Only a few regular meetings remain for the current City Council that will be replaced by a new legislative body with some new faces in December. Citizen fiscal watchdog John Marshall Lee revisited some questions he has presented to the current configuration during an address to councilors Monday night.
Entries Tagged as 'John Marshall Lee'
Going, But Not Gone Yet
September 19th, 2017 · 8 Comments · City Budget, City Council, City Politics, Development and Zoning, Education, Law Enforcement, News and Events
Tags: John Marshall Lee
Raising Questions About The Cost Of Police Contract, Pension Obligations
August 24th, 2017 · 7 Comments · City Budget, City Council, Firefighters, Law Enforcement, News and Events
As the police union contract heads to arbitration, see story here, citizen fiscal observer John Marshall Lee asks about the price tag for the 2015 retroactive contract.
Oh City Council, Just One More Thing–Boots Made For Talking
August 20th, 2017 · 21 Comments · Analysis and Comment, City Budget, City Council
It’s disquieting for some City Council members to endure citizen budget hawk John Marshall Lee’s observations. He’s the Lieutenant Columbo of government watchdogs, coming back loaded with unnerving, bone-to-pick questions about financial issues. Columbo persists with uncanny observations, rumpled jacket and neck tie. Lee weighs in with signature bow tie and red boots, his symbolism […]
Lee: Pension Stew Pot A Financial Screwy Wabbit
August 7th, 2017 · 8 Comments · City Budget
Citizen fiscal observer John Marshall Lee asks in a commentary “Remember Elmer Fudd? The little guy, with a funny voice, and a shotgun pursuing his rabbit stew recipe? ‘First you need a rabbit.’ And there was Bugs Bunny looking on, laughing at Fudd, the mighty hunter.”
Tags: Joe Ganim·John Marshall Lee
Gardner Laments Pols Favoring City At Expense Of Schools
July 13th, 2017 · 2 Comments · Education, News and Events
Board of Education member Howard Gardner in a commentary that also appeared in the CT Post asserts “As long as the administration and political bosses can pressure and influence members of the board, the 21,000 children of this district will always get the short end of the stick.”
Tags: Bill Finch·Howard Gardner·Joe Ganim·Joe Larcheveque·John Marshall Lee
Kohut: City SS Titanic
July 4th, 2017 · 14 Comments · City Politics, Development and Zoning, State Politics
North End resident Jeff Kohut, a 2011 mayoral candidate, shares in this commentary “Economic “development” in Bridgeport is mostly fanciful illusion and consists almost exclusively of propaganda-quality announcements of inappropriate, grandiose, jobless, undoubtedly tax-abated/untaxable projects on city-owned, “flippable” properties.” From Kohut:
City In Bondage
July 3rd, 2017 · 1 Comment · City Budget, City Council
City fiscal observer John Marshall Lee addressed the City Council Monday night on the subjects of pensions, bonding and overtime. Tonight on your agenda is an item, #105-16 to refer to committee, an idea from Joe Ganim’s “playbook” that has had very little discussion.
Tags: Joe Ganim·John Marshall Lee
When A Plan Does Not Go According To Plan
September 6th, 2017 · 2 Comments · Analysis and Comment, City Budget, City Council, City Politics
Pensions, unfunded liability, bonding were some of the topics citizen fiscal investigator John Marshall Lee presented to the City Council Tuesday night. From Lee: Next Tuesday September 12, there are Democratic primaries in nine of the ten districts. Citizen candidates in nine districts decided to run, not because they were organized by the historically influential, […]
[Read more →]
Tags: Joe Ganim·John Marshall Lee