Don’t ya just love blackmail photographs of politicians? Bushy kissing Joe Lieberman (or was it the other way around?), this one kissing that one. Yuck, wipe it away!
Wednesday was Bridgeport Day at the state capitol, but before things heated up in Hartford in the afternoon newly elected Republican State Senator Rob Russo ran into City Council President Tom McCarthy, his possible opponent in the November election, at an event for the local Red Cross and, according to witnesses, planted a peck on the cheek of his Celtic skin.
Was it love or just the smooch of political death? I love it when nice Italian boys give nice Irish boys the Irish. I can vouch for Russo that the soon-to-be 33 year-old state senator is heterosexual, his birthday is April 5, and he has a babe.
He was just setting up McCarthy for the left-right combination that would come later in the day in Hartford. Addressing a crowd of Bridgeport elected officials and business leaders, Russo spoke of the demands cities and towns are facing to pay bills and the need for belt tightening. He had kind words for mayor Bill Finch and the $16 million budget deficit the mayor inherited from the previous administration. Praise the lord for the hard-working bean counters trying to close the gap, said Russo. After all, this wasn’t the new mayor’s fault (poise the stiletto) it’s the fault of the freakin’ city council that voted for the budget!
Guess who voted for that budget buster? You got it. Tom McCarthy.
Are ya getting a glimpse of what we might be facing should McCarthy take on Russo?
By the way, Bridgeport Republicans named a new party chairman Wednesday night to replace Russo. Marc Delmonico, triathlete extraordinaire, can swim across Long Island Sound, run a marathon and bike 50 miles without breaking a sweat. He’s also in the concrete business. In case Russo needs some extra help, maybe Marc can fit a pair of shoes for Big Mac.
And who said politics isn’t a contact sport?
Say What!
Hey, what’s the deal with City Councilman Daniel Martinez wanting to charge a buck a head to attend public meetings to help close the city’s budget deficit? Let’s see now, we get a dozen people to attend city council meetings. At that pace we’d close the gap in about one million years.
And one more thing, Syesha Mercado, Bridgeport born and raised, made it through another round of American Idol!
City Hall press release
Mayor Finch Promotes Global Climate Change Awareness
Bridgeport joins Earth Hour 2008
Mayor Bill Finch (D-Bridgeport) is proud to partner with Superintendent John Ramos and the Student Council at Columbus School in Bridgeport to support the World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour 2008. Earth Hour (www.earthhourus.org) is an international, multi-city event created to raise awareness about global climate change. Homeowners, city government and businesses are asked to take part by turning off nonessential lights for one hour, “Earth Hour.” The Mayor will ask Bridgeport residents and businesses to do their part by saving energy from 8:00-9:00pm this Saturday night. Bridgeport joins Miami, Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix and a host of other cities in the U.S. and abroad in supporting this effort.“This initiative, which has become an undertaking of the impressive Student Council at Columbus School, fits directly into the City of Bridgeport’s Green Initiative,” said Mayor Finch. “By turning off our lights for one hour from 8:00-9:00pm this Saturday night in coordination with Earth Hour, we are all saving energy and promoting awareness about climate change. We must do more in Bridgeport to lower our carbon footprint, and taking part in this global event is a step in the right direction.”
Mr. Manuel Rocha, Principal of Columbus School, added, “I’m pleased and honored to have Columbus School participating so strongly in Bridgeport’s Earth Hour and in Mayor Finch’s Green Initiative. Our hope is that this event raises environmental awareness, increases student knowledge about climate change and promotes positive change in the community.”
The Mayor also emphasized that fire safety precautions should be taken when lights are turned off. “Families and businesses should try to avoid open flames and should attempt to rely on battery-powered flashlights or lanterns,” he said. “Safety comes first.”
