UPDATE
: Unable to achieve concessions from municipal unions, Mayor Joe Ganim announced a new round of layoffs on Friday impacting about two dozen city employees. The Ganim administration provided no public details about the terminations, but State Rep. Kim Rose who represents Milford in the state legislature posted on her Facebook page Well the city of Bridgeport did it again I’ve been laid off. She had been pink slipped in the spring, but was brought back to the housing code/building department. Ganim seeks $4 million in union concessions for the new budget year that started July 1.
Long-time city employee Mike Freddino, Democratic district leader in the West Side 132nd District, was also pink slipped from his job in Housing Code Enforcement, but he has bumping rights. He’s also vice president of the local NAGE union.
The latest round of layoffs aren’t enough to cover $4 million so this may be Ganim’s way of trying to leverage unions for additional concessions to achieve the savings he wants. Some union leaders are talking about rallying membership for concessions to reverse the layoffs.
Tony Cavalli, president of the Bridgeport City Supervisors Association, issued this email to his membership on Friday.
“Several members have been laid off today and more will be laid off on Tuesday. Since 4:00pm today and into the night, we have been in contact with the City to come to an agreement to save the large number of jobs lost and will continue to do so this weekend in hope of calling a “Special Meeting” to re-vote on a new agreement.”
Union membership has rejected an offer to forego a pay raise in exchange for a year of job security. Its membership had benefited from a retroactive pay raise authorized by then Mayor Bill Finch in the final days of his administration.
Ganim issued this statement Thursday afternoon.
“As we end fiscal year 2016 and begin a new fiscal year, my administration has been unable to come to an accommodation with the various city employee labor unions that would get us to a figure of $4,000,000 in savings that is required in order to balance the budget for the coming fiscal year. Our administration has been working very hard for months in cooperation with labor unions trying to close the budget gap through some modest concessions such as wage freezes and furlough days. These are actions that appointed officials in my administration have already taken.
We have been as flexible as we can be, and we have negotiated in good faith. As it was last time I was mayor, my current administration is committed to good working relations with all bargaining units in the municipal employee labor force.
We know these are tough times, and we know that labor unions have given concessions in recent years. We know that it is a significant ask to request another $4,000,000 in savings, and we would not do so if balancing the budget did not depend on it.
As we have been very consistent telling the labor unions, the inability to reach a consensus on labor cost savings for the coming fiscal year now requires us to implement a new round of layoffs. A list of municipal employees to be laid off is currently being prepared and will be released sometime tomorrow.
This is a very unfortunate result, and not the outcome I wanted to see as chief executive of our city. My administration has already laid off approximately 100 employees since taking over last December. The last thing we want to do is to separate more employees from their jobs. But in fairness to the taxpayers of Bridgeport, we must do what we can to balance the budget. If that means doing the work of the people of Bridgeport with less employees, then we are prepared to take this difficult step.”
Joe blocked me from posting this question on his Facebook page. I asked why can’t the $4,000,000 the city made from the sale of the portion of the golf course be used to balance the budget and save city employees from being laid off? The city was looking for $4,000,000 and they got $4,000,000. It’s balanced. If employees get laid off it’s solely personal and political in nature by my math. This is a sad day for Bridgeport. My heart goes out the those decent employees who have kids and live paycheck to paycheck who are going to lose their jobs.
On a side note, he city’s promoting second chances for people who got caught up in the legal system but they are still going to fire city employees when they received the $4,000,000 they need to balance the budget. This is just so wrong.
Good point RT, it wasn’t a question. I’m a NAGE member. Last month NAGE members voted (yes or no) on two questions. One was for a 10-day furlough with no layoff and the other was for a 5-day furlough. NAGE members unanimously voted down (NO) both proposals. I found it odd two questions were being voted on. The 10-day furlough with no layoff was the recommendation of Adam Wood whom the union hired at a cost of $15,000. I feel the union leadership was taken for a long ride. By the mere fact NAGE turned down an alleged proposal that included a no-layoff clause, it clearly sends a message to the administration the union prefers layoffs over givebacks. The 10-day furloughs without any layoffs should not have been included as part of the union ballot question.
Joel,
So your union spent $15,000 of your money to hire Adam Wood to provide advice? Didn’t another union have Tom Sherwood present for them at budget discussions (or was it also NAGE)?
What was the thinking involved? The guys who advised Finch and left him with a “$20 Million deficit gap” more or less, would know the vulnerable points of the budget better than your former union people? Or what?
I know you are a taxpayer, so who should taxpayers retain and what price should we pay for representation? Maybe City Council candidates should indicate the completion of a course on District representation next year. Financial competency 101. How to hire consultants with the Other Services Line Item who can help us monitor all facets of City governance with metrics provided no less than quarterly and put on the Internet. Joel, what about employee evaluations that would show how hard some employees are working and how much some are just phoning it in? Where do you place accountability in the context of union membership? HONEST, OPEN and TRANSPARENT?
If memory serves me at this time, I think one year ago my home in a Residential A zone and the home of Adam and Kerry Wood in AA zone had similar values. Well my taxes are $11.96 less than $16,000, increased almost $2,000. With your union getting Adam to consult, he will likely be able to cover most of his taxes in the year ahead. Into one pocket and then back to the City. Nice trick for the very few. Time will tell.
JML, I stand corrected. NAGE hired Tom Sherwood not Adam Wood.
Thanks for the correction on Sherwood as the paid consultant and not Wood.
When we discuss issues, concerns and real problems on OIB, I look at it as an opportunity to learn as a community, rather than participate in a session of personal “gotchas.” So a correction when offered is most helpful. In that regard, at a meeting this morning, State Representative Stafstrom corrected a statement I made, based on a release from the State of CT Office of Fiscal Accountability, about stretching a deferral up to seven years on Police pension overtime funding. Steve indicates it was only deferred for two years and I shall pursue what the fiscal ramifications are and how they connect to budgets current and future.
Have a great July 4 weekend. Time will tell.
Adam Wood and Tom Sherwood could not care less about your members when they were in Finch’s administration and you hire them expecting OATH? I thought you guys were smarter than that.
My understanding is the proceeds from the park sale were (in violation of the City Charter) used to reduce the FY2016 deficit (which the administration likes to call the “Finch” deficit). They were probably trying to hide the fact, since taking office, Ganim’s action’s (police contract, Gaudett, retirement incentive, Chapman and jobs for cronies) had all increased, not reduced the deficit.
Make no mistake about it. The layoffs are necessary because the Mayor failed to make the tough choices to reduce spending before he submitted his proposed budget last April. 🙁
Phil, the unions will buckle and certain employees will be reinstated. It’s all a ploy!
Lisa, it is my understanding the laid-off employees will be back on the job Thursday July 7th.
Patience???! I have no patience for lies, ignorance and incompetence.
Dave,
You’re way past the stale date.
Carolanne,
If you want to weigh in on Bridgeport governance issues you should live here and pay our taxes! You have to pay to play here!
How patronizing?
Did you never hear of individuals working for and with the City for 35 years and making a cooperative effort with City leaders to bring some measured positive result?
You didn’t strike me as that provincial, David. Using an out-of-towner slam is beyond the stale date.
Carolanne,
The fact is if you work for the City then you work for the taxpayers of Bridgeport. You are in no position to dictate to me or any taxpayer of this City. If you take our taxes and aren’t willing to pay then you have no basis to complain.
Carolanne Curry, where are the goals of “City leaders?” They were not in the State of the City address, nor were they in the Transmittal letter to the Council regarding the budget.
How does one look for “measured positive results” if a line in the sand is not drawn?
You are familiar with the meaning of OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE, TRANSPARENT and HONEST I know. Where are there any signs of this, except in last year’s campaign literature?
You were part of CitiStat with John Gomes years ago, and the data, when measured, was too much for a “corrupt” administration to keep on board. So ‘metrics’ in this city have been meaningless and the only numbers folks see are increasing taxes (and Joe said what about taxes?) and property values decreasing. How does that factor into economic development? Post some targets, and some regular and timely stats please? Argumenta ad hominem do nothing to advance your cause, and less than nothing to verify trust or respect. Right? Time will tell.
So are you!!!
I meant C. Curry!
What about the $4,000,000 they made on the sale last week? Why can’t that money be used to save these employees’ jobs?
Robert,
You have asked this question twice. Let me ‘guess’ at some possible answers:
*** Somewhere at some time information has been offered on this site, as well as in annual budget proposals, that the sale of City property will be used to increase the City fund balance, at least in part, so $4 Million is not available, even if the deal has closed already, from this viewpoint.
