Lowell Weicker, the greatest Connecticut governor for Bridgeport, has endorsed Mary-Jane Foster for mayor. There should be a life-sized statue of this man in Bridgeport. From Foster:
Political powerhouse Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. endorsed Mary-Jane Foster for mayor of Bridgeport today. Weicker, a party maverick widely respected for his independence and straight talk, was an active proponent of Connecticut’s largest city during his tenure as governor of Connecticut in the early 1990s. He is credited with the visionary relocation of Housatonic Community College to downtown Bridgeport as well as opening a state police barracks and a Southwestern Connecticut governor’s office in downtown.
“Bridgeport has every reason to be the great city of Connecticut,” stated Weicker. “That said, it needs visionary leadership. Independent-minded smarts is what Mary-Jane Foster brings to the table. Politics no longer carries the day. Turning dreams into reality is the city’s future. That is Mary-Jane’s commitment.”
“Lowell Weicker is legendary for his commitment to Bridgeport, for his political courage for calling it like he sees it and for challenging leadership that has abused its power,” shared Foster. “His endorsement speaks volumes about the importance of this race and what is at stake. Bridgeport cannot take another four years of a failed Finch administration. As mayor, I intend to lead with the same courage, integrity, and commitment that Governor Weicker has demonstrated throughout his storied career.”
Weicker used to say the “Status Quo Sucks!” He is correct and hopefully Bridgeport can change its status with Mary-Jane Foster. Congratulations to Mary-Jane and thanks to Mr. Weicker for his many years of bold leadership for our state and country!
Uh Oh!!!
Better get Mayko! 🙂
This may be the first time yahooy and I support the same mayoral candidate. I hope he doesn’t jinx it.
Now if Shays and Lieberman endorse Finch, that would be great!
Lowell Weicker cost the City of Bridgeport the right to have a casino. That cost hundreds of jobs and would have put Bridgeport back on the map.
Both Trump and Steve Wynn met with Weicker about opening a casino. Weicker told them they could have the casino, but no slots. Trump walked away knowing slots were vital. Wynn said, “OK,” knowing Weicker would be a one-term governor. When asked why he would accept a casino without consulting with his board of directors Wynn replied, “I AM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.” With that Weicker withdrew the offer and the rest is economic morass. He was a terrible governor and only did what the article above shows to assuage the idiot minions who have run Bridgeport into the ground for the last 40+ years.
Bob, you forgot the part about Weicker channeling $10 million a year to Bridgeport from the slot take. You also forgot the part about Rowland tanking the casino for Bridgeport in 1995 when he was governor as all the gold coast state senators voted against a Bridgeport casino. Trump didn’t want a casino in Bridgeport unless he controlled it for fear it would cannibalize his AC casinos.
Lennie, walk around downtown tonight alone and tell me you go there often. And I’m not talking the restaurants … just walk around.
And that $10 million per year from Weicker would have been a drop in the bucket if casinos were alive in Bridgeport.
Forget the casinos already. People would go there as a destination. Not support any local restaurants or businesses. People would be cashing their welfare checks and it just wouldn’t help Bridgeport at all. Let’s stop wasting energy. It isn’t going to happen … Ever! And in the end–How lucky we are. Not to mention the incessant traffic, drugs and prostitution. Let’s not forget the low-wage jobs and gambling addictions. C’mon, enough already. Snap out of it!!!
Sure Bob, as far and secluded as the Indian casinos are, one wouldn’t expect to see so many senior citizens flocking to the casinos to leave their life savings or Social Security checks. Sure, a Bridgeport casino would have provided jobs, but it would have also created a level of poverty and other socioeconomic ills. You want to gamble? Go to the corner store and purchase your tickets.
Lennie, you also, conveniently, forgot Weicker introduced the income tax to Connecticut … he was nothing more than a bully.
