WANTED: CITY BOND COUNSEL
“Firms submitting qualification statements must be licensed to practice law in the State of Connecticut. The firm must have considerable experience in public finance and taxation, and must be free of all obligations and interests that might conflict with the best interests of the City of Bridgeport. The firm must further have the capacity to provide services on a timely basis, and must be listed in the latest edition of The Bond Buyer’s Directory of Municipal Bond Dealers of the United States, commonly referred to as the ‘Red Book’.”
(Competing firms must also feature at least one attorney that served as Bridgeport Democratic Town Chairman, raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Mayor Bill Finch and possesses perspicacity to counsel mayor to cut taxes $600 for each taxpayer irrespective of future budget fallout.)
Okay, okay the parenthetical language is mine, but isn’t that at least part of the reason that Pullman & Comley, the law firm that pays former Democratic Party leader John Stafstrom, will be selected once again as the city’s Bond Counsel? If you want to make a play for the work the application deadline is Thursday.
City Bond Counsel is a major nugget to hand out. Stafstrom’s firm has reaped millions from the city in its many years advising the city on a variety of financial matters. Pullman is qualified and Stafstrom’s a good lawyer. What he isn’t now is party chairman, but that shouldn’t stop Finch from selecting Pullman once again to represent the city. Finch has been obsessed with Stafstrom’s solid fundraising abilities so much so that Finch looked like an amateur trying to line up the Democratic Town Committee votes to keep him in power. Instead, the party revolted (for a variety of reasons) and ran back into the arms of former chair Mario Testa.
The bid package lists the selection committee as chief financial officer, city attorney, deputy director of finance and city treasurer. Guess what? If Finch wants Stafstrom’s firm, Stafstrom’s firm will be selected. Bridgeport City Council ratification of the bond-counsel selection has always been a fuzzy area. State law gives the city attorney/corporate counsel authority over outside legal hiring, and the only one on the counsel that might question that authority, without council ratification, is councilman Bob Walsh. Finch’s relationship with the council is a little scratchy right now as his first budget heads to a vote, so others may weigh in such as Bob Curwen and Rich Paoletto, both of whom view the former chairman as uppity and self serving. They’re Testa guys.
Finch’s Committee
Finch, to his credit, has assembled a strong committee to examine privatizing school-based health clinics whose jobs Finch whacked in his budget, and has heard the public outcry. The committee includes former City Health Director Tim Callahan, now in Norwalk and freshman City Council member Sue Brannelly, a nurse. Finch is hoping he can farm out the work while maintaining his proposed budget cuts. The City Council is expected to submit its budget changes to Finch by Monday. Stay tuned.
Blog Party
Mark your calendar, May 15, 6 p.m., OIB party at Captain’s Cove Seaport. First cocktail on me, then it’s on to happy hour and munchies. Sometime today or Thursday we will crack the 50,000 pageview mark. The poster that puts us over the top gets dinner for two with me and my wife Mo, and a signed copy of my book Chased, the life of mob infiltrator Billy Chase.
Speedy Gonzalez!
I see where OIB friend Joel Gonzalez, former city council member, has switched to the GOP and is now looking at running as the Republican candidate for the 130 State Assembly seat, being vacated by Felipe Reinoso. It’s a tough seat for a Republican to win, but that won’t scare off Joel who worked actively in Black Rock and West End for Republican Rob Russo’s state senate victory in March.
Wow, Joel against Democratic district leader Mitch “The Switch” Robles’ candidate will be fun. Joel’s endured a lot of personal tragedy the past year, including the loss of a son, but that hasn’t ended his zippy personality. He enjoys a good fight. And now the fight seems to be more intense in light of the layoff slip Finch handed him last week. The good news for Joel is that he has bumping rights.