*** Language in land gifts to the City in the past as well as in Parks Board process and Charter statutes govern what is done with dollars received for land transactions. What do they say? I do not think they are favorable to applying the sale of capital property to operating budget deficiencies.
*** In the past eight months we learned the last Finch budget contained some major errors by counting revenue from the State that was not going to come and by not including spending obligations that were known to the City due to Public Safety pension obligations. It is likely personnel in City Finance positions knew about those problems before election day, but did not share them with the Council or the taxpaying public.
*** In the same time period we learned Government Accounting Standards Board rules now require pension plan assets and obligations to show up on the city balance sheet. Once again that pushed us into the “red zone.” Underwater in the operating budget and on the balance sheet. That latter fact means if the city attempted to sell each item at a value posted on the balance sheet for the value so posted, when the last piece of property, building, fire engine, Segway and public art owned by the City is gone, we will still have hundreds of millions of obligations. Did you know that? Why are we so ready to sell things when we are not sure of their value? When we do not understand how that fits into a “long-term strategy?” When a Mayor fails to set out some simple priorities and follows through with OPEN comments and conversation about them, with ACCOUNTABLE financial reports and metrics delivered electronically for all the people, with TRANSPARENCY in operation that can be questioned until understood, and in a manner that is HONEST, fully, completely, and not just halfway? Time will tell.
Thanks, JML. No I don’t know much about government accounting standards board rules or have any idea what’s happening behind the scenes. I’m a borderline retard. My words should have no weight in whatever lane I’m in. I voice my opinion like every other troll in the blogosphere. Things that make you go hmmm!
You seem like a reasonable person well versed in city government with a general concern for how Bridgeport is run and managed. How are you not elected to the city council?
www .youtube.com/watch?v=XF2ayWcJfxo
Thanks for the referral to the video. Had not ever seen it previously.
I ran for the City Council last year with another resident from 130 District. Each of us as Democrats asked for the endorsement of the Democratic Town Committee based on our experience, formal and informal education and service to the community over many years. But the nine members of 130 DTC never could come together as a group to interview, listen or screen though significant written material was offered in support. We also reached out to more than half of the delegation to express credentials and interest. Dan Roach explained that “blood is thicker than water” so his support was for Kate Bukovsky, his sister, and Scott Burns, a relative newcomer to the area, inexperienced in observing the governance of the City. They received the endorsement for the primary and took 54% of the votes while we garnered 46%. We were organized, knocked on every door in the 130, even though many never opened. We also held two sessions open to the community for listening and questioning with our own YouTube recording.
The message is: when you ask too many questions, and seek to understand actions, behavior, as well as look for city officials to do what Charter, ordinances, or statutes call them to do, you are not welcome to DTC endorsement!!! That means Joe Ganim does not wish to meet with you. More importantly it means Mario Testa does not wish to meet and have vague, Seinfeld-like conversations with you. But it is to Mario that people are often sent for “approval.” But Mario and many of the other 89 DTC members are silent on their aims and objectives. And G2 follows suit.
There has been no listing of positions budgeted when the proposed budget came out of G2’s office this year. Council members tell us they have asked for such a listing (that was routinely provided in the “good old days” of Bill Finch). So have there been terminations, layoffs and retirements? Sure, a raft of them, but there have been new hires. And you will notice on more than one occasion I have asked for such a city table of organization. But I have and you have no satisfaction. How have the City Council and all of us taxpayers allowed this disease to continue, indeed to grow? Come to City Council session on Tuesday July 5 and listen to the 30 minutes of public speaking. It is not only about tax increases hitting some neighborhoods more than others; nor is it about last-minute decisions as to summer youth programs or second-chance concepts; it will be about city violence and guns with youth deaths that should be unnecessary; it may also be about a Mayor who ignored the Board of Education requests totally without explanation. Listen to the City. Brian Lockhart and Linda Connor Lambeck cannot cover all the facts in the time granted them to cover the City. Show up. Meet the speakers. Ask questions of the speakers. We are a diverse group of Bridgeport citizens. There are issues that require a response, but Tom McCarthy as a leader of the Council does a minimum of listening and nothing extra. And Mayor G2 gives no evidence of even doing that small amount. There are things in the City that a “Budget Rich” public safety force of employees should be able to proudly accomplish, but are not allowed to. There are other things a US Attorney’s office will need to lead us through I fear because too many with responsibility and authority fail to operate with OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE, TRANSPARENT and HONEST values and process. They have not cared. They do not care. There must be changes and consequences for “reasonable people” to invest their funds in the city and decide to reside here with their families. Time will tell.
It was used to cover part of the FY2016 “Finch” deficit, probably to hide the fact Mayor Ganim’s actions since taking office (Police contract, Gaudett, McCarthy, Chapman and other jobs for cronies) had increased, not decreased, the deficit.
The Mayor should consider laying himself off! The City has too many employees and many are not qualified for their jobs. It’s time to get serious and get to work on rightsizing City government and restructuring the City’s retirement and benefit programs.
Dave,
Stop the pomposity.
How much did your Bridgeport residential property tax go up? Oh, none, okay. Give Bridgeport residents who are paying your salary a break. We are pissed.
Carolanne,
I am very disappointed by your comments. You cannot possibly condone the incompetence of Bridgeport’s City government. Sometimes the truth hurts but someone needs to tell the truth. Remember the Rotary Four Way Test?
Dave, C. Curry has been doing this for years. She snuffs our Bridgeport campaigns, then if she’s lucky enough to be let in (for compensation), she goes for it with no shame. She did it in the G1 campaign, was given a job, and was then fired; she did it in MJF’s first campaign then turned on her because she got a better offer with G2’s campaign. So now we’ll see how long she holds this job.
Lisa,
Your interaction with reality is a bit shaky. So is your truthfulness.
No, Curry; my information, knowledge and secrets of all Bridgeport players, including yours are spot on. You are a mercenary predator taking from the poor in Bridgeport while you enjoy your flowers and low taxes in Westport. I believe you were fired by G1 because you didn’t have the patience to wait for him to sign off on a grant you were working on. So you took his name stamp and used it without his knowledge. In real life that would be a crime with consequences, however he had mercy on you and chose to just fire you. You are not an honest person, in fact you’re downright creepy. You shuffle around with bifocals, speak in small sentences, and show a poor attempt at humor. So I think the administration should make you “stand down” while they’re ahead of the game. You already broke the law in Ganim’s first go ’round, who’s to say you won’t do it again? The last thing Joe needs is another investigation.
Lisa, maybe the FIRST thing G2 needs is another investigation. Think about it. Six months into his second administration and things are totally fucked up already.
Carolanne,
I have just been advised you are a Ganim political appointee. Therefore you are obviously not objective about the Administration. Have you bought property in Bridgeport yet?
Dave, C. Curry was a paid worker in the Ganim campaign, she treated black volunteers like dirt, I caught her and put an end to it before someone threw her out on her ass. Then she hung around the Annex hoping for a job. She either wore Ganim down, or someone spoke on her behalf. For the life of me I can’t imagine who would have done that since she was very disliked by all at headquarters. She was to be fired after the primary, for legitimate reasons, but she dodged the bullet on that one also. Now she has a job, I have no idea what she does, but I know she is taking a position from someone who resides in Bridgeport and pays high taxes.
Lisa,
Check your meds … Are they legal?
Because what you are saying borders on slander, but that’s your modus operandi, isn’t it?
Make it up when the truth isn’t convenient.
Carolanne, it’s actually libel. Chris Meyer gave me the little ditty if you can see it with your eyeball, it’s libel. Perhaps you can consultant with him about your blog postings, because libel goes both ways.
C Curry, would you like me to go into detail? How about the elderly black man you prevented from coming into headquarters when all he asked for was two Ganim signs? You shouted at him asking if he did any volunteer work, he responded by pointing to the signs he put up on the corner of Capital and Main. You would not give him the signs and made him stand outside the door you guarded until I stepped in, took the man by his hand, and told him to take as many signs as he wanted. You very silently told me to go eff myself, very silently because you know your cowardly, sorry ass would be sitting outside the headquarters if you tried to stop me. That’s just one instance, more to follow. I couldn’t make this meanness up, since I’ve never witnessed it in a Bridgeport campaign. You are a closet racist, and I watched you, and stopped you.
Thanks, Jennifer. In my opinion she’s a monster. I am entitled to my opinion, right?
No Carolanne, check your Geritol.
Just because you were born before Christ doesn’t mean you own the facts regarding the past.
You were completely incompetent during Ganim’s campaign while being paid $300 per week. You were responsible for coordinating new voter registration cards and your desk was such a disaster, others had to go through it to organize it.
Documents and registration cards in every nook and cranny. You kept making copies of cards that were already logged into the spreadsheet, therefore volunteers were wasting precious time keying in info that was already keyed.