And the lack of a casino allowed the proposed downtown reconstruction to lay fallow (as you see it today from Bull’s Head to the foot of Main Street), thus costing jobs and revenues for the city.
Rowland’s part was like Ganim’s part … he wasn’t going to get a kickback for the building of a casino. And strangely you don’t mention Steve Wynn’s part in this.
$10 million a year would have been a drop in the bucket compared to what a casino would have done.
C’mon, Bob. A casino would’ve created a number of jobs but none that paid more than subsistence wages. Chambermaids, cooks, dishwashers, bellmen, porters, custodians, etc. Nothing that would’ve required skilled or semi-skilled labor. It would’ve attracted gamblers, sure, but they wouldn’t have spent much money in Bridgeport. Casino owners don’t want their guests to leave the premises; the longer they’re kept inside the casino the more money they lose to the house.
Another problem with casinos are the other businesses that tend to thrive in the immediate vicinity. Pawn shops, for example, loan sharking for another. There’s more than enough criminality on the streets (and in City Hall) in Bridgeport to deal with. We didn’t need any more back then, and we don’t now. I was glad to hear Richard Blumenthal as Attorney General successfully fought the Golden Hill Paugussetts’ application for federal recognition.
I don’t see anything else Bridgeport could have as businesses … there’s nothing of substance and has been nothing of substance since John Frouge built Trumbull Shopping Center.
How about table operators, food service (waiters, waitresses, chefs), managers, supervisors, transportation to and from the ferry, train station and the airport (which was in operation at that time). How about the creation of new hotels and the ancillary services those businesses require?
How about the Casino Bus taking people from New York directly to the casino never venturing out to the Arena, Harbor Yard, Steelepoint, Bijou Square or any downtown restaurant? Look what the hotels on the boardwalk in Atlantic City have done. Nothing desirable outside of the stretch of hotels. Looks like downtown Bridgeport even after nearly 30 years in business. Give up on casinos.
Bob,
Your timeframe is off, way off. Weicker didn’t want any casinos, period. Only after losing a court case trying to stop them because the Catholics had bingo was he forced to come up with something he could tolerate. Therefore he put together the slot revenue agreement which has sent millions of dollars to the cities.
Bob–You are partially right in your story. Weicker with the quick stroke of a pen signed the Slot Compact Agreement that still gives us 25% of the slot take. And yes Wynn knew he would be a one-termer. However I believe it was John Rowland who ran on a casino platform in Bridgeport who really screwed us. Remember the Bridgeport Casino Referendum? Rowland and Lennie Meyers from Milford Jai-Alai and Meyers Parking fame along with Senators Lovegrove, Fleming (Simsbury) and Nickerson (Greenwich). Weicker knew how to use and exercise his political captial while Rowland rolled over and played dead because he didn’t want to piss off his base that would guarantee him four more years. Lennie Grimaldi was there and probably has the best institutional history about what happened.
I forgot about Senator George Gypsum!
And where are your beloved J’ai Alai palaces now, UOB And yet look at Bridgeport’s downtown … it’s a two-mile stretch of a city that looks like Dresden Germany after WWII … did any one of you run a business in downtown? I did. We got out in 1988, and then Ganim took over the block by eminent domain giving up thousands of dollars in tax revenues that will never be recouped. There’s your political situation in a nutshell.
Politicians with no accountability for their pompous actions and failed economic perspectives.
Lennie just beat me to the punch!
I’d like to beat Lennie with a punch.
Grin, that line is long.
Mary Choen and Godiva tried to leave a turd in the OIB punchbowl …
Is that a punch bowl line? I wonder where Warren All U Can Eat Buffet has been?
Sorry, but Weicker’s endorsement is not getting minorities to vote on the 27th. Get Caruso and Joe Ganim and that’s news. Wheres WFP? How about Malloy, maybe not him.
Hey Bill are you still going to have a $151K surplus now that the city has lost the court case involving an accident that killed two women when they were hit by a Bridgeport fire truck? The court just awarded the family over $3 million and the city has agreed to pay that amount over 3 years.
