The Bridgeport City Council Monday night approved Mayor Bill Finch’s proposed election-year budget that is expected to produce no, or minimal, tax increase depending on the final setting of the mil rate in June. Bob “Troll” Walsh and Andre Baker were the only council members to vote against the budget. The mayor issued this news release before the council budget vote:
City Council to Vote on Mayor’s Proposed Budget
The City Council will meet in special session this evening to vote on the 2011-12 budget proposed by Mayor Bill Finch last month. The $468,078,112 proposal the Mayor delivered to the Council on April 4, included a third straight year of reduced spending totaling $1.3 million with no expected tax increase.
“Through our efforts to cut government spending by reducing department budgets, reining in police overtime, and by working collaboratively with nearly every labor union in the City to gain concessions, we will save the City millions of dollars this year and in the years to come,” said Mayor Finch.
In recent years, the City’s healthcare costs have risen annually by about $4 million. For fiscal year 2011-2012, the City anticipates the increase will dramatically shrink to $375,000. The Mayor has successfully negotiated cost-saving healthcare concessions with eight of the City’s 11 unions. The City has been able to double the amount union members contribute towards their individual healthcare premiums, increasing from 12 percent to 25 percent in just two years.
“While this budget includes negotiated wage increases for union and unaffiliated employees either through collective bargaining or mandated by ordinances, I have made the decision to give my salary increase back, as I have in years past, in the form of furlough days (unpaid work days),” explained Mayor Finch.
Under Mayor Finch’s administration, the City has made major improvements in workforce efficiency and delivering more cost efficient services to City residents and businesses:
· Since 2007, the City has reduced the full-time workforce by over 8% and part-time employment by over 15%.
· From 2008 thru 2011 the average wage increase across all unions was 2.12%. In the period 2004 to 2007 the average wage increase was 2.38%.
· Since 2007, City employees have either through negotiations or voluntarily contributed over 3,800 unpaid furlough days.
· Fire union member pensions have moved from City administration to the Connecticut Municipal Employee Retirement System. This change simultaneously reduces risk for the City and results in a significant financial savings to the City; and it is a benefit improvement for the union members.
· All recently negotiated union contracts call for new employees to begin their health insurance premium cost share at 25% with a 1% increase per year to a maximum of 50% premium cost share after 25 years of service.
These accomplishments have firmly established the position of the City of Bridgeport as the leader in the State of Connecticut in negotiating a new collaborative employment paradigm.
Tonight’s special session is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers.
Highlights of the proposed 2011 – 2012 budget include:
· A balanced budget. This achievement comes as a result of our never-ending efforts to cut government spending which has resulted in recurring savings.
· Overtime reductions. The proposed reduction of police and firefighter overtime is $2 million dollars. This is made possible, in part, because a new class of police officers who will be coming online this year thanks to the federal COPS Program provided by President Obama. Additionally, the City is tasking both the Police and Fire Chiefs to more intensely monitor absenteeism and work more closely with supervisors within the department.
· No one-time revenues. The budget contains no one-time revenues.
· Lowered health care costs through collaborative union negotiations.
· Sustainable projects move forward. The city’s BGreen 2020 plan is moving forward on many fronts: municipal consolidation efforts continue – Probate Court, and Vital Statistics and Registrars of Voters office construction in City Hall Annex continues, and those offices may move by late summer; Environmental Health and Building Code have moved into their new offices in first floor of City Hall Annex; solar leasing program will move forward; the City is expanding its Energy Improvement district; building out Library energy improvements continues; plans are being developed for a green energy park at Seaside landfill; and the City will be selecting a developer for City Hall/Annex sale/leaseback proposal.
In addition, the city will expand its recycling efforts by adopting single stream recycling by Fall 2011, which will represent a significant cost savings once the entire city is online.
