Who says no one reads our stuff? Megan DeSombre, host of the website Education Bridgeport, weighs in on an OIB topic from a few days ago about pols and elected officials worthy of praise. Megan and former school board member Maria Pereira aren’t the best of buds. From DeSombre:
“Can you name someone Principled, Transparent, Ethical?”
This was a question posed by Only in Bridgeport’s Lennie Grimaldi earlier this week in a blog post dedicated to a comment made by former board member Maria Pereira. Her original comment was a jab at the lack of ethics and transparency in Bridgeport politics.
I find it funny criticism of principles, ethics and transparency would come from Pereira, of all people. Because, you know, plotting to get central office staff demoted and threatening the jobs of people who don’t agree with you is completely ethical.
That aside, what I find most interesting is this: while she’s pointing fingers all over Bridgeport and shamelessly promoting her mentor, former Judge Carmen Lopez, she fails to mention her buddies who now control the Board of Education.
Have they been transparent or ethical?
Hardly. In fact, since they took over, there’s been a decided lack of both qualities.
For one, meeting minutes are missing from the board’s website going all the way back to May 27th. This isn’t just a lacking transparency; it’s a violation of the state law.
According to Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Act, minutes for public meeting must be available for public inspection and posted on the agency’s website no later than seven days after the meeting.
The Board of Education has apparently disregarded this fact completely, as the only meeting minutes available between May and September are from the Sept 8 and August 25 regular board meetings. Essentially, if parents missed summer meetings–which I’m sure many do–at this point, there is no way for them to know what happened.
What makes this worse is the board is well aware of the problem. PAC president Tammy Boyle and others have brought this issue up during meetings.
This isn’t the only thing the board has been less-than-transparent about either.
As readers know, Board Chair Sauda Baraka was responsible for cancelling public forums on the New Harding High School Construction project, only to call the city out for their “lack of transparency.” In other words, she orchestrated the supposed “lack of transparency.”
I wonder if Pereira would call this behavior ethical? I guess anything goes as long as you believe your cause is righteous.
The “cause,” of course, being getting rid of Mayor Bill Finch at all costs.
And let’s not forget it was Baraka who asked the superintendent to remove the School Building Committee meeting minutes from the board’s website, denying parents easy access to this information.
Also don’t forget board member John Bagley refused to support the School Building Committee’s plans to host a website to make construction information accessible to the public.
Now they’re trying to make us all believe the School Building Committee was intentionally shrouded in mystery by the city.
Open, Accountable and Transparent are good values. Perhaps they are more important in governance than “principled, ethical and transparent” or not, but we can discuss philosophy any time.
What the City needs are watchdogs with thick skins, and Megan is one of those, calling it as she sees it and dealing with the backlash. Watchdogs need to bark at real stuff in order to get future attention to their barking. Megan has earned that in my opinion.
It will be interesting to read tomorrow. Meanwhile, keep looking for those minutes of committees that operate with big responsibilities and amounts of money to spend. They need watching and recording. Keep attending those meetings and speaking up when you have something important to say. The public needs to hear real discourse on current events from varied viewpoints. And write with your opinion. As Maria has said at least once in posts earlier this week, she is a truth seeker. That is a big job for each of us. Time will tell.
Well, in the transparency department, one would have to ask why Megan does what she does. She says she is on no one’s payroll. Hard to believe. She is too young to be a gadfly. Is she writing a dissertation on the Bridgeport BOE? Just out there trying to push buttons?
Fascinating to watch.
You could ask the same question about Maria. Maria put a good deal more of her personal time, money and energy into the subject. She did once post she was an executive at Scholastic Books and BPS was in her area of operations. You could say she has/had a business interest in BPS but who knows. She is too old to be a gadfly, although I am not an expert on gadfly age restrictions. Megan is young and idealistic and may be standing for the ideology of education in the same way young people stood for the ideology of civil rights or against the Vietnam War in the ’60s. Maria is (mostly) a lifelong BPT resident and a product of a long past and more successful BPS. The idea someone is paying either to babble in internet forums that mean little to nothing in the grand scheme of things is unlikely. If you’re going to pay someone you would want some kind of real work with measurable results. For all the arguing we do we probably don’t change any minds. The ‘undecided’ would be too disinterested to read this. Those who enjoy the drama could care less about the subject. The decided are either going to post in support or argue against. Anyone who has ‘jumped sides’ feel free to pipe up.
