secure these buildings it has failed miserably. The entire complex is open and readily accessible to anyone who wants to enter.
Years ago there was a board of condemnation that would have held hearings on this property and condemned it and had it torn down.
This property sits waiting for the pipe dream of an East Side railroad station. Based on the fire I saw on the news this was a good stop and prevented the entire complex from going up.
What I don’t understand is why the buildings are not being torn down for their salvage value. Those beams are worth a lot of money and the bricks that make up the buildings are salvageable.
Are the pollutants that are claimed to be there the type that can be covered by asphalt? What are the pollutants and where are they located? I will grant you that the shot tower is probably contaminated with lead but isn’t that encapsulated inside the building?
I believe we are being sold a bill of goods here.
1.) Merrick Alpert debates AG Blumenthal in Hartford on March 1 at 7pm–it’ll be televised on channel 61.
2.) Do ya wanna know what it’s like to predict the future?
Just ask Peter Schiff whose main topics in 2006 were America’s lack of savings and production and our huge debt: governmental, corporate and consumer. Sound familiar? Watch the whole thing. Running time: 9:00
www .youtube.com/watch?v=I9087euswWo
“town committee” & “Grin Reaper” I am in agreement with you. What action does Chief Rooney and Bob Curwen plan on taking the Remington Arms property on Seaview & Grant.
Captain Rivera the FD spokesman does sounds like an apologist for DiNardo because he is getting his orders and talking points from Chief Rooney. Captain Rivera is not going to give his own opinion.
I think the firefighters on this post are correct: Captain Rivera is caught between reporting the facts, answering legitimate questions, and stifling an understandable impulse to tell the world EXACTLY what he thinks. The result comes out mushy.
What he can’t say is that Sal DiNardo is an opportunistic developer who took a shot on a piece of real estate that is difficult to redevelop. He has thus far proven unsuccessful in that business enterprise. He has created, probably inadvertently, a worse hazard to the common good than existed before he got involved in the project.
The city should blow the complex up as a hazard to the community, bill Mr. DiNardo, seize the property for nonpayment of taxes and whatever other assets they can get. Whatever, maybe Sal gets the idea that retiring to Massachusetts and raising cranberries is not such a bad idea.
*** Is that the only abandoned brownfield industrial building in Bpt? They all need fixing somehow but the money & interest is not there. However there are some bloggers on OIB that always seem to have an extra negative comment when it comes to Mr. DiNardo or Mr. Curwen & of course the Bpt fire chief? ***
“The decision awarded DiNardo the right to buy $377,000 worth of tax liens on the environmentally contaminated lot for $1. The deal included a pledge from DiNardo to pay another $300,000 in taxes owed on the property and to invest $1 million to build a new structure on the lot …”
Gee, who was the Councilman who introduced this resolution? One would think that the presenter of this resolution would insist that Sal DiNardo honors his part of the deal. Is an attempt in remodeling the old structure the same as building “a new structure” on the lot? This is not a negative comment; it’s a factual statement. BTW, how much taxes has DiNardo paid on 1095 South Avenue since this sweet deal?
Well there are other brownfields in Bridgeport but how many of those have had so many fires? Having just 1 firefighter injured or killed at these sites is one too many. What are the pollutants on this property and the other properties? Claiming every old factory site is a brownfield may be accurate but no one tells us exactly what the pollutants are and most of all do these pollutants affect the firefighters that keep responding to these locations. If this site was chosen for a new Eastside Railroad station how would the brownfield be corrected? Perhaps just a layer of asphalt? Who knows? You can bet your life if this were the site of the Railroad station the pollutants would be cleaned up well within a good profit margin.
I plead guilty to having extra negative comments when it comes to the fire chief. The fire chief action or lack of action with the Remington Arms property will continue to endanger the health and safety of firefighters and I will always speak out on that issue and against the fire chief anytime a situation that deals with his poor decisions with the health & safety of firefighters or the residents of Bridgeport.
Would they do a exorcism first?
Bridgeport has finally produced a real estate tycoon worthy of a brownfield, a tax break and dinner in the kitchen.
Someone’s in the kitchen with Mario,
Someone’s in the kitchen I know, oh, oh, oh
Someone’s in the kitchen with Mario,
Getting a big tax deal for the ho.
Furthermore, I hope he pukes on cranberries!
Riddle me this:
The most recent blaze erupted Sunday night in a former Remington building at the corner of Grant Street and Seaview Avenue, a huge, one-story sawtooth structure that extends south along Seaview nearly two city blocks.
Isn’t that the property the city wants to take by eminent domain to build that expensive road to nowhere???
Just how lucky can Uncle Sal get? He buys a property entangled in tax liens sitting on a brownfield that all of a sudden the city and Bridgeport Business Council wants to take over with tons of federal funds to build a road that no one thinks should build. But if the plan goes through Sal is off of the hook and is free and clear in cash.
Paging countdown; paging countdown.
Please tell us again about how wonderful this second railroad station is going to be.
Even if it just happens to clear deadbeat developers out of dirty property and dirty paper it is for the public good even if it never gets built.
10, 9, 8, 7, 6 …
Congrats to Bobby McCloud.
Assistant Fire Chief Robert McCloud said Monday that all of the recent blazes at the plant appear to have been either intentionally set by arsonists or accidentally by squatters and homeless people.
“All of the utilities have been shut off there, so there’s no other way for a fire to start there” on its own, he said. “Somebody, whether it’s teenagers, whether it’s homeless individuals–it also could be arson”
It doesn’t seem like he is afraid of telling it like it is.