• Comprehensive capital improvement program. Last year, Mayor Finch presented a comprehensive capital improvement plan aimed at neighborhood revitalization projects expected to have a substantial impact throughout the City. The following projects will begin in the spring/summer of 2011. Some of the highlights of the plan include:
• Creating more access to the waterfront throughout the City including, the reopening of Pleasure Beach, and a new riverfront park on Knowlton Street
• Improving Parks and Green spaces
• Creating a more Sustainable and walkable City (Bike Paths connecting downtown to the South End and Black Rock including Seaside Park and St. Mary’s by the Sea; Streetscape improvements in the Hollow, South End)
• Citywide Paving Program (Comprehensive paving program throughout all city neighborhoods from the North End to Downtown)
• Anti Blight (Demolition of an additional 25 condemned properties, as well as the continued aggressive targeting of blighted properties throughout the City)
• Downtown Improvements (Beautification and infrastructure improvements throughout downtown including paving, planting, signage and sidewalks)
• Citywide Beautification and Quality of Life Improvements (renovation of public pavilions and fountains, a new soccer field, new multipurpose field at Longfellow School, Citywide streetlight improvements, additional street sweeping and distribution of trash receptacles)
• Conduct new Parks Master Plan
• Fund balance increase. The City of Bridgeport’s fund balance also continues to increase. The City has adopted a new fund balance policy to help re-build the fund balance by mandating all future one-time revenues be deposited into the fund.
• Safe Asleep Program nears 30,000 installations. The Fire Department, together with RYASAP and AmeriCorps continues to lead the nation in smoke detector installations through the City’s Safe Asleep Program. Funding is secure through Sept. 2011; grants are being pursued to continue this extremely public safety initiative.
• Public Safety Initiatives and Anti-Crime Efforts. A nationwide search culminated in the appointment of Joseph L. Gaudett Jr. as permanent Chief of Police. During his tenure as Acting Chief, Gaudett significantly reduced the police overtime budget. Chief Gaudett also has formulated a number of initiatives to increase public safety including, a new manpower allocation plan which will put police officers and command staff where they are most needed; expansion of the “Take Back Our Neighborhood” program, including increasing the number of Neighborhood Watch groups in the city and, finding sponsors for a second round of a gun buyback program.
The mayor is delusional.
The balls on this fuck!!! His job entails 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year dedication to the taxpayers of BPT! This asshole is suggesting he will take 2-3 weeks off “without” pay to offset his salary increase? How the hell could anyone justify this in the real world? This asshole needs to be kicked to the curb as soon as possible. “Don’t piss on my back & tell me it’s raining.” You have the balls to consider this a concession to offset a pay increase? It is an excuse to screw the public further & expect them to accept it! Bill, do us a favor on your way out, eat shit and die!
Ronin, why does that surprise you? Bill Finch NEVER wanted to be mayor. He was pushed in by Mario Testa and the DTC because they were so afraid of a Mayor Caruso. Bill wants to talk about rain barrels and play with his kids. He could give two shits about running the city. He leaves the day-to-day operations to Andy Nunn and Adam Wood and neither of them have a clue. Many depts are dysfunctional but it is well hidden from the mayor. He doesn’t know and he doesn’t care.
One more thing, I want to see the paystubs where he gives back the raise. He was also supposed to give his senate pay to the zoo but he took it to pay off his bills. Collected both salaries and did neither job well. This man would never survive in the real world.
This little speech is pure and utter bullshit. Everyone knows last year’s budgeted police overtime was a sham and engineered to work as a give-back, great smoke and mirrors job by the chief.
The fire department did give back some items and the pension moving to Mers was a good move. The cost of this was a raise in the area of 14 to 16 percent. What it means is at the end of this contract a top paid firefighter gets $8,000. The one thing this mayor and the council did not figure in the budget was the cost of this fire contract to pay 680 retirees their share of this contract. Thanks Bill.
Finch is dead wrong we have detailed portions of the budget where monies are being hidden. I will tell Finch to look in the public facilities budget where there are 21 openings at a cost of $900K not counting benefits. Why wasn’t that cut?