Well Bill, surpluses are easy to make up and they disappear just as easily.
It’s ironic Bill Finch claims the city has a “surplus” when Bridgeport is actually in the hole to the tune of about $1.4 BILLION.
From 1991-1994, I had the honor to work for Lowell Weicker as his Deputy Transportation Commissioner and then Commissioner of Motor Vehicles (yup, roads, trains, boats and planes to digital licenses and emission testing). I left Governor Mario Cuomo’s administration and showed up for my first day when 40,000 people were protesting at the Capitol over the new income tax. Very early in his administration, the Governor opened up his Fairfield County office on the first floor of 10 Middle Street in Downtown Bridgeport. Simple enough I thought. A couple of small offices, a conference room to meet constituents and a receptionist. I would spend most of my time in the new CDOT offices in Newington. Hell no Hadley, the Governor had a serious agenda to use the power of the Governor’s office to help Bridgeport succeed. You are going to work in Bridgeport! He ordered every major department Commissioner and designated deputy commissioners (like me!) to literally conduct state business out of 10 Middle Street once a week for his entire term of office. Not just sit in the office and call up to Hartford or Newington but to conduct real business; to go out into the neighborhoods; to meet with teams to get things done. We quickly ticked off the other cities in the state I might add because they were jealous of the attention and resources Bridgeport was getting.
I, along with about a dozen colleagues, was stationed at 10 Middle Street weekly for almost three years during which some incredible things happened including:
The $400 million Pequonnock Railroad Bridge upgrade;
The removal of that circle that used to be Seaview Avenue by I-95 and the start of the total redesign of the I-95 ramps and exits.
Housatonic Community College was busting out of their location in the old Singer building on Barnum Avenue. Their 4000-piece art collection (originals the likes of Monet, Renoir, Warhol et al.) needed a bigger place. The HCC Board insisted they were going up where Home Depot now is off Route 8 and Reservoir Road. Hell no! Weicker told the HCC Board, you are going to the old Hi-Ho Mall or you are staying right where you are. Those Community College students are going to take the train and the bus. You belong downtown! Showdown: Weicker prevailed. Millions were spent to convert that old decrepit mall into HCC;
The State Police wanted to go down county someplace. Weicker said you will go to the old Singer auto repair shop on lower Lafayette. You don’t like it? Tough. Stay where you are. Result: millions put into the building across from the now Bob’s Furniture plaza including all of the high tech cameras that cover I-95 from one end to the other;
Too many drug dealers and gangs? How about 100+/- jersey barriers and a maze set up to trap them? I still remember seeing those jersey barriers heading into Bridgeport’s neighborhoods.
Train Station owned by the City was in terrible shape to the point commuters wouldn’t get off the train in Bridgeport? Result: The State took control and put millions into it to upgrade.
The DMV office on Boston/North Avenue had bullet holes in the windows that were all boarded up with tellers hunkered down inside? Get them a new site and build them a regional DMV that Bridgeporters could access with pride.
Then there was Team Bridgeport–I think it was something like $100 million the Ganim Administration and Business Community prioritized with the State Department of Economic Development for all kinds of job creation efforts; the West Side Industrial Park; the Seaview Avenue Industrial park; Steel Point et al.
Environmental Protection was here with all kinds of remediation money. That’s a few examples. There are hundreds more.
Look, there was no other city in the state that got that kind of attention during the Weicker Administration. There was no other Governor before or since who put the spotlight and state resources into Bridgeport.
Governor Weicker had a deep affection for this city and knew its potential. He knew the transportation assets. He knew the waterfront assets. But most of all he really knew Bridgeport’s people assets; its diversity was its biggest asset as the world was becoming a global economy. I can still see and hear him demanding we be accountable to make decisions that would not benefit Bridgeport’s current residents; or their children. He constantly reminded us the decisions we made must have a lasting effect for Bridgeport’s grandchildren. Think about that. You can’t be selfish or conflicted if what you must do must benefit the grandchildren!
