The city budget, as OIB has reported for weeks, is ugly and doesn’t look like it’s getting better any time soon.
Only it’s worse than we thought. The city is now projecting a $20 million hole one-third into the budget year and we don’t even know what next year looks like, let alone if the city can close this year’s gorilla hole.
Mayor Bill Finch met with the editorial board of the Connecticut Post Monday afternoon clutching a graphic on an easel loaded with numbers in red figures.
Finch told the Connecticut Post: the $20 million projected shortfall–out of a total city budget of $492 million for 2008-09–can be made up with $1.5 million savings in police overtime, selling city-owned property valued at $1 million, $4.5 million in union concessions, $3.8 million in assorted budget reductions, $500,000 in the recently re-instituted “Bootfinder” program for motor vehicle tax delinquents, and $7 million from the school system.
Okay, what if he doesn’t get the union concessions? What are those assorted budget reductions? What’s the $7 million from the school system that he couldn’t get before?
In 2000, the city’s fund balance was $50 million. Today it’s $9 million. The city’s fiscal condition is not quite as bad as 20 years ago when former Mayor Tom Bucci reached out to the state for a bailout, but it’s tracking closer every day. It doesn’t reach the point of desperation until the city cannot meet payroll. Hopefully, we’ll never see that day.
City Councilman Bob Walsh told OIB Finch should have dealt with these issues when he got into office one year ago. “He asked for it and got it and now he doesn’t know what to do. Call him Mayor Scarecrow. If he only had a brain.”
So, do you have any suggestions how to get us out of this mess?
By the way, a salute to veterans.
New release from Mayor Finch
Mayor Announces Funding for World War II Veterans Memorial
BRIDGEPORT, CT (Nov. 11, 2008) – Mayor Bill Finch today announced that funding for the completion of the World War II Veterans Memorial has been secured and the memorial should be finished by Memorial Day 2009.
“Despite the difficult financial times we face, our veterans should never be forgotten,” Mayor Finch said. “They deserve to be recognized by the city they served so proudly. My own father is a World War II veteran, so it’s of utmost importance to me that not another day be wasted in completing that memorial.”
The approximately $240,000 needed to finish the monument will come from the City’s local capital improvement program funds.
The Bridgeport Veterans Memorial Commission also is seeking donations for a Veterans Memorial Sidewalk. The commemorative bricks, which come in two sizes and can be purchased for a donation of either $50 or $100, will encircle the monument on McLevy Green. For more information, or to purchase a brick, call Lisa Iodice at 576-3964.
I have one for Mayor Deadwood: axe some of those political appointees that still have jobs. How many greeters does city hall/city hall annex need at $40k a year … gimme a break.
Post 15 Wondering, previous topic // Nov 10, 2008 wrote at 3:49 pm
“Capitalist: The appointment of Gail Solis, Reggie Walker and a person named Fedelle signal the mayor’s intent. He has let it be known to the P&Z and ZBA that he wants the controversial project slated for Oldtown & Main St Passed. He has stated that commissioners voting against this project will be replaced. It just so happens that one of his biggest supporters who has ties to the city attorney’s office has an interest in this project.”
Thanks for the info, Wondering! Can you name some names and confirm/refute the rumor that the councilpersons from District 134 are crumbling under pressure from Finch concerning the Main Street-Old Town Road project? Is the pressure coming just from Finch or from the DTC also?
Sounds like dirty business to this capitalist! Bring back the FBI and state oversight board!!!
Lennie; any particular reason why you won’t touch the topic of the Solis appointment? Do you know anything about the project referred to above?
#1- Right on point with laying off “all” not one, election cronies & their family members as well. Also, if the Mayor thinks he’s going to get $7- million worth of incentives & cuts from the Bpt. school system, he’s been drinking “V”-blood & seeing & hearing things! Even if the B.O.E. got rid of all their consultants it would only be about $1-million in savings. But all they’re good for is asking for more money to mismanage on things they don’t need! Time for a big city prop. (sale & relocation) of some of the programs, etc. in city-owned buildings and a (stop) to leasing space from private developers to house some of these programs, etc. as well. Some examples: BRAC building, Eisenhower building, close & move Old Mill Green Library which the building is leased by the city, just to name a few! Sell Pleasure Beach to the Feds already ’cause the city nor state’s got “no” money to do anything with that waterfront prop. “Wakeup”! Since there’s all this talk on more savings, I wonder where the Mayor is going to get the money for the Veteran’s World War-II monument after that promise @ the Vets. Banquet the other nite? I’m looking forward to hearing his Vets. speech tomorrow after the parade @ Mcleavy Hall. It’s supposed to be a “surprise” for all the Veterans involved with the memorial’s fund raising! *** Also, “Happy Veteran’s Day” to all who have served & their families! Dress warm for the parade as usual, however it’s supposed to be a sunny day! Parade I believe, starts @ 11:am downtown, City Hall Annex. Let’s support & remember those whom without, “this nation would not be free”! ***
Capital: In that area you have Lyons & Panicia I believe these 2 are not caving in at the present time although Lyons is becoming increasingly friendlier with Finch.