Speaking of fights … press release from Boxing USA
USA Boxing to Host an Open Weigh-in and Press Conference at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 8 at The Arena at Harbor Yard
All Three USA Boxing Olympic Invitational Teams to Step on the Scale and Give Interviews
BRIDGEPORT, CONN. — The USA Boxing Olympic Invitational festivities will kick off at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 8 at the Arena at Harbor Yard with the competitors from all three teams stepping on the scale. Fourteen Olympians will compete in Bridgeport. The USA Boxing Olympic Invitational, which will take place at 8 p.m. on May 9 at the Arena at Harbor Yard, will showcase top athletes from the United States, China and Brazil as all three nations prepare for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
Six United States Olympians, including 2007 Welterweight World Champion Demetrius Andrade (Providence, R.I.), three Chinese Olympians and five Olympic-qualified boxers from Brazil will all compete in the first-ever USA Boxing Olympic Invitational. In addition to Andrade, light flyweight Olympian and 2007 Pan American Games champion Luis Yanez (Duncanville, Texas), bantamweight Olympian and 2005 World Championships bronze medalist Gary Russell, Jr. (Capitol Heights, Md.), lightweight Olympian and two-time Golden Gloves champion Sadam Ali (Brooklyn, N.Y.), light welterweight Olympian Javier Molina (Commerce, Calif.), and heavyweight Olympian Deontay Wilder (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) will all compete in Friday night’s action. Russell will step up to the featherweight division for Friday’s competition, but will compete at the bantamweight class in Beijing.
Molina, Andrade and Wilder will all face off with Chinese Olympians in what could be an early preview of the action that will take place in Beijing. The U.S. trio will face light welterweight Olympian Qiong Maimaitituersun, welterweight Olympian Silamu Hanati, and heavyweight Olympian Yushan Nijiati respectively. Yanez, Russell and Ali will all battle Brazilian Olympians in Bridgeport with the three boxers all facing the newly qualified light flyweight Paulo Carvalho, featherweight Robson Conceição, and lightweight Everton Lopes.
In addition to the 20 athletes, USA Boxing CEO Jim Millman as well as the coaching staffs of all three delegations will be on hand. Following the press conference and weigh-in, all three nations will complete their final training sessions at the Bridgeport Police Athletic League gym. China and Brazil will train from 3-4:30 with the United States team working out from 4:30-6 p.m.
Tickets for the USA Boxing Olympic Invitational are currently on sale and are available through Ticketmaster as well as the Arena at Harbor Yard and range from $30 for upper level seats, $50 for lower level seats, to $75 for premium floor seating.
Gossip of The Rialto!
This just in from City Hall.
Finch Into Bondage!
Why does Mayor Finch insist on being tied up by John Stafstrom?
This isn’t some slap and tickle game but some serious S & M being played here. Watch out for Bob Walsh to go through this RFP response and try to put the cuffs on Stafstrom et al.
Walsh will bring out the point that at first glance Pullman & Comley may the be low bidder. Then prove that it is creative bookkeeping that will cost the city millions more in hidden costs.
Finch may try to bring out his riding crop but could be beating a “Dead Horse”.
Well I can tell you this with Stafstrom’s fund raising ability he left the town committee with a deficit. Thats good fund raising ability. Stafstrom also only gave money to his favorite districts and the rest were left to raise their own money. His law firm has made millions being the bond council for the city. I would bet the RFP will be structured so that his is the only firm that will qualify.
Finch still has not learned his lesson and seems to be the guest of honor at an ass kicking party. I hope the city council will take a long hard look at his firm when the RFP comes up for a vote.
Lennie, I can’t understand why no-one has come up with a plan that includes SEASIDE park. Its location and space makes it our greatest asset. I’m sure we would have no problem securing a [proven] developer to market “the point” for shops and a marina, similar to VENUS beach in California. We need to find ways to use our natural resources. Why do we insist on looking for “that project” to come from outside help with new construction. When we only need look to our backyard.
Hector
It’s a vision thing or should I say a lack of vision.
Looking forward to the party.
Hector – Can’t imagine why you want to mess with Seaside Park.
Is it better to continue to displace property owners and renters for projects that can’t seem to materialize. I don’t think that we would have to change much of the park only the area considered “the point”. With that area developed for entertainment and commerce, I would wager that many other projects would follow throughout the city.
When I win the 50,000 blog poster, can I bring Anna?
Re “the point:” Is there enough room there for parking to make a project viable?
I wonder why no other law firm puts in a bid to be bond council for the city. As far as Seaside, I thought some big developer came in with plans for some huge beautiful project at the old Remington Shaver location. Is that getting off the ground or what?
Jon, take a ride through the park and its size will surprise you. I don’t know if we would need to include the old dump but I’m sure the “EXPERTS” could find a solution.
I do know that when I was in high school “the point” accommodated the 3 major high schools plus Bullard-Havens, Ludlow and Fairfield. AHH THOSE WERE THE DAYS MY FRIEND….
