State Senator Anthony Musto hasn’t exactly endeared himself lately with a number of constituents nor his district peers in the state legislature. His opposition to a government reform bill prohibiting city employees from serving on the City Council, support for watering down campaign finance reform and a general disconnect with his constituents has a number of political activists urging 2011 mayoral candidate Mary-Jane Foster to take on Musto in a 2014 summer Democratic primary. Now that would be a fascinating contest. Will Foster go for it? A lot depends on what happens within the next six months or so.
Foster supporters are encouraging her to run against Musto as she potentially eyes another run for mayor in 2015. Mayor Bill Finch is coming off of two straight tax increases in the middle of his second four-year term, but progress at a number of development projects would enhance his standing with voters as he gears up for reelection such as construction activity at the Steel Point redevelopment area, a new high school to replace Harding on the Boston Avenue property owned by General Electric and projected improvements to the beleaguered Downtown north area. If development progress takes place Finch would be well positioned for reelection if he can avoid tax increases the two years leading into the election cycle.
Foster may well base her decision on the standing of Finch with voters at the end of the year. Running for the State Senate would likely preclude her from running for mayor in 2015. If she wins she’d be a freshman legislator stuck in session until early June 2015. Taking on a well-financed incumbent mayor would require a head start in advance of 2015.
Musto detractors say he’s been ineffective in the State Senate, is a puppet of the city’s political establishment and has no core following in the city-suburban district. Connecticut’s 22nd State Senate district covers Trumbull, a portion of Monroe and the higher turnout areas of Bridgeport including the North End, West Side and Black Rock where Foster enjoys a voter base.
Taking out an incumbent legislator is not easy, but it can be done. Auden Grogins defeated Bob Keeley, the longest serving legislator in city history, in a 2008 Democratic State House primary. Foster would certainly inspire a number of her supporters from her mayoral campaign. Her profile, business background and women’s network would appeal to the suburban portion of the district. She could also likely benefit from support of key Bridgeport legislators in the district such as Grogins and State Rep. Jack Hennessy, co-sponsors of the government reform bill Musto opposes. Grogins and Hennessy are not enamored of Musto.
What will MJ do?
If Marilyn Moore is not running then I think Mary-Jane Foster would be a excellent choice.
Marilyn Moore. Are you really gonna beat that dead horse? Mary-Jane Foster, I believe she would make a great candidate. Did Hennessy support Foster for Mayor? As much as I appreciate the Musto bashing, you cannot keep putting up new candidates daily. If MJF wants to be Mayor, she must show up at every meeting, be visible and continue to meet the residents of the City and ask them questions. Put together a more credible slate and stay away from the slime that suck the oxygen out of a room. I believe Mary-Jane Foster has all of the credentials to make a great Mayor as well as a Senator. The question is .. Does MJF really want it or are the Musto haters looking for anybody with a pulse? I do not believe anyone outside of this blog has an issue with Musto. I am just saying …
Steve: There are boatloads of folks who both live in Bridgeport and do not blog on OIB who think Anthony Musto is an über-tool. Definitely in my neighborhood and definitely voters. Musto is not only in trouble in this blogosphere, he is “en mierda hasta el cuello” in the Beposphere.
Mustang Sally. Let’s make a bet. We will pick a random block or three in Musto’s district. I will bet lunch most residents have a favorable opinion. Now I respect the anti-Musto fan club, however I do not believe it translates into the mainstream. I could be wrong. I doubt it. Keep plugging away. Something has got to stick. I am not so sure Musto is looking to be a one-term senator. Do not know of any current polls. He is not exactly a mover or a shaker. I used to think Mayor Finch had the personality of lint. Now Musto could take that title. Sometimes we need lint. Sometimes a maverick is more annoying than constructive.
Steve, Musto was elected to the State Senate in November 2008 during the Barack tsunami. He’s in his third term.
Well Lennie, there you have it. He has the personality of lint, not much of a leader and on his third term. Go figure! Do not let me rain on your parade. I have no interest in his political career one way or the other. If Marilyn Moore were to run I would walk the City for Musto.
Mayor Mary-Jane Foster. A better option than the Senate. There will be plenty of viable pretenders to Musto’s throne. We need her as Mayor. It’s important.
Agreed. MJF for Mayor.
In my humble opinion, State Rep. Auden Grogins is easily the most competent and effective member of the current Bpt delegation and while I have a tremendous amount of respect for MJF’s abilities, I think Auden would be the best choice for State Senate. She would not only do a great job, she would also be the most electable candidate in the general election.
I believe MJF has a bright political future but for now, not as a State Senator.
Now I have not spoken to Auden about this and I have no idea if she would run against Musto. Nonetheless, should she decide to run she would be the best candidate and she would win both the primary and general election.
… just my 2 cents for what it’s worth.
John, I spoke to Auden. She likes her work in the State House. She’ll not be a candidate for state senate.
Lennie, I respect her current position but I stand by my remarks.
