Democratic Town Chairman Mario Testa, his relationship with Mayor Bill Finch frosty, tells CT Post reporter Brian Lockhart “I’m the chairman. If they need the help, if they need somebody, they got to come to me. Why should I go to them?” Mario plays coy when asked who’ll get his primary vote after pledging to break a tie for Joe Ganim at the Democratic Party endorsement that went to Finch. But is there any doubt? More from Lockhart:
There is a small monument to Joseph Ganim along the sidewalk outside of Testo’s Italian restaurant and banquet hall in the North End.
Nothing fancy. Just a brass plaque, dated 1997, marking a city beautification project.
Ganim was mayor so his name is prominent above those of other politicians from nearly 20 years ago.
On this particular Thursday, just a few feet away, someone had stuffed one of Mayor Bill Finch’s re-election lawn signs into the nicely groomed bushes.
There could not be a better metaphor for Testo’s owner and veteran Democratic Party chieftain Mario Testa’s relationship with Finch and Ganim ahead of their Sept. 16 primary.
It is widely believed among party insiders that Testa, 69, puts Ganim on a pedestal and wants voters to return him to City Hall and toss Finch into the bushes.
And Testa has done little to try and change that narrative.
Full story here.
Mario Testa is not that coy. It’s obvious the Finch re-election campaign is running scared. If all they can do is harp on Ganim’s criminal past, being quoted saying “I think what it proves is there is an old guard, and they want in,” Finch told the CT Mirror this week. “They don’t feel they are in.” Of course there’s an old guard, Mr. Mayor. This isn’t a game, this is a power struggle and a fight for the city’s present and future.
Steve Auerbach knows Mayor Bill Finch is running scared and he needs help because the only thing Finch has is Ganim is a felon and wants MJF to help him but that dog won’t hunt. Finch is like Donald Trump, just running his mouth and telling lie after lie. Bridgeport voters are tired of Mayor Finch’s act, seven years has been too long for having him as mayor. Finch knows the end is near.
Of course he does. The “old guard” has been around longer than Finch has been an elected official. If they want him out (and it looks as if they do), he will be gone. He has little to worry about. Paul Timpanelli may have work for him sweeping the floors and emptying the wastepaper cans at the offices of the BRBC, or Richard DeParle will have an opening for Tax Bill to sell used cars.
Interesting. I guess Mr. Mackey no longer wants to hear about Joe Ganim’s past. Last year, he said the following on OIB (replying to Mr. Auerbach, of course): “Steve, our friends are mortified with the Joe Ganims of the world who were too busy stealing taxpayers’ money.”
Crickets.
Ron, when you type crickets, what does it mean???
All they do is “chirp.”
Steve, by the way, the comment above about Joe Ganim was never made by me, never.
“Crickets” is also a sign the referenced comment is not generating a response.
The act of excessively talking unnecessarily.
Ron Mackey // Jul 15, 2014 at 3:05 pm
Steven Auerbach, my my my, you sure are mad but the truth hurts. Why would you bring into this men and women who risk their lives every single day for the residents of Bridgeport and now because you can’t hold a conversation you want to blame the people who not only risk their lives but who get lifetime injuries, some of whom are crippled from doing their job, a job you could never perform.
Steve, our friends are mortified with the Joe Ganims of the world who were too busy stealing taxpayers’ money.
Once again, your response is not only demeaning and derogatory to blacks, but it was one of the most bigoted statements I have ever read on OIB.
onlyinbridgeport.com/wordpress/fardy-bridgeport-and-detroit-sister-cities/
Yes, I made that comment, it was a reply to Steven Auerbach / Jul 15, 2014 at 2:41pm. Why didn’t you post that comment?
Is the Finch sign still there?
Bill Finch better not piss Paul Timpanelli off if he wants a job after this lost because Finch can get real mad and say some dumb things. If you look at his past employment record, he has no real marketable skills, his jobs in the private sector were given to him because of political pressure by others to get him a job. We can’t wait for Hillary to give him and Malloy a one-way ticket to DC.
Bill Finch is not the sort of individual Mrs. Clinton wants on her team.
Arrogance, pomposity, bigotry and a short temper are not marketable job skills.