We would send emails to you with attachments and you would repeatedly say you didn’t get them yet we would go over to your computer and they would be there plain as day.
You were completely unorganized, inefficient, constantly interfering in matters that were none of your business, and you don’t have ten votes in Bridgeport.
You don’t live in Bridgeport so as I repeatedly told you during Joe’s campaign, “mind your own business you old hag.” There is absolutely nothing wrong with being old, but there is definitely something wrong with being a “hag.”
Mr. Walker–of course this Carolanne Curry defends the Ganim administration for the simple reason they are buttering her bread. At the very least, she should not be insensitive as to mock the people who are paying Bridgeport taxes to fund her salary.
You got it, Godiva!
Dave, there she goes with her one-liners!
I’m a Democrat, but David Walker, along with John Lee, make the most sense to me when it comes to this absurdly mismanaged city.
And to think one of the City Council people representing our district, Katie Roach Keith Bukovsky (sister of Ganim’s right-hand man, Dan Roach) is out campaigning for Council President Tom McCarthy for State Senate, while dozens of her constituents are literally in tears over their new tax burden thanks to her vote.
Is it vanity? Restlessness? Stupidity? A need for feeling powerful? All of the above?
What possesses these people to keep standing up for each other, when they’ve pretty much over the past 20-30 years, been the ruinous driving force of Bridgeport government’s mismanagement?
But they contend it was always someone else.. Fabrizi. Or Finch. Or someone else they campaigned for and cozied up to.
Do none of these people have mirrors in which they may see the phonies who look back at them?
Mario and the gang have held sway all along for the downward spiral.
And yet, can you find on Vision Appraisal for Bridgeport any property for
Mario Testa
or
Joseph P. Ganim
gis.vgsi.com/bridgeportct/Search.aspx
???
How about for Monroe. 40 Bridge Road?
gis.vgsi.com/monroect/Search.aspx
According to the CT Post:
“1775 Madison Avenue Investments LLC, lists his home address at 40 Bridge Road, Monroe.”
www .ctpost.com/local/article/Some-Testa-papers-say-he-lives-in-Monroe-4487351.php
Does Mario Testa even pay taxes in Bridgeport?
Yes, according to the CT Post:
Ganim is a condo-dweller. When he moved back to Bridgeport from Easton last year to run for his old job, he registered to vote out of a friend’s condominium. The mayor has since purchased a unit in that same complex and, according to the bill his office provided, has a real estate tax bill of $2,012.78.
www .ctpost.com/local/article/Bad-day-at-Black-Rock-over-taxes-Tuesday-8335152.php
Pete, I respectfully disagree you on Dave Walker, he might be your guy but I’m in total agreement with Andy Fardy about Dave Walker.
Walker And Company Plan Earful For City Council
Andrew C Fardy //Jul 1, 2016 at 6:25 pm
“People are frigging idiots. Walker came to Bridgeport hoping he would be a senator and when he saw that was not going right he put his house on the block. You people in Black Rock are idiots you keep voting in the same group of people and when JML ran you did not vote for him. After Tuesday you will still be part of Bridgeport.”
There’s no doubt that’s why Walker bought Chris Shays’ house. If Walker is so wise then why would he move to Bridgeport Conn. with its high City and State taxes? Shays had to go because he started following Newt Gingrich plus Shays kept going to Iraq, in fact took 14 trips there. Why doesn’t Walker take all this knowledge and wisdom to the Republican Party’s national convention platform committee and also he should speak the his candidate for President, Donald Trump. If Dave Walker doesn’t like high taxes then why did he come here?
Ron,
The fact is the taxes have gone up 70% on our home since we moved to Black Rock when inflation has been less than 12%. No one could have anticipated that and it is prima facia evidence of how incompetent Bridgeport City Government leaders are. Most of your comments are pure BS. You don’t know me, what I think, or who I supported for the GOP nomination. If you bothered to take the time to do any research based on publicly available information you would know your assertions are false. In addition, I was recently elected to AARP’s national Board. Given that role, I do not endorse political candidates, participate in partisan political events or attend partisan national conventions.
Dave, true the percentage of taxes have gone up but Connecticut was one of the highest taxed States in America and the same with Bridgeport’s city taxes and you knew that and you still moved here, that doesn’t sound too smart. Your plan was to run for political office in Connecticut but it wasn’t as easy as you thought. That’s great you have that new position but that doesn’t change anything I said about you bringing your skills to your Republican Party the same way you want to do in Bridgeport, lead a protest in Washington DC to get the national taxes down, get mad there and show them you’re not going to take it. Try going over to PT Barnum Apartments and talk with the residents there to come to support you. Please!!!
Ron,
You still don’t get it. I had no intention of running for ANY political office when we came to CT. If I had I would have never moved to Bridgeport. Chris Shays is a friend of mine and that is how I found out about our beautiful home in our great neighborhood. I ran for LG to help turn around the state and help the City. They are both grossly mismanaged with poor leadership. I am focused on other things now but I will not be silent when lied to by politicians or when my family is adversely impacted by their incompetence. You shouldn’t either. By the way, I have toured several of the city’s public housing facilities in the past.
Joe, you need to cut your top staff. How many jobs did you give to the people who help you?
Hey Joe, I hope to see the four useless police Deputy Chiefs on your list of layoffs. That’s a million right there. They don’t serve any purpose in the PD. And how about taking the cars from the lieutenants and captains. That’s another $150,000-plus a year. Let’s not forget the smelly horses. That’s another $500,000 a year.
Hey Lennie, I heard a group of police officers bought body cameras to use while working and Chief Perez just ordered to stop using them. I thought Joe wanted transparency in all aspects of city government. What a joke. Another Gaudett with a Spanish last name.
Hi, Chi-Chi. Oops … Vale.
Not long ago Ganim knew what it was like to have his fortunes compromised. He had a gracious lady who was once his wife, who worked with him lest he be in trouble with not making his court mandated payments. I’m not speaking out of school, rest assured G1&2 never confided in me about anything. I was present when a reporter was trying to reach him for a response; I even went as far as calling G2 to suggest he take the reporter’s call because the story was going to be written anyway. My point is how quickly he forgets. Now entry-level employees, most with families to support will find themselves living on unemployment while his inexperienced inner-circle friends will have their six-figure paychecks going into direct deposit. The shame of it is at least half of these people don’t even need the money. They’re receiving pensions, social security and who knows what else while the needy will have to rob Peter to pay Paul. Greed!!!
Lisa,
No one forgets anything.
But perhaps you do.
Would you mind giving facts as to what I might have forgotten? I’m a blogger who tells the truth, takes nothing for my help, and remembers and know more than 90% of the present bloggers. I’ve spent my life in Bridgeport, and gave more than half of it to public service (no compensation or favors). I’ve just started sharing my political memories, rest assured I know more than the FBI did when they finished their investigation. They just didn’t ask the right questions, which is why they didn’t get the correct answers. I hope history doesn’t repeat itself.
It’s a real gas watching the Facebook posts regarding what a great time they are having on trips with taxpayer dollars; all while property taxes are being increased and less fortunate employees are being laid off.
Frank, I heard the School Security Officers are having a workshop at a resort/country club. Any BOE member aware of this?
Joel,
Stop with what you heard, and speak to what you know factually … if you can.
Who in hell would hire Adam Wood as a consultant? No wonder the unions are underdogs even against this incompetent administration.
And don’t forget folks to send a Thank You note to Tommy Mac. He sold the council on this Union concession idea.
Bob,
I believe you have mistaken him for Joe Ganim. The concessions were his idea.
Phil,
Every member of the council would have turned to Tommy Mac and asked if that number was reasonable. I saw it many times when I was on the council. If McCarthy said no it would be there.
So he had to sell the number to the other council members. So besides the $20M deficit, as Council President, he must take full responsibility for this $4M problem.
Because if there are layoffs there will be cuts in services.
Ron Mackey,
Expertise. Walker has expertise that the Institute of Medicine, AARP, and other respected non-partisan institutions have acknowledged and called on to their benefit, for the greater good.
If you don’t think Bridgeport City government could benefit from David Walker’s expertise, that’s your stance.
I think Bridgeport City government could. And what would be the downside?
The very important matter at hand, in light of the absurd 29% mil rate increase and the continuing obfuscation and substandard management of the city’s tenuous finances, is the BOOKS!
We need outside FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT. The current approach, under the imprimatur of Bridgeport’s political power brokers, serves the interest of very few.
Pete, I agree totally that Bridgeport needs outside FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT. Mr. Walker should take his many skills to Washington DC.