BOE SPY,
Didn’t you, in an earlier post some weeks ago, pronounce yourself an ex-resident and you don’t care anymore? So in effect, we who are left in Bridgeport who care about the public schools can all take a flying leap?
And here you are again?
What? You couldn’t find any new people to annoy in your new town with your baseless drivel?
BTW–your characterization of “Megan” as “young and idealistic …” and comparing here with anti-war protestors of the ’60s and ’70s just goes to show what a poor student of American history you are, even with a history degree from Ramapo.
From Megan’s LinkedIn “Summary”
A tech savvy and resourceful self-starter with wide ranging experience in the political field, seeking to build a career in opposition research and progressive campaigning.”
Source: www .linkedin.com/profile/view?id=175943111&authType=NAME_SEARCH&authToken=XglT
Yes Pete, I’m back. A group of multi-billionaires renewed my contract or I just had an interest in the article Thank you for the welcome. You posted a possible motivation for Megan that is just as valid as the possible motivation I posted. She is doing some grassroots resume building. What does Maria post on her LinkedIn page? I do believe the meeting minutes will show up. I bet it is just a case of people who do not know what they are doing.
PS, your link leads nowhere. Just like your education did.
I do not have a LinkedIn page. I left Scholastic Book Fairs in 2005, well before I became actively involved in issues involving education in Bridgeport in 2009.
If the carpetbagger Megan DeSombre wants to be “idealistic,” she should pack her bags, go back to Brick NJ and do it there. She is being paid and supported by ConnCAN. You don’t roll into Bridgeport in June 2013, set up a blog in July 2013 focused on the BPS, go to a big ConnCAN party and huddle with ConnCAN CEO Jennifer Alexander without connections.
BOE SPY, if you had a LinkedIn account, the link would open to Ms. DeSombre’s profile.
Your attack on my “education” exemplifies your typical nonsense. Thanks for once again proving you don’t know what you’re talking about, or maybe you’ve just not read the articles I wrote or co-authored in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, Journal of Oncology Practice, the James Lind Library, and JAMA Dermatology, among others. I’m much more proud of the volunteer work I’ve done helping school kids in Bridgeport who attend traditional public schools and state-run charter schools who are in the Lighthouse Program. I also put my education to learning how to cultivate more than 50 pounds of fresh produce on a vacant lot with my neighbor, which we quietly delivered to a local food pantry. Thanks, BOE SPY. You’re a real genius.
Great point, Peter.
Great outing, Maria!
Pete, your link works just fine. If BOE SPY is not willing to type in Megan DeSombre, that is his issue, not yours.
BOE SPY, why don’t you share with everyone who is funding me? By the way, Scholastic Book Fairs conducts fairs in every type of school imaginable. That includes private, parochial, public and charter schools. They do not discriminate. I agree Megan DeSombre has in no way achieved “measurable results” or completed any kind of “real work.” I mean her blog has been up and running since July 2013 and she has approximately 235 LIKES. When you deduct the LIKES that represent her friends and family from NJ, non-Bridgeport residents and those who clicked LIKE just to automatically get her new stories, she easily has fewer than 200 Bridgeport residents who actually support her.
The one thing I do know, I must be a real thorn in her employer’s side. She has written four stories about me in the last 15 days. It just gives me a warm feeling all over to know I really irritating ConnCAN, Families for Ex$ellent Shysters, Ex$ell Bridgeport, etc.
Maria, 214 of those “likes” were by accident. A person who shall remain anonymous left their computer system on and a six-year-old child gained access to the server. Somehow, the child was able to log on and found Megan DeSombre’s blog. The child just kept pressing the “like” button.
Is ‘four’ (the stories she wrote about you) more or less than the posts = articles = comments you wrote about her? Who is a thorn in whose side?
I do not think anyone is paying either of you.
My only source on how much personal time, energy and money you spent on any issue is your own posts. You have told Fardy many times how much time you spent supporting different candidates.
My gadfly reference is a continuation on observer’s comment ‘She is too young to be a gadfly.’ Why you would think age has something to do with it is beyond me as well.
BOE SPY, please list all articles I have written about Megan DeSombre. I have never written one article about this ConnCAN-paid carpetbagger.
