City Council races are gearing up across the city for expected Democratic primaries in September. Two young newcomers Kyle Langan and Marcus Brown had a fundraiser Tuesday night at the 19th Hole on Brooklawn Avenue in their quest to represent the West Side 132nd District. Incumbent councilman for the district John Olson is not seeking reelection. His council partner Evette Brantley is running with Democratic Town Committee member from the district Rolanda Smith.
The Democratic Town Committee is scheduled to meet July 24 at Testo’s Restaurant to endorse candidates for City Council and citywide slots for Board of Education and city sheriff.
Meanwhile the revitalized Greater Bridgeport Young Democrats issued its first round of endorsements for this municipal cycle, backing Pete Spain for council in the 130th District and Langan in the 132nd. Dormant for a long time, the emergence in recent years of young activists has reenergized the group. What does this endorsement bring? Bodies, young bodies to make phone calls and knock on doors where a premium is placed on retail politics. GBYD will issue more endorsements upon receipt and review of its Google Form questionnaire.
“Pete and Kyle are great candidates and will serve their communities well on the city council. We are very proud to endorse them both,” said Constance Vickers, president of the GBYD. “As a new group, we are excited about this process and will be continuing our endorsements throughout the rest of the summer.”
“I’m humbled and grateful to be endorsed by the Greater Bridgeport Young Democrats,” said Spain. “We the citizens are the future of this city and we–from all walks of life and of all ages–must come together for real progress. We must have the courage to come out of our comfort zones to repudiate the substandard status quo and to insist on credible, open, accountable, and competent representatives.”
“I am very humbled and honored to have received the endorsement of the Greater Bridgeport Young Democrats as I run for City Council for the 132nd District,” said Langan. “I really appreciate the community and political power of organizations like GBYD in Bridgeport as groups like this are vital to bringing change to our city. I look forward to working on building more community power and organizing in our city now and in the future.”
I have waited for at least ten years to meet two candidates Marcus and Kyle, that are reminiscent of the quality of representation in the 132nd district. In 1983 I was fortunate to learn from my first council partner, Tom Mulligan, than Bernie Katz who unfortunately passed away after our first term together, then came the brilliant John Stafstrom, and finally my last partner Bubba Walsh. I didn’t think it could get any better than this, but I was wrong. Marcus Brown and Kyle Langan are the two that will carry on the reputation of constituent service, integrity, and an understanding of what their office is responsible to accomplish. I believe they will be better prepared to hit the ground running with their drive and determination to make the 132nd district the shining star is once was. There may be some who are waiting for me to slip quietly into the night, well guess what, I will when my candidates win. (Well maybe.)
I’ll vote for anyone to be rid of the worthless p.o.s Brantley.
It appears they had a small turnout. Both candidates are articulate but made no statement of substance.
I NEVER want here Kyle speak about the importance of a good public education when he works for Achievement First which takes 13% of every state dollar and pockets it in management fees, AF is on probation for having the highest expulsion and suspension rates in CT including kindergarteners, and they were caught violating the law allowing only 30% of teachers to be non-certified by having over 40% of their “teachers” unverified.
This organization is a charlatan organization funded by white billionaires and millionaires that helped funded Mayor Finch’s referendum to deny us the right to vote for our elected school board.
Did you see him snap his fingers when Marcus was speaking? AF does not allow their students to cheer or clap. They must walk in perfect straight lines and they must sit in the cafeteria in pure silence and cannot so much as speak to each other during lunch.
This isn’t educating our black and brown students, it’s indoctrinating them to be obedient and to simply do as you are told. It does not inspire, cultivate leadership, stimulate creativity, etc. It simply teaches students compliance. It is a form of brainwashing.
The most hardened criminals in prison are allowed to speak with each other in their cafeterias, but our minority students can’t converse while having their lunch.
Don’t just state our streets ate dirty, the community wants to have a relationship with the police, our taxes are too high, small businesses can’t flourish, etc.
We all know the problems, give your neighbors the solutions with specific details.
I couldn’t help but notice how all the white people spoke first, including Bob Halstead who heaped praise on Kyle and had nothing to say
about Marcus, and left Marcus for dead last.
I don’t see these two winning, but you never know.
I did not know about Kyle Langan’s involvement with First Achievement. Maybe this needs to be reviewed.