Ron,
You are a little late with your suggestion. I associated with PricewaterhouseCoopers Public Sector as a Senior Strategic Advisor based in DC over a year ago. In addition, the AARP, CRFB and GTI Boards are all based in DC.
Ganim is overestimating the debt and underestimating the income. He raised the mil rate more than necessary. Once the fervor dies down, people will accept the new mil rate. In four years people will accept the 50 mil rate as ‘what it always was.’ When the housing market recovers and house prices rise the mil rate will be forgotten.
Just before the next elections Joe will cut the mil rate and be proclaimed as a hero. If he stockpiles enough cash, pays off enough debt and makes enough cuts, Joe will be able to cut the mil rate back to the low 40s, ensuring his re-election. It will be a cycle of villain and hero as in post and pre-election.
Quite possibly true. Does not make it suck any less now though. The fervor may die down, but not before August. And for this gal, the only reason to accept the mil rate is the handcuffs the loss in home value has placed on me. Acceptance maybe a necessity for sanity’s sake, but if I could come out anywhere near ahead of this game right now, I would be selling.
SPY, “When the housing market recovers,” and “if it does not” in whatever market cycle you feel must happen, then what? And if the State, itself in major fiscal trouble, is not there to bail out the deceptions and price tags coming home to be settled? What then?
Perhaps you hear the issue of competency of current staffing in the City raised in recent months. Is there training? Does experience matter? Who has retired? Who was just hired? Have there been any real employment cuts? Can you get the OATH data from the City? It is what will matter to legal authorities coming in for corruption oversight that has been practically ignored locally for too long.
What happens to the hero-villain-second-chance candidate who won “repeat villain” because he forgot and failed to “verify” the cycle you reference when City practices are held up to the light of day? Time will tell.
JML–A little history first. Housing prices peaked in early 2006, started to decline in 2006 and 2007, and reached new lows in 2012. On December 30, 2008, the Case-Shiller home price index reported its largest price drop in its history.
Here is some random Bridgeport house:
www .trulia.com/property/3237753343-2017-E-Main-St-Bridgeport-CT-06610
Scroll to the housing price chart. The chart starts at 2006, the high point in the bubble. Your average BPT house was ~$210K (2006 Remember this is the top of the artificially high bubble) and is now ~$150K. Look at the more localized data. North BPT $180 to $135 and 06610 is $170 to $135. Still lower than the bubble highs of 2006 but drastically up from the lows of $50K in 2012. This does seem to indicate the housing market is recovering. Although slower in CT than in other places.
However, I was not trying to defend or justify Ganim’s policy, just theorize to his motivations. I was also not speaking to the fairness, quality or feasibility of the plan. This is just what I think he is doing.
BOE SPY,
Look at any indices you wish and extend trends into the future, as you wish. All opinion. What concerns me significantly is the extent to which our Federal Government has through its various operations and tools undercut normal markets in many sectors. They have looked at enforcement issues at the lowest levels to “out” Ponzi schemes, but fail to regularly account for the trillions of debt created that cannot be repaid under any current scheme, for technological market running to provide advantage to a few rather than fairness in the marketplace, and I have come to doubt previous “normal or average market” behavior. Where are the buyers for devalued Bridgeport properties to come from, the young people with college debt? The folks from the suburbs who are contemplating the cost of living in CT and searching for other areas to downsize to? Have a handful of questions as to future scenarios? It is necessary to stay open to understand what is really happening, isn’t it? Do you understand why I keep calling for OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE, TRANSPARENT and HONEST? At a public meeting with Council members Bukovsky and Burns we listened to their description of the City plan for revenue and expense provided to them in late March, 2016, the 2016-17 City operating budget, as the Mayor’s budget. It was their rejection of having a real hand in it or being able to do anything about it, since they, and others, rejected the veto as a tool. They indicated the professional adviser they hired was a “revenue specialist” when what is truly required in Bridgeport is a “cost cutting specialist,” if such expertise can be discovered in CT. (My neighbor, Dave Walker, has all the talent required to provide such expertise, but Bill Finch and now Joe Ganim have regularly avoided listening and then using such “free” and available assistance. Absurd? You think so? Only in Bridgeport? Yet Walker is discredited for far too many nonsensical reasons because too many are really afraid of what will be discovered when all the cards are turned over.
Scott affirmed the Police Budget as presented was a sham, and the 470 officers as employed and filled positions was actually closer to 335-350. But the City has still not provided a table of organization showing positions filled, vacant, unfilled and new as in many past years. Heck, Bill Finch and Tom Sherwood used to do that in the early days before they began to reduce “the oxygen of good information” to the public. G2 should be embarrassed to have thrown OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE and TRANSPARENT overboard so fast. Was HONEST ever in the cards? I have called for verification with which to enlist, sustain, or rebuild TRUST but we are not heard. The “fiscal books” of the City are incomplete and repeat errors and the City has no intention to make corrections or seek to improve. How sad. Time will tell.
Yeah, all those debt problems are worrisome. However I was just addressing your question in the housing market not a revamp of the entire financial system. I have views on those subjects but that would not be in line with this posted article. It is funny you reference Ponzi Schemes since all government pension plans, from Social Security down, are one.
I predicted this in December 2015 as soon as the “$20 million deficit” was found.
Frank–was the $20 mil deficit found or manufactured? Has anyone produced any documentation as to what (if any) the deficit is?
Probably a ploy the Ganim administration invented in order to make themselves look like saviors. I personally wouldn’t believe a word he says, and neither should anyone else.
My honest opinion, the $20 million deficit was “real” in the sense Finch et al. really thought they were going to be re-elected and Malloy and the re-evaluation would save them. The problem was Ganim was able to tap into some real dissatisfaction with Finch from the East Side, and with Testa was able to win the Democratic nomination with Mary-Jane Foster siphoning votes away from Finch. So the unfunded “issues” fell into Ganim’s lap. Ganim, the consummate politician he is, used these funding gaps to blame all the financial woes on Finch.
Michael Freddino. See ya.
He bumped Dennis Scinto.
Dave Walker and others keep throwing around the word bankruptcy like there are no implications associated with it. As a retired Captain in the Bridgeport Fire department I paid 8% of my salary every week for almost 27 years and was told it was going to the general fund to pay Bridgeport’s bills and for doing this I was assured a pension for the rest of my life.
I fulfilled my promise to Bridgeport by giving my 8%, running into burning buildings, putting my life on the line, hurt my back which required surgery and now because the city’s finances are in dire straights Dave and others are crying bankruptcy. Bankruptcy could lead to me and every other retired police and firefighter that put their lives on the line for Bridgeport and its residents to lose our pension because of the bankruptcy that you people are crying for. How in hell is that fair to Ron Mackey, Andy Fardy, myself and a legion of others who fulfilled our promise to Bridgeport to have you people who have never committed their lives for Bridgeport to now cry about your taxes and want the city to renege on its promise to us? What in hell do those retirees who still live in Bridgeport and still pay those high-ass taxes to do once Bridgeport files for bankruptcy and our pensions are reduced or worse, eliminated? Dave Walker it’s not a problem for you because one can rightfully assume if you can afford to buy your home in Black Rock then you aren’t living off a pension that pays you little or nothing for putting your life on the line. Shame on you and the rest of these fools who are crying for bankruptcy for Bridgeport.
So Donald Day, WHAT IS YOUR ANSWER???
Don, remember. Walker’s brother is a firefighter. Walker moved to the high taxes in Connecticut because he wanted a waterfront home, now isn’t that nice? So we shouldn’t be so hard on him because we all know how hard it is to find good waterfront property. So our pensions are reduced at least Dave Walker will still be able to live and relax at his house in Black Rock overlooking the water and I’m sure that’s more important than paying these greedy firefighters and police officers their pension.
Ron, Don–Dave does not WANT this to happen, it is just a financial reality. Don’t shoot the messenger. It is not the accountant who creates the problem, in the same way it is not the detective who committed the murder.
Don did pay your 8%. You did serve your duty and fulfill all your requirements. It is your Democrat demigods who failed. DW and JML are just pointing out the realities of BPTs financial situation. You should be blaming every mayor you elected and failed to address this problem since Moran warned of BPT bankruptcy.
What you are missing is the fact Republicans and Democrats all received the benefits of Donald and Andy’s 8% a week payment from their paycheck every year they put their life on the line for the entire City of Bridgeport and the only answer to the financial problems in Bridgeport is to take or cut their pension?
It may be but that solution is not in the hands of Dave Walker. It will be in the hands of a bankruptcy judge. Despite what DW proposes or calls for, the choice is not up to him.
If you are looking to cast blame you should blame all the people who voted for the folks who put BPT in this situation. Or, look in the mirror.
