Foster On City Council Tax Problems: “This Stinks To The High Heavens”

From Democratic mayoral candidate Mary-Jane Foster:

Mary-Jane Foster Calls on Mayor for Complete Explanation of Recent Tax Debacle

Bridgeport businesswoman and social action advocate Mary-Jane Foster, who is running for mayor, issued the following statement today:

“The Connecticut Post reported on three City Council members with tax problems and paints a scenario that speaks of incompetence, corruption, or both. In yet another episode from the gang that couldn’t shoot straight, we have:

• City Councilman Anderson Ayala allegedly paying cash for taxes and towing fees owed but who has no receipt to prove it;

• A Tax Collector hand delivering this supposed payment to the towing company on behalf of the City Council member–extraordinary customer service that no other resident has ever received because the City doesn’t collect towing fees;

• The Mayor’s chief of staff calling the police department to “explain” that the towing issue was a mistake … despite the fact that the police have no say in the matter;

• The Tax Collector and the Mayor’s spokesperson contradicting one another about whether or not it’s standard procedure for the Tax Collector to collect towing fees in the first place … with the ridiculous statement that “no one’s ever asked us to take payments before;”

• Two towing company employees reporting that City officials have called in the past to release cars without payment;

• City Councilman Blunt owing nearly $4,000 in taxes and having a lien put on his home;

• City Councilman Blunt will be receiving a whopping $14,000 salary increase the coming year; and

• City Councilman Martin McCarthy has been disputing a delinquent car tax bill dating back to 2005 that has mushroomed to $8,495.12, including $4,000 in interest, with the comment that he’s been “trying to settle this for a couple of years.”

To say that all of these facts beg questions is an understatement. Here are few that immediately come to mind:

• Who in their right mind pays in cash and doesn’t get a receipt?

• Why is the Tax Collector accepting a payment and hand delivering it to a towing company when the City’s policy is that car owners pay towing fees directly to the towing companies?

• Why don’t the Tax Collector and the Mayor’s office know what the City’s policy for collecting towing fees is?

• Why is the mayor’s chief of staff calling the police department about this?

• Why has it taken “several years” to settle a tax bill?

• Why is Councilman Blunt getting a $14,000 increase in a year when union members are giving back under the threat of layoffs?

Mayor Finch, this isn’t transparent government; this stinks to the high heavens on every level and should raise alarm bells with you. Instead, your reaction is “I have a lot more important things to do than hyper-analyze this.”

Again–his arrogance and incompetence are shocking and frankly alarming.

Mayor Finch needs to fully explain what happened and why and take responsibility for the improper and undue influence and procedural violations that have been identified in various departments. If Mayor Finch is not willing to conduct a complete and thorough internal review, then an outside authority needs to.”

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26 comments

  1. MJF,
    Hold their feet to the fire.

    Could you provide me with some information you attained through your FOI? I would like to know the names of the attorneys representing terminated city employees.

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  2. Too bad the world is ending today at 6 p.m. I won’t be smelling the stink as I’m going to hell along with this administration. I can’t wait until judgment day and see Andy Ayala’s face when Jesus asks for the receipt. I hear Jesus does it by alphabetical order, so I won’t be waiting too long to see it.

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  3. Instead of the candidates who are running for Mayor complaining on this blog, why don’t they call the FBI and ask for a criminal investigation of corruption in this city? They have experience doing that.

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  4. Charlie and Bruce,
    For several reasons, I am happy to see these items posted on OIB, whether by candidates or merely observers. Since apathy in the electorate (voting %) is identified frequently as a major City ill, the number of people identifying against behavior having to do with tax, fine or fee favoritism is critical. That is just what has happened in this case. Supposedly “big people” in our City have expected to receive, or have received, action and/or response that would be denied “little people” and that means the rest of us. Smacks of hypocrisy, but how many “little people” might like to get that treatment themselves? There’s the rub!!!
    If your Council person can deliver a faster visit from a City inspector, a favorable meeting with a land use member, an extended deadline from a City office, etc. isn’t that what friends are for???

    How does our Ethics language speak to any of those? It possibly does not. Hard to monitor. Do you really think the FBI is the right place for this type of action? Hope they keep finding the pipe bomb manufacturers in this City (especially in light of our losing those Federal funds). Perhaps someone knows the SIC designation for manufacturing pipe bombs? But did this entrepreneur ever get a visit or welcome letter from Director Don Eversley of Planning and Economic Development? Sometimes it seems the activity of that office must be going unnoticed in the City? Or maybe people are correct about the inactivity of that office indicating that it is an area where the City budget could be cut at this time.

    OPEN QUESTION to retired public safety workers who get income benefits from Pension Plan A: Are you currently receiving any medical benefits under the City of Bridgeport’s self-insured health care plan? Do you make any contributions to this plan? When you submit a claim, or see a hospital or practitioner, is the financial obligation paid currently as you expect it to be? Thanks for any answer. I am trying to understand how this plan operates currently and your answers will be helpful. Not looking for anything that is confidential or too personal, but general answers will do about friends or family (without identifying) experiences. Thank you.

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    1. B2:
      The FBI has experience in the Park City. Ask Ganim. This type of behavior represents the acceptable in the Park City. When and IF this behavior is prosecuted without plea deals and last-minute acts of contrition, there MAY be a change for the better.