The DTC has not expressed any positive feedback for this project.
This project reminds me of the bait and switch deal that was pulled on Eckart St. The lawyer came to zoning with a proposal for a Medical Office Complex and had the blessing of the North End association. The complex was passed and the ZONE CHANGED. The developer then switched gears and decided to put up a large apartment house that will probably house students from SHU.
On Main St & Old Town Rd we have an application for a Bank and a Starbucks although no contract has been signed with any Bank or with Starbucks.
Just think Banks are in trouble and closing branches all over the country, Starbucks has closed 100’s of stores.
I believe that the people involved in this project are looking for a Zone Change and once that happens they can build anything they want on this site and it does not have to be a Starbucks or a Bank.
To answer your other question, if you want names check the city attorney’s office on who is handling foreclosures and who is behind the LLC’s buying these properties.
Now we are at $20 million a third of the way into the budget year. The mayor and his staff have had 1 year to try and get this budget and deficit under some kind of control. They have done bupkis. Finch and his advisors have had a few token layoffs (I am sure the people who got laid off don’t think they are tokens) but other than that they have done nothing.
Finch thinks he is getting $7 million back from the BOE–fat chance, that will never happen.
Just what has he and his advisors done to ease the debt burden? Really nothing. They have no solid plan to cut the work staff in fact they keep hiring political pals.
How do you get the unions to cooperate and take cuts or furloughs when you keep hiring people for unnecessary jobs?
What Finch has to do is FIRE his entire staff starting with that wise-ass Adam Wood. These people have no clue on how to handle this deficit. It seems they throw stuff against the wall and hope it sticks. Put people in your office with financial experience and with the balls to make the tough calls.
Replace any political hack that you have hired in the past year. Gomes, Curry, Santiago. the Greeter and others that I don’t know their names.
Fire Feeney and Sherwood and replace them with no-nonsense financial people.
Print a list of council people who miss meetings. The last council meeting 9 members were missing.
This is not rocket science, the members of this blog have made numerous suggestions most of which make sense and if we can do it the mayor should be able to do it.
Finch is starting to sound like the boy running around yelling the sky is falling, the sky is falling. He does not realize the sky has fallen.
Dare I say that I would feel a whole lot better about our dismal position if I felt that the City leaders and the Department Heads had the education and know-how to lead their respective groups favorably out of this mess?
From what I have seen, some of these people probably can’t balance their own checkbooks, yet they are charged with the responsibility of running multi-million-dollar organizations.
Stop playing political games, stop pandering to special-interest groups and run this damn thing. If you want to run the city like the “private sector” than you should act like the private sector. You wouldn’t hire the way you do, and you wouldn’t always blame the employees for your problems.
Make the cuts where you can–cut the City cars for non-essential employees (some of the “essential” ones have more than 1 car!). If I recall, it was stated not that long ago that the pond was overstocked. If it is, then layoff where you can, and offer buyouts for the senior employees.
HOW to get $20 million: wouldn’t it be nice if our incoming Congressman–who seems to have important friends–could convince our incoming President to transfer $100M to Bridgeport as part of some multi-billion-dollar Aid to Cities program? Yeah, fill us up with that!
It would solve a lot of problems and be a great way to launch a Congressman’s career.
That would be nothing more than lipstick on a pig.
Yes, we need the money, but we need to fix the problem of constantly needing more money.
How do you fix that?
HereWeGo:
If you’re not afraid to call Bridgeport a pig, I’m not afraid to call you a HOG–the kind of hog that needs more than lipstick. Lipstick would just be camouflage for you–I suggest you indulge in the total beauty parlor experience to overcome your condition.
Take it easy Local.
If you must call people names and reduce yourself to insults, I suggest you keep your Blog posting experience to the ConnPost.
If you think that our problem is purely a financial shortage, then you are missing the point. We need more than just an influx of cash. We need change and repair.
If you cannot see that, then I accept your insults as your only out.
Have a nice day.