This guy also fails to mention the $30 million he has not paid for the last 2 years to Pension plan A. Bill you are taking unpaid days off while still taking the raise??? Bullshit, who is monitoring those days? Adam Wood!!!
The city is filthy, the city is not paying its bills (pension fund is a ticking time bomb), municipal aid will likely get cut from the State (no advanced planning by the city, let’s just let that bomb go off and blame someone else), jobs continue to be lost (second highest unemployment rate in the entire state behind Hartford), crime is increasing, infrastructure continues to deteriorate …but wait folks … we have ample rain barrels, and my talentless staff will get their raises (and so will I) …
Kaiser Bill,
Riddle me this. You are the captain of recycling, please tell us all the story of the city’s paper recycling program. I have been in departments over the years & recently noticed the absence of the BLUE containers. If your administration is going to be environmentally friendly you should be able to give us the tonnage and monetary return on the thousands of pounds of discarded paper. We all hope to hear your reply soon but I’m guessing you will just sweep it under the rug like so many other issues you would rather not address.
I started my own Neighborhood Watch but we call it our “Neighborhood Shoot the Fuckers Dead” program (NSFD). Every Wednesday I take all my Neighborhood Seniors up to the Monroe Shooting Range, and watch them go nuts on the paper targets. Mrs. Smith turns 85 this year and for her birthday we all chipped in on a new Glock 17 with Trijicon Night Sights; she was so happy, there wasn’t a dry eye in the whole place. The Glock 17 has become very popular in my neighborhood because of its simple controls, high durability and moderate price. It is also reported to be highly reliable in extreme environments.
While Finch keeps pushing “Take Back Our Neighborhood” programs so he can keep from hiring more cops, we at NSFD are always looking for new members.
Could you start a chapter in my neighborhood? The fucking cops are afraid to leave the Dunkin Donuts coffee shop because of the shortage of manpower. We might as well go back to the days of citizen militia to maintain order. Fuck, talk about your tax dollars in action! We all should move to Canada and leave this bullshit behind us. There is no hope of recovery in our future!
Hey Ronin: Sure we can help, but if you need a cop in Black Rock, call 203-336-8843 sometimes they’ll come to the phone.
www .ctpost.com/policereports/article/Cops-Man-wearing-nothing-but-sneakers-and-1373579.php
I wonder if this guy was wearing “Cons?”
Hey Ripper, did anyone ask him if he was interested in running for Mayor?
Finch runs around with his pants down all day.
There’s a hole in downtown Bridgeport. The cops are looking into it.
Do you know why Bridgeport cops call arrested individuals “Perps?” It’s because they can’t say perpetrator with the donut in their mouths …
*** Promises, promises equals more of the same budget pipe dream, smoke & mirrors this city has come to be quite familiar with since ’07. It’s bound to get worst before it gets better, no? *** VOTER WAKE-UP CALL ***
This week the State will need to cut municipal funding. How is the Park City going to make this up since the budget has been approved, like the State’s. If these people were the CEOS and CFOs of companies they would be sued.
If we had more council people like Bob Walsh and Andre Baker I would say this city had a chance to move forward. Unfortunately we don’t. Last night we had 18 lemmings voting for a sham budget.
For the second year in a row we had a budget that had very few if any cuts made by the council. The cuts were obvious yet left as part of the budget.
Bob I know you reviewed the entire budget but I would have liked to have seen you at more budget hearings asking the tough questions. It amazes me a person with your financial training was not appointed to the B & A. Andre you attended many meetings of the B & A and truly asked the tough questions but unfortunately got very few answers as the Sherwood bullshit machine was fully operational and backed by the B & A members.
Not one council person asked the mayor why he was taking a piece of taxable property off the tax roles to build a freaking park where no one will visit. Losing a piece of taxable property makes no sense.