I don’t know, I think Anna might be into roller derby queens.
When I win the 50,000 blog poster can I bring Bruce Hubler?
Anna needs a sugardaddy…
While on the subject of Seaside park. Can anyone tell me what the sculpture by the small skateboard ramps is supposed to be. It seems the artist was trying to tell us or Long Island something figuratively. I’d like to know what was paid for it and who authorized its production.
Yahooy
I think brown eyed girl would be more your style.
Nice to see the Neanderthal Woman, Anna, has come out of her cave. Where has her little weasel the Cougar been hiding? Oh yeah I forgot he’s hiding in the bowels of city hall. I hear he’s a Democrat again. So much for Bridgeport Worst.
Has anyone heard anything about who is going to get the party endorsement Keeley or Grogins? Also, I’ve heard that some games are being played to secure an extra vote for Grogins from the Black Rock area. Can anyone confirm this?
I have ridden many times through Seaside Park–on my bike–I know its size well–I also used to swim there every day all summer while growing up–even with the dump I don’t see how you could accommodate beach crowds and a major retail installation–also how would non-Bridgeport residents gain access?
Ok – Here’s my 2 cents worth on Seaside Park. We’ve got Captain’s Cove. We’re supposedly going to have Steel Point. Why ruin what is perhaps the most beautiful beach in Fairfield County with some tacky commercial development? I just don’t think it’s a good idea.
BTW – Hector, who are you supporting – Keeley or Grogins?
Good question, again it would be up to the “EXPERTS”. I believe crowds are good for commerce.
John, I will be actively supporting Bob. It makes no sense to replace a legislator with so much seniority. He was my colleague and in my opinion, he always fought for funding and programs that would benefit Bridgeport. Why doesn’t Auden go for that senate seat we gave up to the GOP.
Hector,
Here’s Mr. Helpful with all those elusive answers on the sculptures at Seaside Park.
The sculptures at Seaside Park are by Peter Lundberg and Claes Hake. Believe it or not, these are world class artists with works right here in Bridgeport.
Apparently, these sculptures made their way to Bridgeport by the Ganim administration as part of the 28 public sculptures brought to the city. Funding source? A CT Post article states that Lundberg constructed and installed his pieces at his own expense.
Here’s a link to that CT Post piece on the Peter Lundberg website:
www .peterlundberg.com/cp0101.htm
Some titles of the pieces by Hake are “The Arch” and the ever popular “Untitled”.
Pieces by Lundberg include “Daquuiqi” and you guessed it, “Untitled”.
All the sculptures at Seaside Park tell a combined story worthy of Indiana Jones. If you stand in the midst of the pieces AT sunset, you will see a large shadow arrow grow across the park, pointing to the exact location of the buried ballots from the last two Chris Caruso mayoral primaries.
If you stay there in Seaside Park AFTER sunset, you will be robbed. However, any arrows created by the sculptures WILL NOT point to the location of your stolen wallet.
As always, I’m again reminded of the words of the great author Delman Mangrove from his essential “The Layman’s guide To Perspicacity”:
“Art without a title is like a nameless woman with too many Long Island ice teas in her. Easy, but hard to find in the phone book.”
PT
They should turn Seaside Park into a European piazza. Have a beautiful square lined with nice restaurants and cafes with exclusive retail stores on the walkways leading into the square. Then at one end you could have a stage for performances, like they have in Fairfield’s town center. You could put a nice fountain in the center, with Bridgeport artists and entertainers all around the square. It’d be really unique for the Northeast. Just a nice spot where people can go walk around with no traffic for an afternoon or evening.
JOHN, BTW the Seaside project doesn’t have to be tacky. Also who’s to say any of our other projects won’t be…. tacky that is.
Hector – I guess we can agree to disagee on Seaside Park. However, I am very pleased that you will be supporting Keeley and I look forward to working with you this summer.
Hey Lennie – Have we hit 50,000 yet? Contrary to appearances, I have a life and can’t spend the entire day sitting here blogging.
