From State Senators Ed Gomes and Anthony Musto
Senators Gomes & Musto Say Education Measures Will Benefit Bridgeport
State assistance will fill Bridgeport’s education budget hole, support the Lighthouse After School Program
HARTFORD – Senator Ed Gomes (D-Bridgeport, Stratford) and Senator Anthony Musto (D-Bridgeport, Trumbull and Monroe) announced early this morning that two important education measures have passed the state Senate during a special session of the General Assembly to benefit Bridgeport schools and students.
Education Loan to Bridgeport
Legislation approved today will allow the state Education Commissioner to loan up to $3.5 million to the City of Bridgeport to cover education expenses incurred by the city’s Board of Education during FY 2012.
“This $3.5 million is a great deal of money for our schools, and though it comes with some strings attached—which I have very serious concerns about—I think it will make a big difference for our students. Bridgeport can always use more resources for teachers, facilities, and supplies. These funds will ensure our school system can make ends meet,” said Senator Gomes.
“I am pleased that the state is able to provide the Bridgeport school system with this loan and assist in meeting the immediate needs of our students. This additional funding from the state will help to keep property taxes low in Bridgeport, which is essential in this tough economy,” said Senator Musto.
Lighthouse After School Program
A $150,000 grant was also approved today for the Lighthouse After School Program, an initiative of the City of Bridgeport. The program serves over 3,000 children in grades K-12 every day at multiple locations. It offers enrichment and recreational activities that support school day learning.
In addition to athletic and recreational activities, the Lighthouse Program also provides homework assistance, computer instruction, nutrition courses, music and more. For older students, a training and employment program is offered to give high school youth a chance to explore various job opportunities.
“After school programs are good for kids. They give them something positive to do in the afternoon, to continue their learning and interact with their friends. I am glad the state will be helping to support the Lighthouse Program,” said Senator Gomes.
“It’s important that children have an opportunity to be in a positive environment in the hours after school, and the Lighthouse Program provides that environment for thousands of students in Bridgeport. Investing in homework help, art, and athletics is a smart move for Bridgeport’s students and our community,” said Senator Musto.
Cost of the program varies based on household income, and limited scholarships are available. Call (203) 576-7252 for more information, or visit the Lighthouse Program’s website www.thelighthouseprogram.org/index.php
I may not agree with Senator Gomes on this one but at least he has the balls to say something, unlike some other so-called leaders in Bridgeport.
FROM THE CT POST
Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch did not return a request for comment Tuesday night.
Another voice in the wilderness
From the CT Post
Rep. Andres Ayala Jr., D-Bridgeport, who heads the city’s legislative delegation, said getting the state money was important.
“The delegation’s main concern was that we’ve gone through the full year with a $3.5 million budget gap,” Ayala said in an interview on the House floor Tuesday night. “We needed a way to plug that gap. The delegation worked hard to make this happen. We don’t want any more teacher layoffs or staff layoffs.”
How succinctly worded from a recently promoted Teacher to Administrator! Why was the superintendent the state-appointed board hired allowed to create this mess, Rep Ayala, Teacher Ayala, Administrator Ayala???
He creates a mess and then surrenders to the state the greatest power a local board has to fix his mess. How pathetic …
Andy Fardy and I have pursued data and information about the way Bridgeport operates as a City. Call it governance, as a subject. It operates theoretically under Federal and State law and has its own City Charter (and Ordinances) that further indicate the details of that governance. Finally, it is funded by property taxes from its residents and commercial enterprises (as well as through funds from State of CT and Federal government raised by income taxes).
Everybody knows that, right? But how can you tell what the City is doing? Well when it comes to money you would look to the monthly financial report. So at Noon today I called the City Clerk’s office and they report that the latest reports they have from the City Finance office is February. BY OUR CHARTER TODAY A REPORT OF REVENUE, EXPENSE AND VARIANCE WAS DUE BY APRIL 27 FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH, AND BY MAY 25 FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL. Where are the reports for the City Council “watchdogs” to address? Where are they barking? Can you hear them? Of course, there is transition ongoing in the Finance office, but the revenues arrive, the expenses are paid, but the public is in the dark. THE MAYOR SHALL … is the City Charter language that causes us to face a year-end failure as a community for two decades. It shows a serious lack of accountability by our current and past Mayors. So who really runs the City? Now you all have your own concepts, and that is what bothers you. The game is rigged when you cannot get what the “governance rules” tell you should be provided.
