At last week’s City Council meeting, a public hearing was called to address the disposition of city property. When Mayor Joe Ganim asked if anyone wanted to speak, citizen fiscal watchdog John Marshall Lee doggedly approached the podium wondering why the property price tag was not made part of the agenda information. It was something of an encore presentation for Lee who just minutes earlier showcased a pair of red rubber boots to illustrate the city’s fiscal condition. Like him (some do), loathe him (some do), Lee is not particularly interested in niceties. He asks questions because he asserts government often fails to provide key financial information. Lee keeps coming back for more. If he irritates, so be it. Lieutenant Columbo would be proud.
Lee’s comments:
The City of Bridgeport is an owner of land and buildings to an extent beyond its current or projected municipal requirements.
• Such property can be put on the market and put to use that is productive and taxable. To fail to manage actively results in ANNUAL LOSS OF REVENUE, an opportunity COST.
• Such property while it remains with the City may need maintenance or management to avoid blight at certain EXPENSE to the taxpayers
• Such property may become a source of risk whereby the City becomes a “deep pocket” to be sued and settled with at taxpayer expense.In the past month or so, the City is releasing such property for disposition. However, to increase the marketing potential, why is the market valuation or assessment currently showing on the City books, NOT a part of the “disposition” information? There is a value, and will be a price tag. Why is this “sticker number” not a part of the agenda information?
For the purpose of this hearing, what info has been submitted to the City Council for evaluation, if any? Vision Appraisal records indicate that the property has been in City hands for one month short of ten years. Why so long? What is the normal path for property, however received to find its way from non-taxpaying to taxable and listed so on the Net Grand List?
Two buildings and .28 acre of Land carry a value of $164,640 and assessment of $115,250. These fail to be shown in the City posting. Why is that purposefully done?
When the disposition occurs, how are the Council members (and the public) informed of the date and the dollars recovered? Is there a list of all such properties and values that could become taxable by disposition? Which Council Committee is interested in actively promoting such behavior and helping in the advertising of same? How many real dollars are sitting on the City books in such fashion?
Will you act on this matter in an OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE and TRANSPARENT manner that is also HONEST to the taxpayers?
Other towns and cities place exact or approximate financial statistics with $$$ signs when a vote by the legislative body will commit taxpayer dollars to a cause. Why don’t we do that in Bridgeport? Why don’t you ask your CC member to request such a change in their procedure? A price tag may directly indicate whether it is something incidental and within a budget or a major cost that needs further study. Today, no one can get sticker shock because there is no $$$ sticker on many CC actions.
Folks, we have over 20 Boards, Committees or Commissions that handle important City business that ultimately have fiscal effect. However, there are a handful that for one reason or another are not listed on the City website with purpose, rules, etc. for public review. One of these groups is the City Hall Committee that refers City-owned property for disposition. Who is on the Committee? Where is its purpose stated? When do they meet? Where are agendas and minutes posted and more importantly, where are the studies and analytical material that is part of recommendations to dispose? The property in question that evening at 48 Trowel Street had been in City hands for 10 years without taxes levied. Why? And if the City Hall Committee is disposing of property, how much do they actually control with a listing of same? Land and buildings that are untaxed year after year, but could be taxed in private hands, is another cost of “HIDDEN GOVERNMENT” that counts on ‘what the public cannot see, will not be raised by them,’ a most cynical and unfriendly attitude towards taxpayers. It is actually no different from the “employee budget stuffing” used by the Finch administration for years so they would have vacant positions at the beginning and end of a year that would create variances that could be spent elsewhere, and with no June 12th-month financial report for two decades, the public could not figure where the positive variances actually were spent. Why did the Ganim2 operating budget not provide a Finch vs Ganim employment chart at the outset of this budget review so we can see the reorganization they have made and the total number of people to be funded by department and into the months ahead? Time will tell.
The City Hall Committee was established by ordinance more than 50 years ago. It consists of the City Clerk, the Finance Director and the Council President and is, as the name suggests, responsible for the management of City Hall. It also has responsibilities with respect to most other city properties including the rental or sale of those properties.
Hopefully, John Lee’s messages will inspire some council members to ask questions and follow through until there are answers. Those of us who know what the ‘City Hall Committee’ is, have seen it refereed to as part of an outmoded political structure that should be the responsibility of facilities staff. Will council members request a full list of city-owned properties (it has been provided before) and a Finch v G2 employment chart? Since JML began addressing the city council with observations based on facts they are willing to overlook, there has been turnover of members. Will his message resonate with this latest collection? Will they begin to understand their role? Or will this body continue to settle for whatever is put before them? Time will tell.
Lieutenant Columbo “Just One More Thing”
youtu.be/biW9BbWJtQU
Ron,
That is what comes to my mind as well. Peter Falk would be nodding his head up and down, seemingly with the interview ended, heading for the doorway when he would slowly turn on his heel, with his right hand starting to rise with pointer finger extended and with a smile on his face say “just one more thing, my aunt had a pair of boots just like those red rubber boots you are wearing. How are they working out for you?” Time will tell.
Time will not tell because I don’t think the council can tell time!
I have been a life-long resident of Bridgeport. I own property, paid taxes, tried to improve my little piece of Bridgeport. I have been here on OIB for a couple of months. It has been somewhat discouraging.
JML,
Keep that thought and if the council ever acts on the office of Public Integrity and Accountability, bring this to their attention.
Without the baseline number you are asking about the city can sell these properties at a steal to the right person and no one would be the wiser.
Bob,
That is correct. And is anyone the wiser on activities on several of the other “boards, commissions and committees” regarding OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE, TRANSPARENT and HONEST presentation to the public? School Building Committee? Pension A? Airport Commission? Are they listed on the City website for meetings, with agendas and minutes with exhibits? What is the reason for not being public? Ask your Council person. If they have to ask someone else, check out how many times they will resort to Tom McCarthy. Tom is the same elected leader who was wearing too many hats for far too long and has had his fingers, his eyes and ears in too many of the expensive City embarrassments, which others call scandals. Tom the teacher? Look at his behavior and actions. They have taught volumes and not about courage and fortitude in representing City taxpayers, but rather on how to put a happy face on some of the day-to-day goings-on in the City by our neighbors who should be celebrated, but not about City governance that has operated in the dark for the benefit of too few for too long. Raise your voice to Council members. Ask questions. Expect answers as they are learning, some finally, while a few will find no personal profit in changing unfortunately. They need “watchdogs” to demand a better record of accountability and I hope each of you will help. Time will tell.