Stop The Presses! Walker And Finch Agree On Something, There It Goes …

Walker and Finch
This cannot be, David Walker and Mayor Bill Finch! Don’t ya just love blackmail photos?

UPDATE: It’s not bad enough for some of us Yankee fans the bearded blowhards from Boston have now won three World Series in 10 years. Former U.S. Comptroller General David Walker, who has thrown several high and tight pitches at Mayor Bill Finch’s policies, donned a Red Sox jersey in a show of rare camaraderie with hizzoner, a big baseball fan, during a meeting at the mayor’s office last week.

The mayor issued this Tweet, “David Walker and I agree, Alert the Media!! Baseball is Great.” Yes, baseball is great (except when the Red Sox win the World Series). Hmmm, wonder what they talked about besides baseball bromance?

Walker shares some insight:

“The meeting was about the state of affairs in Bridgeport, the interests, concerns and desires of CW4BB, and the recommendations that I made to the City Council in connection with putting the City’s finances in order. It was a constructive meeting and I expect to meet with the Mayor again soon.”

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22 comments

  1. It would be so great if they both sat down and worked together to put Bridgeport’s fiscal house in order. The mayor and we taxpayers could really benefit from some expert advice on government finances, too bad our city council B&A committee did not open the books and take Mr. Walker up on his offer to roll up his sleeves and help the last budget session. Even if this were just a chance photo opportunity, may the force be with us for some real reform in city money management. I do hope this is a sign this city will and can work together for real reform.

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  2. Hello Mr. Cleaver! Can the Beaver come out and play!
    Bill needs all the friends he can find. He and Adam have rebuffed the guy since he came into town. Now they want to know him!

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  3. Coincidence that David Walker warns of Bridgeport and other cities with similar balance sheets becoming the next Detroit (i.e., going bankrupt) … and there’s Mayor Finch wearing a “Detroit” jacket, as if to oblige him? You can’t make this stuff up.

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    1. Lol! Just amazing. Hopefully The Mayor will listen to this brilliant man. Would like to hear more from you too, Pete Spain, I loved seeing your enthusiasm while campaigning for the BOE!

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      1. Remember, a year ago Mayor Finch and others, including Susan Brannelly
        www .youtube.com/watch?v=JfaLmRBE7ok
        wanted to take our vote away for BOE (under the guise of “continuing to improve our school system”).

        We are fortunate to have many outstanding candidates for BOE this year. If there were no BOE election, one thing for sure, we’d be guaranteed more Moales majorities, compliments of Mayor Finch. Fortunately, we live in a democracy.

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    2. Interesting and astute observation, Mr. Spain. I would not have thought of it, but it does ring a little true.

      Whatever it takes for this City to get on the right track, I am down for. If these two need to pow wow then I say pow wow away.

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  4. Maybe the reason Mayor Finch is wearing a Detroit jersey is because the Motor City will make Bridgeport look good by comparison. But comparing baseball with bankruptcy is ridiculous–that stuff is made up by attention-grabbing bloggers.
    The average pensioner in Detroit receives $18,000 per year. I wonder how Bridgeport municipal workers would feel about that.
    I hope Detroit’s bankruptcy gets plenty of attention here as its outcome will impact municipalities, large and small.

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  5. I come here to pry open the juicy stuff, not rely on the jersey stuff!
    I wonder what the meeting between the two heavyweights was about.
    The rumor mill is in hyperdrive.

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  6. The meeting was about the state of affairs in Bridgeport, the interests, concerns and desires of CW4BB, and the recommendations I made to the City Council in connection with putting the City’s finances in order. It was a constructive meeting and I expect to meet with the Mayor again soon.

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  7. Dave,
    I know people who were lifelong friends of Bill Finch; who worked on numerous campaigns of his. They had volunteered countless hours of work on his behalf. And yet when he got elected mayor he wouldn’t even return their phone calls. They were thrown to the curbside like yesterday’s trash.
    He knows no such thing as loyalty or friendship. He is a user of people. Maybe he will take some advise from you. Like Ron Mackey I hope not too much but do not be surprised if you do not hear from him again. You already gave him what he wanted; a nice photo op.