Ron, who has written on OIB more about Pension A status than me? Who has attended Pension A committee meetings in the Finch administration and the G2 months? Who is aware of the actual value of investments in Plan A? The amount of revenues that must be paid out this year? The amount the G2 approved budget plans to contribute to the plan this year? And how many firefighters, police officers or their dependent beneficiaries who qualify for 50% payouts are still alive and getting these checks? And how many of you understand the Police and Fire current operating budgets are making payments of $30 Million per year to bondholders for the G1 idea that confronted a couple of volatile markets, lost money and also faced subsequent administrations that kicked contributions into the future. And the future is now, maybe? Does G2 have a Plan B strategy to do with this Pension Plan A problem? Time will tell.
Donald,
I am for an independent Financial Control Board in order to avoid bankruptcy. We need to eliminate the abuses in the pension plan and fund it adequately so people will get what they have been promised. We need to dramatically reform the retiree health care plan.
So you want to give control of Bridgeport’s finances to a group of politically connected individuals primarily appointed by that icon of fiscal responsibility Dan Malloy?
AND there are IMPLICATIONS of Bankruptcy for EVERY SINGLE PERSON living in Bridgeport and anyone/everyone associated with Bridgeport. But right now, we are at a DEAD END and sinking.
And any Bankruptcy filing DOES NOT mean ALL pension benefits will be affected. If any would be, it would be of the last couple of years and MOVING FORWARD.
That is not right. The recent pensions were changed to 403(b) administered by the state and paid for by payroll deductions. It is unclear how the city’s matching funds will be dealt with or what the state will do if they do not receive those matching funds.
The city pension obligations would be affected if they are underfunded.
michiganradio.org/post/detroit-bankruptcy-lesson-underfunded-pension-funds-could-trip-other-municipalities
Please provide data or info on any pension changes through contracts in Bridgeport in the recent past such as your reference to 403(b) treatments. CT Post? Newsletter from candidate? Supporters of? Those against? Anything passed by our City Council? Thank you. Time will tell.
Sorry, you are correct. I meant MERF not 403(b). Although the BOE does offer a voluntary 403(b) and 457 plan in addition to the pension.
When a city files bankruptcy, as a matter of law everything must be on that table, including pensions.
Correct. All the more reason to have an Independent Financial Control Board to avoid bankruptcy.
Everything is on the table but everything is negotiable.
During Ganim’s campaign, I posted very unpopular comments at that time stating Ganim was unremorseful and basically a well-seasoned bullshitter. I recall seeing his campaign signs all over Bridgeport. They were shaped like stop signs and stated he would be putting a stop to higher taxation. How’s that working out for all you taxpayers? Buyer’s remorse anyone? To the vicar went the spoils–at the taxpayer’s expense. Furthermore, it’s sad he laid off so many employees at the lower end of the pay scale and continues to hire his cronies, their family members and friends regardless of how incompetent they may be, and pay them astronomically high salaries to do only G-d knows what. A couple of months back, I had the pleasure of being in a setting where I overheard one of his appointees make a comment she had no idea what her job was all about, but she was getting a huge salary just to show up. The real irony of it is he expects the unions to bear the burden of his reckless hiring of new employees. The worst part of this scenario is there is no remedy and Bridgeport is saddled with this despicable man for the next three years.
Next three years? I guess you’re leaving before JG2 finishes the second term.
Ganim won’t be reelected. I do not even believe he will seek reelection.
This makes no sense. I call shenanigans. Ganim asked for the Supervisors union to give up a 2.5% raise. Say an average salary of $70K among 140 people. You are looking at a $250K savings. Given the same estimates and including healthcare and pension savings of a layoff, you only need to lay off 3-4 people to make that year’s savings.
Notice the randomly chosen people are also union bigwigs or legislators. He obviously chose to lay off people with pull to achieve a goal. The union is calling for a second emergency vote? I guess Ganim will get a ‘do-over.’ Can we call for a do-over in the last mayoral election?
Phil,
If you think Ganim and the current City Council can do what needs to be done you are sadly mistaken. It is clear they do not have the willingness or ability to do what needs to be done. We need an independent financial control board like the one Puerto Rico is getting because of decades of fiscal irresponsibility, mismanagement, corruption and failure to make tough choices.
Dave,
Don’t put words in my mouth. I have been as critical of this administration and the City Council as anyone on the blog. But unlike you, I have done it by dealing with real issues and real solutions, not platitudes or panaceas.
Oh snap!!!
Phil,
You are way off base. I gave the Mayor and City Council several pages of specific ideas of how to help address the City’s challenges three years ago! I have testified before the City Council a number of times, met with the prior Mayor and offered to meet with Mayor Ganim on more than one occasion. I am the person pushing for a Financial Control Board to avoid bankruptcy. What real ideas and real solutions have you offered?
There are people in Bridgeport who can serve on a financial review board. This board would have 10 members, six from Bridgeport and four from the State. The six from Bridgeport are John Marshal Lee, Peter Spain, Phil Smith, Mary-Jane Foster, former resident Con Filardi and Jeff Kohut.
You will notice I did not put all-important Dave Walker on the list as sooner or later he will be leaving plus he is a one-trick pony who uses the pension system for cops and firefighters as his main issue.
The council is not qualified and to be honest they are not smart enough to handle our financial problems. Many on the council do not own homes so tax increases don’t affect them directly. We can blame the Bridgeport Democratic party for these problems. They keep electing all these people who are unqualified to serve as elected officials. My two council people know zip about my neighborhood. Going to the council on Tuesday for a yelling session is pure and utter BS.
Andy, not bad but I and a few other people like Peter Hurst is just one name but I do have a few other names.
Andy,
Thanks. But I’ll pass.
I’m old enough to have worked with the Bridgeport Review Board (from the city side) in the late ’80s and three decades later to work (from the state side) with, and sometimes sit on, the Waterbury Financial Review Board. Those experiences have left me deeply skeptical of the entire process. Certainly it is not the panacea Dave Walker and others seem to think it is.
Let’s start with the Board itself. Over the last 30 years the qualification and quality of the various review boards has varied greatly. But it is fair to say the members are not generally experts in either finance or governmental operations. Financial Review Boards are primarily composed of the Mayor, the State Treasurer, a union representative and a variety of political appointees.
When the Bridgeport Financial Review Board was created there was a widespread belief city spending was out of control (it was) and cutting spending would solve the problem. The answer, then as now, proved to be a lot more complicated than that.
The truth is the problems go way beyond politics. If we could reverse every bad fiscal decision Joe Ganim has made it might reduce the budget and tax rate in the short term, but the long-term problems would remain.
Very few of those decisions will be simple choices between right and wrong. Balancing the budget in the short term and fixing the long-term problems are not going to be easy. It is going to require difficult decisions which will pit people and programs against each other. I, for one, would rather have those decisions made by elected officials, not political appointees accountable only to whomever appointed them.
If I disagree with the Mayor’s actions (I do), I get a chance to replace him in three years. If our two Council Members screw up (they have), we can replace them next year. There is nothing I can do about a Malloy appointee whose Review Board votes I disagree with.
Yes, I understand the reality of Bridgeport politics. Like it or not in a democracy there is just so much you can do to protect the voters from themselves. Maybe if people are mad enough they will actually get involved and vote. We might even get more than 20% of the voters to turn out in a general election. That would be a good thing.
The last thing the machine wants to see is increased turnout.
i do agree with Phil Smith on the points he brought up.
Andy,
For the record, I have no interest in being on any Bridgeport Financial Control Board. I have been asked to consider an appointment to a much, much bigger, more complex and highly visible Financial Control Board and I don’t have time to do more than one. The fact is, whether you want to believe it or not, I am viewed as one of the top experts on government transformation and related financial restructuring in the country. Ron and you seem to be focused on protecting your own interests and not understanding the types of changes that are necessary to create a better future for this City and its citizens. Without restructuring Bridgeport’s finances, among other things, we will not be able to grow the tax base, and without growth there will not be job opportunities for those in the City who want to work. In addition, there will not be adequate funds to meet pension and other obligations you seem to be focused on. These are facts, not opinion. In my view, among other things, we should require our top City appointed officials live in the City and we should give a meaningful preference to hiring Bridgeport residents for jobs within in the City that involve City funding or tax concessions.
Dave, you are right that Ron, Don and I are concerned about our pensions because you and others talk like they are the only reason the city is in trouble. The city is spending millions on political jobs. Before you guys come after us you should be hollering about former chief Chapman’s $6,000 per month, the deputy Fire Chief new position for $80-90K, do we need another chief? Let’s talk about John Gomes making $80K-plus, BTW where is a copy of his masters degree? Let’s talk about bar owner Tiago making $90K to check potholes, let’s talk about the Sheriff of Mayberry former FBI Ed Adams, another $6K per month. Stallworth $70K-plus and the list goes on and on.