By the way, if any of you are free on Friday night, I really encourage you to come see the boxing matches at Harbor Yard. We all need to help support our city, and I think this is a great opportunity. Harbor Yard would be a great venue for boxing in the future. The arena is a perfect size, not a bad seat in the house to see the ring. We are also conveniently located near ESPN headquarters, which has weekly matches on Friday Night Fights. Typically, ESPN chooses Mohegan or Foxwoods for these fights because of their proximity, but we’re close as well. It’d be great publicity and revenue if we could have ESPN hold some of their fights at Harbor Yard. So come see the fights if you’re free, tickets are cheap.
John,
We’re very close to the magic number. Should hit it within the next couple of hours!
Thanks Lennie. I’ll check back later.
Hector I respectfully disagree with your idea for seaside park. It is one of only a few open space areas in the city and to have commercial development there would be a sin.
Now if you said the same for pleasure beach I would gladly jump on that bandwagon.
Everyone in power assumes that the bridge can’t be fixed. I don’t believe that. Up until the fire on the wood deck the bridge worked fine. Whatever parts are needed to get the bridge working again I am sure that they could be specially made and the cost of repairing the bridge would be a lot less than $35 million.
The twisted metal monstrosities that still litter parts of our landscape, including Seaside Park, are indeed a legacy of the Ganim era — a $300,000 investment in scrap metal that a friend of former Economic Development Director Michael Freimuth couldn’t pass-off as art to any other municipality… (Might there have been a “commission” paid to the “middleman” involved in this transaction?…)
I agree with JBR. I would prefer to leave Seaside as it was intended. By the way there is already a stage at the foot of Park Avenue beyond the Perry Arch. This area might be conducive to some arty development. Also, I think Wondering is right. It might not cost so much to repair the bridge.
capprop – (Might there have been a “commission” paid to the “middleman” involved in this transaction?…)
That’s a very cynical comment. It’s also probably a very accurate comment.
Any thoughts on the Conroy trial? I would hate to see us taxpayers take it on the chin for Ganim and others’ malfeasance.
JFBR
I heard that Danny Roach was trying to massage a vote in his 130th district. He has a member on his T.C. that lives in Joel’s part of the district and not part of Keeley’s legislative district. He wants to replace her with someone from the Black Rock area. This is an ethical issue that needs to be addressed by party hierarchy.
Keeley is getting closer to winning the endorsement outright. I’m glad Hector is supporting Keeley and of course the always voice of reason JFBR. I heard Paul Timpanelli is supporting Auden. Endorsements by Finch and Timpanelli will be the kiss of death for Audie.
And the 50,000 blog winner is ?
If this is the winning post and the reward is dinner with you and Mo, is it mandatory that you be there?
Sorry, Anna. A little red-headed girl got there first. Met her when I was a lifeguard during the “glory days” of Pleasure Beach and Seaside Park.
Seaside was, and still is, one of Connecticut’s best beaches. In the 60’s and early 70’s crowds filled the beach, ball fields and parking lots to capacity. I can remember weekends when you couldn’t fit another half-naked body on the 2 1/2 miles of sand stretching from the P.T. Barnum statue, to Eames Monument and the end of West Beach
Today, Pleasure Beach is just a memory. And the full potential of Seaside Park has yet to be realized. Too bad city hall can’t figure out how to leverage and promote one of Bridgeport’s major assets.
Thanks Tom. I asked this question last week and no one from the Grogins camp answered so I’ll try again.
Please tell me why the district and Bpt. as a whole would be better off with Grogins as a state rep. For the life of me I just can’t see any reason to dump Keeley, but then I’m biased. So here’s your chance Grogins supporters – make your case.
I don’t have a dog in the State Rep race with Keeley and Grogins. I can’t for the life of me understand why anyone would vote for her. Talk about not being the sharpest knife in the drawer.
Grogins was terrible as a city council member and worse as a member of the Board of Ed. Her only purpose for seeking this seat is to get fast tracked to a judgeship (can you imagine).
I heard the same thing aout Roach and for my money he is a 100% snake. It’s time for him to ride off into the sunset.
I agree that Seaside should be left as it is, but one idea I have is to put a seasonal restaurant in the bath house, what a nice view that would be while having dinner on a summer night. I’d also like to see more outdoor concerts at that bandshell.
Hello fans and foes been awhile but haven’t forgot about you!!! AUDEN is a waste was a waste on the Council and bigger waste on the BOE!!! She is truly brainless (don’t know how she passed the bar) (might be book smart but not a f cking clue about real life issues)!!!! I’m not on Keeley’s area but back him 100%!!
