Mayoral candidate Mary-Jane Foster on Thursday called on Mayor Bill Finch, no longer a candidate, to spearhead the formation of an anti-violence summit following increased shootings in the city that would also “call for a truce in political posturing” preying on family tragedies.
Foster urged Finch to facilitate the formation of an anti-violence summit to eliminate the politics. Finch, who lost the Democratic primary to Joe Ganim, announced this week he will not be a write-in candidate for mayor and threw his support behind Foster. In response to crime at Trumbull Gardens during the summer, Ganim opened a campaign headquarters he called an unofficial police substation his critics claim is nothing more than an exercise in political posturing.
“Now is the time for focused leadership to start a real dialogue and create a comprehensive, strategic approach aimed at developing a city-wide plan,” says Foster in a news release.
Foster called for a continuing comprehensive effort developed with input from all segments of the community including church and community leaders, small business owners, representative from both local and state police forces, families and victims of violent crime and “plain everyday citizens just damn tired of these senseless acts of violence.”
Foster said Finch taking the lead will eliminate the politics. “This needs to be a serious effort. If we need to initially exclude all candidates and their representatives to make sure we keep politics out then I’ll sign on to that. But we need to act now before another drop of blood is shed.”
Weren’t they together yesterday? If she really wanted to exclude all candidates, wouldn’t a phone call do? Unless the “new” partnership is just rhetoric for the voters.
Ironic, end the politics, but this is only raised during the political season. But we’re the fools who buy into this garbage.
And Joe Ganim was living where he thought it was safe and secure up in Easton. Give it a break, BptPorter.
Joe Ganim is full of crap too, but he produces and gets things done. All these politicians are full of crap and care about violence only during election years. A task force for this and a summit for that. It’s all trashy election-year gimmicks and they all do it including Ganim, Foster and Finch. And then politicians wonder why people don’t vote. So what’s your point?
So will Mary-Jane Finchter hold her Anti-Violence Summit at the new parking lot of Bass Pro? At the same time calling for a moratorium on the sale of guns and ammunition within the city limits? Or is she just fishing for votes?
Too late, Mary-Jane. Gang warfare is as old as dirt. The Israelis and the Palestinians have been fighting over the same worthless piece of real estate since the dawn of time. The Irish and the Brits fought over Northern Ireland for decades until the rest of the world stood up and collectively said “Knock it off with that shit.” It’s all tit-for-tat.
A couple of street gangs in Bridgeport are fighting over turf, the right to sell drugs on property neither side owns except for intimidation. Or a gang banger looked at someone’s girlfriend/baby mama the wrong way. One side shoots and the other shoots back, and so it goes.
How is Bill Finch going to address the problem? Will he try to strangle the opponents the way he tried to throttle an alderman who didn’t capitulate to his wishes?
in order to stop the violence we need an effective fully staffed police department. Summits do not stop violence. Community policing might help. Mayoral candidates go out into the streets, walk and talk to the people involved and being shot at.
No one will say it but I will. The killings and shootings will not stop until the people living in the affected areas say they give a damn and will get information to the police. In many shootings the shooter is known to the person shot and to the victim’s friends.
We can put 1000 cops on the street and we will not stop this genocide. Without information the police will not solve any of these murders. Pure and Simple.
Clive Nicholson and John Marshal Lee put together a program that would protect people who wanted to furnish information on crimes such as murder. They provided paper and a prepaid envelope addressed to the PD so it cost the person nothing and kept their identity from being discovered by the police or anyone else. This program was submitted to the PD and the city and has been ignored.
The sorry fact is politicians can do nothing to help us out. Putting together another summit is a waste of time and accomplishes more rhetoric and bullshit and nothing ever happens.
Andy, I totally agree. I think it is important to emphasize most individuals are fully aware this has zero to do with police staffing. This is all gang-related violence, the victims know whom their attackers are and neighbors have that no snitching mentality. It is sad and pathetic and I agree with Fardy.
To Stevenl who believes Ganim is the answer, get your head out of your ass and breathe some fresh air. Gang-related murders are different from your typical Homicide. The staffing of the police department has nothing to do with the gang-related violence. It is sad, those that live in Trumbull Gardens as well as local council people remain incapable of getting the community involved. Ganim has used the minority community in a shameful way, hanging out at the Gardens during these tragedies.
No one calls it the “Gardens.” Real Bridgeporters call it “The Terrace.”
Andy, I totally agree!!! Stevie, get off your knees, you suck-up!
JIM FOX, PLEASE KEEP YOUR DISTURBING FANTASIES OF ME TO YOURSELF. YOU REALLY NEED A FILTER.