Andy,
I hear you and share your concerns. We need the address those and other issues but the numbers you are talking about are small potatoes compared to the City’s unfunded retiree health care obligations. They are $1,000,000,000-plus. Retiree health care represents tens of millions per year in costs and rising!
I don’t believe the number $1,000,000,000,000; many many retired employees pay a lot of money for their retiree health care, when you reach social security age you get a secondary insurance and medicare becomes your primary. It’s not just my health insurance and retiree benefits that are hurting the city.
Andy,
I think Ron, Don and you have not realized one of Walker’s major concerns have been the extent of OTHER POST EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS. The Comprehensive Annual Financial Review shows the growing liability for the City each year. We treat it as a pay-as-you-go program just the way the City treated your Pension A Police and Fire plans before 2000. Perhaps we should look at how we got where we are. And wonder about what such an expensive plan means to City taxpayers when you as a participant are also spending big bucks. And the City health plans may be too rich as defined by Obamacare as to be ‘Cadillac plans.’ Anybody talking about any of these issues? Think they should be? Why are we beating up on each other when the opponent of good governance pulled the wool once over people’s eyes and if he does it again, what about all those in the City, without relatives in Easton, who have a record, but who will not get “a similar second chance?” Folks on the firing line, what is your target? Check it out. Time will tell.
John, everybody talks about police and fire pensions and benefits but nobody seems to have the numbers. How many cops and firefighters are retired under Plan A and are still living? How many widows are receiving half their dead husbands’ pensions?
How many police and firefighters are on medicare? How many retirees and widows are paying a portion of their healthcare benefits after retirement?
You know nobody writes about these numbers and nobody seems to care because it doesn’t make good copy. John, you have done a great job of amassing figures but on this you did not do a great job.
Here is the killer. I am now old, partially blind, had bypass surgery and have COPD and I have to worry about poverty. Walker, Lee and others, where were you in the ’70s and ’80s when we were getting shot at, eight of us died in the line of duty and our rescue squad was busier than any in New York and Boston? Where were you when we were getting injured on a regular basis? You as a group can collectively kiss my ASS. I did your dirty work back then and now you want to screw people like me, Day and Mackey.
Andy,
It’s not my number, it’s the City’s number in the audited financial statements. Check out the OPED footnote in the City’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the year ended June 30, 2015. It may be the highest unfunded burden per taxpayer in the world. And Bridgeport has below average median household income! Unreasonable, unaffordable and unsustainable.
It’s called unfunded pension liability and it’s the figure that is there if every retired FF and Cop had to be paid all in one year. That will never happen and we both know it.
Dave, I concur with your that our top City-appointed officials live in the City and we should give a meaningful preference to hiring Bridgeport residents for jobs within the City that involve City funding or tax concessions. Hartford does both of these things, in fact Hartford demands that City-appointed individuals in a leadership capacity have six months from the date of appointment to move to Hartford or leave their position. Bridgeport can’t continue to be the purveyor of suburban uplift to the detriment of this city and its residents.
Frank Gyure // Jul 2, 2016 at 3:54 pm
QUOTE FROM JOHN MARSHALL LEE:
*** In the same time period we learned that Government Accounting Standards Board rules now require pension plan assets and obligations to show up on the city balance sheet. Once again that pushed us into the “red zone.” Underwater in the operating budget and on the balance sheet. That latter fact means if the city attempted to sell each item at a value posted on the balance sheet for the value so posted, when the last piece of property, building, fire engine, Segway and public art owned by the City is gone, we will still have hundreds of millions of obligations.
DOES THIS NOT MEAN WE ARE TECHNICALLY BANKRUPT? I have advocated the City of Bridgeport is BANKRUPT since at least December 2015. I have verbally stated my position at Black Rock NRZ meetings in front of our two CC reps and State Rep Steve Stafstrom and have placed this opinion here on the OIB site. One member said we are NOT financially qualified for bankruptcy. I beg to disagree. In fact, if you add all the money Bridgeport REALLY needs, especially for infrastructure (housing especially), we are even further in the red.
Frank,
Bridgeport is eligible for bankruptcy but Connecticut is not eligible under federal law.
Dave Walker, thank you about the clarification about bankruptcy of the city versus the state. I did mean that Bridgeport itself is bankrupt, not the state. Beyond all this, whether asking for any financial overview board or even filing for bankruptcy, you need to have the triggering mechanism and as far as I know, that request must come from the mayor of the municipality. I don’t know if the BPT City Council has any powers in this regard. I believe there is ZERO CHANCE that Ganim and the Democratic Political Machine will opt for any outside fiscal authority because Ganim and The Democratic Political Machine will become impotent in terms of political patronage etc.
The Mayor can initiate bankruptcy, the Council approves or rejects it.
Lisa Parziale, thank you for the info. Considering the political structure in Bridgeport, neither bankruptcy nor any outside financial review board will happen.
Dave,
I am really curious about your claim Bridgeport is eligible for bankruptcy. Basis?
He does not have one.
I think what DW is saying is Bridgeport, as a municipality, has a legal right to file Chapter IX bankruptcy but The State Connecticut DOES NOT have the legal right to file bankruptcy. Now as to whether or not Bridgeport is financially qualified to file bankruptcy is another question.
I think if you crunch all the numbers there is financial/fiscal basis for bankruptcy.
Frank,
You are correct and it is not a difficult case for Bridgeport to file. However, we should try to avoid bankruptcy if we can. That is why I support an Independent Financial Control Board.
Phil,
Read the audited financial statements, including the footnotes. It’s not even a close call.
Do you mean assets vs liabilities?
Phil,
Assets minus liabilities, assets versus liabilities and unfunded obligations, ability the meet all scheduled obligations when they are scheduled to be paid. I could say more but it’s not necessary.
Ability to meet all obligations when they are scheduled to be paid. Bridgeport is underwater financially and is already deferring scheduled pension and other payments, which will only serve to increase the related obligations.
You got close on the second try. However there is not a single word in the CAFR that suggests the City is, in the words of the Bankruptcy Code “generally not paying its debts as they become due” or “unable to pay its debts as they become due.” Could it reach that point? Sure. But I would be a lot more cautious before throwing around charged words like bankruptcy.
The CAFR, as we are finding out, as presented by Ganim, Flatto and Company is basically a fraudulent document. Go ask JML.
Phil Smith, what I don’t understand about Dave Walker’s solutions to Bridgeport’s financial problems is if his suggestions are so good then why isn’t he making these suggestions to his Republican Party to help solve the financial problems of America? To me he seems more interested in the destruction of a system of public pensions like his friend Scott Walker did in Wisconsin.
Ron,
I speak with top Democrat, Republican and Independent leaders on a recurring basis about how to transform government and address various fiscal, competitiveness and other challenges. This is not a partisan issue and attempts to characterize it as such are inappropriate and unproductive. I focus on progress rather than partisanship and results rather than rhetoric. I also have more direct citizen engagement experience on federal fiscal issues than anyone else in the country. I’m still making the case, around the country and even overseas. I only accept a small fraction of the many speech invitations I receive. These are facts.
Dave, this is what you are really about.
Draft David Walker: Americans Elect Backers Leave Americans Elect To Get American Elected
m.huffpost.com/us/entry/1449960.html
Ron Mackey and Donald Day, just cut it out with your attempts to tie David Walker to Donald Trump and the national Republican Party. I don’t agree with most of the political and fiscal policies of Dave Walker. HOWEVER, what is happening is a call to the residents of the City of Bridgeport to WAKE UP AND GET INVOLVED. Otherwise, we are at the mercy of the ego of Joe Ganim, Testa’s testicles, Dr. Ford’s lies, etc. etc. etc.
Is Dunn really done?
QD, no, Dunn is working for the City but I hear he’ll be out by the end of the year. Ganim needs Dunn along with John Gomes and Rev Hawkins to do his dirty work of getting rid of City workers. It’s also my understanding the City will not be giving a test for this position after Dunn is gone.
DD, do you still live in Bridgeport?
No.
QD, WHY???
Don/Ron/Andy,
Are Bridgeport city employees eligible for social security based on their work for the city? Medicare?
Phil, they do not pay into Social Security so unless they worked enough hours on another job they will only receive their pension.
Phil, after they retired their health benefits changed big time. There is no free medical care in fact those retired after July 1, 2001 will pay a very large amount for their family health care until they reach 65. Retirement for firefighters and police officers is no bed of roses, their pay is cut their health insurance stays the same and they must get another job. They can’t just retire and lay back and do nothing.