I just read the comments in the paper this morning from Sue Brannelly and Bob Curwen. Brannelly stated there were only $180,000 worth of cuts in the budget because the mayor ripped the budget to shreds before he gave it to the council. Really did you attend different budget hearings than I did? What a gratuitous piece of bullshit her statement was. Black Rock take notice.
As far as Curwen is concerned it appears by his statement complimenting the mayor for decreasing spending and presenting a budget with no tax increase or union concessions. It seems Curwen is back in the hunt for another city job. Hey Bob I have one question: what about the $30 million that is due for pension plan A? That does not count?
Finch can give back money via furlough but it still pads his unfunded pension. Walsh and Baker are the only people with a set of balls. People for Excellence in Government (Finch’s PAC) must have a shredding machine to hide their money-laundering operation.
Yesterday we posted a piece on “MARBLES AND BOWLING BALLS.” Did anyone read it? Well, last night the guys and gals with the “bowling shirts” rolled their marbles and basically did the light lifting for this administration. Heavy lifting, as in serious questioning on CAFR footnotes 11 and 12 they are leaving for history to discover. Well to the extent they missed the “tens of millions” to Pension Plan A stalled in the last three years by less than true statements from Mike Feeney (see below) and totally ignore the reality of OPEB expenses (Footnote 12 in the CAFR) that are also magically kicked down the road. This administration issues half truths so regularly the “regulars” are only too happy to repeat as whole truths. Let’s see what the voter sees this election time. There is plenty of time for the half truths to flesh out into full truths. And if you have been rolling marbles for years, you will find bowling balls hard to handle!
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Pension Plan A Funding Plan required by Public Act 09-9
For Fiscal Year End June 30, 2010
There is a nine page statement written to the State of CT Treasurer and OPM from Michael Feeney, City Finance Officer, in August 2010. Mike’s letter provides a very good account of how elected officials of the City in the past decade have acted in a heedless manner so as to put the City in serious difficulty today and into the future. Feeney’s account acknowledges that as of June 30, 2009, June 30, 2010, and June 30, 2011, respective amounts of $9,621,019, $12,352,193 and approximately $18 Million were required City contributions per the consulting actuary. Instead of contributing that $40 Million over the past three years, the City sought out protection under Public Act 09-9 from the State of CT so that approximately $14 Million might be contributed during the same period, creating a further deficiency in plan funding of $25 Million. That’s a difference of $8 Million per year and we saw that a City budget with an $8Million deficit was not such a big deal last year. What is different in this case?
Several pages of Bridgeport financial history follow, presented in a self-serving and defensive manner. Nowhere is there a realistic plan the City will follow promptly to steadily fund the promises made decades ago. For instance, “Any greater contribution would lead to further significant cuts in City services or a significant property tax increase.” Since this was written in August 2010 I need to ask where were these significant cuts in City services? There have been no significant property tax increases yet, but the $25 Million has added to the outstanding burden and will force those tax increases in years to come.
“The City has investigated a number of alternatives to reduce the cost of funding Pension Plan A.” It is curious that Feeney uses such language because while the City sets down on paper a number of alternatives, it then suggests none of them are worthy of consideration. In the meantime, not only has the City “investigated” but it has carried out an actual “alternative to reduce the cost of funding Pension Plan A” with permission of the State. It has stalled its funding. How clever is that? And without telling the City Council? And without being challenged by the CT Post? Feeney continues, “To fund the pension at the level required by the Act is not feasible for it would leave the City without sufficient revenues to meet the immediate needs of its residents.” Here is the Mayor’s representative to the State delivering this City message while the Mayor is Trustee to the 900 beneficiaries whose income is not being adequately funded annually so annual $30-32 Millions payments can be continued into the future for ten years and more. The Mayor has a real conflict as Trustee!