City Hall press release on Dodd visit
Sen. Dodd, Mayor Finch Hold Roundtable on Subprime Issue
BRIDGEPORT, CT March 27, 2008 – U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and Mayor Bill Finch (D-Bridgeport) this morning held a roundtable discussion entitled “How Can Stakeholders Work Collaboratively to Respond to the Subprime Crisis?” to discuss Senator Dodd’s proposed legislation, Hope for Homeowners, and to look for viable and creative solutions to the foreclosure crisis in Bridgeport and the surrounding areas. The two met with government entities, counseling agencies and realtors at the City Hall Annex in Bridgeport after visiting the home of Donna Marie Pearce, a Bridgeport homeowner who was helped through her difficulties with a subprime mortgage after contacting ACORN Housing Corporation. The Senator and the Mayor requested to meet with Ms. Pearce to hear firsthand some of the challenges facing Bridgeport residents with subprime loans.
“At the end of the day, we need to do everything reasonably possible to help people keep their homes,” said Senator Dodd. “The Hope for Homeowners measure that I am proposing is a smart way to achieve this goal. I want to thank Mayor Finch for hosting today’s event and for his deep dedication to helping the people of Bridgeport weather this storm.”
Mayor Finch added, “We’re in a difficult position here in Bridgeport. There are over 5,000 subprime loans in our City. While we may not be able to make the subprime crisis go away, I am fully committed to finding ways to help the victims in my City. I am grateful to Senator Dodd for his attention to this issue and for moderating our discussion today. My hope is that these talks will result in the formation of a plan to help Bridgeport homeowners.”
The roundtable included representatives from the Federal Housing Administration/U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fannie Mae, the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA), ACORN Housing and the Greater Bridgeport Board of Realtors.
Lennie,
I’m not sure what’s more amusing….”Bushy kissing” or you watching Idol, maybe they’ll have an Eagles revival
Marc Delmonico as GOP party chair is probably a good choice. But that the D & O thing with his name makes me a little nervous. You have to watch those guys.
Good luck Marc!
You will do good Marc
Keep us in mind
Bpt. Dems and Reps
Lennie, not all of Rob Russo’s words to Bill Finch were so kind. Russo met with Finch and two items discussed changed Bill’s mood. Russo told Finch that the 1% sales tax increase idea was lousy. Then Russo raised the Board of Education funding issue, it appears that during Russo’s first week he has learned that the Bridgeport Board of Education does not like to show the books. I mean the Accounting books showing the school system spending. B.O.E. with it’s $160 million yearly budget will have to open the books for Russo if they expect to have a voice and ear in Hartford.
Good for Russo to inquire about the Board of Education
budget. The BOE seems to be the BLACK HOLE into
which our tax dollars disappear and nothing is said.
A 68 % drop out rate doesn’t add up considering the money
we pour into it.
I would like to see an outside objective neutral study done
on the BOE and for that matter all city departments and rid us
of duplication and the “give uncle Louie a job” types, that cost
us millions.
Aliitle more on Alderman martinez and his proposal to help close the budget gap’.
When are you people in city government going to stop looking for ways to tax us. Why dont you look for ways to reduce the city budget. I will give you morons a few choices. Fire all Special project coordinators, they all make in the area of $65 K and there has to be at least 10 of them. Do we really need a greeter at the front door at city hall for $36K. I can read the signs pointing out the office i need to visit. Does the Fire Dept and Police Dept and the Board of Ed each need a press person that makes $65K remember there are 3 of these press people. Save a $100k and take all of the city cars away from people taking them home. the all get paid big salaries let them buy their own gas. These are just a few ideas on saving money. None of these jobs were here 5 years ago and we dont need them.
Pretty soon one of these morons is going to want to charge us extra for the air we breath.
if the politicians insist on kissing each other lets make a video and sell it on the porn sites. I have a message for all the kissers KMA
Let’s see… If 12 people show up at each town meeting, and the city would collect $12 for the pleasure of attending, I’d gladly contribute $12 myself to cancel that gathering so Finch would have one less bullshit meeting he seems compelled to attend rather than doing some actual work to solve city problems.
$12 to force this empty suit of a mayor to stay behind his desk and work is a bargain. Let’s pass the hat and pay for all meetings – and then cancel them.
And if I see Finch on Channel 12 standing around and gladhanding other politicians and neighborhood kids just one more time, I’m gonna bitch slap the next time I see him at Stop & Shop.
And BTW – Mr. Green Mayor uses plastic grocery bags – not the green canvas recycle bags from Stop & Shop.