Besides AUDEN honestly doesn’t even look good at closing time with a bag over her head!!!
I also agree with WONDERING regarding the bridge and Pleasure Beach!!! It’s total bullshit that the bridge has to be completly redone at such a high cost and FINCH thought he would get a check ASAP to sell it to the Feds!!! Look for the City Council vote for the budget on Tuesday the 13th!! Better budget than FINCH and better budget than they have put forward in awhile!!!!!
I’m also tired of all the SBHC people acting like jackasses most don’t even live in the city!!! How about at last council meeting they gave each councilperson a gift!! A shoebox sized box filled with letters notes petitions I heard were done on school time with school resources!!! If they truly cared about the kids it wouldn’t matter who gives the services the real problem is their gravy train is ending!!!
And yes believe it or not I’m glad to see Joel submitting again!!! Just don’t get too crazy Joel!!! Don’t know if you turning REPUBLICAN was the answer??? You don’t want it to turn out a joke like RODGERSON’S big party switch!!! But he is making a grand a week with the city so maybe it’d be a good move for you!!!
Also heard SILVA is having another big fundraiser for his state rep seat!!! CARUSO will make him lose worse than his Council Pres. run!!! He’s having another fundraiser ’cause the 7 people that showed up didn’t raise the 12,000 he needs!!! In cause he doesn’t know he won’t be getting the nomination either!!!
It will be interesting to see what happens with the bond council for the city this year!!! First let’s see if anyone else even bids!!! Then the city council needs to dive deep into it!!! Read EVERY damn word!!! Even if SASSYSTROM’S firm gets it, rip the shit out of it and make them answer questions and don’t pass it so quickly!!!
If Joel Hater just posted like crazy so he could get that dinner, good luck to you Lennie. Wow. Your wife is going to kill you.
As I can’t seem to find any Grogins supporters, let me ask the same question of Silva – Please tell me why the district and Bpt. as a whole would be better off with Silva as a state rep.
At the very least this should motivate the “I hate Caruso crowd.” But in addition to the usual Caruso bashing please try to tell me something positive about Silva.
I really have no idea why some posters would rather have Keeley. What makes someone “entitled” to that seat just because he has been there so long? If we really want to move forward with change, everyone needs to be judged on their merits and not on “time in service” and “entitlement”. I have been completely unimpressed during my face to face meetings with Keeley. No straight answers. Lots of “political speak”. No results from his “full time employment” either.
Joel Hater, you obviously are no member of MENSA…. Yes, we will wait and allow you to post later after you look up what MENSA is……
So Bob, would you be so kind as to enumerate some of Grogins’ “merits.” You know, leadership qualities and past acomplishments that would make it worth our while to dump Keeley.
City Kitty,
You’re obviously just a kitten… or you’d remember the “restaurant in the bath house” idea has surfaced about as many times as the Mayor’s $600 tax refund proposal (until he saw the numbers). Both noble plans… both lacked some essentials for successful implementation.
In Bridgeport, we seem to have a chronic inability to implement and execute fiscally sound initiatives and ideas. Some blame this on the culture of machine politics; others point to examples of “corruption” at various levels of government. While these may have contributed, the real reason for the city’s marginal progress lies elsewhere: we’ve put the WRONG people in charge of getting the important things done.
As a city, it seems we’ve raised this to an art form. And the results speak for themselves. Someone needs to get serious (hello, Mayor Finch) about the issues of management competence and accountability at all levels of government. If they don’t, trying to turn Bridgeport’s promise into reality, will be easier said than done.
BTW, a seasonal restaurant at the Seaside bath house IS a great idea!
The city several years ago put the Bathhouse out to bid. The winning bidder was from Middletown who operates a similar operation on the Connecticut River. I don’t know what ever happened during lease negotiations. One of the problems is the renovated bathhouse after the fire in ’96 or’97’ has no mechanicals. It is just a shell of a building. The cost for the operator to do the FF&E ( fit-up, furniture and equipment) would be huge. Probably in the range of over 2 million dollars. It would be very difficult for an operator to service that debt with a seasonal operation without a long term very favorable lease. It could be a helluva catering facility. I can remember magical nights there when they used to have the Mayor’s Ball and other events upstairs.
Hello folks and this includes Joel Hater. Joel Hater I’m sure you could not come close to hating me as much as Finch.
