Virginia Price, a Brooklawn constituent of Anthony Musto, isn’t happy her state senator has not stepped up to support a legislative bill co-sponsored by Bridgeport State House members Jack Hennessy and Auden Grogins that would enforce the Bridgeport City Charter that prohibits city employees from serving on the City Council. She submitted this letter to the editor:
There has been a lot of talk in Bridgeport lately regarding the “controversial” House Bill 5724. I use the term controversial with a tongue in cheek because frankly, neither I, nor many of the hyper-taxpaying citizens in my Bridgeport neighborhood can figure out what the controversy is. The Bridgeport City Charter, which was voted into place by the taxpayers of Bridgeport, forbids any City employees from holding elected City Council seats. Yet they do.
The so-called controversy has arisen wholly as a result of the trepidation that most of the legislators who represent the aforementioned tax payers have shown with regard to co-sponsorship or supporting this bill. HB-5724, you see, would close the loophole that Bridgeport City attorneys dug up within the State Statutes that those attorneys contend allow the City of Bridgeport employees to hold City council seats. The former statement begs the questions: Why did the City attorneys see fit to look for a loophole to allow City Employees to run for, and be elected to, City Council seats? What is the motivation? Why can’t Bridgeport act like a properly run municipality and obey its own Charter? Why won’t the lion’s share of the Bridgeport delegation support the Charter that the citizens who elected them voted into place? This lack of support does not even approach passing the smell test.
But I digress. The neighborhood I live in is represented by Anthony Musto. No, I do not live in Black Rock. But my neighborhood votes and we are incensed that our State Senator Anthony Musto, is not supporting HB-5724. Did I mention that we vote? We vote a lot. And we talk to each other. We talk to each other a lot.
Get with the co-sponsorship Anthony, we are demanding it. This is what we elected you for. Do your job. It may just get you re-elected. So far it’s shame on you, Anthony. We put you there. There are a few neighborhoods in Bridgeport that are pretty chatty with each other when it comes to Bridgeport City issues. And we vote. We vote a lot.
Virginia Price
Bridgeport Connecticut
Who IS this Musto guy? Get OUT of Bridgeport you CARPETBAGGING recipient of Finch-induced GERRYMANDERING!
*** TYPICAL POLITICIAN, NO? ***
Hey Virginia, have you been talking to your most powerful neighbor, John Stafstrom? He knows how to influence both Senators Musto and Ayala. He is the Bridgeport Democratic Party Chairman. In a sense, your neighbor is part of the problem.
Well said Virginia–I so wish everyone would write letters like this to the editor and our state reps.
The one bright thing in the 138th district is we are no longer represented by Musto.
The Price is Right! BTW–Where’s Paul and his BRBC Bored of Directors???
If more people from the North End, Black Rock and Brooklawn would write letters, Anthony would really see how much trouble he is in. And he IS in trouble.
I have already written to him and have heard nothing, not even a I got your letter. I don’t vote for people who do not respond to my efforts to reach out to me when I take the time to contact them. Anyone else have this issue with Musto? If he does get on board with this and co-sponsor then I might reconsider, that way I can focus my efforts to make sure Ayala is not re-elected if he does not get on board. And I know a lot of people in Stratford and his district who vote–I have access to voter databases and plan to make sure everyone knows how these two Bridgeport Senators vote on Very Important Issues. If they support good government, then I support them–if not, I have a big mouth and a wide net–and some big guns on my Rolodex.
There is trouble a brewing in my neighborhood as well. Musto, let’s get real. Protecting the party is not in your Senatorial job description. Protecting the voters, however, is.
Very impressive letter. I have called Musto’s office.