It was an honor to work for the Governor. He was a tough guy to work for with very high expectations. Remember, he was an Independent so he was regularly ticking off the Republican and Democratic State Committee Chairs. He was doing what was right, not what was politically convenient. He expected all his appointees to do the same. In my opinion, his term reset the State’s operating clock.
I agree with Lennie, Governor Weicker was Bridgeport’s Governor. What the Governor couldn’t do however was change Bridgeport’s core political house. We knew back then it was terribly flawed; it was conflicted; it was focused on the here and now and gave very few crumbs to a very small circle of beneficiaries in exchange for allegiance. We knew it needed reform, but how?
I think what the Governor did today by endorsing Mary-Jane Foster is sending a message. Bridgeporters, it is time to get our political house in order. It is time for the reform all the Governor’s projects I listed above couldn’t achieve.
Today, referring to Bridgeport he stated “it needs visionary leadership. Independent-minded smarts is what Mary-Jane Foster brings to the table. Politics no longer carries the day.” Translation: it is time for reform. It is time for independent-minded smarts. It is time to take a sledgehammer to the DTC’s hold on the nomination process for elected and appointed positions, boards, and commissions. The Governor’s work wasn’t done in the early ’90s. We have the opportunity to pick up where he left off and get the job done. We need to get to the polls on September 27th and elect Mary-Jane Foster as the Democratic Candidate, not beholden to the DTC. In November, we need to vote again and elect Mary-Jane Foster Mayor. Then we must turn our attention to the DTC elections. We can do this, Bridgeport. We must do this, Bridgeport, for our grandchildren.
I have always liked Governor Weicker. Especially when Mayor Moran felt raising taxes would be the final nail in the coffin for the city. Before she would go the bankruptcy route, she asked for Weicker’s help and I believe he said raise the fucking taxes, it’s true and with that she declared bankruptcy and the rest is history. Weicker did, however, go on to funnel all the money he could to Bridgeport and that is the highlight of this vignette. Weicker’s endorsement is a plus and for the record, yes he will get minority votes. He certainly did in Bridgeport during that election. Many friends worked on that campaign.
Amen …
Nancy, with all you listed and showed that Weicker did for Bridgeport, there was no economic increase, no improvement in quality of life. The repairs to the bridge and train station, and the movement of the DMV were going to have to happen anyway. And under your watch Bridgeport has continued to fall into a morass of disrepair and crime. No offense, but you are also part of the problem.
Bob,
No offense taken. I just finished walking my dog around Downtown. It’s midnight and there are no parking spaces to be found. The Lucce nightclub is in full swing. Tiago’s is hopping. Fairfield Avenue is packed. There are people walking to and fro, enjoying the night. McLevy was packed last night and again all day today. This is a fragile new beginning but it sure is going in the right direction. I agree Bridgeport is nowhere near economic stability. However after living downtown for almost five years, Bridgeport is making progress.
Amen.
One of the puppet masters smugly assured me tonight Finch has a lock on the primary. I think it’s definitely time for a change. Keep lining up the endorsements, I say!
A Finch victory will almost certainly be challenged by the MJF camp. There are too many people watching.
Don’t believe a word Finch says, there are plenty of reasons why you shouldn’t, here’s one more. Finch told his campaign, the press and the public his poll had him slightly ahead of Caruso. The TRUTH was he was 10 points down. Finch and crew have a serious problem with the truth. Bill’s looking awfully nervous these days. If you were so far ahead, why do you need your staff texting you answers to easy questions (if you have any positions at all) at the debate?
Mary-Jane Foster and John Gomes will bring this City to Greatness!
Jimfox, I really really really like John Gomes. But he isn’t running for co-Mayor. John Gomes will have his moment and I will be happy to support him. I respect and admire him. It is Mary-Jane Foster running for Mayor. Did you get the memo?
