Democratic mayoral candidate Mary-Jane Foster’s HQ on Main Street in the North End early Monday evening was jammed with workers. There was ex-Foster opponent, now supporter, John Gomes banging phones, State Senator Ed Gomes reviewing undecided voters from his district, Steve Auerbach, that one-man riot squad campaign worker reloading his car with Foster lawn signs, Andy Fardy (town committee here on OIB) doing campaign work when he should be reading OIB, and wife Pat Fardy organizing the evening phone bank. Ah, campaign life. Nothing like it.
John Gomes was once a Foster primary opponent. I’ve seen it happen a lot, a candidate endorses an opponent and then mails it it. Not in John Gomes’ case. As one Foster campaign worker noted, “He didn’t take his bat and ball and go home.” Gomes is a leader in the Cape Verdean community and his popular Red Rooster deli on North Avenue an example of the immigrant experience. A guy like John Gomes could be worth a few hundred votes, maybe more, some say.
Primaries are all about identifying your friends and dragging them to the polls. It’s a grind: on the phone, knocking on doors, at supermarkets, approaching a neighbor washing a car.
John Gomes spent a few years as director of the government-efficiency CitiStat Program. He had a falling out with Mayor Bill Finch over some of the political sacred cows, he says, Finch protected. Interesting that Finch wants a big primary win and then an even larger general election win, govern on a mandate so he can rid himself of those political sacred cows.
Yes, isn’t it ironic?
Gomes is a leader and a manager who has a continuing bright career in front of him. I am most impressed and the Foster camp knows it is blessed by his and his camp’s presence.
I would agree with FtM. I think two forces have pulled together to focus on a change for our city. Whether or not it materializes (the change), remains to be seen, but one thing we must give them is A for the effort and desire to bring our city back. WE NEED TO BRING BRIDGEPORT BACK! The truth is, it’s just not happening at the degree most believe it should with the current administration. We can blame the DTC, we can blame the economy, and so many other things, but giving a chance to new blood is something that wouldn’t hurt. I never share who I vote for until after the elections, but I will say the MJF clan has caught the eye of many. I will say this much, I think the current administration and incumbents should keep an eye peeled on how they are doing things because you better believe the MJF side is watching like a hawk and if your gonna play dirty as so many accuse them of doing, you’re bound to get caught. I am sure, though, some have already taken the risk and will take the risk of getting caught, all to avoid losing the power. So sad it’s what it has come down to. God forbid anyone want to be in a position to truly benefit the city that elected them. Just amazed and never ceased to be by this wonderful Bridgeport political game!
Ain’t politics great? This is wonderful, John Gomes endorsing a rival candidate and going to work in her campaign office, all for the sake of positive change.
I wouldn’t be too concerned about the Finch minions playing dirty. They’ve already tried that and got called on it. The Foster campaign has shown absolutely no reluctance about taking the corrupt political machine to court and filing complaints with the SEEC. The Finchies are desperate. That’s the only explanation for the bike path, the new walkways on Gilman Street, etc. Those are flimsy excuses to erect those obnoxious green signs extolling hizzoner’s nonexistent virtues. Ezequiel Santiago going door-to-door in an apartment building attempting to intercept absentee ballots before they can be counted, that’s a desperate act. Denying a candidate’s qualifying petition is a desperate act. Shutting an opposing candidate out of the selection of impartial moderators is a desperate act.
The Finch campaign claims to be ahead in the polls by 15%, but what polls are they referring to? No hard information has been offered as proof. An act of desperation …
No flies on John Gomes! He helps make a great campaign team even better.
The fly spies are everywhere. If you play dirty, your name will be mud. You WILL get caught, you WILL go down and jail is game over.
AWARD. WINNING. JOURNALISM.
John Gomes is a stand-up guy.
I voted for endorsed Democrat Ned Lamont last year … and he still didn’t even win the city by 100 votes … message to the machine, don’t be shocked if Foster wins the primary.
