Grogins: We Will Lose Good Residents If Taxes Continue To Increase–Foster To Finch: Show Some Respect

State Rep. Auden Grogins and Mary-Jane Foster, Mayor Bill Finch’s Democratic primary opponent last year, are not happy about the mayor’s proposed tax increase. Grogins, whose district includes Black Rock, location of Finch’s presentation tonight on his proposed city budget, issued a statement opposing Finch’s tax increase. She could not make the meeting at the Black Rock library branch due to an expected vote in the State House over abolishing Connecticut’s death penalty. Many Black Rock residents are upset about Finch’s recent remarks that “those people” in Black Rock should stop complaining about taxes. Foster writes in a letter to Finch that his remarks were “unproductive, callous and of course incorrect.”

Grogins’ statement:

Dear Mayor Finch:
I appreciate the opportunity to address you tonight through this public statement. I wish that I could be here in person, but I am in legislative session in Hartford currently voting on very important legislation that affects our state and city.

As both the state representative for this district and a 24 year resident, taxpayer and homeowner in Black Rock, I urge you not to implement this tax increase. I fully understand the financial woes of this City, but do not believe this is the best way to solve those challenges.

I have done my best, through these difficult economic times, to fight for increased municipal funding for Bridgeport at the state level. Even though there were proposals in last year’s state budget to cut funding to municipalities, I advocated and successfully voted to keep Bridgeport’s municipal aid intact. I have also been a long time advocate for property tax relief for our residents and have proposed, and continue to fight for, legislation to effectuate property tax reform in this state.

The residents in this district pay some of the highest property taxes in Bridgeport and some of the highest property taxes in the state. Any tax increase for our residents in these difficult economic times is just too much for working families in Bridgeport to afford. I am truly fearful that we will lose good residents if taxes continue to increase. I will continue to work hard in Hartford to gain additional funding for this City that we both care about.

Thank you for your consideration.

State Representative Auden Grogins

Foster letter:

Dear Mayor Finch:
I am unable to attend your informational program at the Black Rock Library this evening. The University of Bridgeport is hosting the USA Gymnastics National Women’s Collegiate Championships and the kick off banquet for the over 200 competitors is at the Holiday Inn this evening.

I cannot, however, let your proposed budget or remarks about residents of Black Rock go unanswered. First, your gratuitous and snide observations about those of us who live in Black Rock are unproductive, callous and of course incorrect. It is unproductive to pit one part of the city against the other. We have enough issues in this city without working inclusively to solve our problems. It is callous to assume that people in Black Rock are not feeling the same pain every other property owner and taxpayer in Bridgeport is. Many of us, me included, have seen our property taxes more than double and can no longer afford to stay in our homes. While folks in other towns with waterfront homes may also pay high property taxes, they receive high functioning municipal government and schools in return. Your remarks also don’t reflect the real diversity in Black Rock. I hope this evening will bring some clarity to the reality for you and in the future you can better respect Black Rock residents and their concerns.

Your proposed budget is of real concern to many. Before raising the mil rate by nearly 3 mils, you owe it to taxpayers to trim expenses, forgo raises (as you gave in December and then asked City Council to approve more latitude for in January) and remove funded but unfilled ghost positions from the budget. If you removed those positions, you would save over $3 million dollars toward the long awaited increase in education funding you propose. Perhaps your private investors could kick in the other $4 million to improve our schools. We could then determine if we really do need an increase in our mil rate.

This proposed increase in taxes is going to drive people out of the city when Bridgeport most needs its richest asset—its people. I hope you will take a step back from what you have proposed and reconsider and reconfigure the budget. The proposed budget does not reflect any substantial change in the way we govern this city and it is unfair and unwise. The taxpayers, including Black Rockers, deserve better than what you are giving them.

Respectfully,

Mary-Jane Foster