Special note to John Gomes–no disrespect. I am a fan. Your day will come!
Bravo! Now if only Governor Lamont will step up.
Oh, wait …
Maybe Lamont will endorse Finch.
The Finch camp is spreading the word to their volunteers (City employees) they are up 15 points in the polls over Mary-Jane. I don’t believe that for a minute. But this is their way of keeping people from going over to MJ. People who are afraid for their jobs will want to back the winning candidate. I’ve heard this from several Finch supporters who are also City employees. They say they are not worried because Bill is way ahead in the polls. I told them, if I were them, I’d be worried … very worried.
Where was this poll taken? Finch’s Labor Day Barbeque? The endorsements for MJF are piling up and this is the Finch Nation trying to divert attention away from the mounting support for Foster. Come on, is that all ya got?
It takes a winner to come from behind. Go MJF!!!
city hall smoker, that comment about Finch having a 15-point lead can work in reverse because the workers might not vote at all because the mayor has such a big lead, why should they vote?
It could backfire on the Finch camp, Ron. A rumor Little Billy Finchie is 15 points ahead in a poll could very well harden the resolve of city employees to vote for MJF and rid city hall of Mario Testa’s puppet. City employees want change. No one will know who they voted for.
Mary-Jane Foster will nose Finch out at the finish line. She’s one filly with great odds, put your money on MJF, folks!
Polls are for Finch’s nightclubs.
First a guy from New Haven, then a Republican. Whoever is advising her must not be from Bridgeport.
Hector: MJF stated she was building a coalition of people from all over and from whatever party. Who is the guy from New Haven? And I guess the Republican you are referring to is Weicker. Am I right?
I just received another piece of campaign crap from the Finch camp. This is about her ownership of the Bluefish. One blurb is allegedly from the Yonkers Tribune stating MJF’s promises to Bridgeport were short & sweet, three years not much of a commitment The blurb below that from the York Daily Record saying the Bluefish failed to earn a profit in their first nine years. What bullshit. If you plow your profits into the team and improvements then there is no profit. MJF did not have stockholders to answer to. Hey Bill, what have you done in your working life? Nothing!!! You have earned your money from the public teat. Your one claim to fame is when you were a big shot at the Gunster Rehab and drug clinic and ran the BEER concession at the air show. Good move, dumb ass.
Your ad also says the New York Times stated “The team however had three straight seasons of finishing in the red.” Where does it say it was the Bluefish?
You and the assholes who are working for your campaign and that includes your debate texter Santiago made this shit up. Hey Bill, Text This.
town committee, I know how you feel. If that’s the best Mayor Finch can do with most of their mailing is to talk about the Bluefish, they must know they’re in trouble. I look at it and I laugh, “where the beef, mayor?”
I don’t know why, but I feel a need to make a paper (well, card stock actually) airplane today and go fly it down by the zoo. 🙂
Why not fly your broom? Ha! Ha!
I thought we established I do video, not brooms.
We did but I wanted to keep the movies private.
lol lol lol lol lol lol lol
The laugh was for town committee. That was a riot!!!
Karma, my friend. It’s what’s for breakfast. 🙂
Just learned this a few minutes ago. The Derecktor ship building company on Seaview Ave is shutting down their Bridgeport facility and will be out of Bridgeport by Friday 9/16. Employees have already received their layoff notices. Just what we need.
i wonder if there was any way to keep them in Bridgeport. I wonder if Finch and Company even knew they were moving back to New York lock, stock and barrel.
They probably knew, but weren’t going to tell anyone until after the fact. Their campaign of economic improvements in Bridgeport is a farce. Not one mayor in 40+ years has successfully brought Bridgeport into economic stability. All they have ever done is raise taxes and milk the system.