Grin: A building with that type of construction (Mill Construction) with the heavy timbers and extra thick wood flooring is going to need more than teenagers with a match or a lighter to get them going. A fire you started in this manner will burn itself out. Squatters using a barrel to burn wood will not get the building going. These types of buildings need a heavy fuel load (a large amount of wood debris and other combustibles) to get them going and to sustain the fire. As hard as it is to start a fire that will heavily damage these buildings it is equally as hard to extinguish these types of fires.
*** 12 fires in 10 years, mostly due to homeless vagrants trying to keep warm. Seems that scenario seems to happen @ many vacant dwellings across the city during the colder months of the year & not really the fault of the city, owners or overseers, even when the buildings are boarded up! Not ’til some sort of future fed. or state development grants & agreement between the city & present owners is made. So the dwellings are completely torn down & the property fenced in, so you can really keep better control & watch over the properties in general & an easier time in doing what’s necessary to get them hopefully back on the tax rolls! This is the type of political thinking & teamwork that’s needed to tackle all the abandoned contaminated industrial sites in Bpt & state in general to help with blight & in getting large sites ready for future possible development. *** Also, a town or city ordinance that is sanctioned by the state which limits no more non-profit dwellings, etc. either owned or rented, once the level of 49% is reached to protect no less than 51% of a town or city’s property-tax rolls. ***
*** Please, no more silver-spoon “$” politicians running for anything like McMahon & Lamont. ***
Mofo,
Tell the deadbeat developer who you seem to love so much to pay his $15 million in back taxes and no one will complain about him at all.
He bought the property with back taxes and pollution knowing that he would backdoor a deal to get him off of the hook and plenty of cash to boot.
This has nothing to do with non-profit. It is all the dirty deals that Sal Dinardo, Mario Testa, John Fabrizi, Bill Finch and Joe Ganim cooked up that penalized the hard-working taxpaying citizens of the city of Bridgeport. They would sell your house from underneath you and steal your car while charging obscene fees and penalties, but Uncle Sal is the politico’s pal.
*** There should be more Bpt developers willing to make a legal deal with the city providing they’ve kept their word on other similar deals; to get a tax break on their industrial abandoned sites with a contract stating they will clean & prepare the site by a certain time with their “$” so it can hopefully get back on the city’s tax roles. DiNardo has done this in the past, city contracts, state approved, & has paid $300,000+ to the city before being able to seal the deal. Also the one @ South Ave. he met with the Seaside Village board to get their approval & consent that no anti-environment, etc. business would be allowed on that site, which was also put in the city’s contract. There is very little interest from developers to buy contaminated industrial sites, clean them, then build on them as well as pay the prior back taxes, all beforehand. Now if the city does not legally move on a property due to the owner’s contract default, that’s the city’s fault! *** “Grin,” aka “?” since you seem to worry so much about DiNardo maybe you should tell him to pay his back taxes! Also, your blogging seems to be very memorable indeed & so are your little songs! ***
“Nedheads Aren’t Enough To Win.”
Lennie, since you’ve never stated the same about the “Dickheads,” I must assume that you believe there are plenty of them for Dick Blumenthal to win.
Grin,
If I remember correctly, there are over 25 acres at Rem Grit on Barnum. I do believe the very eastern part of that site should be part of the development of the Seaview Transit Corridor that would connect I-95 and North including lowering the underpass and construction of a second train station and parking structure. This should be paid for by the Feds as part of an economic development/transit development. Look at Stamford. They just got another $35 million to do their transitway in the South End. That is on top of several early grant awards of multi-millions courtesy of Chris Shays. For Bridgeport he secured the mega millions for our transit garage and new regional bus terminal among a huge list of other important earmarks.
As for the Rem Grit site and its huge tax arrearage, several years ago the little town of Redding sold the tax liens on their 50-acre contaminated site through a special RFP looking for a development team that had experience doing such reclamation. That Development Team with Steve Solarz bought out the property owner. Now they have the Georgetown project that is going to use Tax Increment Financing through the Connecticut Development Authority. In my opinion, Bridgeport should bundle up all of those tax liens and do a specialized RFP like Redding. Let an experienced developer with deep pockets duke it out with the current owner.
As for the Condemnation Board and the blight program, Chief Rooney is on that Board. Bridgeport should be fining the current owner for blight big time. If that doesn’t work, they should condemn and hire a demolition contractor and take down part of the site that is the most vulnerable and stick another lien on that property.
In my opinion, the City should NOT take title to the property for any reason. They should not become part of the chain of title. If they do, they will be roped into liability issues that could be huge. So I think the owner should be hammered to make that property safe as well as pursuing a second train station and transitway. It is not a mutually exclusive situation in my opinion.
“Look at Stamford. They just got another $35 million to do their transitway in the South End. That is on top of several early grant awards of multi-millions courtesy of Chris Shays.”
The East Side of Bridgeport is no comparison with the South End of Stamford. Which one do you think is closer to New York City? Where would the people stopping at this dream station of yours go to, East Main Street? Your plan sounds like the current downtown plan where those visiting the Arena or the Ball Park can just hop back on I-95. When Bridgeport has 30- or 50-story buildings (7 at least) and begins to resemble Stamford in some ways, then I think we can talk about another Train Station. A city that is reluctant to take on projects such as sidewalk repairs (very simple to do) that includes the hidden side streets is not ready for the real big projects (much complicated to do). There is hope for Bridgeport when Stamford becomes New York City.