Bill Finch’s mayoralty ends in a few weeks. How will he be remembered?
- A disappointment (47%, 141 Votes)
- The guy who lost to Joe Ganim (36%, 109 Votes)
- Fondly (17%, 53 Votes)
Total Voters: 303
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OIB Poll: Looking Back At Finch
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He will be fondly remembered as the disappointment who lost to Joe Ganim.
Lennie, I’m in total agreement with Joel, now let’s see if Paul Timpanelli or Gov. Malloy will put in a good word for Finch to get another job somewhere.
It is nice someone would care enough to put in a good word for him.
Bill Finch will be remembered as Bridgeport’s mayor during its worst years. He will be remembered as the guy who was asked to run and then abandoned by his DTC chair.
He was into green tech before green tech was cool. He only raised taxes when his oath of office forced him to and he always put public safety ahead of personal gain.
LE,
Personal gain comes in many forms and means different things to different folks, it seems to me. Personal gain had one meaning to Joe Ganim in his first days in office but that meaning changed as did his choices.
I may come closer to you in celebrating his Green pursuits though the funds used were significant and might have changed the life of public education in the City had he really cared about educating young lives. Or older lives who had multiple uses for library services.
I want to see an in-depth look at where the City stands at this moment:
** when the Court reaches its final decision on the Wheelabrator case that can chop $100 Million or more from our taxable Grand List and lose several years of significant revenues;
** when the Assessor’s office data is reviewed to provide an accurate report on City property ownership including who the 100% taxpayers are and how much subsidy they are providing annually to those who have been favored with a less than 100% deal;
** what the revaluation data that has been scheduled and budgeted at least twice in the last four years and also mostly paid for in two of those years will show in terms of fairness across the city, a matter of simple justice.
And then it would be good to know ALL City Boards, Commissions and Committees are listed on the City site along with meeting places, dates, and times with the public encouraged to attend and provision for comment where there has been none before. The mission of each group along with minutes should be posted as well. And training or continuing education should be a part of good function and evaluation of citizen activity in some way will reward competence so sorely required in public service. Can we improve from where we are today? Time will tell.
The guy who at the end of his day, stood up and did what needed to be done when it needed to be done.
Normally mayors are never really remembered outside the city bubble. As long as City Hall and the Lewis Latimer stands in front of city hall Bill will forever have a place in Bridgeport history. Bill only lost to Joe by 405 votes, that was almost like Maria’s for the BOE. If Joe can make a comeback from what he did, I’m sure Bill can win his reelection bid in four years if Joe is unable to live up to his promises. The Police will definitely get what they want. If the State, Feds, and investors shun Joe. If he has to raise taxes. All Bill will have to do is I told you so. His comeback would not be has hard as Joe’s. While there will be same new job shuffling. We all know i’ts all about the funding, and from what I see the 40 million dollars for the airport is on the shelf. Bridgeport is a city here forever placing any investments or developments for years even decades is not unheard of.
Robert, the black community loathed Bill Finch and dare I say would vote for Ricky Torres rather than Bill. Hell, they would vote for just about anyone besides Bill, anyone!
Then how did he get elected twice and barely lose the primary? If Joe gets shunned by those in charge of funding projects and can’t keep his promises, Bill’s bid for reelection wouldn’t be hard. Really, a Republican? These are just facts. If Joe can’t get support by those who are in charge of funding projects, his reelection bid is over. If not Bill then Chris Caruso, but no way Ricky Torres. Didn’t lose his council seat? I think his political career is done. It all comes down to if Joe can mend the fences and I don’t think going to Home Depot is going to cut it this time. I’m sure during his first term as mayor he burnt a few bridges. While us voters have short memories, those who are running the show don’t. Can you elaborate why the black community loathes Finch?. What has he done or didn’t do for them? Help me understand.
Robert, Caruso lost to Finch by 270 votes and Finch defeated MJF because voters didn’t know her.