I had a meeting today with Joseph J. Borges the Republican Registrar of Voters. On 3/13/08, I came to the conclusion that leaving the Democratic Party was the only alternative left. At issue during my meeting with Mr. Borges, was my concern of the date 6/13/08 that I will become officially a REPUBLICAN. I spoke with an attorney at the Secretary of State Office and asked about being in limbo would prohibit the Republican Town Committee from endorsing me, if they choose to do so. It is ok for them to endorse me and in the event this should happen, I will accept. I joined the Republican Party after 18 of dedicated service to the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party is not the party I knew 14 years ago. There are still some good Democrats in the Party and there could have been even more, If only the leaders of the individual districts and the Party Chair show some respect for different views and opinions. The March fiasco could have been avoided. Tom Mulligan was running for Town Committee and State Senator. A wise district leader would have offered me Mulligan’s seat in the T.C. and concentrated on the State Senate race. Greed got in the way. I said from the beggining that I had a strategy and winning was not my main goal. After all was said and done, I was taken serious. Some times, when you lose, you win. I’m surprised at how much Love and Respect the Bridgeport Republicans have shown me so far, after many years of helping to defeat them on many elections. This is not to say that while a democrat I voted down the line. I know how to split my votes and have always voted for Chris Shays as an example. It’s all water under the Bridge or should I Shays, “Water under the Bridgeport.”
Joel vs. Mitch The Switch? Lennie are you telling us that Mitch is going to be the endorsed Democratic candidate for the 130th. State Rep. race?
I hear that Santiago is the front runner and that Chico Rivera is not happy at all to the point that he has threatened to force a Primary. I have no beef with Mitch Robles. Mitch was upset that I had posted the story about the recording he left on Mojica’s answering machine. I have always shown the most respect to the late Domingo Robles (Mitch’s father) who may rest in peace. Domingo Robles presided over my marriage and out of that came my daughter and one on the way. I served on the City Council while Mitch was my district leader and when I decided not to seek a fourth term, I thanked him and his dad for their support and they both told me how sorry they felt that I was leaving and how they appreciated my service to the district. I left in good terms with everyone in the party.
I have 18 years of service to the Democratic Party and I strongly believe that is worth something. In the event that I’m sure that the Republican Party will endorse me and after discusing with Mark Delmonico, I will then reach out to the Democratic Party for a cross endorsement (this will piss chico off) as I feel that I’m the best candidate still. The City of Bridgeport is divided politically to the point that less people are voting and there is a need to stop this fighting for total control. My Republican agenda and platform will be no different than it would have been, if I was still a Democrat. Everything that I do will benefit everyone in the entire State of Connecticut.
If the Democrats decide not to cross endorse, then that’s their decision. I believe that in doing so (refusing to cross endorse) all Democrats will wonder how much their votes and volunteer service is appreciate by the Democratic Party, as it will show that my past volunteer service and votes didn’t mean much. Since Sly Salcedo has announced his intention to run as I have, I will take a swing at him on the next posting to show everyone what it’s going to be like. The bell rings!!
Hey Sylvester, You want a piece of me? Take this.
Sly Salcedo was towed into Bridgeport and after having a disagreement with the tow truck driver, he was left on a road named Bridgeport. The only headline that Sly Salcedo made was in a Connecticut Post interview in wich he presented a Crazy and Dangerous position. Sly Salcedo is of the opinion that the Government should pay for and provide free Heroin to illegal Drug (Heroin) users. Not only do I believe that his idea is Crazy and Dangerous, it is poorly thought out. Our Government won’t even provide free medication to the sick. As Crazy, Dangerous and Poorly thought out I think this idea is, I can still make it better and I hope this will start to convince the OIB gang that I am the best candidate for the job.
I will provide Heroin addicts with free heroin with strings attached. I will get the best price on the kilo, by negotiating with the DEA and have them give me all the confiscated Heroin. I will then make sure that a Fort Knox like vault is built to make sure that the cowboys (cowboys are people who stick up drug dealers) can’t get to it. “There are too many bank robberies by people desperate for a fix you know.” I will then set up the shooting galleries where people can do their injecting. Before I provide anyone with Heroin, they must sign a release. This will protect me from lawsuits. If McDonald’s was sued for coffee that was too hot, imagine my risk.
