This week the City Council will be in possession of Mayor Joe Ganim’s budget proposal that will hold the line on taxes in this mayoral election season. Ganim will share details of the spending plan noon Monday on his Facebook page.
Last year’s budgetern season was a head knocker between the mayor and legislative body that both sides want to avoid. In short, the mayor proposed a budget, the council recommend changes but the clock ran out on alterations reverting the adopted budget back to the mayor’s original plan.
Some members of the budget committee last year also targeted several of the mayor’s discretionary hires.
The council and mayor are apparently in agreement that extending the timeline of the budget process is a solution. Will it be one or two weeks?
This budget, in particular, will be picked apart by his three announced opponents, John Gomes, Lamond Daniels and State Senator Marilyn Moore.
How much loot for an understaffed Police Department?
This year’s investment in education?
The cost of health insurance to city employees?
Ganim’s tax record the first six years of his return to the mayoralty was largely a mixed bag that included two reassessment years, the first delayed by Ganim’s predecessor Bill Finch who did not want to face voters with tax schizophrenia that often accompanies state-mandated revaluation. Ganim’s ending this term on a flat-line note, holding the line last year and for this upcoming budget year starting July 1. It’s also possible that council action could lead to a slight cut in the tax rate, something to buoy everyone’s reelection chances.
Bridgeport’s nine-member legislative delegation also becomes advocate partners to the municipal spending plan driving dollars home from Hartford. Crafting the municipal budget is a leap of faith because it is completed prior to resolution of the state budget.
The majority fiscal alterations comes from the council’s seven-member budget committee chaired by Scott Burns and Ernie Newton.
Here’s what enables Mayor Ganim to prevent a tax increase.:
Thanks to the pandemic and the C.A.R.E.S. Act, Mayor Ganim has possession and discretion over millions of dollars — some spent and some unspent. It’s the best thing to happen to his re-election chances.
However, any tax cut would come from borrowed money and I’m prepared to use The Library of Congress to prove it.
After 8 years of the Ganim administration chroniclu underfunding our schools, a broken promise to do a line item transfer of the $500k lost in the pissing contest between the CC and Mayor the last budget cycle, I’m not holding my breath for any significant increase in the education budget.
In fact I predict that Ganim will propose $2.5 million and try to sell it as a kept promise of 500k last budget cycle. He will cry “that’s the best we could do”.
I do however see hope as for the first time ever Two mayoral candidates (thank you Gomes and Daniels) took 2 hours out of their day to attend the the BOE budget forums to gain an understanding of our budgetary needs. At least now after Ganim shortchanges education for the 8th consecutive year we have options.
Please, Pencil Box. Are you trying to throw some SHADE on the race-baiting organization, Gen Now, who had Finch speak and is backing Daniels, that you attended? 🙂
Let’s not forget. Though I still don’t quite comprehend, BBOE has always been deemed underfunded, with under in achievement. According to Tony Barr perhaps it is financially underfunded in comparison to Harford and New Haven, However, Finch received 7 million from BBOE because they didn’t spend the money they did receive. (according to “supporter of G2, Maria, burn the tapes ) 😂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVzgXYGjJYs&t=77s
My guess is it was a way to shift money around for Finch to make it easier to benefit his buddies who are at arm’s length of the BBOE, with their blessing of course. Though at the cost of the Port’s students’ education. I would think.
Imagine what was going on behind BBOE scenes with those who Identify with the coded words associated with the ones who run the BBOE/teach the Port Student body, vie packet teaching/integration without segregation/no teachers at all. JS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nFrp7Z9wEU
The BBOE budget is comparable to the city budget, I think, Yet the BBOE is only responsible for 20,000 residents of the 150, 000, 180 days a year, 8 or so hours a day, and a few handfuls of properties. But the city is responsible for the quality of life, safety, and growth of the entire 150,000 residents 24 hours, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year. Just something to think about.
While the state and feds provide much of the funding let’s not forget when it comes to the BBOE budget that the city contributes every dollar diverted to the BBOE it takes away from the budget in its responsibility to the entire city, for the most part. I would think.
That being said. A more important take to address is at the capitol when dealing with BBOE funding. But While politics is politics, I can see your view-ish, through Tony Barr. Shit 50 million disparity. JS
However, when BBOE doesn’t even have the needed teachers teaching if students, funding to fatten its administration/hires, in the name of Port’s education of its students might seem disingenuous, to say the least.
I am interested in the BBOE Budget. Is it SHADY like the city budget/police budget that JML has been commenting on over the years? Can we (the public) access it. ? Where Joe? Your response will determine the true nature of your Open, Honest, and Transparency/good governance.
Perhaps John can guide me to its location, and dissect it like the frogs left in Harding’s old building. There you go, John. You wanted to meet. I am a constructive person. Let’s meet and you can teach me budgetary, particularly the BBOE budget, While perhaps you are right about some of the Shadiness in the City Budget I can’t imagine there isn’t any shadiness in the BBOE budget. Let me know, budget in hand.
I depart prophet, Shady.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJO5HU_7_1w
Didn’t see you at any of the three budget forums, nor at a board of Ed meeting. The information is out there get off your keyboard and find it.