Responding in part to Mojo’s comment (#3), “Time for a big city prop. (sale & relocation) of some of the programs, etc. in city-owned buildings and a (stop) to leasing space from private developers to house some of these programs, etc. as well. Some examples: BRAC [Black Rock Art Center at 2838 Fairfield Avenue in Black Rock] building,” etc. The city is moving to evict the occupants of this property. So far it has cost the tax payers $43,292.00 annually to give Joe “I’ll get the volunteers to do it for free” Celli a place to hang his hat. (International Performing Arts, the “nonprofit” organization that operates the art center, pays the princely sum of $1.00 a year to rent the building. It should come as no surprise that this entity is the creation of Joe Celli.) The city of Bridgeport is making all the necessary legal steps to terminate the lease with this leach-like organization. A letter was sent to Alexander Schwartz invoking the sixty-day clause of the original licensing agreement. It was carbon-copied to Bill Finch and Joe Celli, among other interested parties.
If the Black Rock Art Center was operated with class and professionalism (like Fairfield Theater Company, for example) it would be a safe bet that the city would be more willing to work out a long-term lease. Maybe FTC ought to consider taking it over. After all, it isn’t the art center that Black Rock residents have a problem with; it is Joe Celli and his arrogance, Joe Celli and his unfounded sense of entitlement, Joe Celli and his personalized attacks on those who would not agree with him. He’s been hounded out of Hartford, cast out by Real Art Ways (an organization he cofounded). His name and likeness does not appear anywhere on the RAW website.
#10- True that, throwing money @ the problem is only a temp. solution but very much needed to end this layoff frenzy. However, an in-house operational audit of the city’s budget & Bpt. school system’s budget as well, is in order. With every detail, good or bad revealed to the state public & most of all, Bpt.’s taxpayers! Also I feel that since Himes is a freshman Congressman, he’s not going to have the inner connections or knowhow that Shays would have brought to the table during this tough economic recession the country’s in. I don’t expect much from Himes during his first #2 yrs. in office. The house Dems. are really going to have to help him out, if they want him re-elected in #2 yrs.
I don’t often say this but on this occassion I will:
Good for Mayor Finch for securing the funds for the World War II Veterans Memorial. Three of the bricks encircling the memorial will bear the names of my father and two uncles.
I think Himes’ll do alright by Bridgeport. He’s a freshman, sure, but he’s also a good horse trader, a consensus-builder. Urban areas turned out in droves for the Democratic Party this year, including Bridgeport. It has been a priority to the Democrats (going all the way back to John F. Kennedy’s administration) to rebuild America’s inner cities. That is one of the things Himes was elected to do: bring in investment to Bridgeport so that the city’s rebirth as a major financial and cultural center will continue. The evangelical conservative base of the GOP may not like it, but that’s hard cheese for them. Most of them live in the midwest or the southeast, areas of the country where agriculture provides the largest number of jobs. No one in the Park City is raising livestock or cultivating cotton. We need the money more than the agribusinessmen farming chicken and catfish in Mississippi and Arkansas.
Thanks, Wondering (post 4, above)! The Old Town Road-Main Street situation is starting to look something like Ganim’s Madison Avenue Stop and Shop debacle. Finch was Ganim’s chief gremlin on the Council for that one–which is the first development situation that piqued the FBI’s interest about that administration …
Any wonder why Finch is so determined to keep the Financial Review Board out of Bridgeport? It’s just so hard to squander the taxpayers’ money on useless patronage positions and arrange all of those back-room deals for the DiNardos and D’Addarios when you have the state making you account for the taxpayers’ money!
Sell! Sell!! Sell!!!
Bridgeport is a pro-forma Chapter 9.
Here are a couple of ideas.
If Finch can or is going to dissolve the Port Authority he could do the following.
Sell the Port Authority building and property for private marina/waterfront development
Negotiate with the Bridgeport-Port Jefferson Ferry Company allowing them to move across the harbor for a sizeable upfront fee.
Throw out the Steal Point deal and rebid it into quadrants with land purchase for each quarter according to thr proposed master plan for area. 45 acres has to bring in a minimum of 10-12 million dollars. The land sale immediately takes the property and puts it back on the tax rolls.
Approach the Pequonnock Yacht Club about staying at Steal Point for 4.5 million, getting back the monies they were to receive to relocate.
Go to Fairfield and sell The Wheel with a built-in fee structure that would give Bridgeport residents parity on greens fees with Fairfield residents.
Finch should welcome a State Financial Review Board-type vehicle that would get him off the hook on jobs and spending. Placing the city into professional managers hands.
Watch out for a mid-year mini tax that could also be implemented.
