July 4th this weekend, followed by campaign fireworks next week. Democratic mayoral candidate Mary-Jane Foster will celebrate her campaign headquarters opening Monday 5:30 p.m. at 300 Fairfield Avenue Downtown while Mayor Bill Finch will kick off his official reelection Wednesday July 8, 5 p.m. at Captain’s Cove Seaport.
Foster’s headquarters is located across the street from the Bijou Square development area that includes Bijou Theatre, Two Boots Restaurant and housing.
Finch had initially scheduled his campaign announcement for June 11, but postponed it following the shootings at Trumbull Gardens housing project that killed a man and wounded eight others.
In lieu of an official announcement, Finch has used the power of incumbency to raise a mighty warchest that will top more than $500,000 raised in total. Mayoral candidates will file the quarter-ending campaign finance reports next week at the Town Clerk’s Office.
The next big date on the calendar is July 21 when the 90-member Democratic Town Committee meets at Testo’s restaurant to endorse a mayoral candidate and other municipal offices.
Primary day is Wednesday September 16.
Good luck to all candidates. Mary-Jane Foster has certainly picked an amazing location. Downtown this summer will prove to be very exciting with the construction, new restaurants, Downtown Thursdays and of course Bridgeport Free Shakespeare. Thank you for bringing more people to share in the energy of a downtown renaissance.
Steve–I like your reaction to the Foster decision to put her headquarters in downtown Bpt. But downtown’s turnaround just suffered another blow yesterday, when downtown’s sole remaining pharmacy shut down. And recently, Gum Drop Swap that moved out of the Arcade to Main Street has now moved to Fairfield. Most of the restaurants downtown are seriously struggling. And don’t forget, downtown no longer has a grocery store–it’s a food desert. We have a long way to go downtown. We need a mayor who will champion the downtown–and not just on Thursdays in the summer.
Come Back Bridgeport, perhaps you missed Tony’s Tuscany restaurant and Funchals as well as the Sweet Shop bakery.
Gee Come Back Bridgeport, maybe it was a huge mistake to move downtown on MJF’s part. What was I thinking? I think the Pharmacy on Park Ave. is good and besides, The Arcade will be ripe for tenants with the new housing being constructed on Downtown North, after decades of blight, finally new housing will be built. I suppose that is fantastic, no?
Steve–Great to have them downtown, but I still miss Take Time, Bare, and Bistro B.
I was not a fan of Bare. I did like Take Time and Bistro B. Sad to see them go. Thankfully, others have moved into those spaces and they are not vacant.
The loss of the cheese shop a few years ago was another blow but again, thankfully another business has stepped in.
More housing will definitely help the restaurant scene downtown.
Hey City Council, here’s an idea. How about offering tax breaks to big restaurateurs like Batali to open a place in downtown. That would attract people from other parts of Fairfield County to downtown. That is a use of my tax dollars I would support.
Come Back Bridgeport, I can only think of two individuals who champion the downtown more than myself! Phil Kuchma and Mayor Finch. If you think Mayor Finch has not been a champion of downtown then you are ill-informed. I do not believe that is the case and I am happy you are a staunch Foster supporter. Whoever you are, you represent her well!
So Steve,
You graced our headquarters today.
I wonder what that was all about.
Oh yes, you were there just to meet up with Maria.
Carolanne Curry, to your post, first, what concern is it of yours I was meeting up with Joe Ganim’s number-one supporter? Second, I have met many people in my life working on many different campaigns, but I have never been dismissed in such a rude fashion. What is a Westporter working in a campaign headquarters representing a would-be Mayor dismissing a “guest?” You have the personality of a wet rag and should be ashamed of yourself. You are bad for public relations. So Mayor Finch fired you and you stabbed Mary-Jane Foster in the back and you cannot even deliver one vote. What the hell is that about, I wonder.
Steven Auerbach // Jul 1, 2015 at 9:38 pm
To your post
Steve,
You can’t expect to make sarcastic remarks as a way of greeting ing me and expect a warm and fuzzy response in return. Others may be receptive to that approach, but it was easy to recognize what you were attempting. Much like your post demonstrates.
Save it, carolanne curry, you are mistaken and you are a fool.
Steven Auerbach // Jul 1, 2015 at 9:53 pm
To your post
Steve,
Count the city-owned cars that go out of town each night.
And then we’ll discuss where the angels fear to tread.
Oh yes, you want a job!
Carolanne, Nice Job getting rid of the spy!
You’re a very nice and sweet lady, keep up the good work, Bridgeport needs more people like you!
Steve is just a total asshole! BUT HE’S DOING A GREAT JOB FOR FINCH!
a
Check for any Finch bugs!
concerned citizen // Jul 1, 2015 at 7:25 pm
NEWS ALERT! I JUST SAW ON NEWS 12 MAYOR FINCH AND DAVID KOORIS AT OLD SITE OF REMINGTON SHAVER, NEW SITE OF PUBLIC HOUSING. ARE THEY TRANSFERRING PEOPLE FROM PEQUONNOCK HOUSING TO REMINGTON? ONE FLOOD AREA TO ANOTHER AROUND THE CORNER. IS THIS THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE FOR THIS PROPERTY? NO NEW TAXES. ANOTHER PROPERTY TAKEN OFF THE TAX GRAND LIST. WHO WILL BE THE DEVELOPER, FOLLOW THE MONEY.
I just heard that also. It must be a mistake. Chris Murphy talking about the waterfront and improving the South End and the blueprints look impressive. If this is public housing on the water I am shocked. I think channel 12 made a huge mistake and needs to fix it.