She has written many more than just four stories about me since July 2013. I just referenced the four stories she has written within the last 15 days.
Really, I have told Fardy “many times” how much time I spent supporting different candidates. Please do list all the postings I have made to Andy regarding this issue to support your completely false claim.
BOE SPY, I didn’t reference age as a factor in the determination of who is or isn’t a gadfly, you did. Take up your issues regarding the age reference with “observer,” not me.
BOE SPY, for someone who tries to portray themselves as knowledgeable on education issues in Bridgeport, you are so ill-informed. How could you possibly know how much money, personal time and energy I put into education issues or any other issues?
For your benefit, here is the definition of a gadfly. Why you would think age has something to do with it is beyond me.
gad·fly
a fly that bites livestock, especially a horsefly, warble fly, or botfly.
•an annoying person, especially one who provokes others into action by criticism
Megan,
I bet the meeting minutes will make it online eventually. In the meantime, why don’t you post the videos you take of all the BOE meetings online as a public service? You aren’t doing what you do for pay, you say, so how much can you mind doing this for the public good? Or is it the videos you take are the property of someone else?
Pete–I don’t have a dog in this fight, but I’m going to play devil’s advocate on this one.
If Moales were still in charge and this were the case with the minutes or any of the other issues she raises, would you be okay with the delay? Just curious.
And I believe some of her videos are on YouTube.
Fair enough, Lifelong.
If you’re implying sides here by your use of “dog in this fight” (charters vs public schools), here’s where I have a side: I’d like to see the public schools be funded according to the MBR. That’s a major issue. We shouldn’t be reallocating BOE funding to charters when the city isn’t meeting its MBR obligations. And shame on Malloy for letting this happen two years in a row!
Missing meeting minutes is an important issue. However, at each meeting I’ve attended there’s a city employee or contractor taking minutes, and there’s, almost always, Megan DeSombre with a video camera. Good for her, it’s a free country.
But for her to pretend as if the BOE is withholding info from the public is just more of her sensationalizing anti-BOE nonsense. Why are the minutes late in posting?
I don’t know the root causes as to why the meeting minutes have not yet been posted. The minutes should be posted ASAP, and I hope what appears to be a systematic delay is resolved over time. I don’t know whether the meeting minutes were always posted in a timely manner when Moales was chair of the BOE, do you?
Pete–
I have no idea when they were posted. Don’t care either. I was just asking you if you would have cared as much when it was Moales. It does not seem to bother you either way; and as you say, they will be posted. Others probably do not feel the same way and if he had not had them posted in a timely manner, they would have made it an issue. Not a big deal. I’m all for fully funding the schools as I think it would add opportunity to expand the Magnet programs, which are successful.
Probably not, the amount of money Pete is talking about is not that much. Something around $10 mil and the State would put in 10 mil or $1K per student. Then you have to start taking away. The services the city ‘traded’ for MBR had some value and the state gave extra, bailout, money throughout the year. If you look at school systems in the state there are plenty that get better results and spend less per student than BPT, like New Haven. There are also some that spend a lot more and get about the same results as BPT, like Hartford.
Since when is $1K multiplied by over 20,000 BPS students equivalent to $10 million dollars? That totals over $20 million. I hope and pray you are not a math teacher.
Yes, Maria. You should consult your reading teacher. I said ‘Something around $10 mil and the State would put in 10 mil or $1K per student.’ The city shorting the BOE caused the state’s matching funds to be reduced.
BOE SPY, nice attempt at a recovery, however the majority of OIB readers are well aware you have a propensity for making completely false and inaccurate statements.
My reading skills are just fine. You wrote “… the State would put in 10 mil or $1K per student.” As a BBOE employee one would hope you have a firm grasp of multiplication and would be fairly familiar with the enrollment of the BPS. Let me see if I can make it easier for you to understand, $1,000 x 20,000 = $20,000,000.
In addition, New Haven spends over $17,000 per pupil while Bridgeport spends $13.5 per pupil. Another gaffe on your part.
The state did not give the BPS “extra, bailout, money throughout this year.” What are you talking about?
Please consider doing yourself a favor, stop posting on education issues related to Bridgeport. You’re more wrong than you are right on a consistent basis.