Maria I don’t know about not being able to talk during lunch at AF. But I’m still waiting for your response about the BPS principal that covered up a sexual assault that happen in the cafeteria in one of the BPS. Can you give me your thoughts on how the current BOE and the superintendent are going act, if any,is taking, on this unacceptable behavior of one of your principals?
I did respond to you on this issue. Either Vallas or Fran were the Superintendent at the time and it occurred either right before my first term ended or right after I left.
I know the details, however this case was discussed in Executive Session.
What do you mean right before or right after, either Vallas or Fran? you don’t know. 🙂 Miss Research. Is the Morgan still a principal? Your response seem vague and elusive. JS You might just make a good politician after all.
“fight the power”
LOL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X6x9JgueoA
Gee Maria, I was educated in the catholic school system since kindergarten; we walked in straight lines from morning mass to the start of our classes, obedience was graded (and our parents watched that closely), we greeting the nuns and priests with respect and reverence, we interacted with our classmates with good manners. All of what I mentioned was taught to us along with a good education. I feel I made it through life with a healthy sense of self-respect along with leadership skills, and so far I haven’t gone to prison. OMG, if that happened they’d have to designate a facility for seniors! Just responding to a couple of your comments; those that sound familiar as to how I was educated. Oh I forgot to mention, I lived in Yellow Mill Village and my childhood friends attended either St. Cyril’s or Waltersville School. We were all the same.
Lisa, Lisa, Lisa, you should know better by now.
I went to a private/parochial school myself through elementary and high school. My parents paid tuition to these private schools. If parents want to send their children to private(charter) schools.they need to pay tuition and these private(charter) schools should not be receiving any public money.
Exactly, Frank.
Lisa,
Were you ever suspended for NOT walking in a perfect straight line, or for forgetting tour belt, wearing the wrong color socks or told you couldn’t speak to your classmates while having
lunch,
Lisa, your parents chose to send you to a Catholic school and paid the tuition. Charter $chools receive $11,000 per student each year totaling millions in taxpayer funds. They have unelected school boards, consistently break the law and fight every attempt to be transparent and allow access to their records, including how they spend their taxpayer dollars.
I was at Beverly Pizza and a little boy starting running around yelling ” I hate Achievement First”. I approached the grandmother and she told me her grandson forgot to bring a pencil to school and AF called her daughter at work and told her she had to leave her job, bring a pencil to school, and then she had to sit with him in the classroom for the rest of the day. Mom was terrified she was going to get fired so she called grandma and this poor 67 year old woman had to do it for her daughter. She told me about her granddaughter being suspended for forgetting her belt. This is not acceptable.
I recommended some good BPS, but she said they were moving to Stratford and couldn’t wait to get the kids out of AF.
I thought you could pull your kid out of a charter school and go back to a BPS?
Maria what do you mean by some good BPS? sSouldn’t they all be good or are some good and bad?
I lOVE BEVERLY PIZZA. One problem,I get fat!!!!!
Attendance was wonderful! They raised good money and addressed the attendees with the effortless confidence of those who are in touch with their district. Well done gentlemen!
Zena Lu, AKA Gabrielle Parisi, did you ask permission of Ganim, Testo and Flatto to attend? Don’t forget you’ve been bought and paid for. Easy come, easy go…
Oh my. Your blood pressure must be horrendous.
Gabrielle Parisi, my blood pressure,sugar and cholesterol were all tested on Tuesday and were all fine.
You see, when you conduct yourself with honesty, integrity, have a moral compass and values, you can sleep through the night without tossing and turning, restlessness, anxiety, etc.
Someone of your caliber couldn’t possibly understand because you live by a different set of principles or lack there of.
I have a couple of points I would like to make. First, to Maria P. I do not think it is necessary to condemn a man for being an educator in a charter school. The fact you are making fun about how obedient the children are is a joke. If the BPS students were taught the same way the students may be better at focusing in a classroom. Having been in 28 schools in the city I will tell you that lately many of the schools are using the practice of silence in the cafeterias. Enough said on that.
I did attend the fundraiser last evening. It was extremely well attended, had an open bar and the food was excellent. I thought the 19th hole did a great job.Bringing race into the conversation was a joke. Marcus is extremely eloquent and very charismatic. They make an awesome team.
