A few weeks ago, the 90-member Democratic Town Committee conducted its organizational meeting to select officers, including another two years for long-time Chairman Mario Testa.
One wrinkle occurred when once again controversy loomed over long-time treasurer and Testa ally Marie Heller’s non-residency to serve.
She was facing a challenge by Callie Heilmann a DTC member from the Black Rock district and co-founder of the community group Bridgeport Generation Now, a forceful Testa critic.
The political body tabled the treasurer vote to seek clarity on the residency issue.
Monday night the town committee met once again at the Margaret Morton Government Center for another treasurer consideration.
This time, however, a new treasurer candidate emerged placed into nomination by West Side District Leader Tom Gaudett who also serves as the city’s chief administrative officer. He proposed Bridgeport resident Gabrielle Parisi, a seasoned treasurer of political campaigns with a strong, advanced-degree accounting background. She has worked in the city’s finance department for many years under Finance Director Ken Flatto.
Heilmann challenged her and Parisi prevailed handily. Members of the anti-Testa wing of the town committee, led by Black Rock backed Heilmann.
The town committee Monday night also signed off on delegates to various district political conventions to endorse candidates in May.
Heilmann reported the results of some digging she had made into DTC financial records likely posted with the State of CT but not shared with membership in print or on a website, because there appears to be no such thing.
She stated that Mario has maintained he has no need of fiscal reporting because he raises the money. Callie said that City employees provide half of the money but that funds are not shared with local campaigns in each District.
I recognize that most of the DTC members support leader Testa’s hold on the body, but do they understand that most of the 72 representatives to State conferences this election year, were not present? Is that important that they are constituents of a procedure that is exceedingly non-democratic? What value does their vote have to caring about neighbors, or supporting good governance?
Track the money. It often leads to places where questions arise, yet are not answered. Does the Democratic Town Committee care about citizens learning about their rights and responsibilities? Not if members fail to discuss in regular quarterly meetings subjects that are raised and closed quickly to provide room for those same conversations, off the record and away from the public, whom they supposedly are representing.
There are signs of aging in the leadership. How long will “political bodies” in the City purposely retard progress for the City and its citizens. When folks fail to vote, they remain voiceless. And when representatives stifle new voices, the voiceless remain clueless. Time will tell.
“…Mario has maintained he has no need of fiscal reporting because he raises the money.”
The money Mario raised and spent:
https://seec.ct.gov/eCrisReporting/SearchingDoc.aspx
John, for someone who has less than kind words for the best ESL class of my reality, we sure meet up here a lot.🤣
I’m sure there is some truth to that money things. I know money makes/likes money, but we’re talking about qualified people being elected/appointed.
John, I know Mama Bear has money, and evictions are not her reality, but can you tell what qualifications Mama Bear has to be treasurer?
Are there any more qualified individuals, logically or Latino speaking? 🤣
Try to play nicely, people. That question will be imposed on my time, my terms, for it is my apprehension. explosion. Wouldn’t you say Teate the Movement, Breath of Fresh Air?
Perhaps, or perhaps not, right WEEP? Good luck.
Depending on the puppet master’s finger on the eviction/employment trigger, you may or may not see me at G2’s campaign office. I’ll be the odd one in the back of the room in the corner, Maria?
Shit, I might even see myself on the campaign trail, or minding the phones. Time will tell, John????
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sctDzOTeSIA
PS G2? Billboards, Billboards — teh Prophet-ish
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3HBtzS_E1I&list=PLLsjr_hqBHTISQ-j0iD0sCyK3ixS2AoHn&index=4
Exposure,
Pivot, people, Pivot, 🤣
The Prophet,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5-yKhDd64s
IDK people of the Port. 🙂
John, you use the term “neighbor” often when referring to looking out for, supporting, or caring for, in the democratic process of voting for an elected official. I seen it used in protest slogans like “Neighbors not ICE. Mama’s clan has a large Neighbor banner.
So I was wondering. Is that a coded side thing?
Is it me, or does anyone find Mama Bear being appointed “disingenuous” per se? 🙂
I mean, here you have a White, Wealthy, out-of-towner coming into Port’s political scene with a main focus on racial inequality, and systemic racial institutions, being elected by Port’s corrupted, DMT, controlled by a man she man into a cartoon figure who was beaten on the head with a bag of ABs.
It seems rich that 20000 ballots best Mario in his home court. Considering Mario had enough pull to win to be elected as chairman of the Port’s DTC.
So secrets, corruptions, and collusion are going on over here, not to mention a bit racial. 🤣
John, for a coded side perspective theory. Mama Bear may get Port a website. Though perhaps not her call, but I get a feeling Mama bear in. Even when she says stress, she is out.
Though I’m betting Mama Bear/Big Daddy money was always in, before she moved into the Port and its political scene.
To be fair, In Port political, you’re in regardless. That shit is a rhetorical question, people. 🤣
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1512756386873093
John, no time for questions. Are you in, or out? 🙂
I know Speedy’s in. Just wondering if that finger has a representation, because that was bat-shit crazy, people.🤣
https://onlyinbridgeport.com/wordpress/25-years-ago-joel-gonzalez-made-a-point-that-gained-national-attention-severing-a-trigger-finger-to-protest-gun-violence-warning-graphic-images/
The Prophet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JByDbPn6A1o
The operations of the Democratic Town Committee is not in step with the State Committee. It has been one man rule, but the man has had access to employment opportunities and appointments to “political positions” like the District Committees.
Financial reporting of expenditures for compensation for a Treasurer from outside the community, for meals at the Chairs restaurant (and profits on alcohol from those in attendance), and perhaps no funds regularly flowing to Council Districts where basic citizen rights and responsibilities must be understood and respected, is a large part of the reason that no person in the hierarchy can take credit for the “undemocratic operation” of the DTC at this time.
It likely is a reason that no report of the 72 Democrats appointed to represent City Dems at State Conventions was made available to the 90 possible voters for those assignments. It is likely so automatic that only one of seven resident representatives from the 130th Council District was present while six were “absent” with more important things to do on that evening. Thus, does ‘automatic’ voting occur, when folks give over their rights and responsibilities for maintaining a healthy governance structure that keeps ‘political power’ within the guardrails. Time will tell.
John, Mama Bear didn’t win.
Lennie, a bit confused about this ESL learner. 🙂
Heilmann challenged her, and Parisi prevailed handily
I took her as her Heller’s and Heilmann prevailed handily. My bad, Good Job Mario 🙂
You get them next time, Mama Bear. 🙂
Does automatic voting occur when folks give over their rights and responsibilities for maintaining a healthy governance structure that keeps ‘political power’ within the guardrails?
But that “neighbor” thing may go back, I believe, through the written record. JC has been said to have said to the people to love your neighbors as yourself. Should we read into that?
To be fair, he said to have said: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
So the question is, who are the “neighbors” enemies, and persecutors who loved and
prayed for?
I called you out on OIB You called on me to attend your Civie Casual Discussion, be a patient listener, and ask a question, perhaps learn new things, as it is pertinent to rights and responsibilities.
Here are a few questions. Perhaps it relates to my apprehension. I made a clear mistake, shit happens, but at no time did you tell me I was mistaken or to correct me as to who was elected for treasurer.
Am I not your Neighbor to care for, look out for?
I am expected to be treated kindly if we take our discussion live?
Should I not feel apprehensive as I look into your eyes to discern truthfulness?
Should you expect the same for me as you feel for me?
At any rate, I won’t take it personally. I’ll just chalk it up to that coded side game y’all got going on, as I turn the other cheek. I guess we’ll find that equality somewhere, no hard feelings, John.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5d1K0JcgIs