OK, but my point is if Gamin is shunned by the State, Washington and investors and can’t keep his promises he is going to have a very hard time being reelected. Whoever runs against him just has to say it was because of his criminal past while he was mayor. He has four years. We’re going to have another election. Let’s say Caruso since Bill is so disliked, but it could be anyone. But let’s say Caruso all he needs to do with whomever supports him, start campaigning (plotting) now to stop investment. I read Mario and Joe started their campaign against Finch a few year out. He reelection is about what he can accomplish in his next three years. That’s all I’m saying. I’m still reading crazy stories.
http://www.salon.com/2015/11/06/an_urban_island_of_batsht_crazy_welcome_to_the_capital_of_crazy_corruption_a_connecticut_city_which_re_elects_its_felon_mayors/
Robert, with Ganim’s overwhelming win makes Bridgeport and Ganim major players for the election for governor because of the large voter turnout the Democrats statewide need Bridgeport in order to win statewide election.
Yes, and the GOP knows this as well. Dan is weak, Bridgeport shunned him and all the other official who endorsed Finch. Bridgeport embarrassed the entire Democratic party. There’s a saying in politics, if you want a friend, get a dog. Dan has serious problems. Businesses are leaving CT. It’s going to be an uphill battle. Investors lean for GOP. Dems lean for social programs. Investors can halt investment in Bridgeport just to make Dan even weaker. This is politics, I’m sure the GOP would love to regain the Governor’s seat.
Robert, Finch completely ignored the black community during his seven years as Mayor. For the first time in almost 50 years no blacks were hired for the police department and for the first time in almost 40 years no blacks were hired for the fire department. There were fewer black department heads in his administration than any other in the last 30 years.
He didn’t respect those black low-level city hall employees and dared them to say anything about it for fear of losing their jobs. He went out of his way to show an impartiality to white suburban males, to the detriment of Bridgeport blacks. The only thing he did in the black communities is put in a water park and a basketball court on the East side. Bridgeport blacks had their fill of Bill Finch and his lying ass.
Yes, Bridgeport always had a issue with race in the police force and probably most departments. From what I read I believe the Federal government had oversight of the police department. I believe through the ’80s, ’90s, and early 2000s but I could be wrong. When looking solely at race you’re missing the point. What does that really have to do with policing? Let’s take the incident in Beardsley Park. It was a black, white, and Spanish cop beating a suspect. Race shouldn’t be a factor in policing. Sure, the force should reflect the community in which it serves.
I’m not knocking the police. It’s a job I wouldn’t want. It’s mostly negative. The shit they have to deal with day in and day out, it will get to you. When you have to deal with violent criminals you have to reacted violently. Anyone who says becoming a cop doesn’t change them is lying, and if anyone says living in poverty doesn’t changes them is also lying. Like painting a room, no person has ever painted a room without getting paint on themselves. It the character and the training that will determine how much paint gets all over the place. You hire a painter with two paint rollers in each hand or a cop with guns blazing in each hand, there’s going to be a mess. Of course a painter is not fearing for their life, but you get my point. To be honest I can get my ass kicked by white cops just as quick as a black or Spanish cop. Because when you get the shit kicked out of you by the cop, race ain’t a factor on your mind. I’m interested in seeing how fast Bridgeport Police Department get their body cameras. Finch could have gotten these done, but didn’t, the funding there. I want to see how long Ganim takes to get the body cameras for the department.
Robert,
Mr. Mackey and Mr. Day are right to point out Bill Finch did not hire African Americans to the police and fire departments. Bill Finch and Joseph Gaudett are a couple of old-school bigots, peckerwoods who hired shiny happy white folk because “those people” don’t know how to pay their taxes. Finch’s greatest accomplishment in public education reform was the construction of a water slide to prevent urban youth from opening fire hydrants on hot summer days. Wow, that will really prepare the city’s school children for the world of tomorrow. Here it is, 2015, and a cracker was in charge of Bridgeport City Hall for eight years, a cracker who didn’t make an effort to hide his contempt for minorities. Now he’s out and it is his own fault.
Mary-Jane Foster thought Finch, Stafstrom, et al., could secure a win. Finch Factor No. 5 left her smelling like something other than a rose.
Rick Torres ran an admirable campaign, a grassroots effort that energized people. His campaign’s greatest shortcoming was a lack of money. Torres is a man of great integrity, high intelligence and practical conservatism. Mayor-elect Ganim would do well to incorporate at least a few of Rick’s proposals; the people of the city of Bridgeport deserve much better than they have been getting for the past twelve years.
To his credit, Mr. Ganim appears to be humbled by the second chance he has been given by the voters. It is a second chance, not a mandate. Violent crime is his number-one priority. Lowering taxes is a close second. The reval should factor in distressed and foreclosed properties. The city payroll should be trimmed of all the fat.
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