Make Your Choice: Finch, Fabs, Ganim, Plus: Dodd Digs In

Let’s have a little fun today (like we never do that at OIB).

Mayor Bill Finch is now approaching 18 months in office. Johnny Fabs spent roughly four and one half years in office. Joe Ganim spent just about 11 and one half years as chief executive, November 1991 to April 2003, making him the second longest serving mayor in Bridgeport’s history behind Socialist Mayor Jasper McLevy who served from 1933 to 1957.

If you had to vote for one of the three (Finch, Fabs, Ganim)–considering what you know about all of them, the good, the bad, the ugly–for whom would you vote? I’ve had the benefit of advising their political careers in some capacity (okay, Yahooy, I heard that crack) but which of the three would ultimately guide the city in the best direction?

I think I know how Local Eyes would vote, he a big Finch fan, and a number of OIB readers have a preference for Fabs, but even City Councilman Bob Troll Walsh who has no love for any of them (Troll tosses love around like a slab of concrete) has admitted in a Pol Pod that Joe was the most effective mayor the past 20 years.

So fire away. Of course, feel free to post any name you please, as Independent Soul suggests.

Dodder Fodder

Sometimes, when a pol’s in trouble the prevailing strategy is hunker down and say little. That didn’t work for Chris Dodd who’s been moving around the state delivering goodies from Washington and just trying to look like he cares. After a run for the presidency that collapsed his visibility level in the state, he needs to come back home to the peeps.

And on Monday, with Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan,  Dodd toured some homes in the city slated for foreclosure that he hopes to save. His chairmanship on the powerful Banking Committee led, in part, to his troubles, and now he hopes that same platform can help resuscitate his standing with voters.

Dodd needs friends, and the last thing Mayor Bill Finch wants to do publicly is pile on Dodd’s problems. And judging from the mayor’s comments he’d rather make him a friend than run for the tall grass as so many pols are prone to do. Why? Because this is the best opportunity for Dodd to deliver–whatever it is–for the state’s largest city. If he can do it he will. We’ll be seeing more of Dodd in this election cycle than at any time during his 30 years in the U.S. Senate.

News release from Auden Grogins:

REP. AUDEN GROGINS, REP. BRENDAN SHARKEY AND BLACK ROCK HOMEOWNER’S ASSOCIATION  FORUM ON SMART GROWTH AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF

State Representative Auden Grogins (D-Bridgeport) and State Representative Brendan Sharkey (D-Hamden) will host an informational forum in conjunction with the Black Rock Homeowner’s Association entitled Smart Growth: A Vision for Property Tax Relief on Thursday April 16th, 2009 at the Burroughs Community Center located at 2470 Fairfield Ave at 7:00 p.m.

 “I represent a large city with a small tax base and the residents in my district pay the highest property taxes in the state,” Rep. Grogins said.  “We must continue to find ways to provide relief to overburdened taxpayers.”

Representative Brendan Sharkey, co-chairman of the legislature’s Planning and Development Committee, will discuss proposals generated by the nonpartisan Smart Growth Working Group that Sharkey formed and that are now moving through the legislative process.

“Smart growth provides a unique opportunity to effect structural changes in our state that can permanently reduce our reliance on the property tax,” Rep. Sharkey said.  “Rep. Grogins understands the importance of this effort, and I’m pleased to come to Bridgeport to discuss it with her constituents.”

Heidi Green, President of 1,000 Friends of Connecticut, will also be present to comment. 1,000 Friends of Connecticut is a statewide organization that supports smart growth issues and development that integrates communities.

News release from Mayor Finch:

Solid Waste Transfer Station & Recycling Center Summer Hours Announced

BRIDGEPORT, CT (April 13, 2009) – Summer hours are now in effect at the City’s Transfer Station, located at 475 Asylum St. The hours are as follows: Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 12 noon.

Bridgeport residents only are allowed to use the transfer station and residents must follow the rules and regulations listed below. Small business owners and haulers may use the transfer station Monday through Friday, but they must have either a business permit, or hauler’s permit to use the facility. For more information regarding permits/licenses, contact (203) 576-7123 or visit Rm. 223 at City Hall, 45 Lyon Terrace.

Following rules and regulations apply:

Household refuse only
Must have a Bridgeport license and registration, or a permit
No toxic or hazardous liquids or waste
Wood, brush or metal over four-feet long will not be accepted
All metal must be separated from other refuse
All small debris, lawn refuse, etc., must be bagged, tied or boxed
No more than 2 tires per load will be accepted
Wooden doors and mattresses must be cut in half
Sheetrock, shingles, or remodeling and demolition materials will not be accepted
Brush must be less than four-feet in length and tied in bundles, or loose and covered
People living outside the city owning a house in Bridgeport must show proof of ownership of said premises, e.g.: an updated tax bill or deed. Utility bills will not be accepted.
Haulers, small business owners and monitored residents are prohibited on Saturday
All loads must be covered and secured
Rude or abusive conduct will not be tolerated

According to Director of Public Facilities Charles Carroll, the weigh master has complete authority to dictate rules and regulations and has the right to refuse any non-conforming loads.

For more information, call the transfer station at 576-7725, or Paul Albuquerque, Transfer Station Supervisor at 576-7751.