“The City has previously considered … the renegotiation of such benefits and had determined that such action was not feasible.” Possibly accurate, but share the problem with the taxpayer. When the current public safety union contracts were complete, increases in the compensation of current Plan B police and fire personnel has an effect on Plan retirees. What increase in Pension Plan A benefits will be caused by 2011 contracts? Does anyone know or care?
The real risk is Plan A investments in the fund, currently hovering around 50% of required by market value, will be exhausted in a few years and then the City will continue to face the Pension Obligation Bond payments of $30 Million annually through the Fire and Police budgets until 2029 as well as the actual retirement benefits of $32 Million per year from the General Budget. “The actuary determined that if the initial contribution was increased to $10 Million and capped at $20,800,000, the Plan’s assets would not be exhausted. Unfortunately, while this approach came substantially closer to meeting the City’s requirement, it is still too costly given the level of contributions the City would be required to make to Pension Plan A from its general fund.” Find an answer and then not like the answer because it costs too much for taxpayers and will cause trouble with taxpayers? Let’s just quietly run from this idea.
In summary the City is bankrupt of ideas other than “kicking this can” down the road, and “requests the assistance of OPM and the State Treasurer in developing funding scenarios that preserve the viability of Pension Plan A without unduly burdening the City’s taxpayers.” Such a “task force could examine best practices” and the “City understand its obligation to submit a further plan of funding to OPM and the State Treasurer in the Spring of 2011.” Where is it? It was not part of any discussion by Tom Sherwood at the Pension Plan A session. Has it even been discussed with the City Council?
(And tonight the City Council will vote on the Mayor’s recommendations. Do they have any idea about this issue and others of significant size coming at the City? Michael Feeney is gone. Has Dawn Norton written this year’s essay yet?)
May 9, 2011
Will anyone dare talk to their Council persons about this issue and see what they have to say today?
Will the Connecticut Post dare to ask a question about this???
Paging Tom Baden? Bueller? Anyone???
B2,
I sent Lenny a possible blog that would cure the city’s woes financially. I don’t know if he’ll post it.
You’ll get a possible answer.
Bob Walsh … annual grandstand Bridgeport budget speech as Curwen says in CT Post today, or taxpayer advocate? Let’s hear what Walsh has to say, at 8:45 to 9pm tonight on Ch88, on Bridgeport Now Live TV.
We start out at 8pm with Charles Brilvitch on Black Rock’s history. The historic district is at risk by condo developers. Our programs are possible thanks to Soundview studios and viewable on the internet at Soundviewtv.org. However, this commercial free public access medium may shut down if Hartford bill HB 6460 is passed.
When can we expect the FEDS to come in and investigate the city’s finances? This is nothing more than a Ponzi scheme by Sherwood and Finch to defraud the pensions of city retirees.
Berny Madoff got 150 years in prison and $170 Billion in restitution. Now I admit those numbers might be a bit much in this case but these assholes had better realize they are all playing a shell game the federal government would interested in looking into. Will the City Attorney’s office handle this case or will they sub it out to outside counsel? I hope we find out sooner rather than later. 🙂
Barring a major derailment, the political system went on automatic pilot Monday night with the City Council vote on the preliminary budget.
Mayor Finch will run for reelection on this budget.
Whatever the flaws of the mayor, those flaws will have to be exposed in context of this budget by his opponents.
The mayor will argue he has provided tax stability in his time, and is worthy for reelection because of it.
The evidence to counter that argument is there. B2 has provided important information. tc is right behind him in worries for retirees.
The tax bill in the mail, however, is the mayor’s counter.
It may be wrong. It may be disingenuous. But the fact of the matter is whoever takes down Bill Finch has got to successfully take down, or at least raise serious enough questions, on his budget in the upcoming political campaign.
If doubts on that budget take hold, other issues could hurt the mayor. Those issues always exist in Bridgeport: public safety, education, economic development, quality of life, you name it.
Bill Finch is not the most sure-footed political executive around. Few really are. But generally speaking, the mayor stumbles forward. Judging from the OIB polling, that seems to suit just enough people to get him past an election.