I do wonder if Marcus, a DTC member ever discussed his aspirations with Mario Testa, the head of the DTC or members of his own district. I think that was a big mistake from a respect point of view.
I appreciate the energy of the young democrats but there is a protocol. choosing to go against it is a personal decision.
I think Mary Evette Brantley is now and has been a god council woman. I Know Rolanda Smith and I think she is a wonderful woman, a serious community activist and does a lot of work with the Pantries in Bridgeport as well as a very G-d fearing woman.
The benefit to Langon and Brown is that Lisa Paraziale is a major player and supporter. Her knowledge is priceless to a couple of newbies.
The downside is Mary Evette Brantley has a huge following also and that is why she was elected. She has experience and I suppose it is going to be an exciting campaign . I happen to be a fan of both Brantley and Smith. I am glad I do not have to vote in this district.
I always think it is wonderful and have respect for those that give up their time and energy for public service.
I wish everyone good luck. I am certain I will be attending Brantley and Smith fundraiser.
Tomorrow I will be at Vazzy’s for Anthony and Nessah.
I am looking for to my district meeting next week and the formal DTC convention on the 24th.
looking forward
Steve, how dare you imply I waa making “fun” of how AF students behave or are disciplined. It is not funny at all. In fact, it is offensive.
When white parents in the suburbs allow their children to be suspended for forgetting their belt or wearing the wrong color socks, and when schools force white suburban parents to leave their jobs to bring a forgotten pencil to school for their child and then force those parents to sit in class with their child for the remainder of the school day, then we can talk about accepting this type of treatment of predominantly black and brown students in impoverished urban communities.
When white suburban students in cafeterias are told they must eat in silence and not speak with their peers, then we can talk about allowing this treatment to be applied to impoverished urban minority students.
I won’t hold my breath because it’s not going to happen.
Steve, I would like you to list every specific BPS where we are forcing students to eat their lunch in silence.
I will await your response.
Maria now I know why Ron dislikes you some much. You are taken his thunder. I don’t know who’s posts are more racist yours or his. 🙂 BAM
PS. Is the principal that did nothing about a sexual assault and allowed it to happen again then tried to cover it up still employed (principal) at the BPS ?
Surely you can answer this question, you tout your intellect and knowledge of the BPS system. I’m curious I want to know it the BOE relieved Morgan of He/Her duty as principal of taking care of those 21000 you care so much about. If not do you think the BOE, that you are a member of, should allow Morgan to continue being a BOE employee? Can you or will you try to take action to protect the 21000 BPS students. I know you are extremely vocal about the actions of AF employees actions how that treat their students. What about the BPS employees that covered up sexual assault.
Please don’t give me “Either Vallas or Fran were the Superintendent at the time and it occurred either right before my first term ended or right after I left.” Charter Schools were here before you were even thought of running for the BOE and the will be here after you are gone.
Can everyone at least “Fight the Power” on sexual assaults and sexual predators in any school system. Jesus Christ. SMMH
so much
if the BOE
on how they treat
even thought about
any school system and beyond
Maria, I will not give you a list. I will tell you that there are at least 10 schools that now have the students eating in silence. . Parents send their children to charter schools for the discipine and education. In my public schools in Brooklyn, students were held accountable and parents were involved. You talking about Black and brown children is ridiculous. White students are treated the same way. Being responsible is necessary training for life. Rewarding students for every little thing is silly. These mood meters are beyond stupidity. The children definitely need more discipline so the teachers can do their jobs. I would suggest that you attend many of the schools during lunch and see how some of the schools are reacting during a lunch wave. To be honest , i did think it was strange that children were unruly in the classroom but well behaved at lunch- lol. You should stop talking about Black and Brown children. All of these children deserve a good education that includes discipline. Some of these children lack adult parenting at home. The carter schools or parochial schools provided the discipline that parents wanted for their children , hoping to prepare them for life. I assume this was some of the stuff that Aresta Johnson may have addressed at the Holiday Inn. Were you there? Can you share?
Steve, thanks for your assessment.
Steve, 96% of the district is Hispanic and Black and you feel I should stop talking about them.
Where is your data supporting your statements that Charter $chools provide a “good” education to students? It Doesn’t exist.
As far as discipline, if their students are so well behaved, why do they have such significant suspension and expulsion rates?
You won’t provide the list because no such policy regarding pure silence in our cafeterias exists.