Nope, you don’t. However, I thought I was, thanks I think. 🙂
Oh, there’s information out there,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG_G6rZHp1A
but is there really information out there. I would seem there’s not much in the way of information on what lead you to a tour of Harding’s old building. Perhaps an audit of the BBOE in appropriate. Would you be in favor of it. 🙂
Besides you can be surprise what can be done behind a keyboard these days. 🙂
You can even fight racism. You know that think you and Gen Now are always talking/fighting about.
PS I wonder if there’s any codes going on over here. Good Job poeple 🤣
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Q6n_X88r-0
An audit? Why didn’t I think of that. That’s right I did a few times finally got the votes. RFP issued shortly. https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/After-flood-of-pandemic-aid-Bridgeport-school-17714023.php
Do try and keep up.
I try to keep up, but it’s not so easy. 🙂
I”ll you an “A” effort, but let me know when you reach the finish line.
It should be easier what “white” Weldon gone and Black Bobbie Brown as Chair. Keep (OIB) up to speed.
“I do believe it would be a very good investment to put at ease a lot of minds who always suspect chicanery going on with our budget, and perhaps we can even find some efficiencies,” Sokolvic said.
You are an R at heart, fiscally conservative. WHAT 🙂
Thanks, found a link and I didn’t have to leave my Keyboard. 🙂
https://www.bridgeportedu.net/Page/10652
However according to Marlene Siegel, the district’s chief financial officer, pushed back against Sokolovic’s proposal, warning an audit would be redundant. She said the district already undergoes a “comprehensive financial audit” by an independent firm each year to satisfy state and federal requirements.
Let’s try to be honest, we know how these “independent” entity work when they come in. It’s comparable to Gen Now claiming to be non-partisan. 🤣
I mean the Port had an independent company come in for a national Police Chief search for the best and the brightest twice since I been on OIB. The first produced Port’s AJ over Port’s Porter (I believe) and the second ended up with three top candidates from the Port. Porter being the LOGICAL choice.
You know what that means (fiscally speaking) people. The Port produces the best of the best and brightest cops in the nation. Good Job Port. 🤣
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXRi28W-ENY
“The cost of health insurance to city employees?”
Lennie, days ago I forwarded to you the tentative agreement between N.A.G.E. and the City of Bridgeport scheduled for a union vote on April 12. The agreement shows that city employees hired after July 2012, will have their insurance premium capped at 1/3 or 33. 3 % (assuming it gets ratified).
Other bargaining units gets to pay lower premiums at the expense of lower paid city employees and the great majority of them are NAGE members working for the city and the schools. Will they all be fools and vote to ratify? I’m no fool. Irrespective of the fact that if passed it will have no negative impact as far as I’m concerned, Vote NO on April 12.
While you’re at it, check out how N.A.G.E. President James V. Mesorroz is using the agreement to transform his City job into a NO-SHOW POSITION.
Speed, in retrospect the progressive Bernie. Not sure how this works out, but I am pretty sure private healthcare companies are making money to insure government employees at the benefit of taxation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcEWbzXF3Es
In every state, government employees should have a standard governmental employment Medicaid-administered health plan. There should be no deviation between cities or towns for governmental employees. A taxation base employee is a (socialistic) taxation employee especially when it comes to their health benefits, and pension too, for that matter, considering it is all paid by taxation. never mind between the city negotiation contracts. This is where unions fail collectively to benefit the few, their members. Not saying cities or towns shouldn’t have an option can’t pay more in benefits or employment, but that should be a supplemental effort by each individual city and town to pay extra. JS
Dems-run cities/states love to preach universal health coverage, but if they can’t/won’t create a universal health plan/coverage system for their own government employees the taxpayers are already on the hook, and paying for their coverage to private companies, at a profit.
Fuhgeddaboudit, how serious are they really in their Kumbay, setting in a circle, we are all in this together movement to actually create universal health coverage for the people in this country. I guess you can say the same for Fewds, for governmental Federal employees. I would think. I would have to say the Pentagon is on track for their people if your Veteran. JS
You got to start somewhere Progressives. If you can’t start with employees that the government taxation is already paying for, please save the bullshit people. JS The same can be said for your green movement. If your state is not completely Green don’t tell/force businesses to go green whose revenue stream is not based on someone else pocket/taxation. They actually have to produce something. JS 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8VqVHORBNQ
Say what you will Bible thumpers about, AOC/socialists. She’s pretty cute though 😎
Full disclosure: not sure if there is a state that has such a plan/system already. I know (R) Mitt Romney AKA Romneycare tried some shit back in the day to make ensure every person has health coverage in Mass. but it plays out for its government employees who of course receive some type of coverage taxation I am not sure, Though I would require every business who has employees go provide a base health care play, not just medium size business. Capitalists, if that is the system you want, employer base insurance, then they must provide it. JS
It is one of the other, people. But this pretty much sums it up though.
To be fair Atheist, Libs, say what you will about Bible thumpers, conservative Lauren Boebert she’s pretty cute too. 😎
However, this sums it up quite well, people, Big Money. 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO7vc0lGoaE