Bob,
I knew personally of the transportation improvements under Weicker. I wasn’t directly involved in the $100 million Team Bridgeport Economic Development projects but they were heavy in job creation.
I personally worked through the complicated financing of the historic renovations of City Trust, Arcade and 144 Golden Hill. That effort was entirely under Fabrizi’s watch. About $90 million of financing with two out-of-state banks, Wachovia and US Bancorp with about 5% subsidy from the State. These mixed-use, mixed-income buildings are contributing positively to the Downtown revitalization. I see progress, Bob. It slowed down under Finch but I see progress.
If we fix Bridgeport’s political house, all of the new land-use policies will attract private investment. You need a strong set of land-use policies; an open and honest government; strong fiscal policies and reformed education outcomes to compete with the other cities in the Northeast. That is why this reform effort is so critical to Bridgeport’s future.
More news. 1075 absentee ballots were mailed this week and have been received by people today.
Jesus I am getting tired but the telephone does not stop. I just learned it definitely was people from the town committee of the 134th who were using race-baiting tactics when talking about Ernie Newton. This goes to show you you can’t even believe your friends when it come to politics.
While I am at it, answer me this:
WHY IS FINCH STILL SENDING OUT NEGATIVE CAMPAIGN LITERATURE WHEN HE IS CLAIMING TO HAVE A 15-25 POINT LEAD?
Bill Finch and his campaign staff are so full of it. It’s simple Bill, you are behind in the polls.
That redundant poll Finch was doing I received five times talking about MJF and her “supporters” has been a real turnoff. A REAL MISTAKE AND A VAIN ATTEMPT TO BRING MJF’S NEGATIVES UP.
Read an article in today’s paper where Finch states the city never issued the end of the year financial report as per charter.
Lo and behold Finch’s new toady John Fabrizi agrees with him. John, no matter how much ass you kiss your chances of being acting super of schools is slim and none.
Jesus John, I thought you were a stand-up guy. You never had a good word about Finch, now you sound like you think he is the second coming of Jesus. Grow a pair for god’s sake.
tc,
You are right on the money. What Finch and Fabrizi are saying is after spending millions of dollars on new accounting software, it is taking the city longer than ever to produce monthly financial reports.
When are the taxpayers going to wake up???
And then, when asked why reports have not been issued for July and August, Finch somehow tries to blame it on the board of ed with some nonsensical statement about the teachers not being paid during those months.
You can tell no one in OPM or the Finance Department ever worked for a real business.
I cannot even imagine a real business saying nothing much happens in the summer months so we are not going to bother issuing financial reports. They’d be fired.
And where is Curwen and dePara? Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dumb. They should be fired for allowing this nonsense to take place. But then again that would required Tom McCarthy to grow some balls and stand up to Finch and Sherwood and we know that is not going to happen.
Bob, outside of you and Andre Baker there is not a pair of balls on the council.
This is what Finch, Sherwood and Norton are saying. WE REFUSE TO FOLLOW THE CHARTER, PERIOD. WE think the charter is too demanding so we are not going to do what we are required to do. Unbelievable.
I tried once to get the Ethics Ordinance changed to say is is unethical for city employees or officials to knowingly refuse to follow the charter or city ordinances.
And Mark Anastasi told the council they could not approve that change EVEN THOUGH OTHER CITIES AND TOWNS HAVE THAT SAME LANGUAGE.
Does anyone really want to know why I am leaving that council?
And Finch and Fabrizi say it is IMPOSSIBLE to issue a year-end report until December!
Keila Torres threw it right back at them though, by noting the city of New Haven has already issued their report and it shows a multimillion dollar deficit.
Thank you John DeStefano!!!
And I guess what they are really saying is it is impossible to issue an accurate year-end report for six months unless you are in a debate and the last report you issued show a $2.5 million budget deficit.
Then all of a sudden in the middle of a debate Finch announces the deficit is gone and we now have a surplus.
ONLY IN BRIDGEPORT. This is a total disgrace.