Mayor Finch spoke to a specially invited Black Rock audience early in the 2014 budget process (before anybody in the City could say “6% tax increase”). One of those invited told me this morning he listened to the list of good things happening in the City waiting for the moment when City finances and taxes would be addressed, only to hear: “Your taxes will never go down in your lifetime. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying to you.” The voter in question left the meeting promptly. He understood honest responsible fiscal commentary was not to be expected.
I was not on the invitee list, but Andy Fardy and I stood outside providing a document including multiple Charter violations that continue today. So two years of tax increases are only part of the “truth gap” in the City.
In his intro above, Lennie refers to ‘development projects.’ Where is the word ‘economic?’ What is the fiscal story to the taxpayer with each one? Cannot hear you, Mayor Finch!
Yes there is a new Harding HS in our future, but it’s coming at us with $300-400 Million of other capital projects. Where is the detail on all of the school projects? The timelines? Where is the School Building Committee and who are members, when do they meet and where are the minutes posted???
Downtown development would be great. Long on both hope and hype … and when these run down??? And this morning we read about a $400,000 road in Stratford f/b/o a well-known contractor. The CT Post fails to tell us where the funds are coming from. Anybody know? Or guess? The Airport continues to run a $300-400,000 deficit each year and Sikorsky Airport has been titled a Non-Essential Service in City Budgets for years, yet homeowners are subsidizing corporate and wealthy aircraft owners with a bloated City presence and no calls for balancing revenues and expenses.
Does one of the Council members work there? Any appearance of a conflict of interest here? City taxes for operating funds, and State and Federal funds for improvements? Economic justification for Non-Essential Services?
And tonight we will hear about the mil increase at the City Council meeting. How does the State funding impact the increase? How much of the $2 Million of labor concessions will be reduced? And what becomes of the State MBR requirement of $3.3 Million?
Last Tuesday night the Contracts committee approved a list of “Whereas” statements that meant the City taxing power (their hand in your pocket) was endorsed as the source of relief if retiree pension funds run out while retirees or their survivors remain. Little info was provided but the memorandum was adopted as a comfort to nervous Trustees for Police B and Fire B Pension Trustees who worried that upset retirees may have reason to sue them in the future for retaining too little Pension B assets in 2012-13. Yet the City provided NO Actuarial calculations or projections of any kind though several sets exist and were created at public expense. There is no public view of how well the administration is doing in meeting long-term obligations. And two Council persons asked for that info. Where is the truth? Time will tell.
This is an off-topic subject I read about this morning. The city gave Mark IV construction $400,000 so Manny Moutinho could rebuild a private driveway to his home and the homes of two neighbors. The contract was not put out to bid and Moutinho used his company to build the double-wide driveway. Originally the driveway that was there had a section that flooded out and now they claim hazardous material from Raybestos was found on the property. Airport manager John Ricci states “It’s got all the ingredients that something may not be right.” He further states “you can’t take it out of context and say you are building a driveway for a guy with a million dollar house, we are not, we’re doing a safety project.”
The statement of the century came from ASSOCIATE CITY ATTORNEY Lisa Trachtenburg who was assigned the airport project. She stated “Whatever is going on with Manny and the driveway quite frankly I DON’T CARE.” Wasn’t thinking about it. Didn’t know much about it because it had nothing to do with ME or the city.” How does that sound? This just reflects the attitude of the city and the city attorney’s office.
The big question is why are we still keeping the airport open? How does the city benefit by it running a $300K deficit every year? We are running an airport for a few wealthy people who garage their planes there. There is at least one council person who works there.
I wish someone from the administration would kiss me because when I get screwed I get kissed.
Hey JML, that’s just Sue Brannelly, co-chair of B&A doing a great job for the people of Bridgeport, if you’re Finch you’ve got to love her.
www .ctpost.com/local/article/Bridgeport-pays-400-000-tab-for-gravel-road-4569762.php
McCarthy sits on the airport commission. “I know nothing and I can prove it.”
Andy, Andy, Andy; come on man, you were doing great until the end about the “kiss.” I thought you were back in the firehouse, lol.
Yeah Ron, it slips through now and then even after all these years.
MJF has the kind of political firepower that makes her a threat to any incumbent.
Here’s a story to inform readers about the kind of firepower that threatens politics as usual.
www .bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-03/bass-pro-billionaire-building-megastores-with-taxpayers.html
It’s no longer free-market capitalism but crony capitalism. We subsidize the risk and privatize the profit at the expense of the taxpayers.
*** Other than the driving issue of back & forth to the State Capitol from Bpt; the State Senate job seems much easier in comparison to being the Mayor of Zombieland, no? I believe MJF is in a comfortable position politically should she decide to run for Mayor again in the near future. Especially if she keeps a thumb on the pulse of important issues affecting the Park City and is actively vocal in the community and media as well. So regardless of which political road she may decide to take in the future, I will continue to support her 100% as before! *** GOOD LUCK! ***
Mary-Jane is a very viable candidate to take on Musto. There a several others as well. The bottom line is, based on his performance, Musto will go in 2014 if he seeks re-election.