Carolanne, you reminded me of something you conveniently forgot representing Joe Ganim. The desolate war zone you are referring to looked like that for 12 years of the Ganim administration. You do realize that. Furthermore, being a Westporter, I am certain you contribute very little to the downtown renaissance let alone knowing what’s going on. Perhaps you will be gracious enough to stop down to wish Mary-Jane Foster good luck so you could venture downtown. Downtown North is underway with new housing coming down the pike. When Joe was Mayor, as you said, it was desolate, forgotten and looked like a war zone. Finally, the Finch administration was able to get the ball rolling to coincide with new businesses and restaurants. None of this was happening under the Ganim administration. Thank you for pointing that out. You do not put a pretty face on the Ganim campaign. Your rudeness was unacceptable and totally unnecessary.
Steven Auerbach // Jul 1, 2015 at 9:50 pm
To your post,
As you say, you were a guest.
Sorry.
There was so little to indicate this.
But in the meantime, count the city-owned cars traveling out of the City every day and weekends. And what municipality is the driver a registered voter and taxpayer?
And they’re all out-of-towners, Steve.
So what is your point?
Carolanne, the question is, what is your point?
Steven Auerbach // Jul 1, 2015 at 10:32 pm
To your post
Steve,
And to your point,
What is Westport worth in comparison to all those other towns beyond Bridgeport (even further than Westport) that city cars with their city employee call home? I think many towns beats my one town. Isn’t that the point?
carolanne,
Ganim has to deal with your persona, I do not. You are a rude and dismissive individual and if I were talking to your face the word I would use to describe you is so reprehensible I am grateful it is on this blog. You could not say a kind word or response in your office, yet we are having a conversation here? You disgust me. Let’s leave it at that.
Yes, we’ll leave it at that. You’ve demonstrated your particular and peculiar limitations.
And you are lucky to have Jim Fox as your cheerleader. That speaks volumes. A spy? Really?
Steve, isn’t The Spy Who Loved Me one of your favorite movies?
Or was it Midnight Cowboy?
Sonny, please take your meds.
Lennie, as a matter of fact it is. I do have a thing for Russians.
Mr. Auerbach: Why must you always be so terrible to people who are associated with the Ganim campaign? You are like a broken record, just like Bill Finch, when it comes to Joe Ganim. Get a new record for crying out loud. Your game to ridicule and demean is just not working.
Straight Arrow–terrible to people on the Ganim campaign?
Straight Arrow, Steve and I get along fine and I am a Ganim supporter. I personally witnessed the entire exchange between Steve and Carolanne, and she was 100% in the wrong.
Steve: Na na na na na
Carolanne: Na na na na na
Steve: Na na na na na
Carolanne: Na na na na na
Steve: Na na na na na
Carolanne: Na na na na na
Steve: Na na na na na
Carolanne: Na na na na na
Bill and Joe are going to solve a lot Bridgeport’s problems with political dialogue like that between their supporters.
Bob Walsh na na na
Steve Auerbach na na na
Ron Mackey na na na
Donald Day na na na
This was different.
For the record, Carolanne Curry refused to say anything to me and dismissed me with a hand gesture. As soon as Maria P. and I left she immediately went on the blog to instigate. Not sure what her deal is. Do not really care.
Na na na na
Oh, poor Stevie! Did Carolanne give you the bird?
It’s now called The Finch.
Jim, no she did not. The Finch? I think it would be more clever to call it the GANIM; don’t you think?
Jim, I maintain you are perhaps the best spokesperson for Joe Ganim. I respect everything you say. Keep up the good work!
Steve, you’ve just been FINCHED!
Much too much ad hominem attack BS here.
Hey Steve,
This is how serious your mayor is with his gun buyback program.
From the Bridgeport PD page on the City’s Website.
Bridgeport Gun Buyback Program
On December 22, 2012, Mayor Bill Finch and Police Chief Joseph Gaudett kicked off the largest gun buyback program in the City’s history, with more $150,000 in donations of cash and grocery gift cards from businesses and private donations.
Results (so far): As of March 9, 732 guns have been turned in through the City’s Gun Buyback Program.
Location: Police Department’s Community Services Division, 1395 Sylvan Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06606
Next gun buyback event: TBD
I repeat, Next gun buyback event: TBD (To be determined)
They cannot even be bothered with updating the city’s website. What a joke.
And then it reads:
Donations: Members of the public who wish to donate can send a check to RYASAP Gun Buyback Fund, 2470 Fairfield Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06605.
To RYASAP!!! Why do they get a cut of the money? That’s totally disgusting. In Finch land it’s everyone is in it for themselves.
The public just got the “Finch” from the Finch!
The best blogging is informative, entertaining, content-oriented or beneficial to Lennie’s bank account. I hear too much anger and not enough ka-ching.
So where would you rather have your funds for buyback go? RYASAP? The City (in some special account that provides as much accountability as City handling of taxpayer funds)? Or another suggestion for the next such program?
The real question you are asking is where is the regular, posted accounting and reconciliation for programs for the community? Was it supposed to be secret? And if it is ongoing can there be quarterly, semi-annual or at least annual bookkeeping shared with the public? Are the contributions to the fund tax deductible because of RYASAP and do they send a letter showing the gift, or not because it was a buyback? But don’t they send a letter to the cash donors? Is it a part of their 990 reporting? Someone can call RYASAP and ask, if you wish to know. Time will tell.
Yes John, to the city.
Why is even RYASAP involved?
Oh, they’ll take care of the accounting and charge a fee for it.
You can call RYASAP if you care but by doing so you are simply giving them credence they don’t deserve.
Re: Bridgeport
The whole city is a special event. Despite his detractors, despite the recent crimes, Mayor Finch is moving Bridgeport in the right direction. The path to progress has glitches, potholes and setbacks. It’s the trend that counts. He took an oath to balance the budget but he’s making the choices that ensure economic development and public safety. He’s got momentum and there are still upcoming events.
🙂