The state budget situation is a mess. The inability of Hartford lawmakers to pass a budget has impacted cities and towns across the state leading to local cutbacks.
OIB friend Steve Krauchick who runs Doing It Local caught up to Mayor Joe Ganim about what this means for Bridgeport. He shares this video report.
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In his three minute Fiscal Talk with the Taxpayers, courtesy of DOING IT LOCAL, Ganim2 initially talks about $27 Million of potential loss of funding for the City. But he does not tell us where the funding loss will occur. The State funds over 80% of the Education operating budget when miscellaneous State grants are added to ECS and other funding. Is he talking about losses to the BOE? If not, does he care more for youth and teenagers in the summer when he mentions Lighthouse funding, than he does from September to June when 21,000 are in classrooms?
Ganim2 heads to public safety, namely Police and the addition of 80 new police after training, but, in honesty, Mayor Joe, how many on the Police force have retired during that same period or secured enough years to retire at any time they wish? How does that sustain department numbers that have been failing to meet needs for the past eight to ten years? How many new classes must be recruited, selected and trained to put the Police force in balance and thereafter maintain such balance?
Mayor Ganim continues to operate without announced priorities. How can he offer himself out to the voters of the other 168 towns and cities as an open, accountable, transparent and honest leader if he is selling fluff? If he fails to support the educational system? If citizen participation in the operation of Boards and Commissions throughout the City is as weak and devalued such that no training, evaluation and maintenance of such bodies is encouraged by the Mayor? And how long will various leadership positions in the City including Civil Service be allowed to continue with ACTING appointees? Where is the schedule for exams and whatever else is required for up-to-date qualifications and genuine leadership? What does the Charter say about this? Time will tell.