I see no reason to keep the “Black Rock (non) Art Center”
NOTHING has happened there of interest, unless you were interested in a celebration of “Voodoo Month” recently.
There are many ways to put a dent in the deficit but this administration does not want to make the hard choices.
1. Get rid of the horse patrol and put those cops back on the street. approx $500,000
2. Get rid of the community policing unit on Sylvan Ave and put those cops back on the street.
3. The PD has a whole fleet of the older white Fords sell them off; just count them and you will be surprised at the number.
4. If putting these cops mentioned above back on the street swells the number of street cops above what the contract calls for then lay off the rookies.
5. Every Single person taking a car home including the mayor should have these cars pulled let everyone drive their personal cars to work. The savings has to be large as most of these people live out of town.
6. Close up John Gomes’ unit as this was a mistake that will save at least 3 salaries in the area of $175,000
7. Lay off the Greeter $40,000
8. Lay off at least 3 people in the mayor’s office savings of at least $200,000
9. Get rid of any consultants we now have on the payroll and there are a few.
10. Get rid of the port authority savings of at least $1,000,000
11. Follow some of the great ideas in post #17
12. Get rid of the labor relations office as they don’t do anything but show up late for work and hire outside people to negotiate contract. Savings about $270,000
After you do this take a step backwards and see where you are. If you can’t do this do us all a favor and resign and let someone that can do the job do it.
Finch’s press secretary makes $80 grand plus benefits. Lay her off and let Adam Wood handle the media.
How about letting kids direct the traffic on a part-time basis instead of my fellow brothers in blue on OT … although a wonderful sorce of extra money … a big-time drag on a deficit.
I also wonder if Russo’s great relationship with Governor Rell will hurt now that Musto is in … I voted for Musto but he doesn’t have pull with Rell like Russo does.
*** #17 & #19- All good ideas that must be tweaked first, to be aware of any legalities that might come up beforehand. The only one I’m not inclined to change just yet is the Steel Point deal. On that one due to the present economy, I would be willing to sort of wait & see however, keeping better tabs on past & present interested parties for future possible decisions? Also I would not get rid of labor relations but I would consolidate & streamline Labor Relations, Civil Service & Payroll, etc. together and call it Human Resources. One director & #3 managers, the rest regular city employees. Here’s a few more, get rid of all overpaid consultants both on the city side & B.O.E. Lay off all election cronies on city payroll & close some of the smaller useless P/D community stations. Push for sale of Pleasure Beach to Feds. before the start of the new “09-10” city budget! *** And last but not least, something that’s going to take some city legal researching to see if it can be done; pass a 15% city service fee (not tax) on all non-profit services or businesses that are using “city” buildings, property & services??? Is it possible??? ***
Finest, I don’t mean this as an insult, but Russo didn’t have any pull with the Senate. The veto-proof majority is back and just because it wasn’t used before doesn’t mean it won’t be now, especially on the Health Care Partnership Act. The tokens the Governor gave Russo weren’t really enough to buy Bridgeport a bandaid. We need someone who has pull in the Legislature, where there might be a chance of more fully funding PILOTS. The problem is the Bridgeport Delegation won’t work together and I am sure Grogins and Santiago won’t be welcomed with open arms. It will take Santiago two years to open his mouth and two minutes for Grogins to stick her foot in her mouth. Musto will at least have some influence holding the swing seat. Senate Dems will want to hang onto that seat and they will throw Musto some bigger bones than the Governor could do with Russo. Hopefully the Congress will also feel that they need to hold on to Himes (and I think they will and that Himes has a bright future) and give him some of the money that Courtney and Murphy got in their first two years.
There were some really good suggestions on how to help Bridgeport in this blog, however they will fall on deaf ears. I don’t think the Mayor or Wood are capable of admitting they screwed up. And as they say if you can’t acknowledge the problem you can’t solve the problem.
Let me get this straight … Mayor Finch and his staff are being blindsided by a $20 million and growing budget deficit and have the audacity to act as if they had no idea it was coming. Bullshit … as most every reader of this blog knows many of these same people were holdovers from the Johnny Fabs regime and were directly involved in the previous years budgets and the “fuzzy math” used to create them.
Just so I am clear on this … their jobs are secure? They aren’t being given their walking papers? They aren’t being held accountable for helping get us into this mess? You want me to believe that the unions are to blame?
The Mayor will tell you he is prepared to make the hard and difficult decisions to lay people off unless the unions agree to various concessions. It is my feeling that these layoffs will be neither hard nor difficult for him because they will not be his staff, his friends or his political patronage positions being cut.