She has gone pretty far with those skills.
Hillary Rodham Clinton is considerably more intelligent than Tax Bill Finch. He’s not the sort of “Democrat” she associates with.
Bill Finch is aware his time in office is coming to an end. He will be able to get a barista’s job at the new Starbucks. He has the political connections.
President George W. Bush had Michael Brown the ex-FEMA director and Bush said about Brown “heckuva job” during Hurricane Katrina so Hilary’s team will surely find a spot for Finch, there will be thousands of openings.
If the intelligentsia had a queen, her name would be Jennifer Buchanan.
Rumor Mill: the ghost of Machiavelli understood unethical acts were sometimes committed in the name of the state. In his time, rival tribes were the alternative to his brand of organized government. Survival of the state became his prime directive. He never condoned unethical acts for personal gain. What he called politics had nothing to do with today’s political campaigns.
Today, the ghost of Machiavelli is a fan of America Democracy, even though he knows it doesn’t always work. He cites Testo’s front lawn as a place where it failed, Bridgeport’s DTC as an institution that failed it and Pleasure Beach as the place where Mayor Bill Finch had it restored.
So today was a great day, as I enjoyed some peace, quiet and relaxation with 30 of my best friends on Phipps Lake in West Haven, ironically right next door to one of mt favorite principals in the Bridgeport School system at Barnum.
I needed to relax as earlier today I was canvassing and ended my day in Bridgeport at the East End Reunion at Newfield Park at an amazing event. I was there for four hours having a ball! Not only do the East End residents past and present know how to throw a party, they know how to eat very well and make you feel welcomed. Well, I certainly felt welcomed and saw about 200 people I know including many students. Personally, I’d like to thank those who put this amazing event together. D.J. Keith was pretty awesome. I am just sorry I couldn’t stay for the dinner food that was cooking when I was leaving. To me it’s all about the food!
Of course it was terrific seeing all the politicians including of course Mayor Finch and Mary-Jane Foster. Charlie Coviello, David Daniels, Chris Rosario, Bridgeport’s great Fire Department and the mounted police. Couldn’t forget Ernie Newton. This was a non-political event and I was so happy to share in the celebration.
Of course Donald Day and Ron Mackey were not there as I asked 200 people if they saw them I’d like to say hello.
Ron Mackey, Ron Ron Ron, if Mayor Finch were running scared, you’d never know it from the very warm reception he received today at Newfield Park.
Mario Testa is playing coy? He is not coy. He loves Joe Ganim in a creepy way. The actions he pulled the evening of the DTC and the day before pretty much sealed his fate. I am certain the Finch supporters on the town committee will not forget Testa’s actions. Mayor Finch will win this election by a huge margin. Mario will come out of this literally smelling like the piece of shit he is. This has nothing to do with Ganim. I think at this point Ganim knows it is over. That is why his campaign has resorted to fastening their signs onto the Mayor’s green road improvement signs. Surely, Mario and Ganim read polls. You just cannot be that seasoned in politics and not read the writing on the wall. Just the action against John Fabrizi has made people explore other hangouts. Personally, I will continue to go to Testo’s but we all go to Vazzy’s now for lobsters! Personally, I do not know how Mayor Finch can forgive Mario for his disgraceful behavior. Mario has never done anything to me other than give me a bill and accept payment for an excellent meal. I, like many, are disturbed by his inability to play the neutral role as DTC chair.
Mary-Jane Foster has three weeks to castrate Ganim. Personally, I don’t think it’s going to happen. I see Ganim and Foster combined still way below Mayor Finch. I have seen former Ganim supporters at Finch fundraisers. I think Mario Testa knows it is over. He wishes it will be a close primary race. It will not be close. Mario Testa will regret the moment he decided to inject himself into the race. Maybe not, this is Bridgeport where strange things happen. So strange, I will be operated on Sept. 9 and I will still be working my ass off to make sure Mario is depressed and I will vote on election day and take my place at Winthrop school as usual.
Ron Mackey, seriously sir, the Finch campaign is neither scared nor sleeping. The people of Bridgeport know Mayor Finch has put us on the right path and I suppose we just will continue staying on message and refrain from silly little photo opportunities.