Even during Moales’ tenure, the minutes took time to be posted. Is this all Megan can come up with?
I have been told based on the various boards and commissions I have served on, the minutes are not minutes until they are approved by that board at a subsequent meeting.
So young be getting worked up over nothing.
When Barbara Bellinger, Jacqueline Kelleher and Kenneth Moales were chair of the BBOE, this issue was repeatedly addressed with each of them.
Tammy Boyle addressed missing minutes during the Regular BBOE meeting held on April 28, 2014, therefore May-September minutes were not discussed. At quick glance, it looks like all the minutes she referenced have been posted.
The By-laws 9000 Series–Policy # 9124 states the following:
“The Superintendent office shall be responsible to the board and will provide support to the board for conducting necessary business.
“This office shall be responsible for keeping accurate records of the proceedings of the board; and for the preservation of reports of committees and communications addressed to the board, reports of the chairperson and reports from the superintendent.”
For the record, the staff member appointed by the both Dr. Ramos and Paul Vallas to maintain the BBOE records and minutes was Lissette Colon. She was moved to Human Resources in early September and a new administrative assistant took her place in early September. Since as long as I have been involved with the BBOE in early 2009, this has been a problem.
As secretary of the BBOE, Hernan Illingworth authorizes all the meeting agendas. He should also be checking regularly to make sure all agendas and minutes are posted on a timely basis.
The stenographer is very responsible, however he is not always timely depending on the number of meetings held. I would be willing to bet the vast majority of these minutes are available for review in the BBOE office, however Lissette Colon did not make sure they were scanned onto the website.
Megan, you are so concerned about the BBOE meeting the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act, do you share the same concerns regarding your precious state charter schools located in Bridgeport?
New Beginnings Charter School–Last meeting posted was April 22, 2014. There are no minutes available for all of 2013/2014, including this date.
Great Oaks Charter School–Most recent meeting agenda posted is September 2, 2014. There are no minutes available. By the way one of the Board of Directors already resigned and Shana Hurley from Ex$ell Bridgeport is identified as “staff.”
Park City Preparatory Charter School–No minutes posted for all 2013/2014. That is right, ZERO. Only six meetings scheduled for all of 2014/2015.
Bridge Academy Charter School–Last set of minutes is from August 2014. The minutes don’t even identify the date of the meeting, which is a requirement of the FOIA. There are links to 2013/2014 minutes, however not a single link worked.
Achievement First Charter Schools–They held two meetings in all of 2013/2014 for the elementary school, the most recent was December 2013. There were also two meetings for the middle school in 2013/2014, the most recent was June 2014. The meetings were held in their office in New Haven. How is that for encouraging parental involvement and transparency?
Please Megan, before you criticize the BBOE, look in the back yard of your funders first.
The bottom line here is: Megan DeSombre spent less than a “Minute” to gather facts for her OIB analysis.
That was pretty good, Joel!
Godiva2011 // Oct 2, 2014 at 11:28 pm
Really, Joel? Peace & Progress Party–very contradictory based on the statement made in your post. Quote: “I hate politics.” “If you burn our tent, we’ll burn yours.” Now that is a well-thought-out and enticing campaign slogan. Joel, that should get you at least six solid votes–counting your own, that is.
Joel Gonzalez // Oct 3, 2014 at 4:47 am
That’s right Godiva2011. Don’t worry too much about me burning the political tents of your friends. They’ve been doing a good job at burning their own tents. You don’t think the voters are happy about the fact for years the Democrats have been burning holes in their pockets and bank accounts? I have my fire extinguisher.
BREAKING NEWS: Rep. Ezequiel Santiago qualifies for CEP Grant. See who contribute to his campaign.
seec.ct.gov/ecrisreporting/Data/Attachment/Unassigned/SEEC30_July_10_Filing_26541.PDF
Let’s play your favorite Ezequiel contribution. Click on the link above and scroll down. See which is your favorite contribution and feel free to state why. I will go first and when you find it examine it. I like contribution #0074 because it shows Ezequiel as an employer has finally created one job.
Always thrilled to see a Curcio donor and one heck of a lot of city employees on the list. Always heart warming.
Joel, I noticed that contribution as well. Did you notice how many donors listed no occupation or employer?