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    1. The City has been in Hartford pleading for more time to stall real funding for Pension Plan A. Of course they have not talked with the press, where they might get questions. (There are no serious questions asked about Pension Plan A by the City Council or its Budget Committee so they do not count.) Nor has the CIty talked about this with the Post, or if they have, it is not considered newsworthy, I guess. But I wonder whether any of our State Senators or Representatives know about this action, what specific bill or Omnibus this will appear in, and whether their support has been requested?

      This happened with the State with 09-9 Section 14 that provided cover for the past three years of “trickle funding” totaling $14 Million (gotta leave financial room to send Russo to Trumbull, Quinn to relate Police news, Blunt to get $14,000 raise, provide executive staff compensation increases, and keep $3 Million of vacant salaries and benefits in the budget), but we can’t fund the necessary $25 Million additional in the past three years indicated by our actuary???

      Going to the State OPM and Treasurer is kind of like going to confession for this administration. And the way that “no increase in taxes” has been enabled by the secret behavior, perhaps “confession” will be forced on Bill by candidates for Mayor. (Please pull the curtain closed. This is confidential. “Bless me …”) But why does the State OPM and Treasurer believe Bill is really tightening things???

      On a more positive note, I sense the Ethics Committee is about to become more obvious, open, and transparent on just what standards of ethical behavior mean at this time in the Park City. They have an action before the Ordinance Committee. I understand we can expect to look at their posting through City technology, get forms, read training material, etc. that will make those standards more credible and usable by members of the public. Can’t wait to view this myself.

      Bridgeport is a work in progress … though sometimes you cannot be blamed if it seems to be in regress!

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  5. One of Black Rock’s City Council representatives has been trying to “settle” a delinquent tax bill “for a couple years now?” Just what in the fucking hell does “settle” mean?

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  6. BEACON2, you said, “Going to the State OPM and Treasurer is kind of like going to confession for this administration.” “But why does the State OPM and Treasurer believe Bill is really tightening things???”

    Well, the state looks at Bill Finch like Eddie Haskell on Leave It to Beaver. Whenever Eddie greets the Beaver’s mother, Eddie Haskell always has something nice and sweet to tell her on how she looks. Eddie was constantly trying to involve his friends in activities that would get them into trouble. But she goes away thinking how nice Eddie is.

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    1. Perhaps alternative voices may need to write the State Treasurer and OPM and dispute some of the facts about how “tight things are” in Bridgeport. OIB seems to record numerous examples of Bill finding money in the City cash drawer to hire. And firings cost money too, with legal expenses, with settlement costs. Do City settlements have a confidentiality requirement tied to accepting the money? Just asking. No personal experience.

      After all, even Council members of the Budget and Appropriations Committee gushed about how much budget cutting happened this year! And that is a crock! Time was spent by B & A, some of them even asked questions that got answers, but most of them were about how to operate a department more efficiently or what is happening in my District, than with any testing of: “what would your Department do if a 10% cut across the board had to be made in your department to deliver the necessary services you are charged with today?” No member of BOB heard that question asked. And City Departments therefore did not have to answer. Very interesting.

      In 2007 Finch’s most prominent goal was to reduce taxes and his second highest was to promote education in the City. Well he has delivered on his first promise, but only halfway. (Current taxes are flat but he has caused future taxes to be even higher because of failure to seriously address and fund retiree costs today.) He has flatlined education for several years. How does that promote education? I can’t wait to hear the candidates compare Bill’s vision and mission with his “accomplishments!”

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  7. Goodbye Lennie and the rest of the world. It was nice blogging with you guys here at OIB. Is there an afterlife?
    Padre nuestro que estas …

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  8. If we can pull off a victory in the Primary, the calamarian regime is in for a very rude awakening.

    You know, when you think about it, this town has been abused for so long by such silly little-minded sycophants taking this and that none of which amounts to anything worthwhile. A case of wine here, a monogrammed shirt there, a PC of this and a PC of that. OT abuse for the anointed. Take-home cars for the bloated. It all amounts to nothing. These people who strive to preserve this pettiness have held our futures in the mud for far too long.

    But we have a very good chance of losing because the candidates are diluting the primary as spoilers. The top two, MJ and Gomes, are taking votes away from each other while the calamarians are getting their voting ducks in order. The loyalists will return to the voting booths and will vote as they are told and the calamarians will prevail.

    MJ and Gomes need to have a heart to heart. My preference is MJ for mayor and Gomes as her right-hand man presented to the voters as a team. That is an unbeatable combination and very good for us, the good people of Bridgeport.

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    1. Have to respectfully disagree, yahooy, MJ does not have the passion or the energy Gomes has. Gomes walks the streets daily meeting the people, MJ waits for them to come to events. MJ is better built to be the business mind while Gomes is built to be a mayor who can speak the many languages of the people of Bpt.

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  9. When will the people of this City realize the root of our problems lies in a culture that allows Testa and the City Council/DTC to have all the power? The Mayor of B’port is nothing more than a figurehead. MJF is talking a good game, but to whom? This blog certainly is not going to change the static position of the DTC toward “me first, screw the rest of you.”
    Some people love to compare this town to Baltimore and Providence. Well, those cities cleaned the political house and then cleaned the brownfields and waterfronts to bring in developers. This town rewards incompetence and unethical behavior.
    When I see one of the candidates other than Finch run with a slate of others to dismantle the power source, then I’ll see a new day coming for B’port. Until then, it’s still the same old story.

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