Sadly, Andy Fardy is correct. Violence with no respect for human life has become part of the culture of urban America, whether it is Baltimore, Cleveland or Bridgeport.
What people should be talking about is increasing the penalty for carrying an unlicensed gun to an automatic 10 years in jail. Right now there is no fear of punishment if caught with an illegal gun.
Say what? I have an idea! Staff the police department instead of bullshit rhetoric. Ganim please help. Oh that’s right, he will.
A vote for Mary-Jane Foster is a vote for Finch. A vote for a well-staffed and safe from crime city is a vote for Ganim. He’s the only guy for the job. Hands down the only one committed and set up to do it. I won’t even have to go to confession to make my vote for Ganim stand up. Because he’s already doing the things people are calling a forum, a meeting, a seance, to fix.
And I won’t have to pray for it. Like Torres’ pathetic video message. Maybe he can fix it with his deeply held Christian beliefs and uncanny ability to sway the black voters. Oh wait, that’s all BS, right? The only thing about Torres that shows actual ability is to pick out a really bad tattoo that offends all blacks. Nothing like a non-black radical tea party obstructionist pandering to the inner city.
Mary-Jane, please go back to UB. If all you can think of is another “summit” (headed by the politician who allowed our public safety situation to unravel!) to address this current crisis, then you have no business in Bridgeport City Hall, maybe Darien City Hall, but not Bridgeport City Hall.
You know you have to “call out” the bigwigs in Hartford and DC about Bridgeport’s pernicious socioeconomic/political plight to salvage our situation, but you won’t ruffle the tail feathers of your down-county pals (Governor Dan Malloy, et al.) to do it. You want to have a tea-and-crumpets summit headed by Neville Chamberlain instead.
Bridgeport needs “lights, cameras, action!” on our problems, not more bad script writing a la
waste-of-time, BS summits. Joe Ganim already knows what needs to be done. You should too!
Mary-Jane. You’re a nice lady, but you are not what Bridgeport needs in City Hall. Take your good heart and many talents back to UB and leave the political “street fighting” that is needed to save Bridgeport up to someone who knows how to do it. Joe Ganim.
Jeff, c’mon man, this is what Joe Ganim said today in the Post. Mayoral candidate Joe Ganim called the group of clergy, community leaders and residents together to brainstorm ideas in the wake of another spasm of youth violence. So it’s okay for Ganim to call for a “summit” but Mary-Jane Foster can’t, c’mon man.
Jeff,
Mary-Jane has already called for a fully staffed police department. She has called for giving preferential treatment and speedy entrance to public safety jobs for Bridgeport residents. She already called for community policing with an emphasis on police officers already familiar with the community because they would be from the community.
I guess when you say Joe has the answers, you must be talking about political campaign HQ’s designed to look like police substations. Or are you talking about “fixing” a hole in a fence that the community immediately reopens.
So please Jeff, what did I miss from the mastermind crime fighter?
Stevenl, question: who’s been in charge of this city since 1991?
Ganim has been there and done that and that’s one of the reasons the Bpt Police endorsed him.
The union endorsed him because he promised to get rid of the chief and the deputy. They cracked down on sick time and the union didn’t like that.
They are Finch patsies and you know it, spin your tired old shit any way you want but no one listened to you in the council chambers or on here.
Dear MJ Foster,
You no longer have to send Finch your ideas through the press. Your new partner is standing right next to you. Stop making it look like you’re still long-time enemies. You can start using your old statements like, “my long-time friend Bill and I go way back.” Embrace your new revived friendship and partner.
BPT REBEL, when Ganim was here we had jersey barriers on the East and West Sides and the Latin Kings.
Yeah, and when he cleared out the gangs, the barriers were removed. The barriers were part of a nationally recognized and proven strategy called the Phoenix Project after a bird who rises up out of the ashes. Do your research.
So Bridgeport has risen out of the ashes. I just thought it was still smoldering from being burnt down!!!
13 college kids shot and killed today at a small west coast community college.
“The shooter then reportedly told the students to get on the ground before asking people to stand up and state their religion.”
This country’s soul has gone black. Lord please pray for us that we may see the light!
*** Where’s Bpt’s police gang unit? Last time I remember they had one officer with a few part-time officers called upon when needed! How about this Community Police Station they’ve had in the North End near B/Terr. all these years? What have they done besides organize B-ball games with a DJ providing the music? Teens and young 20-something-year-olds seem to be the groups involved in these shootings, etc. More attention should be given to this problem along with educating regular city officers and Bpt citizens so the public can get involved in recognizing and helping report info on this growing cancer. Political “stop the violence” marches or summits just attract temp attention from the media and are forgotten 48 hours later! Time to ask the governor for some help from the State Police, etc. before things get worse. Before you leave office, do something to help stop the violence in your city Mayor Finch, get aggressive! ***
Directing traffic because they are 100 officers short.
