Post It Notes, Plus: The Budget

Intriguing changes at the Connecticut Post. Long-time Editorial Page Editor Steve Winters is retiring after roughly 35 years with the paper in a variety of roles.

Steve will be replaced officially in a week or so by Michael Daly, the paper’s managing editor, the number-two position in the news operation after Editor Tom Baden.

Winters is a prince of a guy, level headed, smart and fair. I worked with him (ouch) 30 years ago when he covered the state legislature. Back then it was Underwood typewriters, carbon paper and guys yelling copy in a newsroom loaded with characters. Steve moved up to city editor for many years before appointment to the editorial page. CT Post owner Hearst announced a buyout offer to newsroom employees a few weeks ago.

For most lifers in the news business, serving as editorial page editor is the ultimate job–a study in power, persuasion and personality–where the voice of the newspaper pokes politicians, raises awareness and reflects the agenda of the paper’s ownership through editorials, letters, and special commentaries. It’s also a magnet for community whiners and complainers unhappy with editorial positions. The job requires patience and a thick skin. It’s power journalism at its best while anchoring the Post’s Editorial Board that comprises Publisher John DeAugustine, Baden, the managing editor’s slot occupied by Daly, Assistant Editorial Page Editor Hugh Bailey and Photo Editor Catherine Zuraw. The new guys in town DeAugustine and Baden seem to be well-liked at 410 State Street.

Daly’s promotion is a nice fit for a paper that could be tracking toward a consolidation of pubs to create one Fairfield County paper. Hearst owns daily papers in Greenwich, Stamford, Bridgeport and Danbury, a news triangle that covers most of Fairfield County, the wealthiest county in America. In time you may see four daily papers with different front pages but the guts nearly identical.

Meanwhile, in Daly, the paper has someone with a reservoir of experience, history of the region, and a writing touch alien to most of us industry mortals. Michael is not prone to knee-jerk response and has a good nose for bullshit. Michael was the guy who challenged John Fabrizi to agree to an on-the-spot drug test following the former mayor’s admission that he had used cocaine on occasion recreationally. Fabs passed the test.

He’s also the guy, in an editorial board meeting with Bill Finch, that reminded the mayor he had promised to relinquish his state senate seat if elected mayor. Finch ditched his thoughts of keeping both jobs until the expiration of his senate term.

Daly also has an interesting collection of friends that run from well-heeled corporate executive to urban warrior, to psycho blogger, a nice balance to maintain perspective.

An OIB salute to Winters. Check out his weekly radio show Profiles in Folk on WSHU, Friday at 10 p.m. www.wshu.org If you’re having a bad week Steve’s soothing voice will calm your nerves.

Budget Time

Mayor Finch  submitted his budget to the City Council Monday night. Who knows, maybe in this economic environment the mayor will present his budget and declare victory. The council will play around with the budget before it goes back to the mayor for potential veto action and then back to the council for setting of the final mil rate in June. Meanwhile the council’s Budget and Appropriations committee will host  public hearings and budget sessions to figure it all out.

See a schedule of those meetings below. The Wheeler Room is located on Lyon Terrace in City Hall, legislative office in City Hall Annex on Broad Street.

By the way, happy Holy Week.