Joel, at first I didn’t understand why you chose to post this link with this story, however reading Ezequiel Santiago’s donor list, it is perfectly clear. Talking about unethical and unprincipled characters, Americo Santiago, Andres Ayala, Lydia Martinez, Andre Baker, Gus Curcio, Julia Kish, Deborah Sims, Danny Roach, Tom McCarthy, etc. Just reading this makes me want to run and take a shower.
If I were ever running for elected office and any of these individuals offered me the maximum contribution allowed, I would reject it.
How about anything below the max?
I wouldn’t accept a dime. That is defined as being “principled,” something the vast majority of Bridgeport politicians or aspiring politicians have no interest in being.
Full disclosure:
seec.ct.gov/ecrisreporting/pdfviewer.aspx/noscan.pdf/SEEC1B_9939_201408040001.PDF
Anyone running for office has an agenda. Once elected they have a reason to have influence on where the money from tax dollars flows. Deals are made for “the greater good” for their agendas to be funded or moved forward. Ethical & Principled would depend on which side of the issue you stand. Transparent, one deal made usually affects other deals being made (who knows how many) so is it the first deal up the chain or the final end deal down the chain part of the transparency test? All or just the final deal? Effective? You betcha. For me, the real question is, is it possible for anyone to be elected and effective if they are ethical, principled and transparent.
JB, I’m positive an elected official must have an understanding of what the people need–ask and look around the district. It’s all about what an elected official wants and the ethics, principles and transparency he or she is willing to give up in return for what he or she gets. All I want is an opportunity to serve the people of the district the way I did in 1995-2001. I am smarter, more committed and better prepared to serve than I was 13 years ago.
Maria, today you have 15 posts of the 41 so far. (You may become a new profit center for OIB. This is my second one on this topic.)
Thank you for your genuine interest, as it has been a busy day at the office. I do sense ‘principled, ethical and transparent’ is a subject of some importance to you. I am going to call it PET by way of acronym, just as I have used OAT for years.
In a previous post you were providing your version of “history” regarding Paul Vallas’ exit from Bridgeport. You suggested he called in many favors to join the Democratic Lt. Governor ticket with incumbent Governor Pat Quinn. Further you said his brother, a high-level employee in the Quinn administration, secured him the position. (Point of fact Paul Vallas has two brothers, one who lives and works in Florida, not likely an Illinois employee at any level, and another in Illinois who operates a private business.)
Maria, will you source your account as a part of PET? It had nothing to do with anything Bridgeport but rather more like a personal attack on a man who tried to improve the educational opportunities for youth. And who established a fiscal accountability system all can openly see. That is a major accomplishment in this City. You may disagree but once he is well out the door, what part of your heart, mind and spirit are enlivened or satisfied by spewing venom on him?
My understanding is Quinn and Vallas have known and respected each other for 30 years. The financial and business acumen demonstrated previously by Vallas in Illinois and the respect many voters in Chicago still feel for him today paved the way for the invitation to join the ticket.
For a writer who is so concerned about pursuit of truth and accuracy, I am sure you will have no problem in backing your statement or correcting the record. Show me your evidence of a brother who is a highly placed employee please? Your story falls apart without that fact it seems.
And while you are at it perhaps you can comment on Bridgeport school closings, please? At the time Vallas came to Bridgeport, stories were flying about $12-18 Million deficits and the closing of multiple schools. During his time here, I believe the record will show new schools were opened and none were closed.
But in June 2014, Pride Academy was closed and staff were moved out or along depending even while students were being accepted. Was there a BOE vote on that issue? Or did it come from meetings behind the scenes that were somehow not covered in minutes? Is that possible or did I somehow miss the official story? Time will tell.
JML, how is Vallas doing in the Chicago election? I haven’t visited the Chicago Tribune or Sun in a while. Just wondering, any polls?
I am following subject matter of concern to City residents. What Paul Vallas is doing today is not of interest until he wins. Then his understanding and comments about structural financial reform required in Illinois (and CT for that matter) may have some bearing. I am not a sports fan of political polls and can wait for election day everywhere. Time will tell.
Here is another comment. Please add it to your daily tally.
There was NEVER a $12-$18 million dollar deficit. In fact, during the process for Vallas’ own evaluation he quoted $9 million and that figure is not accurate either.