Steve, if 11,000 Democrats vote on primary day, what will be the vote totals of Finch, Ganim and Foster?
Lennie, that I cannot imagine as I expect a high turnout in an otherwise quiet cycle. Every day, Finch supporters are coming out of the woodwork because they want to see the city move forward. I am no Maria Pereira and people are not running after me down the hundreds of streets I walk begging for signs and support. I can only say the response for Finch is just so much more positive than I could have even imagined and that includes the public housing where a wealthy Easton resident imagined he had support because he was one of them. How embarrassing to an entire community. I will tell you in the East End, even Charlie Coviello is picking up steam. Of course this is only my opinion. I go with my gut. I do not ever disparage other candidates but I do engage in honest conversation. To be honest, I have yet to come across sincere Ganim supporters who were not working on his campaign. I respect their passion.
Your opinion counts, even if it is uninformed.
If people are running after you in the street, chances are they are angry villagers with flaming torches hounding you to the outskirts of town.
🙂 You are very funny when you are not nasty and annoying.
Steve, you answered your own question when you said they know how to eat very well and you feel welcomed. Well, I certainly felt welcome. So, certainly those same people would make Finch feel welcome, it was a reunion and that’s what people do, that has nothing to do with Finch being scared of Ganim.
Ron, I do not get it. You copy and paste my entire post and end it with a one-liner. Finch may be mortified of Ganim. He doesn’t cry on my shoulder. You are a Foster supporter, no? Are you throwing in the towel and acknowledging she is done? I do not think anyone fears Ganim. He cannot escape his past. He had 12 years, he had seven in jail. Finch has done so many great things in this city, you only need ask the voters.
Steve, Andy Fardy’s comment below sums it up.
No wonder you support Finch, like him lying comes real easy for you. Not only was I there from 2 until 6:30, but I walked with Mary-Jane introducing her to many of my people who are sick and tired of being sick and tired of Mayor Finch and those who don’t really want Joe back because of his past. Charlie C didn’t come until after 6 and I never saw David Daniels. Me and my boy Ernie shared plenty of jokes and like always shared great stories of growing up in the East End.
Also like Mayor Finch, I wouldn’t believe you if your tongue came notarized.
Donald Day, I was there, I saw Mary-Jane Foster I saw Gage and I saw Constance and Mary-Jane arrived hours after me and left before me. I know what you look like and what, did you show up for five minutes, introduce her to one person and disappear? Donald Day, you are a lying sack of crap. Your comments about Finch being a liar as well as myself. You are a punk in your community and you certainly do nothing for Mary-Jane Foster who by the way seemed very comfortable schmoozing with the crowd. Next you’ll tell me Marilyn Moore was there. Another popular person in the East End.
Donald Day, you and your boy Ernie? Well let’s see, David Daniels was there before I arrived and I guess he left at around 3. Mary-Jane Foster got there around 2 and was gone way before 4. Mayor Finch was there at 1:30. Ernie was in rare form I ran into him and chatted with him on and off for a few hours. Charlie Coviello was there with his entourage way before Foster showed up and left after I did. Donald Day, you are delusional. I covered every corner of Newfield Park and I was not political at all. I was pleased to be part of the celebration, and you???
Steve, you are full of it. Not Political, that will be the day.
Blah-blah-blah. Donald Day is right, lying comes very easily to you. Can’t win an argument with the facts so you just twist them up into something resembling a balloon sculpture as if crafted by a drug addict.
Your problem is this: you think everyone is as stupid and dimwitted as you are.
Bridgeport Kid, did you think there was anything in my post that was a lie? Lying comes very easy for me? How can you even feel remotely comfortable calling me a liar? Every line in my post was absolutely correct and every name I mentioned can verify.
Bridgeport Kid, I have no problem with anyone disagreeing with any comment I make. But to make a personal character assassination is just not respectable. I do not refer to you as a liar. Now Bridgeport Kid, I do not refer to you as an asshole. I mean I do really believe you are an instigator and an asshole, but I would never call you an asshole, I may think it! 🙂 blah, blah, blah.