Cliche- I hate to say it but I think you hit the nail on the head with your last post. The fact that so many possible solutions being tossed around on this blog will fall on deaf ears is perhaps for me the most frustrating part of this whole mess.
Not too long ago I was having a conversation with a friend and we began comparing our health care coverages and related costs. During the course of this conversation he told me that his wife, employed by the town of Trumbull, has opted out of the town of Trumbull health care plan and has used his instead. Her reason for doing so is the town has offered its employees a financial incentive to utilize their spouse’s plan … in the neighborhood of $5 thousand a year.
Why doesn’t the city of Bridgeport, in an attempt to reduce the number of people they insure, offer a similar incentive to their employees? I am sure someone can run the numbers and see if this is a viable cost saver … just a thought.
clichebpt you should stop being such a jealous wife.
These are all great suggestions on how to decrease our growing budget deficit. I have a few more, quite obvious ones:
1) Get rid of the double-dippers (people who have retired, are collecting a pension and are back working for the City); these include Gene O’Neil and Jack Hendricks in the Parks Dept and Pia in OPM.
2) Get rid of the temps; don’t just hide them; really get rid of them. The temp in Alanna’s office was supposed to be gone but she was moved downstairs to Deb Caviness’ office. And there are still temps in Public Facilities as well. Why are we paying temps when we are laying off real employees anyway?
3) Either restore the night recreation programs or eliminate the rec staff. This is one situation that maddens me. They cancelled night rec programs for at-risk kids in the poorest of neighborhoods yet they kept the entire administrative staff. To do what, I ask? Charlie Carroll has been real chumy with Mario lately. Rumor has it that Charlie is going to assign his rec staff to the Eisenhower Center to plan programs for the seniors. But wait a minute, isn’t that (long-time girlfriend of Mario) Rose Hoyt’s job?
Which brings me to …
4) Get rid of Rose Hoyt. She hasn’t done anything for years and is a drain on the city with a salary of $65,000. Close all the other senior centers and locate everyone at the Eisenhower center. That will give you one center with lots of seniors and lots of services. This is what the other towns do and it has proven to be very successful.
And has anyone seen the new Economic Development director? I’m at the Annex and I never see him. Not even in the men’s room.
park city fan: your reference to the Fabrizi holdovers is right on the money. The fact that Tom Sherwood is still calling the shots is simply amazing to most city employees. Let’s not forget that he is the one that masterminded the Fabrizi political employees being given civil service protection, huge salary increases and annual steps. Now Mayor Finch is stuck with these people and their ridiculously high salaries.
Tom continues to play his games. He recently created a new budget analyst position for a woman named Gisela, cousin of DTC treasurer Marie Hoffman. I checked the budget and there was NO vacant position, he created it specifically for Gisela. How was this allowed? Don’t all new positions have to approved by the city council or is this another example of “the world according to Tom Sherwood?”
A quick non sequitur … Sara Palin said she would run for President in 2012 if God wanted her to run. I have a question, can she talk to God from her backyard too? Does he phone her or simply text her? God must have a twisted sense of humor if he told George Bush he was meant to be President and is giving Sara Palin any signs that it was her destiny too. However her candidacy did give us the opportunity to see the word “heckuva” scrolling at the bottom of the TV screen.
Breakin News (again):
Last month, I personally told Finch how the City can generate or take possesion of an estimated $1 Million cash. This cash has been collected and pilling up during the last 40 years and has never been in a financial institution where it could at least have gained interest.
The cash money is generated from cash money confiscated in drug raids for example. The money is technically state property and the city receives a small percentage when the state collects some of it. If the State Legislature changes the state statute that regulates the distribution and ownership of this money, the City may be able to keep all of it. In the meantime, the actual amount is unknown (I’ll count it) and some of the money is said to be in a state of decomposition, as the money is stored in a vault that is not temperature or climate controlled. There’s also other property of value like Gold, Art and Diamonds that can generate revenue for the City.
The Bridgeport Police Department handles the applications for gun permits. The Department has confiscated firearms–most in new condition. These firearms could be resold to the Public and it’s not such a bad idea to offer these firearms to folks who qualify for the gun permits.
Now I’ll just wait for some jerks to tell me that I’m exposing sensitive or confidential information. What are they gonna do? Lock me up in booking?
Local Eyes:
Remember the Busines Principle of:
Buy Low
Sell High
Collect Early
Pay Late
This business principle no longer works the way it used to. Now, bankruptcy is no longer a sound option. Some believe that a “Bail Out” is the solution; how could it be if the business principle is not working?