Maria, I did not say it was policy , I said that they were just doing it. Our students may be a majority of Black and Brown, that does not mean that they get a different education or are treated any different from the handful of white, Vietnamese , Portuguese or Chinese students. I think the 2 Jewish students left in the Bridgeport School System are treated the same way. Stick to your 21,000 redundant comments. Breaking them down to Black and Brown is just so demeaning.
Don’t get Snooker again Black Rock 130th
Katie Bukovsky and Scott Burns won election in 2015 during Joe Ganim’s comeback. Burns, co-chair of Budget and Appropriations.
They have not announced their reelection plans. Bukovsky is the sister of Black Rock District Leader Danny Roach, Ganim’s former chief of staff, who now works in Public facilities.
The word in BR is that if Bukovsky and Burns run as a team and wins, Katie will quite the City Council on the same day, this will give her district leader brother Danny Roach time to find her replacement and at the same time secure a seat for Burns on the City Council.
Elect Christina Smith & Pete Spain for City Council!
I think we have a good chance of electing Pete Spain and Christina Smith for CC in 2017 IF we work hard. The real real big change will be to get rid of Dan Roach and the rest of the useless 130th DTC in 2018. That will be real change!!!!!
Frank, easier said than done, to replace the 140th district 9 Democratic Town Committee will be in March 2018 so you need to be organizing yesterday.
CORRECTION:
Frank, easier said than done, to replace the 138th district 9 Democratic Town Committee will be in March 2018 so you need to be organizing yesterday.
I have had people ask me why are you opposed to charter $chool employees, advocates, and/or paid lobbyists serving on the City Council. The reasons are as follows:
1) Charter School employees will be able to vote on the annual appropriation to the BPS. That is outrageous.
2) Charter School employees will be voting on capital school projects and the bonding of these projects including rejecting them. That is outrageous.
3) Charter School employees will vote on the sale of city owned property and/or vacant buildings or schools to charter school investors, charter schools or charter management organizations.
My beloved elementary school, Barnum School, was sold to AF for $400,000. An entire city block with an entire school building on the East Side for $400,000. That is outrageous.
One of the biggest for profit schemes utilized by charter school management organizations and their investors is they buy the building and then lease it back to the very charter school they manage or invest in for outrageous costs. For example, if the going rate for commercial space is $9 per square foot, they will lease it at $18 per square foot.
4) Although a municipality has no legal obligation to provide $1 to charter $chools, the members could vote to divert scarce municipal dollars to charter $chools.
I found a set of AF minutes where the one next to Luis Marin was preparing to build an addition and they were asking Mayor Finch to pay for an extra custodian. The Mayor had failed to fund the BPS all 8 years in office, and in fact stole over $7,000,000 from the BPS, but he was going to fund a custodian for AD.
People have every right to support Charter $chools, but they should then serve on the board of Charter $chools, not on true public school boards or in elected positions where they have the ability to make critical decisions against true public schools and make decisions favoring charter $chools.
Just like city employees should not serve on the City Council because of inherent conflicts, neither should Charter $chool employees, lobbyists, paid staff, etc.
Do you honestly think the Charter $chool industry isn’t going to pressure their employees to do their bidding if elected? Doesn’t that currently happen with city employees on the council?
It is no different and incredibly dangerous to have a Kyle Landon, Maria Zambrano, Aidee Nieces, etc. on the City Council.
Maria are BPS employees allowed to vote on the line items that Charter employees allowed to vote on that you aforementioned?
We currently have one BOE employee on the City Council. She votes on these issues which is inappropriate. She should recuse herself.
Remember, no one who receives compensation from the “city treasury” should be serving on the City Council. That includes BOE employees.
That fair statement. SO its not just a Charter School thing.
who works for the BOE????????????
Reverend McBride Lee.
http://onlyinbridgeport.com/wordpress/young-bloods-brown-langan-announce-west-side-city-council-run/
Hey Maria Pereira remember this:
Joel Gonzalez // Jun 8, 2017 at 12:40 am
“I didn’t support Dennis against Ed Gomes. Ed beat Dennis by 130 votes and Ed beat Dennis at both our schools by over 180 votes.Enough said.”