PT
Town Committee
You must be a real political neophyte to suggest that the position of press relations in each of the BPD, BFD and the BPOE be consolidated into one role. That is a perfectly sensible idea which should be implemented immediately and would have had the other guy been elected. Finch would never consider such a move. First, because he is too stupid to recognize the associated cost benefit and, secondly, he would never do anything to annoy the respective UNIONS. Aggravated union members don’t vote for those who won’t do what they want.
Black Rockin
I’ll gladly pay $160 million if the BOE would guarantee that the insidious 68% drop out rate would be improved upon.
Yeah i guess I am a neophyte. We pay the heads of these departments big bucks and it was my thought that if they needed to talk to the press they could do so with out a press person Total savings $195,00. Boy was i dumb to suggest that. The other 7 special projects jobs would save $455,000. Dont hire a greeter save another $39,000 lets see that totals out to$699,000 boy am I dumb.
The Union Vote!! who cares most of your union people live outside of the city and cant vote in Bridgeport. Years ago they had the clout and could actually control a primary result now they are a non entity.
I’ve had it with politicians and all these disclosures about their personal lives.
Waz it un french kiss…avec la tongue?
Let’s be optimistic — Bridgeport needs a bigger room.
IF 320,000 people show up to see a public meeting
and are willing to pay $50 to be there, the 16 million dollar deficit will be eliminated immediately. That’s that.
But let’s be realistic:
IF all those people attend that meeeting at The Arena at Harbor Yard, it will take only 32 performances to eliminate the deficit, providing they all pay $50 to attend a meeting that is usually free.
I thought I had problems…
I’ve got a better idea as to how to mobilize the good people of Bridgeport to do something that will surely eliminate the $16,000,000 debt. We can pick a day some year, say late fall. early in the month like maybe the first Tuesday. We can pick out spots all over the city where the citizenry can go in and leave knowing they just made a difference; a difference that will make sure that the city never is allowed to reach the dregs of financial disaster we currently have. I know, we can call those places…polls. Instead of the people coughing up a buck to fix things, they can write down, for free, what they want and feed it into a machine. Later that evening we can tally up what the people said they want. Then Testa, his machine and all of his minions can go somewhere else to screw things up. See, it’s easy. All we have to do is let the people know that things will change if they get out and vote other people into office.
John from Black Rock and Black Rockin …
Thanks for the good wishes … But yes the name does begin with the “D” and end with the “o”. .. should I start looking for my six- or seven-figure tax break? We have some work to do, and I look forward to working with the people of Bridgeport.
To all elected politiicians No more Kissing Please.
Did you see the picture of Russo and McCarthy spooning on the State House floor?
“All we have to do is let the people know that things will change if they get out and vote other people into office.”
Change? Yes. Be better? Not so sure about that one Monsieur Aboost…
I wonder who took that picture!
Claude Balls
Let me make it unanimous. I don’t care what you “think” either!
It was nice to see all of the entities that were responsible for the sub prime mortgage problem all gathered in one room wringing their hands about the crisis.
Dodd as chairmen of the banking Committee in Washington was off playing at being a presidential candidate while these mortgage brokers and banks were screwing the poor and the middle class. The Real estate people were here and what did they do but tell people ‘you can afford this house dont worry about it. all the while collecting their 6% commission. Then there is Acorn telling people they are entitled to have a house and that is the American way.
Then there is the American people who have been brain washed into thinking everyone should and will have a house no matter what. Did any one read the fine print on these mortgages. Did anyone raise a cry when people were getting 110% mortgages and paying a small amount of interest for the first few years, Did anyone tell these people that after a few years when interest & principal kick in that they will owe more than they make on a monthly payment.
The housing/mortgage crisis has reached an epidemic proportion. I truly feel for the people who were mislead into thinking they could afford a home beyond their actual means by unscrupulous lenders and realtors. The question is, what is the remedy? I also can’t imagine property tax increases and the impact that will have. The market will be flooded with foreclosures and things are already headed that way. No one should be counting on George Bush for a bail-ou, he’s too busy sinking billions of our tax dollars into his favorite war.