There is NO FREE MEDICAL CARE at all in the United States. The closest might be VA (Veteran’s Administration) and the VA has big problems.
Frank, you are so up Walker’s ass, just read the link I posted about Dave, then you tell me what’s the deal with Dave Walker. Time will tell.
That article said DW tried to get on the 2012 ballot for president under the ‘Americans Elect’ party. Americans Elect saw him as the Great Deficit Cutter.
Did you read the link you posted?
Ron,
I suspect the absence of Medicare for many retired city employees also significantly increases the cost of the city’s post-retirement medical benefits. There would, of course, be trade-offs but it seems reasonable to ask whether the taxpayers would be better off if city employees were covered by Social Security and Medicare.
BOE, LOL, LOL, LOL, that’s right, major in the minor. Deal with this, “He (David Walker) fits Thomas Friedman’s definition for what Americans Elect is all about–launching the candidacy of a “viable centrist” who can be the Great Deficit Cutter and, by extension, the friendly face of entitlement program destruction.”
Yeah, SO? That is one guy’s opinion of another guy’s opinion. Thomas Friedman believes DW is the definition for what Americans Elect is all about launching. The author of the story believes DW is the friendly face of entitlement program destruction. One or both opinions can be wrong.
Ron, define ‘centrist.’ What do you think that means?
You gotta joke, Dave Walker should make it known the statement is true or not and a centrist is like you walking in the middle of the street walking on the yellow line, they can get hit either way and get hurt.
One person’s definition of ‘entitlement program destruction’ could be different from another’s. Besides, the article was a slam piece. We have revised Social Security many times. Would you call this ‘entitlement program destruction?’ Obamacare is the destruction of our employee health benefit entitlement. This is all just a matter of opinion and those opinions can be manufactured depending on the stance of the author.
Back you your pension. It is currently in tough shape. DW bringing this to the taxpayers’ attention is not what put the pension where it is. If you are looking for an ‘entitlement program destroyer,’ you should look at the people who made your pension a ‘pay as you go’ plan.
This is what happened. Your pension payments paid someone else’s taxes years ago. I.e., your payments went into the general fund. Taxes did not go up (or went down) because your pension payments were available for spending.
Now, other people’s taxes need to pay your pension payments. City leadership did not make any arrangements to do this. They lived by the skin of their teeth with this obligation hanging over their heads and totally ignored it. Now, it is blowing up in their faces. So who really destroyed your entitlement program? Doing nothing or continuing to ignore it is not going to make it better. What should BPT do? You have three choices. Cut the benefits, assign a mil rate to paying the benefits or some combination of 1 and 2.
Phil, when you reach Social Security age and apply for benefits you receive considerably less social security. In my case it was $500 a month less.
Andy, that is kind of a scam. Why do city workers get less social security? Take two people. One guy works five years at a factory, 25 years with the city, then five years at Walmart.
The other guy works five years at a factory, is a bum for 25 years, then five years at Walmart.
Why does the first guy lose $500/mo?
NO TO JOE!!!!!!
JML, you say, “Perhaps we should look at how we got where we are. And wonder about what such an expensive plan means to City taxpayers when you as a participant are also spending big bucks.” What does how we got here have to do with the fact we are where we are? Where did you and Dave live when Andy, Ron and myself were running into burning buildings to protect Bridgeport? Where did you and Dave live when Andy, Ron and myself paid 8% of our salary to help pay the bills of Bridgeport? Where did you and Dave live when we paid not only 8% of our salaries, but property tax and car taxes to Bridgeport?
You guys talk like our pensions are entitlements rather than earned benefits. We made a promise to Bridgeport we would help pay the city’s bills in return for a pension. That’s part of the problem, no one wants or think they should have to keep promises made to those who put their lives on the line because finances are tight. JML, you’re great with figures, figure out how much money leaves this city every day in salaries going to the suburbs. Figure out how much money is going to Department heads in salaries who live outside the city. Close those glaring misuse of city funds and then you’ll see pensions are the least of Bridgeport’s problems.
Don, the answer is easy, “He (David Walker) fits Thomas Friedman’s definition for what Americans Elect is all about–launching the candidacy of a “viable centrist” who can be the Great Deficit Cutter and, by extension, the friendly face of entitlement program destruction.” David Walker is “the friendly face of entitlement program destruction” like City pensions, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security. Now maybe some of Dave Walker’s supporters like JML and Jennifer and some others can tell us why Dave Walker never informed the voters in Connecticut about any of this and about the efforts to run for President of the United States in 2012.
Don, there’s a saying that when someone tells you who they are, believe them, David Walker is the Trojan Horse who came to Bridgeport.
Indeed, because when one researches Walker’s actual public and official statements, as opposed to reading between the lines and Not speculation on what they think he might mean, he sounds like a real danger to … No One.
www .pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tentrillion/themes/socialsecurity.html
Jennifer really, so did you know anything about the Huffington Post article, did Dave tell you there was a move to run him for President of the United States and why didn’t Dave make any of this known on OIB or anyone else in the media? And why is it such a big secret? So our choices in 2012 for President would had been David Walker, Mitt and Obama.
Jennifer, Dave is a board member of America Elects and you just can’t separate Dave from the views of this organization unless he comes out and disagree with their statements. Jennifer, Dave has said nothing against what was in the Huffington Post.
Oh LOOK, they tried to draft Hillary Clinton onto the ticket too. Seriously, where is Walker listed under key people or candidates for election? Anyone was allowed to draft anyone to run on this online party, now defunct.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americans_Elect
Maybe your name is somewhere on the long list.
Anyone else in the media? Isn’t Huffington Post the media?
Ron,
Get serious. We are talking about Bridgeport Now not the Presidential Election four years ago. I was not on the Board of Director for Americans Elect. I was one of their many Advisors. There was an attempt to draft me to run for President and I said “NO.” There have been attempts to get me to run for other elected offices, including U.S. Senate in CT but I said “NO!” Has anybody tried to draft you to run for anything of consequence?
Dave Walker, you love to blame others or say they don’t know what they’re talking about. So are you saying the Huffington Post article is a lie and if you did then where is that comment?
“He fits Thomas Friedman’s definition for what Americans Elect is all about–launching the candidacy of a “viable centrist” who can be the Great Deficit Cutter and, by extension, the friendly face of entitlement program destruction.” David Walker is “the friendly face of entitlement program destruction.” So Dave, is Mr. Friedman a liar when that statement was in the article?
Dave, you asked me, “Has anybody tried to draft you to run for anything of consequence?” Dave no, because I stay in my lane and it’s obvious you know you could never get elected to anything of consequence so you need to stay in your lane. You act like everybody should not look at your past. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, if you are so smart then why aren’t you being asked by those in power in America for you to help them solve those financial problems? You want to be a big frog in a small pond, that’s why you are in Bridgeport.
The voters in the Connecticut Republican Party knew what they were doing when they rejected you to be their candidate for Lieutenant Governor.
Jennifer, I like you although we have never met. Jennifer, did you ever read anything about David Walker could be drafted in running to be President of the United States in 2012 on OIB or the Connecticut Post?
Don,
Where are you today? Not like Andy and Ron, living in the City but somewhere else with the $$$ departing the City?
The context of the comment you chose to raise was Andy Fardy’s comments about his healthcare insurance status. Andy and Pat are friends. I have been in the “people insurance” business for 52 years and have seen major changes in how health care protection has morphed over that time from an incidental “employee benefit” amid post WWII wage controls into 14% of GDP or more in recent years. The twists and turns, and contractual nature needs to be understood and studied before any change.
But one problem for folks who used to run into burning buildings is the Unions that helped get you these benefits no longer do so when you retire and stop paying dues. Why is that? Why wouldn’t it have been a lifetime compact with the worker? Perhaps it is because people at the top knew the expenses of current workers and past workers might someday collide in terms of the taxpayers? And then how were people going to feel? And didn’t (better yet, don’t) union members have a responsibility to understand the funding of their benefits over time? When they saw either pay as you go or an 8% contribution going to run the City, and understood that you had no union representation after employment, did you worry then about that? Why not?
There is a glaring misuse of taxpayer funds in lots of ways, but pension plans with overconfident assumptions, deferred funding routinely, and 13 more years of Pension Obligation Bond funding during which there may be an empty Pension A Fund are big problems, even though you do not think so. Your words do not deal with digging out all of the problems, as I have been exhorting for years, but rather they are words of fear for loss of your earned benefits solely, without care for anyone else on the scene. The “lynch mob” at City Hall is sustained when they get us to be picking on each other rather than on identifying ALL THE ISSUES, learning about ALTERNATIVES TO DEAL WITH THEM, and GATHERING TOGETHER TO SET US BACK ON A TRACK THAT SERVES THE PUBLIC. Isn’t that about “glaring misuse of city funds?” Time will tell.