Ron: Joe Ganim actually convened a group of prominent, relevant Bridgeporters this morning to map out a strategy, with specific tactics, that could be immediately implemented to stem the on-going gang war centered on Trumbull Avenue. The Reverend Miller made reference to a “summit,” but also offered to act as mediator, in an immediate context, to prevent violence in the short term in the aforementioned, on-going gang war.
That’s a little different than appointing the guy who allowed Bridgeport public safety/BPD to go down the tubes to chair some future summit to (in all probability, given past history) recycle old ideas for old problems.
This is getting good, Jeff. The people who were taking part in this “thing” whatever it was called it a summit. But Jeff says it wasn’t. Were you there, Jeff?
Ganim doesn’t need a summit, he has all the answers!
Well then Jeff, why isn’t Ganim still mayor? Hmmm.
I guess he didn’t have an answer for when the FBI came knocking at his door, did he Jeff?
These meetings and summits are nothing but bullshit put together by people who don’t have a clue. Put these gun-toting killers and others who carry guns illegally away for 10 years and let’s see if the violence decreases.
David Daniels, MAYORAL HOPEFUL, any thoughts???
Perhaps we are beginning to see what MJF conceded to do in return for Finch’s endorsement. “Foster said Finch taking the lead will eliminate the politics.” Finch? Eliminate politics? Is Bill Finch now the Jimmy Carter of Bridgeport? This violence was ongoing his entire term in office, as well as the Fabrizi administration and the Ganim administration, etc. This is urban America culture. Is this Finch’s audition for some job Malloy, Blumenthal, Murphy or Himes is arranging? Let the police do their job.
Steve, off topic:
What are you doing tomorrow? I’m going to Rick’s for lunch, about 1:00.
Quentin, I am assuming you are asking me regarding my Israeli trip. I would love to hook up but I am at Curiale School tomorrow until 3:05. Friday at Curiale means Vietnamese at Thom Pho Hung. I could meet you for coffee after 3. Let me know. I have business to take care of and a meeting at Baptist Shiloh Church. A Bar Mitzvah you know!
🙂 I am kidding about the Bar Mitzvah.
The cops are leaving Bridgeport for better-paying, better-benefits jobs in the suburbs, this is on Finch.
While he has given cushy six-figure jobs to his pals, the city workers have had to pay more for less benefits.
If MJF had a damned clue what’s going on with us little people, she wouldn’t be asking Finch to lead her stupid bullshit session she calls a summit.
We’ll work something out. I’m dying to see the pics. 🙂
Let me know. Most days after 3.
After the worst shooting incident in this city’s history it took Mayor Finch and Gaudett eight days to put foot patrols on Trumbull Ave.
Now Foster wants him to lead a summit on anti-violence, so maybe in another two months we might see it come to pass.
Wait. By then it will be too late.
I’m sure Ganim has other plans.
Here is Joe Ganim’s answer to everything; throw money at it, promise to do anything but once he gets in office he will say no one told me the city was broke!!!
Highest taxes in the COUNTRY and the city is broke? Who was in charge the last eight years and who is by the side of the actress with no political offices ever held, Walshy?
BPT REBEL, YOUR COMMENT DESCRIBES THE CITY OF BRIDGEPORT FOR THE 12 YEARS OF THE GANIM ADMINISTRATION.
city hall smoker, no need to research it. I lived it! I had my vehicle broken into twice and vandalized once. My father who was in his 60s at the time was mugged on our street twice while parking his car and I was robbed at gunpoint at the Subway at North Ave. All during Ganim’s administration. So don’t tell me about research!
We have had more seminars, meetings with clergy, neighborhood people and police and anyone else you can think of and what has it accomplished? Nada, Nothing, Zip, Zip point Shi- and the list goes on. Finch was and is the leader when all these shootings and killings have happened. Very few of the murders and shootings are solved. I am beginning to wonder if the police can solve anything.
Fabrizi blamed Joe, Finch blamed Fabrizi, now that Foster and Finch have joined forces, WHO WILL FOSTER BLAME? Does her campaign now evolve into Finch’s message or does Finch call people and tell them vote Foster so she can can clean up the ineptitude in City Hall?
Foster needs to tell Finch to stop putting through the 11th-hour increases for his political friends, three in particular who gave their DTC vote. If he’s serious, he wouldn’t be saddling the new mayor with incompetent people making undeserved salaries for jobs they are unable to perform. Your secret is out, Bill. Stop wasting taxpayers’ money. Institute a freeze now on all hiring, raises and filling of vacant positions.
