Republican candidates for the City Council’s 130th District Rick Torres and Phil Blagys have launched a Facebook page in their quest to unseat Democratic incumbents Sue Brannelly and Steve Stafstrom on November 5th. The District covers Black Rock and a portion of the West End. View a map of all 10 City Council Districts here. A lot is on the line in this race.
Council races are all about retail politics, knocking on doors, phoning voters, greeting them at parks, waving to folks doing yard work, or in the case of Torres and Blagys, campaigning on their bike built for two.
Of all the City Council races, this district battle is the highest profile because of the personalities involved, the prestige candidates have built in the neighborhoods, the political alliances, as well as a chance for Republicans suffering a long drought on the council to become relevant again on the legislative and budget-making body.
The district has two voting precincts, Black Rock School and the Aquaculture School. Black Rock is the highest percentage voting area of the city that includes electors west of Ellsworth Street, north of Fairfield Avenue and affluent voters along the waterfront hamlet St. Mary’s by-the-Sea. Aquaculture School voting area covers east of Ellsworth Street including the PT Barnum housing project, West End voters along State Street north up to Howard Avenue and the Mountain Grove Cemetery area where PT Barnum and Tom Thumb are buried. Hey, could Mr. Barnum be voting by absentee ballot this year? You gotta love those cemetery votes. This way to the egress!
In the short term at least, a lot changed politically September 10 when all endorsed Democrats for school board and City Council were defeated. Voters are cranky. Supporters of Mayor Bill Finch want Brannelly and Stafstrom returned to the council for two more years. Brannelly is currently co-chair of the council’s Budget and Appropriations Committee. The next two budget cycles are key to Finch’s reelection outlook in 2015. This election will also impact Tom McCarthy’s reelection as City Council president assuming he wins another two-year term representing the 133rd District. The council president is chosen from the 20-member council. Brannelly and Stafstrom returning to the council will buoy McCarthy’s return as council president. The council president makes committee assignments.
Torres, a two-time mayoral candidate, and Blagys are well known in the Black Rock voting precinct that has the highest concentration of Republican voters. They figure to perform well in that precinct. Voters there, however, can be very choosy, and there’s discussion among electors potentially splitting their votes for the four candidates and even some voters saying they will bullet vote for one candidate.
The Democratic-rich Aquaculture precinct is an area where Brannelly and Stafstrom will try to run up a large number to cover the spread in Black Rock School. Torres and Blagys are running on a campaign for change, government reform and serving as fiscal watchdogs on the council. Branelly and Stafstrom are sharing a personalized message trotting out a series of initiatives they say have benefited their constituents. Brannelly and Stafstrom’s government Facebook page is here.
Lennie, don’t be surprised when Torres and Blagys are arrested and charged. What for?
articles.courant.com/2002-10-04/news/0210042003_1_milk-cases-official-files
The Facebook page of the ‘130th district’ is very active and integrated with the mayor’s Facebook page. Who is managing it? Mayor’s staff? City IT Department? It is clearly being used as a campaign tool. There is a state statute that prohibits use of city funds (which includes city council stipends) for re-election activities 90 days prior to an election, including primaries. I used to remind council members of this guideline. Perhaps an OIB poster can look into this rather than making glib comments.
On your advice, I checked out this page and I agree with your observation. Flagrant!
Hey Len, wait until the 2014 congressional elections countrywide. A lot of blood will be spilled.
Good luck to Rick and Phil. New life needs to be breathed into this city’s council.
They are so green–as in environmentally green. Just love that on primary day the opposing councilwoman Sue could not wait to get on the back of the bike for a spin around the neighborhood with Rick, and her running mate Steve could not take photos fast enough and shout to her, I am sending the photos to Lennie–just slightly louder and faster than I. As to the split-ticket voting, door to door Rick and Phil do not ever say that to voters. Who would suggest that idea?
Paging Jennifer Buchanan!
Paging Jennifer Buchanan!
BRIDGEPORT — It took just over a month for the city and developer Manuel “Manny” Moutinho to install a $400,000, no-bid, taxpayer-funded driveway to his mansion.
Activist Jennifer Buchanan has been waiting over three months for Mayor Bill Finch’s administration to hand over internal correspondence that might shed more light onto that project.
www .ctpost.com/local/article/City-lags-in-providing-documents-4873853.php
The city is mocking you and Citizens for a Better Bridgeport with their make-believe interpretations of FOI law simply to prove that you do not know what you are doing.