Let me explain something here as I was on the job before Ron and Don. We were told by the Republicans if we could get the vote out and Panuzio won we would be taken care of. We along with the PD got over 3,000 people to vote. After 19 hours of negotiations we received the 20 and out pension and fully paid medical. I was on the negotiating team. For years after that we received 0% in raises and more medical benefits.
The present day union cannot negotiate for us and I am glad because they sold out new firefighters not on the job yet, no pension and they pay their health benefits 100%. Let me tell you all it will be a cold day in hell before you get our pensions. We still have a few things that will protect us. I can say this in plainer language. Walker, Fox and the rest of you, Fuck You.
Andy Fardy, I’m 100% alongside you on this one all the way. We might not agree on things but we will be shoulder to shoulder on this one.
Signal 29, all hands.
I may be wrong, but I have not read one statement where anyone wants to take away your benefits, and I think Walker is the only person who wrote he supports you receiving exactly what you were promised. No one I know or speaks with has ever said go after the retirees’ benefits. I am sorry you feel people want you to lose that which the city has promised you, I really am Donald, Ron and Andy.
Read the posts again. What do you think Bankruptcy will do for most retired employees?
Okay, I see your point. Not everyone is in favor of bankruptcy, including me. I would truly be devastated if any of you lost your income and benefits.
Jennifer, from the first time Dave started to post on OIB he was talking about doing away or changing pensions for us.
Lennie, were you aware America Elects was trying to draft David Walker in 2012 to run for President of the United States? I would think a story like that would have been a real big news topic for the whole State of Connecticut.
Didn’t I say he was running for an office?
Yes you did, but Dave and then Jennifer said Dave bought Chris Shays’ house because he was looking for waterfront property and if he wanted to he could have ran for the U.S. Senate from Virginia. His plan all along was to run for office and we now see what his platform was all about, he’s “the friendly face of entitlement program destruction.” He wants to destroy the public pension system and Social Security along with other programs.
Maybe I missed it but has Dave Walker spoken about the Huffington Post article because I haven’t read anything and you know how fast he would come after you whenever you said something about him.
Again, an interesting storyline you have created, just missing actual facts to substantiate the conjecture.
Ron, those two believe in the Easter Rabbit.
And I believe in Santa also! And your right to voice your opinions and ideas.
Ron,
You are not in a “watchdog mode” with your hysterical focus on Dave Walker. Perhaps you have slipped into a “mad dog” mode. But your fear of the destruction of current systems and pinning that to him, without a willingness to sit down, in person, and discuss things to gain clarity is showing in an overwhelming way.
Dave’s neighbors, of Democratic or Republican, Green Party or Unaffiliated have respect for his informed commentary and experience when they do engage in communication with him. He has offered valuable commentary to each administration (Finch and Ganim) but they basically ignored him, a loss for all of us.
What do your neighbors think of you, for instance? A voice looking out for the public as a whole? Someone who shows up at all kinds of meetings to help the weak or poor as well as your own self-interest? I know you do not answer questions asked of you along most lines. However, maybe you might think of how your words provide an image in your absence? And what does that say about your fears and distancing words? Time will tell.
John Marshall Lee, please take your blindfold off and tell me why you don’t have a problem with anything that was written in the Huffington Post. JML, did you know there was draft movement by America Elects, where Dave is a board member, to have Walker to be their candidate to run for the 2012 position for the President of the United States?
JML, if Dave is so smart and so wise then tell me why isn’t he helping the Republican Party of which he ran on as a candidate for Connecticut Lieutenant Governor. I mean there was a move to run Dave to be the most powerful person in the world by being President of the United States, why John isn’t he helping the federal government?
John, what about the comment, “He (David Walker) fits Thomas Friedman’s definition for what Americans Elect is all about–launching the candidacy of a “viable centrist” who can be the Great Deficit Cutter and, by extension, the friendly face of entitlement program destruction.” John if that’s not true then where are his statements that is not his view? John that’s nice you are loyal to your friend but now you are creating doubt about yourself and what you say. If you can speak out against Ganim, Finch, McCarthy, Malloy and many others then you need to challenge Dave Walker. Time will tell.
Because that story was a slam piece. The Huffington Post is hardly fair and impartial reporting. The author of the piece was banned from the Huffington Post’s front page because of the veracity of his slam pieces. DW was never running for president. The story spoke about an effort to get him on the ballot and that never happened. Americans Elect was hardly a big deal. Ballot access in 25 states and a $9 million web site. Hillary spent $579.4 million and Trump $66 million. The article clearly says DW’s ballot access was a draft effort. In other words he would have to accept the nomination. Since the ballot access was never achieved, accepting the nomination was a moot issue. It is funny, the author criticized Americans Elect for engaging in corrupt media ecosystem–machine candidates batting around “gotcha” questions. At the end of the article he engages in corrupt media ecosystem–machine candidates batting around rhetorical “gotcha” questions. This is a bad system of writing. Instead of presenting opinion or facts, the author leads the reader to an assumption that could be based on falsehoods. The questions in question could have perfectly reasonable answers but those answers do not fit the author’s view. I.e., he gets to lie without lying. When you see a large number of questions with a small number of supporting facts and statements you are probably being lied to. You would have to research the answer to every question then compile that into an opinion. Or, write the author’s story for him.
What a joke, yeah the Huffington Post got the story all wrong but where is the outrage from Walker if what you say is true and you want people to think this was a hit against Walker by the paper, for what? Get real and get a set of balls and stop hiding and use your real name. I do see why you are scared to use your real name because it’s easy for you to lie about everything you post and nobody knows who you are.
Oh Ron. You are so silly. You make me laugh.
JOHN, I CAN TELL YOU STRAIGHT UP I DON’T GIVE A SHIT WHAT MY NEIGHBORS THINK.
At the end of the day the unions would still be on the job if they had only capitulated. The city’s budget is bleeding money. The BOE is so politicized, their appointed task–educating the city’s children–is of secondary importance to the bickering, intramural fighting and partisan politics. Are taxpayers really being served by the BOE? No.
No JML, you’re way off base with your assertion my comments had anything to do with Andy’s healthcare insurance status. My comments dealt only with you, Dave and his minions constantly making bankruptcy the core of the city’s solution to its financial problems and how that would affect Andy, Ron, myself and other retired police and firefighters.
You allude to the fact unlike Andy and Ron I live outside the city without so much of a mention I paid taxes here for over 25 years while I was a firefighter. How long have you lived in Bridgeport and paid taxes there? The fact is John I am in Bridgeport at least four days a week, I still shop there, go to restaurants there and to bars in Bridgeport so you can see I’m still heavily invested in Bridgeport even though I don’t live there anymore. I’m glad to see you are now an outspoken critic of the business as usual attitude that is pervasive in Bridgeport, but after you’ve been doing it for over 40 years like I have then you can save your sanctimonious drivel for someone who gives a damn. I find it amazing people of your ilk who finally decided to get into the fight for righteousness have the temerity, the unmitigated gall to try to critique another person based on your limited knowledge of that person. I’m glad you are now a member of the NAACP, but I was a member when it was about something and you and George lived elsewhere. Long before you lived in Bridgeport Ron and I were going before the CC to address issues that affect blacks here and most of the time we were the only ones there. Don’t think for one second you’re doing something new, been there done that and if you don’t know you’d better ask somebody.
I believe Walker has stated financial control board because bankruptcy is not what is most prudent at this time.
Jennifer, did you know about the things that were in the Huffington Post about Dave Walker?
Yes I did. Walker was being drafted and he said no. End of story.
Jennifer, that’s the problem with broaching the subject, it’s always “not at this time” until it is. When a city files for bankruptcy, pensions have to be on the table as a matter of law.
I understand. I would hope anyone who might be affected by this would explore every option to keep the city solvent, one which is reasonable for every retiree and taxpayer. Stafstrom told me when he was on city council he thought the city would go broke in about three years, but he would like the chance to fix it if he could. It would appear more than a few have seen and warned this was coming and few understood this until they opened their most recent tax bill.
The lack of confidence in this administration and the anger is real, trying to keep the balance between revolt and constructive steps is not easy these days for sure.
Don, you left out the fact you attend every Sunday at Mt. Aery Baptist Church on 73 Frank St. in Bridgeport and perhaps JML would attend. Time will tell.
Ron, I missed saying thanks for your very nice words, and I hope you know I also like you. I have learned much and appreciate knowing you via OIB.