First Lennie, I want to apologize for racing out the door, but I see my 83-year-old mother once a week because she is always on the run. Makes me feel like a wallflower! Dinner was great! I haven’t had a real dinner in 2 months!
Second, I met John Gomes a year ago standing in front of Winthrop school. I really enjoyed listening to him and felt he was a very smart, grounded individual who really cared about Bridgeport. Of course at that point I was working at Bassick and met a few friends of Gomes. He really is a very nice guy and throws a great party and very generous. Like yourself! I am glad he joined forces with Mary-Jane Foster. I believe Gomes will have a political career down the road and I’d be happy to support him. I was walking two huge corridors today and keep forgetting I am not 25 anymore. But you do what you have to do when you believe in the candidate you are supporting. Granted Finch is paying 10 dollars an hour to his supporters but the passion Foster supporters have is genuine. I gave up Dancing with the Stars, 2 and a half Men and the Charlie Sheen roast. Had to visit with friends from my Home Depot days 11 years ago to get them to change from Unaffiliated to Dem and lawn sign directly across from Testo’s Restaurant. He owes me! The house he lives in I wanted and let him buy it. He was afraid there would be a 15-story dorm for Sacred Heart students there months ago when Testa’s nephew wanted a zone change. Yeah sure! Well one week to go. I have 20 miles to walk before I am done and 20 miles I will do. I will talk to as many people as I can because this election can change the political landscape in Bridgeport forever. I am an optimist. People have a choice and if we can make our case we will prevail. The North End is not excited about Finch. We all like Finch, he is a nice guy. He doesn’t deserve four more years and the North End still doesn’t know what they have gotten from his last four years. Back to your original storyline. John Gomes is a great guy and I am glad I am working on the same team. BTW it’s okay you are goofing on me. My day started with 30 kindergarten kids at Roosevelt School. I cannot talk politics with them!!!!!!!!! Thank G-d I have Central High School tomorrow. I cannot wait to chat with the teachers at lunch. I bring my own soapbox.
About time Gomes and his team get recognized for being the force in Bridgeport they’ve become. He is worth a hell of a lot more than a few hundred votes.
Bring it on, John, BRING IT ON!
John Gomes is a great guy, old school, his word is his bond.
“Truth, honesty and personal integrity are foundations … A man’s word is his bond.”
How about telling us who’s at Finch’s campaign headquarters? Political flunkies trying to save their jobs? Or people being PAID to be there. Big difference.
What’s the difference? Finch is desperate. Desperate people do desperate things. Honest, straightforward elections means Testa loses. Las Diablas, Ayala and Martinez, have other plans.
Glad to see Gomes getting some publicity. Fact of the matter is he has been a tireless worker for MJF since he withdrew and gave his support to her. I think MJF as Mayor and Gomes in a very senior level role handling oversight is a fine PACKAGE for us voters to hang our hats on.
Godspeed.
I was at MJ’s HQ last week and John Gomes was really making a presence and had some stand-up associates with him. I am impressed with the man’s dignity along with his associates.
Last night I spoke before the City Council regarding Bridgeport fiscal matters. After all you only get five minutes.
Comments below, but oversight is so badly called for when you think of the Charter issues not adhered to, the conflicts of interest on the Council where people do not recuse themselves, the absolute trust Budget and Appropriations have in whatever is presented to them by the administration, the continuing failure to attend to Significant Deficiencies and Material Weaknesses raised by the City auditors, and the lack of any demonstrable Internal Audit function.
Who is minding the store?
Can you show me the Bridgeport fiscal picture?
If not you, who can?
Comments to City Council 9-19-11
City Council members, I come here tonight to talk with you about City finances. Many of you are approachable as individuals and concerned as well. Each of you is in a more favored position to learn about City finances than I am. That is why I am here tonight, to ask some questions, important to the City, its development and on behalf of all taxpayers as well as to provoke some answers.
Q. How does the City look from outside regarding the fiscal picture?
A. Mayor Finch says he is happy to have the Fitch rating of A. Do you feel the same way? Do you understand that this is the worst rating of the 30 cities and towns rated by Fitch in CT? We are the only one with an A rating.