You should be on the phone TODAY with the state FOI Commission demanding their immediate intervention and seeking the most severe penalties allowable under law for both the city and its employees.
They are simply making up rules that do not exist and providing you with bogus information simply to avoid having to release any documents prior to this November’s municipal election.
Do not waste another moment contemplating any other course of action. Get on the phone NOW!
Yes Bob, I have been working with the State FOI commission to move this forward, regardless of the time frame. Our current city council people who voted yes to approve these funds are and have felt the voters displeasure. Working via the proper channels is necessary and SLOW–one part-rule seems to help slow the process when hard questions are asked.
On a side note. Congratulations to the CITY OF BRIDGEPORT FOR HIRING A DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THE CANDIDATE FROM WATERBURY APPEARS TO BE QUALIFIED ALTHOUGH WE HAVE NOT SEEN AN ACTUAL TRACK RECORD. HOPEFULLY, SHE WILL BE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH KOORIS AND MAKE THINGS HAPPEN IN THE CITY. HOPEFULLY SHE IS NOT JUST A FIGUREHEAD TO TAKE KOORIS’ PLACE WHILE WORKING ON HIS POLITICAL CAMPAIGN IN STAMFORD, THAT WOULD BE AN INSULT TO TAXPAYERS IN THE CITY. I AM HOPEFUL AND HOPE THEY BOTH SUCCEED AS WELL AS THE STAFF ALREADY IN PLACE. JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, DO ANY OF THE CURRENT EMPLOYEES FROM THE CITY GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW FOR THESE POSITIONS? I WOULD HOPE THEY AT LEAST GET CONSIDERATION FROM A HUMAN RESOURCE POINT OF VIEW.
Am I the only one who has a concern Kooris not only lives in Stamford but is seeking elective office there? Another part-timer?
Jennifer,
The city has mastered the are of dragging its feet and stepping all over its citizen all in one movement. Do not accept these delays.
A member of the airport commission is up for election in a few weeks. Demand action from the state.
Demand intervention from your state representative.
Demand intervention from your state senator.
Copy Governor Malloy and Attorney General Jepson’s office on all of this.
Jennifer Buchanan, a while back when you and Citizens for a Better Bridgeport started informing OIB of your FOI request, myself and a few others were trying to let you know there were big road blocks ahead and it would take time for you to get anything and I said, “welcome to the world of Mark Anastasi.” Jennifer, you have now met the real power in Bridgeport.
*** Hang in there and stay with it, Jennifer; the process is slow when trying to do the right thing and dealing with the city in anything. Also don’t expect any help from Jepson’s office, he and Finch go back a ways during their state rep. days! Also, civil liberties may be able to help a little with something? *** good luck ***
On issues like this, I am nothing if not tenacious. CW4BB members work together; keep their focus on the goals, their heads down, work hard and shoulder through.
Most people just want the truth. Why are we one of the highest-taxed cities in America with the poorest public (government) services? Is driveway gate a back-room deal, or just gross mismanagement? This is going to cost us about 2 million dollars when all is said and done. For a 200 thousand dollar (estimated) driveway. Until all the city employee, Airport Commission and city council documents are inspected, analyzed and written about by excellent reporters like Brian Lockhart, we live with accusations, rumors and complete mistrust and suspicion of our city employees and elected officials. I like to think the majority of city employees are dedicated, hardworking honest people trying to do the right thing with our hard-earned tax dollars. So it leaves me to wonder, are there a few employees going beyond the limits of ethical behavior for their gain, spoiling the city reputation for the rest, stealing our money, causing our taxes to rise? And is the city watching and dismissing them when they are caught red handed, or is the administration complicit?
I do not like contributing my money to a city government that makes me agonize over these questions. While all cities cry corruption and ethics violations, Bridgeport is, past and present, alas a shining example of both. I chose to do something about it. Something I never would have known how to do on my own. I would be lost without the support, advice and help of the many dedicated people who contribute to CW4BB, each has a strength and knowledge of how to navigate the government system and how to get things done. I am grateful to each of you, and you know who you are. And with few exceptions, and You Know Who you are, all of you who write on OIB, you inspire me to do and be better. Group hug!
Oh yes, VOTE for Rick and Phil! We are so lucky to have four very great candidates, that being said, the voting record of our two sitting council people on Driveway Gate, Raising our taxes–for just a couple of examples, say–vote them out and vote for two very competent citizens who have a long history of community involvement and dedication to the open and forward for all commitment to the city we need.
Short version: if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem … still want the hug.