He’s finally getting ready to eliminate certain jobs. Those presently filled by individuals who assisted his failed campaign by stacking up the ABs. Well, they are not willing to do it this time, so jobs are being threatened. We’ll see!
Now that would deserve some press. “MaryJane demands hiring/wage increase freeze until after general elections.” I’ll still say she coulda called him, but it would be newsworthy.
I will say this again, who are the two main candidates for mayor?
AN ACTRESS WHO HAS NEVER HELD A POLITICAL OFFICE (go ahead a-holes, spin that into a good thing) SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE PRESENT MAYOR WHO DROVE THE CITY BROKE WHILE HANDING OUT JOBS AND YESTERDAY RAISES TO INCOMPETENT PEOPLE, or the former mayor who has to now be the cleanest most transparent mayor in America due to his past, who has the experience to bring the city back.
AN ACTRESS? HOW ABOUT AN EXECUTIVE WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF BRIDGEPORT, SERVING ON BOARDS OF DIRECTORS OF MANY BUSINESSES, SERVED ON THE MAYOR’S TRANSITION TEAM, AN ACCOMPLISHED LAWYER, A BUSINESS OWNER, A TAXPAYER IN EXCESS OF $40,000 A YEAR IN PROPERTY TAXES.
NO EXPERIENCE? GANIM HAD 12 YEARS, SEVEN IN JAIL AND RAN FOR OFFICE AS AN UNEMPLOYED, DIVORCED, FORMER ATTORNEY WHO CANNOT PRACTICE LAW, DIVORCED EASTON RESIDENT WHO HAS NOT PAID A DIME IN BRIDGEPORT TAXES FOR YEARS.
BRIDGEPORT REBEL, THERE ARE SO MANY BETTER WAYS TO DESCRIBE GANIM THAN A CONVICTED MAN WITH 16 FELONIES. HOW ABOUT IDENTIFYING EVERY ONE OF THEM AND THEN COMPARE AN ACTRESS WITH LIMITED EXPERIENCE WHO HAS MORE RESPECT IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND IN GOVERNMENT?
You have no credibility Stevie, you want to be wanted so badly, all an MJF supporter had to say is we need you and you jump from landslide winner Finch to bad actress MJF, keep your caps-locked BS to yourself.
PS,
She still has never held a public office and has no EXPERIENCE RUNNING A SMALL TOWN NEVER MIND A CITY,
LITTLE STEVEN.
Steven Auerbach // Aug 19, 2015 at 1:46 pm
First, of course congratulations to Mary-Jane Foster. A woman I worked my ass off for, supported and care about.
To BptPorter and BallsyInBridgeport, please take each other’s advise and ignore my posts. I will however be respectful and read yours and not dismiss you.
Mary-Jane Foster is going to have a humiliating defeat and it has nothing to do with Mayor Bill Finch.
Her inability on a daily basis to go after the one candidate who has her votes is going to guarantee this result. I have urged her over and over and over again and she is not my choice candidate this time around and most likely, this will be such a humiliating defeat it may end her political career.
I give Ganim credit, he knows how to work the media. If the goal of Mary-Jane Foster is to not insult Ganim supporters so they will support her, she is confused. Joe Ganim pretty much has done a superb job going after every anti-Finch vote with every possible angle. I am very disappointed in the Foster campaign’s inability to go after Ganim. It makes her pretty much invisible. That is a travesty but that is her strategy.
BptPorter, BallsyInBridgeport, you need not respond to this post. I am not needy for conversation. I am thrilled Mary-Jane Foster is on the ballot and I wish her the best of luck. At this point I am happy she never took any of my advice. Her core supporters are delusional and insulting. That’s fine!
Good luck to all. Three weeks to go! BptPorter and BallsyInBridgepor,t you may be anonymous and insulting but I value your comments. But like Wicca, your hiding behind an alias and making those comments is laughable.
The REBEL without a cause,
If Joe Ganim is so smart then why did he get caught to begin with?
Please. He loves money. He needs money. He loves power. Ne needs power. He adores attention. He is still exhibiting these same qualities BUT now everything will be different. The only thing different in Joe’s mind is now that he’s been caught once he won’t be caught again.
You don’t know this Walshie, you are assuming and assuming makes an ass out of you and you.
*** It was another government set-up by the “MAN” to get those near to him first, drum up the charges in order to flip them as witnesses for the prosecution. Once the “MAN” had enough flippers, then the next step was to leak daily made-up stories to the media to keep the spotlight on the undercover U.N.C.L.E. agent ’til an indictment was achieved for the “MAN” *** 007 ***