Somebody has got to figure out how to flatten him for his stumbles.
As usual Jim Callahan has laid out the political picture facing the voters of Bridgeport correctly, now only if there were a Republican Party in Bridgeport they would run with what BEACON2, town committee, Jim Callahan and other on OIB have stated here and this mayor stumbles on his face out of office. That’s not going to happen so we’re back to Jim Callahan, “Somebody has got to figure out how to flatten him for his stumbles.”
Ron,
Undoubtedly word has to get out. And perhaps the structure is “only the Mayor knows,” something like that old radio show … ha … ha … ha … haa … only the Shadow knows.
The munchkins on the B&A think they have done a good job. Well based on their Bridgeport experience, they wouldn’t know what a good financial review job included. (By the way I used to fantasize a great summer Fresh Air program regionally would send the Fairfield police to Bridgeport and let the Bridgeport Police serve for two weeks in Fairfield. Perhaps a real eye-opener for all concerned.) Perhaps the B & A Committee when it cancels 6 monthly meetings as they have each of the past two years for want of business, might just go over to Fairfield and meet with their Finance Board. They don’t play “marbles.” It is hardball. Both parties have experiences members serving staggered terms and they do their research for homework and remember what they have been told by parties who come before them.
I am willing to buy dinner as a reward for diligence for any member of the current City Council who voted last evening who attended at least one B & A session this year, asked at least one question of a party who was presenting (aside from “Will you pass another slice of pizza?”) who understands what Mayor Finch and his cabinet are doing with Pension Plan A funding (and can explain why that is good for the City) and finally, who has read the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report from the City auditor for 2010, including the footnotes especially about OPEB Footnote 12, and is confused. Four-course meal for answering four questions to determine your preparation to make the vote last night (as something other than a complete exercise in trust.)
All of these Council members have to run too. So why don’t they have to answer for the extra tax increases soon to come? You know the past two years have been kinder to investment markets than others in the past ten years. Imagine had the “bowling team” rolled the big balls, funded an additional $25 Million with investment gains, what it might have done? Forgetaboutit … didn’t happen … because no one explained to Council persons in language they comprehend they have ignored a problem, they have left it in the closet. They can blame Finch and his team, but if the citizenry understands the issue, no one in current office is going to look very smart!
Last comment on my dinner offer: For starters we are probably down to fewer than eight Council members eligible by dint of attendance and questioning (at least indicating they were paying attention). And of the eight remaining, I seriously question whether there were more than two who bothered to even look at the CAFR-2010 especially with reference to the important Footnotes 11 and 12. Very sad. But an offer is an offer, so talk to your Council rep and let me know who is a candidate for my “diligent Council person dinner” award. Eating establishment is my pick!!! Let’s have some fun. Here’s an excuse to talk to your Council people.
I recently asked one of Bridgeport’s Republican leaders who they have in line as a candidate for this fall’s municipal election. His response: “We’re working on it.” Good luck.
tc,
I wanted to let you know when I spoke last night I brought up the following:
Cut salaries in Planning and Economic Development. We increased their payroll 25% last year and have received nothing in return. Downtown North is a disgrace. Stale Point still has nothing going on. The TIGER Grant is from the federal government and the developer has refused to match so the city has to borrow $3 million for the match and the developers have yet to sink any real money of their own.
Cut CitiStat. I noted they are not doing the job they are supposed to. They are merely phone operators. They are not rooting out waste and corruption. Finch totally disagreed and said I didn’t know what I was talking about.
I suggested getting rid of all of the specialized assignments with the Police department; i.e. horses, segways, ATV’s etc. Get back to basics and get rid of the OT and no more Toys for the Boys.
I spoke against the city borrowing $1.5 million in bonding to pay the city $1.5 million in building permits for the new school. We bring in $1.5 million in revenue this year and pay out $3 million over the next 20-30 years.