Switching quickly to the topic of the day, week, and year … education of youth in Bridgeport (and the money on which it runs); I have added visits to the BOE meetings to my weekly schedule, as the Charter Review sessions have wound down. I have listened to Paul Vallas indicate what was to come in public meetings and have reviewed his five-year plan. Andy and I had a meeting with him and I have visited with his CFO Marlene Siegel to understand the nature of the “public reporting mechanisms” in place and/or planned.
FACT: The former BOE and the former Superintendent did not approve a balanced budget for 2012.
Fact: The variance between revenue and expenses were about $13 million in January when the State-appointed Board hired Vallas. (Under what terms and for what compensation or for how long, I have no hard facts. Sorry, I like to see the info, think about it, ask questions, and then write about it.)
FACT: Changes were required in short, medium and longer term in education. And changes have been happening.
QUESTION: Without a City monthly report, without a special fiscal report from the BOE, how does the community know what the current picture is?
FACT: Vallas has talked about his actions to close the remaining surplus more than once in the past two months. What specific actions were taken and their real financial results will be available soon if there is a June fiscal report.
FACT: There is an offer of additional money from the State ($3.5 Million) in addition to the hundreds of millions they currently supply for operations (80% or more if grants are included) and capital (school buildings–new and renewed). The loan might be forgiven in exchange for the right to appoint a future superintendent according to word from Hartford. QUESTION: Does that seem unreasonable? If you were paying for operating the school system as the State of CT is, would you want someone in place who is accountable? Isn’t that what Finch’s Charter Commission has been about anyway? Except in the Mayor’s case, he is the only one who thinks he is accountable, trusted and a source of sound financial reporting year in and year out.
FACT: Rome was not built in a day. Bridgeport schools needed change. They are getting it. Those in charge need to provide more regular, accurate, and available info, financial and otherwise, to build trust that an OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE and TRANSPARENT form of governance is actually operating in the City educational sphere. We are not yet there by any means. In the past week there is much info about purchases, people and programs without any real financial numbers. Can you let us know where to go for more detail? (When we point out what is required to restore trust and confidence in Bridgeport governance, we try to escape the role of barking dogs with no bite.) Time will tell.
TIME IS UP!!!
Vallas should be gone.
The last superintendent was a good soldier. He did what he was told to do. He created a budget crisis and then blamed it on the “dysfunctional” BOE. And then he got fired.
JML is kissing Vallas’ ass. No doubt about it. No more time needed.
Where is Sheriff Vallas???
I thought he was going to singlehandedly rid the city of all crime.
From CT Post
One hospitalized with stab wound
Published 04:27 p.m., Wednesday, June 13, 2012
BRIDGEPORT — One person has been hospitalized with a stab wound after a fight on Madison Avenue Wednesday afternoon.
Police are investigating the attack between known parties, which occurred at 2:52 p.m. at 681 Madison Ave., near Central High School. Police have made no arrests.
*** Getting $3.5 million to plug a budget gap with strings attached is not bad provided accurate records are kept on how the money is being spent! This has always been a problem with the BOE, their “spend now, cry later” attitude seems to turn off pro and con education taxpayers every budget year. If they would spend the money on things that actually help the kids in and out of the classrooms instead of paying their delinquent operational bills, consultant and admin salaries and O.T., along with overpriced school supplies in general, maybe the school system might see some improvements! But ’til the BOE gets their own independent school budget, separate from the city budget and real record keeping, very little will change. Senator Gomes has always been pro-education, let’s see if he pushes for better money record keeping on the part of the BOE. *** EDUCATIONAL SPENDING AWARENESS ***
Apparent oxymorons?
*** Getting $3.5 million to plug a budget gap with strings attached is not bad provided accurate records are kept on how the money is being spent!