Another outside source is the “external auditor,” Blum Shapiro. Last February they forwarded information supplementary to the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report – 2010 (CAFR) in the form of two letters (as they had done in previous years) commenting specifically on the handling of State and Federal funds. Curiously, their letter was sent to the BOARD OF FINANCE, City of Bridgeport. You know we do not have a Board of Finance which makes you our last stop for “check and balance” duties. The auditor identified both material weaknesses and significant deficiencies in the recent audit. Do you know such a finding was repeated from the previous year? This is serious business!
Q. How do we look from inside through the City’s internal audit function? When the City presents the Budget it includes “Accounting Policies,” titled Internal Controls. In the 2012 budget this section says, “In addition, the City of Bridgeport has an internal audit staff responsible for monitoring the various City departments in compliance with the City Charter, ordinances, and all other policies and procedures.” In which Department is this function handled in the City since 2008 and by whom? What is your knowledge of any findings for the past several years to the Council as a whole or to any sub-committee?
A. Recent budgets do not identify personnel assigned to that financial duty. Who handles this? An internal audit function follows a plan that looks at risks like fraud, misappropriation of assets, financial statement accuracy, information technology issues (like protection and privacy), various compliance issues and monitoring practices with statements in the Charter. For instance the Charter calls for the availability of monthly reports to the public on the fourth Friday following each month. Last year that happened less than 50% of the time. And the July report was released on September 12, although there is no June, 2011 report. Perhaps there is no internal auditor currently?
Q. How do you monitor the City balance sheet? Who looks at assets and liabilities, particularly off-balance sheet responsibilities of the City?
A. What I have discovered by reading the CAFR-10 is from 2007-2011, the City obligations, responsibilities, and debt have increased about $45 Million per year or overall about $180 Million. Some of the increases may be known but when and where has a public conversation occurred about retiree healthcare that showed an $861 Million liability in CAFR 2010. If our debt and responsibilities are increasing faster than assets and some of them should have been handled within budgets of the past four years, how can the City call budgets balanced?
Q. The Council passed the 2012 budget with no credible Board of Education numbers because of the problems of that body. However, 66 positions on the City side with over $4.5 Million including benefits were unfilled, some for more than one year. How do you account for providing money for vacant positions? How and when do you review those dollars and positions through the year as our check and balance body? What meetings specifically look at the approved budget from the current year with questions that arise from within your body or from the public in general?
A. I have no clue as to regular monitoring of the monthly, quarterly or whatever reporting process the City Finance department is following today. Based on last year’s report availability you would have had severe difficulties. And since there is no public hearing and speaking session to the Capital Project budget, and no published record of same, the Capital Budget remains less understood than the operating budget, if that is possible. Last April the administration reported to you over $250 Million of Available Budget with regards to Capital projects. Where does that stand today? Why is that chart of projects with meaningful detail not on the City Internet site?
Do you think Bridgeport is truly “open, accountable and transparent” in its fiscal processes and governance already? Then there is little reason to change. But I would disagree. Other communities with ratings we would welcome, encourage taxpayer citizens to attend meetings, listen, learn, indeed to question and comment as well. We do not have a Board of Finance and we may badly need one. My Budget Oversight Bridgeport attendance made me aware of how busy you are as Council persons. There is so much work as each of you face multiple sub-committee duties already. Why would you not welcome competent experienced fiscal assistance from the folks who are paying taxes too? It would lighten your burden and not change your duties and responsibilities. Think about it, talk about it, with the public. Let some light and air into your process. It can only be positive for the City. I have invested time and attention to learning about these matters. I welcome dialogue with you as well.
Wow. Lot of problems in Bridgeport. Getting them resolved probably harder than achieving peace in the Middle East! So let’s take a look at that instead tonight. Will the Palestinians get membership in the U.N.? With special experts, at 8pm.
This guy told Adam Wood he was not going to vote for Bill Finch:
www .ctpost.com/policereports/article/Gunshot-victim-found-bleeding-in-Bridgeport-2179181.php