I brought up the Public Facilities budget. How the Roadway Department has 11 vacant positions and they have increased payroll 25% over a two-year period with no discernible reduction in OT.
I noted while they increased building permits for the new school and increased tax collection rates to create more money, they ended up increasing the spending in over 50 line items and decreased it in 1. They gave money to their friends in the city and did no real budget work when it came to decreasing spending.
And I noted they did all of this while ignoring the $20 million they are supposed to spend each year over the next 5 years to fix the pension hole.
So they accuse me of grandstanding and Andre Baker of not insisting more on getting information that he had asked for. Then proceeded to congratulate each other on the wonderful job they did.
It’s the wonder of it all … OIB.
Bob,
You are a trooper. It only seems like “grandstanding” to those who were not searching to save money during the process, who don’t worry about what bonding entails and ultimately costs, and who feel so smug and powerful, but do not want to enter into dialogue or discussion with anyone who looks at the facts differently and says so. And Andre Baker, who formerly served on B & A should receive a special award for asking the most serious and intelligent questions this year. When Andre asks, you really need to listen to what passes for an answer. Not really on target, nor honest, nor helpful to real understanding of where the City is.
This City, under Ganim and with Stafstrom’s help for which he is “famous” (GOOGLE CT or Bridgeport and Pension Obligation Bonds and see what shows), issued $350 Million in bonds with a 7.4% coupon rate, a municipal obligation but not tax free??? Has anyone asked our finance people why this is not a target for refunding with our supposed great credit rating? Nineteen more years to pay on this at the end of which the City taxpayers will have expended over $900 Million to be able to invest $350 Million at one time, from which we lost fairly rapidly about $100 Million. Careful Trustees? Stewards of the public funds? Wise and experienced financial gurus? NO, NO, and NO!!!
Dorothy, it is an indication that we are in Bridgeport, though, when that story is repeated again and again and no one offers an excuse for it. Yet you tell us Bob, these Council voters approved bonding $1.5 Million in funds to pay the City $1.5 in building permits? Why not use short-term tax anticipation notes or apologize for not having an extra $1.5 Million in the “rainy day” unrestricted fund balance? What is the interest rate to be paid? These are the questions that candidates for office this year must challenge the City voters with over the next 5 months. Not pretty but as you say, OIB.
Did the Council persons ever get a copy of the Capital Budget Plan with five-year numbers, current project time tables and how money was spent during this current year? I never heard but then I am only a “taxpayer” and one who cannot ask questions at public meetings. And have you on the Council ever heard from Sherwood and Norton what the OPEB actuary says are the funding patterns facing this pay-as-you-go plan for the next ten years? Want to talk about it? I am interested for sure.
I am now a much more knowledgeable taxpayer and will volunteer to speak at any public group that will listen and try to learn. I am not running for office, but there are certainly some folks in office who should seriously seek other work. They are not friends of the City as a whole when they are called to vote on financial issues, and the terrible thing is they don’t even realize it!
Bob, I want to thank you and Andre Baker for standing up and asking the hard questions. Bob, I wish you had brought some of these points forward to the press during the hearings. I know you asked questions at the hearings and got the Sherwood bullshit answer.
I know why you were not appointed to the B & A committee, Sherwood would have had to answer some very hard questions and not the softballs thrown by the present members of the B & A. The same goes for Andre Baker, that’s why he was removed from the B & A, too many questions that were relevant. Thanks again guys.
State Needs To Kick The Bottled Water Habit by Beth Bye and Bill Finch. www .courant.com/news/opinion/hc-op-bottled-water-05-10-20110510,0,5407154.story
We need to Kick out Bottle Bill and say Bye-bye Billy. This guy is nuts. Bridgeport is crumbling and burning and all he can do is fiddle about with his green tambourine.
*** Time to get the word out of OIB & into the voter community, no? *** HERE WE GO! ***