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  8. Andy, I just got an idea (or a hot flash, maybe) and want your help as co-founder of Budget Oversight Bridgeport (BOB) several years ago. Contrary to your immediate reaction (“crock of BS”) to the picture posted above, what if you and I checked our respective clothes closets and looked for some baseball gear (Brooklyn Dodgers or maybe the Toledo Mudhens). (Frankly I am sure I do not have any sports-related bowties.) You must have some type of sports branded shirts or hats stored with your ‘designer’ outfits? Will you then call the Mayor’s office and see if he has an hour or so to talk with us followed by a minute for a photo op?
    Per Ron Mackey’s suggestion, I am guessing this “dartboard” material would have more popularity than one with Former GAO leader Walker and Mayor Finch, especially by the denizens of the Sherwood Forest neighborhood. Let’s see if there is anything Mayor Finch would like to discuss with us? Be sure to call me. Time will tell.

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  9. Not surprising since Walker has long been a supporter of Mayor Finch’s education policy and of the unqualified Superintendent Vallas since the policy involves privatizing public education.

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    1. David Moore, come out of your trance for a moment. Just because you have a one-sentence mantra, “Not surprising since Walker has long been a supporter of Mayor Finch’s education policy and of the unqualified Superintendent Vallas since the policy involves privatizing public education,” it does not mean repetition improves the several errors contained therein.
      “Mayor Finch’s education policy” had to do with gaining the power to appoint BOE members to gain full control of education matters in the City. Walker did not espouse that generally and certainly has questioned Finch’s claimed fiscal accountability (flat BOE funding for first several years of his terms and failed “mbr” funding of current budget by $3.2 million.
      Walker is pragmatic about governance issues in many cases. Paul Vallas’ 17 years experience in three of the largest failing US urban districts prepared him for the stagnant, dysfunctional, failures of our City system (despite the technical absence of high-level courses/degrees) and he has wasted no time putting his know-how to practical effect. Vallas has not needed Mayor Finch to whisper into his ear every morning to create the five-year plan and fund it. Finally, where has Vallas ‘privatized public education’ especially in failing school districts by his hand or voice in the face of school, parent or community opposition? Not at Curiale. Not at Dunbar, either.
      Maybe instead of chanting the mantra to OMMMMMMMM … you can begin using UHMMMMMMMMM. Time will tell.

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      1. Spare me. Every school system Vallas has been at is in a shambles … But Vallas has made quite a penny off being a “school reformer.” Not only does Vallas lack qualifications, he seems to like that in staff as in his proposal to use student interns to augment the lack of guidance counselors and his desire to hire teachers from Teach for American most of whom also lack credentials. Some reform.

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        1. David,
          Your lack of personal research and trust in others spouting falsehoods has taken over.
          There are several academic journals specifically looking at the change in New Orleans results and pointing at the continuing improvements after he has been gone … not quite the “shambles” you wish to thrust on him.
          Quite a penny as a “school reformer.” Most of your comments are penny ante, but I doubt you reference the normal salary range of a Superintendent. So what do you suggest? Where are your facts? You were suggesting I take something? Is it anything you are taking? I’d rather avoid it, frankly. Did you fall asleep? Time will tell.

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    2. David,
      You are wrong again! I support a hybrid BOE and have not taken a public position for or against Vallas. I focus on policies, not personalities. You should do the same.

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  10. John, I have an old Bridgeport Brass baseball shirt from my pony league days. I am sure if I call Billy he will take a picture with me and discuss what YOU & I have learned over the past 3 years. People will ask how did we learn what we know and share with others. We learned by attending many, many meetings and reading tons of material obtained from FOI requests.
    The thing Finch may not like is we did not receive what we know from other people’s work and do know what we are talking about.
    John, do you think the photo will be an 8×10?

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