Mayor Joe Ganim spent a record $845,000 over the course of four elections to reclaim another four-year term in the odyssey of an extended campaign season, according to the latest finance report filed with the Town Clerk’s Office.
Ganim opponent John Gomes once again failed to file the required report by Wednesday’s deadline. The lengthy election cycle proved costly for Gomes who ran out of cash and he relied heavily in the end on independent expenditures financed by the community group Bridgeport Generation Now Votes.
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$845k worth of favors owed. But only after “campaign workers” salaries are paid of course.
That would be an interesting item to see don’t you think? 🤔
The 85 page report with link from OIB shows the campaign revenue total, but limits other info to financial results of revenue streams only during the covered period, as well as limiting reporting of dollars spent to workers for the protracted primary season and actual campaign. Who will read it in detail? Few, likely. And isn’t the real public curiosity about who performed what tasks, for how long daily, where, and when? This report does not provide an overall answer as it might, but “political activists” are happy enough to get the forms completed and filed timely.
But for those who are more curious, what does CNSLT mean? Purpose is never explained on the form but perhaps is understood to mean those who provided info to potential voters, but when, where, how long, etc. did it take to earn $160, or $220, or more than $600? What are the totals for these paid political workers? A payment stating RMB is likely a reimbursement, but without detail the reader is left with questions. And did Tom Gaudett get one check for $2200, or two or more, as reimbursement for a Boca campaign expense? Purpose for RMB and CNSLT items is absent, as are a few addresses. Overall Anthony Paoletto seems to have provided the necessary effort to complete this job, and his reward may be to watch over the expiring ARPA funds as they exit the City by deadline.
Many more folks are curious about details of how more than $1 Million of contributed support was spent by candidates for Mayor in multiple campaigns with a Court ordered “do-over” and specific focus on “political activity” by one or more City employees without increasing the registered voter totals and percentages. How many enthusiasts of securing equal civil rights sat home remaining voiceless? How does a writer say the winner of such a campaign has a mandate? Why are the results of such elections in the State’s most populous City termed a landslide? Will informed voting for State and Federal positions this fall, 2024, see more eligible and registered voters using a ballot and letting the rest of us hear their powerful voice? Time will tell.