Republican candidate for governor John McKinney told the respective editorial boards of Hearst Connecticut Newspapers on Monday he would end the Common Core federal education standards advanced by Governor Malloy that has caused angst among school teachers. He also said the future of the state depends on the economic vitality of the state’s largest city. Ken Dixon has details:
During a wide-ranging, 100-minute interview with editorial page editors of The News-Times, the Connecticut Post, The Advocate of Stamford and Greenwich Time, McKinney said Connecticut’s economic future depends on turning around Bridgeport, the state’s largest city, on which he promised to focus if he becomes the next governor.
Big tax breaks are a sensible way to attract companies back to the city, said McKinney, who is campaigning for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in the Aug. 12 primary against Tom Foley of Greenwich.
McKinney said that while Bass Pro Shops will provide Bridgeport with some new economic activity near the long-neglected harbor, the creation of tax-free enterprise zones would allow developers to focus resources on cleaning up contaminated land called brownfields.
“I think, as governor, that we have to bring a renewed sense of reviving this city,” said McKinney, a 16-year veteran of the Senate and the GOP leader for the last six years. “I think being realistic, most people will go to the Bass Pro Shops, do their shopping–they may buy an elk burger when they’re there–then they get back in their car and go back where they came from. The tax revenue generated there is helpful, but that’s not economic revitalization. There just needs to be a renewed focus.”
Full story here.
Sounds great, doesn’t it??? Yeah, Bridgeport the main focus … hmmm, which puts Caruso out of a job. He could run for Mayor, supported by Senator Moore and Bob Walsh. As well as Senator Gomes. I’m gettin’ chills, they’re multiplyin’ … Wake me up from this parallel universe nightmare. The good news is Dannel Malloy will also have to make Bridgeport his focal point and I am certain he will.
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Tell us anything, John. Eight days away, now you want to bring up Bridgeport? What a joke.
I’m still amazed anyone with a little common sense thinks Bass Pro Shops is going to somehow revive Bridgeport. How many boaters and avid fisherman live on the East Side? How many of the out-of-town boaters plan to leave wherever they shop now to come to this Bass shop? More liberal smoke and mirrors. I hope Pelto steals enough votes to sink the POS Malloy and CT gets a Republican into office to set things right. Someone who will look out for Bridgeport and not Stamford. The Libs just want Bridgeporters to continue to live on handouts and vote for them. They count on low information voters and handout recipients to keep them afloat. They vote for rock stars with zero experience and can’t see how bad this country has deteriorated. Rose-colored glasses are the norm nowadays.
Phantom, you know what I find amazing? That anyone imagines anyone believes Bass Pro was ever imagined to be the salvation of Bridgeport.
Bass Pro is simply the beginning in what is to be the catalyst of major development over the next 20 years as well as the hopeful gentrification of a blighted and underserved neighborhood. It is the hope the developer has yet to announce major development and not another retail operation. Bass Pro is not Walmart. Bass Pro is a destination and people will travel an hour to get here. A little optimism couldn’t hurt. What hope can Bridgeport have when negativity, doom and gloom suck the life out of any potential project. I often wonder how many of the negative bloggers support any of Bridgeport’s festivals, events, concerts or restaurants.
I am sure you will all be at Connecticut free Shakespeare on McLevy green. Right …
Pass whatever it is you’re smoking. You keep waiting for the fools who run Bridgeport to get it right, but please don’t hold your breath in the process.
You are right, Phantom. It’s been 20 years already and nothing has happened on Steal Point; not even Bass Pro Shops.
So this non-existent entity will be the catalyst for new development?
Unless major changes happen in B’port, nothing will be on Steal Point 10 years from now.
“This life, which had been the tomb of his virtue and of his honour, is but a walking shadow; a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”–William Shakespeare
Read more at www .brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/w/william_shakespeare.html
If he’s anything like his father Stewart, he will care about Bridgeport. His father was a powerhouse in urban revitalization in Washington and helped start the Urban Reinvestment Task Force, a consortium of financial institutions and agencies concerned about disinvestment and foreclosures in cities. They founded many Neighborhood Housing Services nationwide with a very prominent one on the East Side of Bridgeport. His father was also instrumental in gaining funding for relocating Father Panic, although a debatable outcome.
Bob Halstead, John the son has shown us over his career he is nothing like his father Stewart who was a very good congressman.
He has been right next door the entire time he has served in the legislature AND HE HAS DONE NOTHING to improve urban areas; now he wants to come to the dance. At least Walker lives here and mingles among us, bears our tax burden; MCKINNEY is not his father.
I would not say nothing.
betterbridgeport.org/2013/03/27/republican-senate-leader-john-mckinney-supports-5724/
OK, I’ll give you one. Full funding of PILOT would be nice too. Focused economic development in urban areas. Politically and economically supporting that great piece of legislation did not expend much political capital.
Checkmate by Jennifer.