An omission is just as venal as an outright lie. I read your posts, how you think all the “cranes in the air and shovels in the ground” are going to make Bridgeport just dandy. So answer these questions:
How will new schools repair a badly damaged public education system that has been underfunded for decades?
How does the confiscation of automobiles benefit the city of Bridgeport? (The tax collector rarely collects any money from the “boot and tow” program, by the way. It is really intended to punish the working poor for living below the poverty line.)
How is all the new construction going to improve the local economy and reduce the unemployment rate? None of those well-paying jobs have been set aside for Bridgeport residents. That’s a shame and a sin: there are many skilled tradesmen living in Bridgeport, men who do high-quality work. Why should the city of Bridgeport create jobs for out-of-towers? Unemployment in Bridgeport has increased more than 40% under Tax Bill Finch’s leadership.
1- New schools will give the students a sense of pride and thereby a connection to their school. Although education is a personal choice and, in some cases, cannot be forced on an individual.
2- Confiscating cars for non-payment of taxes reduces wear and tear on the roads from people who are not paying their fair share for road upkeep.
3- Some of the construction and upcoming retail jobs will be held by BPT residents. BPT’s young people will have a place to seek employment and a chance to experience the advantages that can be had from working for a living. Another aspect of life that can reinforce the benefit of education.
To be clear, I respect Mr. Mackey. Attitudes and feelings can change. Just pointing out a time when you felt it important to publicly post differently than you now feel.
Why are we having a primary in September when all the players plus will be on the ballot in November?
Good question, Andy.
The primary is an opinion poll. No one is taking a chance on Finchie getting another four years. There’s more than a little backroom talk going on, planning of a move if he actually wins the primary.
You know, the sad part of it is, there are actually voters out there who will be taken in by some of Finch’s cynical bullshit moves. Building a new school, naming it after Obama, endorsing Hillary Clinton, etc. None of that makes a difference–he’s still an asshole who must be cashed out.
I signed the petition at Newfield Park supporting the school name change to Barack Obama High. They must have had hundreds of signatures. Mayor Finch has been discussing that for over six months.
I thought it was also wonderful honoring the Hispanic men who served in the military and renaming the East Main Street corridor after the group. Kudos to those who made this happen.
Let’s have a referendum to vote on the name of the high school. Naming it after the worst president in history is wrong.
Holy cow. I actually agree with Andy for once! You could not be any more correct. Steve is an absolute nut job. Surprised he didn’t ask for it to be named after his idol, Finch.
ISN’T IT ALREADY NAMED AFTER THE WORST PRESIDENT IN HISTORY?
What the next mayor must do is commission an efficiency audit, a forensic analysis of the city’s payroll, redundancy of services, from the top down. Why are there so many people on the municipal payroll who don’t show up for work and still collect full-time pay and benefits? Cutting those deadbeats loose ought to save taxpayers a few million dollars a year. Laying off all the people who owe their employment to political patronage would be cheaper than keeping them on the payroll.
What about all those big green signs advertising “Bill Finch, Mayor?” He didn’t pay for them; the city should sue his campaign to recoup the money. Why should Bridgeport’s middle class pay for a re-election campaign that is running out of steam before it reaches the finish line?
Bridgeport Kid, did you want to expose the trash who have no-show jobs or are you just spewing your extremely long diatribe of nonsense? You know Bridgeport Kid, if you could name just one it would be interesting and I am not talking about a former City Councilman who was able to sit at home getting full pay at the taxpayers expense who is now supporting Ganim who had two sexual harassment charges. We want one name of an actual city employee who gets paid at a no-show job. If you cannot come up with just one name, then zip it, sir!
Joel Gonzales, we are still waiting for the supposed Marilyn Moore illegal doings. It is always shameful to cast negative untruths about an individual. Usually, you have facts to substantiate your comments, Joel.
Zip your mother, sir. If you don’t like being called on your bullshit, the remedy is simple: be truthful. Finch is on his way out. You are supporting a candidate who is playing a bad hand.
Steve didn’t answer any of the above questions, not directly. The moral of the sorry: the truth will set you free; it also works as asshole repellent. Johnson & Johnson sells a good long-acting repellent under the brand “Bitch B. Gone.” Guaranteed to reach more than 50 feet from any polling place. May also be used at cocktail parties.