After signing the release, Heroin addicts must take a page from John Fabrizi-they must sign a statement against their supplier. I will take the statements and turn them over to the DEA who will then investigate, charge and prosecute the dealers. I will then provide a free needle (can’t spread aids) and a bag of Heroin to each who have qualified. I will provide munchies too-coffee, cup cakes, Soda and Candy Bars. Every one will stop using all other drugs and switch to free Heroin.
Sly does have a good resume. What I know are things that one can not learn in college, books or google. There is no way in hell that Sly can say that he knows Bridgeport or Connecticut better than I do. I’m a free thinker and a survivor of the negative Social and Economic past and present of the City of Bridgeport. Calling out Adrien won’t help you. This is just a jab.
Hello Hector Diaz. Congrats to you, your mom and the 137th. The only Town Committee with 10 votes.
City Kitty and Tom Kelly have a wonderful idea in so far as the Bathhouse at Seaside is concerned. – Much like New York Central Park’s “Tavern on the Green” which has been an attractive destination for a century. It’s this kind of thinking that might get our city off the dime and moving in the right direction.
Joel you are absolutely out of your mind. Free heroin give me a break. Cross-endorsed by the Democratic party? Never happen. Please spare us with all this bullshit you have put on this blog. Haven’t you got it yet? Nobody but nobody gives a damn what you think.
Let me know when you are going to hand out the free heroin you moron and I will make sure you are arrested on the spot. I will make sure it’s the feds who arrest you so that you serve a long time.
Joel, I don’t want to sound mean, but I don’t think you’re in your right mind – there’s definitely something wrong with you. First of all, you should be asleep at 3 or 4 a.m., but you are writing all this nonsense and you go on and on complimenting yourself and criticizing everyone else. Free heroin? Dude-you must be kidding and you want to run for public office, now that’s real scary!!! Then you criticize other people who can offer a lot more than you. From now on, I will just skip over anything you write, you are too way out there for me.
Wondering and City Kitty are you two taking the sly salcedos free heroin idea serious. I question the reading comprhension level of both of you. You two wouln’t know Humor or Sarcasm if slapped you both in the face. If your reading comprehension level was at a bare minimum, you would know that I’m being sacastic about sly salcedos position of providing free heroin. You two obviously missed the Connecticut Post interview of Sly Salcedo last year and I’m making a sarcastic and humorous (in my opinion) reference to his suggestion of giving out free heroin to addicts. I do not support the free distribution of heroin and if only you knew how to read and stop jumping the gun, you would have understood this. Yes City Kitty I’m kidding around with Sly Salcedo, He is the one who raised the free Heroin Idea last year in a Connecticut Post exclusive interview. Kitty you really believe that the DEA will agree to giving all confiscated Heroin to anyone? Maybe I should have posted this on April fools day.
Joel don’t worry about my reading level I am sure it far surpasses yours. A candidate for office should not being kidding as you say about a serious problem that is damaging our society. Here is your statement:
Where does it say you were kidding around. Too serious a topic to be fooling around.
Joel – I think you are only saying you were kidding now that you realize just how stupid your posting really sounded. You were right on serious and you know it. I don’t think you are in a position to criticize my reading ability or ability to recognize a joke when I see one. I may not be a rocket scientist, but anyone with half a brain would know that you were not joking. You need to get some sleep instead of posting junk all hours of the night.
Wondering and City Kitty who died and made you two the owners or OIB to set a curfew and a time in wich people can come here to post their comments?
If you two have a problem with people who are of the opinion that our government should set out to distribute Free Heroin to addicts, take your gripe to Sly Salcedo. He was the one who raised this idea in an exclusive interview with the Connecticut Post.
“Our Government won’t even provide free medication to the sick.” Am I wrong about this statement?
“As Crazy, Dangerous and Poorly thought out I think this idea is, I can still make it better and I hope this will start to convince the OIB gang that I am the best candidate for the job.”
Salcedo would have the government pay for the heroin with tax dollars.
If I was allow distribution of free Heroin, I would have the DEA turn over confiscated Heroin that they would otherwise destroy and not have to pay for it with tax dallars. Wich plan is better to you two?
Salcedo did not mention any idea of how his idea should be carried out. I simply stated that there would be strings attached if I was to do such a thing. One being a requirement for participants in the free distribution of Heroin to sign statements against any known illegal distributor of drugs and the staements would be taken by the DEA and they would then investigate, charge and arrest them. Wich plan is better to you two, no strings or the DEA statement plan?