You didn’t say enough. At the same time that Dennis and Gomes were running against each other, you and Stallworth were battling for State Rep. in a district. Excuse me, your district which encompasses part of Ed Gomes Senate district. You were merely holding on to Ed Gomes’ coattail hoping that you’d get enough votes to beat Stallworth. While you helped Ed Gomes win (in your mind) you lost to Stallworth. I helped both Gomes and Moore. You did nothing to help Ed Gomes, it was all about you and your race. How did you help Ed Gomes win? You gave him a five dollar contribution? I bet If I check his campaign contribution records, your name won’t appear.
Maria Pereira // Jun 8, 2017 at 11:11 pm
Joel,
You publicize your stupidity on this blog repeatedly. Now follow along.
Ganim beat Finch by 412 votes in the Primary. If 207 Ganim voters voted for Finch instead Ganim; Ganim would lose 207 votes and Finch would gain 207 votes which would result in Finch winning by one vote.
“I raised hundreds for Ed, we took a professional photo with Ed and sent out 800 endorsement letters from the 138th TC, we had the president of Nob Hill Condominium with 376 units send an endorsement letter for Ed, we had Dottie Guman and Gloria Carbone send out endorsement letters, we got over 100 ABs, and We worked JFK for Ed although JFK is not in my state rep. district, and we volunteered at the polls for Ed.”
What did you do to help Ed,Joel?
I’m going to touch on the June 8, 2017 post and tie it to a part of your recent posting, specifically this one:
“One of the biggest for profit schemes utilized by charter school management organizations and their investors is they buy the building and then lease it back to the very charter school they manage or invest in for outrageous costs. For example, if the going rate for commercial space is $9 per square foot, they will lease it at $18 per square foot.”
One June 8, 2017 Maria Pereira was on a roll. I had no doubt that Maria Pereira helped Senator Gomes during last years primary for State Senator while at the same time Maria Pereira challenged Rep. Stallworth.
Being the stupid person Maria Pereira wastes no time to remind readers of. I set out to show how stupid Maria Pereira is.
“I raised hundreds for Ed, we took a professional photo with Ed and sent out 800 endorsement letters from the 138th TC, we had the president of Nob Hill Condominium with 376 units send an endorsement letter for Ed, we had Dottie Guman and Gloria Carbone send out endorsement letters, we got over 100 ABs, and We worked JFK for Ed although JFK is not in my state rep. district, and we volunteered at the polls for Ed.”
What Maria Pereira wrote on June 8, 2017 (see above) is a confession of her election violation during the last year’s primary for State Senate (Ed Gomes) and Pereira for Progress. Even the 138 Town Committee participated as Maria points out in her 6/08/17. After reading Pereira’s post describing in enough detail what she did for Ed Gomes, It became clear that what she described was Joint Committee Activy and all such activity MUST be reported to SEEC on the individual committee’s campaign report.
Pereira for Progress, the 138th. TC, and Senator Gomes campaign committees all failed to report the Joint Committee activities they participated in during the last state office Democratic primary.
During my review of Pereira for Progress campaign reports submitted to SEEC. I noticed that Pereira was paying rent for her 2444 E. Main Street headquarter and she was paying $1,200 per month. Maria rented the entire first floor and further research showed that the rented space totaled 1733 Sq. ft. which brings me to Maria’s recent comment:
“One of the biggest for profit schemes utilized by charter school management organizations and their investors is they buy the building and then lease it back to the very charter school they manage or invest in for outrageous costs. For example, if the going rate for commercial space is $9 per square foot, they will lease it at $18 per square foot.”
It’s obvious that Maria Pereira knows and understands quite a bit about fair market value of commercial property. The flip-side of what Maria wrote above is getting commercial space below the fair market value and this is exactly what Pereira for Progress got last year. The fair market value in the upper E. Main Street area is $12 to $8 per Sq. ft.
If I give Maria Pereira the lowest value of $8 x 1733= ?
I’m too stupid to be able to multiply, or is it division, is John Marshall Lee around to help me here?
Thank you for posting about our fundraiser, Lennie! AND happy birthday!
We had a great time at the 19th Hole and our fundraiser was very well attended. The food and conversation was great and we’re excited about the next ones! Thank you to Lisa and Bob for supporting Marcus and Kyle and thank you to everyone who came out to give generations donations and voices of support for these two candidates who will bring desperately needed change to Bridgeport.
Happy Birthday Lennie.