Read between the line. My point is that I can take a bad idea and improve it. This is done in the Legislature. If Representative Wondering presented a Bill and Representative Gonzalez felt that he can amend the same Bill to make it better or stronger, Representative Wondering can’t Stop Rep. Gonzalez from doing so.
Representative Kitty can also jump in and attach an amendment like free Heroin for all and If the bill, as amended by all, does not overdose in committee and dies, it could make it all the way to Jodi Rell, who could VETO it thanks in part to Joel Gonzalez helping Rob Russo make it to the Senate. Part of the State Representative’s job is to pass laws that are made better or worst with different ideas during the imput process.
Round Two (2) Sly Vs. Speedy.
Trainer Lennie Grimaldi wispers into Speedy’s Ear, “Go for a Knock down.”
“Watch my right hand Sly.” I had an Older brother named Jimmy Gonzalez. Jimmy was Rebellious and went down a bad path to the point that he had a tatoo of the Devil covering his whole back. He had an extensive criminal record and ended up Shooting Heroin. One day he robbed a guy at knife point and was arrested and jailed. His record was so extensive that faced a long prison term. While in Jail (he told me this) he was at North Avenue one night in his cell, when a Catholic Nun or some religious woman who goes into the jails to preach the word, walked past his cell. She noticed him as she passed and came back to talk to him. She told him that she sees that he has been through a lot in life.
He told her his story and told her that there is no way he was walking out of jail. After a while talking, she told him to ask God for help and that doing so can get him out of jail. He told her that he had been praying and asking for help a long time. She told him that when he asked for God’s help in the past, he was not sincere.
She told to pray from his heart and not to play with God and that when he hears the judge say that he can go, he had to go to Rehab and she told him about the Helping Hand Center that is run by Rev. Castillo. Jimmy was given a chance and he went into Castillo’s Program and they sent him to a rehab center located in the woods of Pennsylvania. He did about 2 or 3 years before he came back a changed man. For the first time in his life, he had a job and had a stable life. He Married and went on enjoying life. A few years later Jimmy started feeling sick often. While at the Helping Hand Center, he was given physical exams and blood tests revealed that he was HIV positive, AIDS was just being diagnosed and identified back then. My brother Jimmy was the best looking of all the males in the family and he sort of looked like Actor Will Smith. I saw my brother’s health deteriorate slowly to AIDS. All the way ’til the minute he died he would say that he wasn’t dying. The day before he died I was standing by his bed when the nurse lifted him on his side to make him feel more comfortable and put pads on his back. When the nurse turned him over I saw that the Tatoo of the Devil he had on his Back was not visible at all. My brother went from looking like Will Smith to the Creature of Tales from the Crypt. I am not lying, this is not fiction and I saw all this happen in front of my eyes.
My brother fathered a girl with Judy Reboira. Judy is the Great Aunt of Bianca Lebron who was abducted 7 years ago from Elias Howe School and is still missing. Sonia Salcedo was the Supt. of Schools here in Bridgeport. Her lack of leadership and poor planning or administration of School Security issues, is one reason why Bianca Lebron is missing. The name Salcedo does not sound good to my family. ‘Til this day there are still serious security issues in our Schools and today I will point those issues out in a press conference, if I can get up early. I’m going to bed now before Wondering and City Kitty spank me.
Joel you really have to get a grip. In all seriousness you are definitely out there. Now you admit your heroin idea was what you actually said. Believe me you don’t stand a chance of being elected. I don’t care what party you belong to.
You are again bringing a family tragedy into public view. Why? You are blaming Salcedo for his wife’s failings. What are your failings?
I don’t have a horse in your race for the legislative seat but if I did I can tell you it would not be you and your off-the-wall ideas. Ask anyone whose family has been touched by drugs and see if they are in favor of free heroin.
BTW we are not the keepers of the blog but we can also comment on off-the-wall BS that is posted. FYI this is not your campaign web page either. Give us a break with your family stories and your off-the-wall ideas.
Joel….please spare us all your personal stuff, you should keep your family matters private out of respect if nothing else. I think you should get help. You sound like you are going off the deep end and I can’t believe that you would expect normal people to vote for you. This time I’m promising myself never to read your junk again. I am not a keeper on this blog either but you are just using it for your own personal sounding board.