When the illegal takeover occurred in July 2011, the BBOE had not voted to close a single school. If there was a BBOE vote to close schools that would be a reflection on the illegal BBOE and Vallas. Vallas had nothing to do with the Fairchild Wheeler Inter-District School opening, that was in the planning stages as early as 2004, and Vallas arrived in late December 2011.
Against the advice of high-level employees in the BBOE administration and facilities, Vallas decided to open Bridgeport Military Academy. Vallas delegated this project to Kathleen Flynn who had been advocating for a First Responders High School for years. There was no new building or “new school.” After all, it was temporarily placed on the Fairchild Wheeler Campus. He was advised not to open BMA because there was no permanent location and having it eventually housed in the UB swing space was going to create issues with student placement as either current schools are renovated or new schools are built. Students need to be able to transition into a temporary space when that occurs. In fact, there were major issues with BMA last year and when Fairchild Wheeler expanded to the 11th grade this year, BMA had to be relocated.
Before you ask me whether the BBOE voted to close Pride Academy, why don’t you show me where the illegal BBOE voted to approve the opening of Bridgeport Military Academy and Pride Academy in the first place?
Once again, against the advice of top-level administrators, Vallas threw the Pride Academy together in just a few months. The administration tried to tell him a full year of planning was needed to successfully launch an alternative school, however Vallas knew best and would not listen. Fewer than 100 students were enrolled in Pride Academy and the attendance was so poor, on average less than 40 students were present on any given day. The cost of this debacle was $1 million dollars in 2013/2014. And by pure coincidence, one of Kenneth Moales’ parishioners was named the principal.
In addition, because Pride Academy was so poorly thought out, students from rival gangs were housed together in this school. In fact, there was a riot in Pride Academy last year.
I don’t know what you “miss,” I just know it seems you “miss” quite a bit.
Please don’t forget to add this comment to my tally, as well.
In regards to Vallas’ brother, I believe it is safe to say I read about his political clout in an article from a paper or media source in Chicago or Illinois. For the life of me, I cannot remember his brother’s name.
I do remember he is wealthy and has actually been heavily involved in a variety of campaigns at a very high level.
I have spent over an hour searching and am too tired to search any further.
I just re-read my comments on this story and I did not make any negative or derogatory comments about Paul Vallas, although there are plenty that can be made.
Of course, please add this to my tally, too.
By the way, Vallas did NOTHING to “improve educational opportunities for youth.” He hurt the children who needed the most help and services, including children with special needs. Vallas never saw “children.” All he ever saw or recognized were numbers and spreadsheets, not human beings.
Keep talking, Maria. It continues to provide more for people to consider than the stories you are “truthfully” reporting.
All of us read stories in blogs and newspapers and it builds a structure or concept for attaching “facts” in real time. Go back to the CT Post in 2011 and see what was being reported and you will see numbers like $12-18 Million and potential school closings. You want to change that now as a Monday-morning quarterback? By the way, where were the Finance Committee meetings and the full, open, accountable and transparent fiscal reports posted so a voter/taxpayer could see the reality at the time? Not your fault but when info is unavailable or sketchy lots of stories surface and are believed.
Reformers and status-quo folks are often at odds about the necessary pace of activities. And status quo and stuck in the mud of decreased results are often synonymous. I met youth at Pride and at BMA and understand the enthusiasm some had. Change brings problems but so does the emotional terrorizing done by folks who claim only they are correct.
It is interesting to me that Megan DeSombre, however she supports herself and funds her room and board, in her reports gets under your skin. After all she has been in the community only a short time as you report. And her own reporting has raised a number of questions about our schools that you do not raise. I am happy both of you are reporting. It may seem unhealthy on first blush, but that is what “checks and balance” behavior looks like in real life. Of course she hasn’t asked you how you support yourself in order to have the free time to volunteer and provide funding and services to the community. Of course, that is your business. As for me, you know I am at the office where I have earned my daily bread for 50 years now. Questions? And answers? Time will tell.
What is my current count?
I can’t keep talking because I was not talking in the first place, I was writing.
In regards to your comment I am a “Monday-morning quarterback,” I suggest you look in the mirror. However you are more likely a Monday-morning croquet captain.
Unlike you, I was involved in the analysis, discussion and vote regarding the 2011/2012 budget proposed by Dr. Ramos. I spent many hours reviewing that budget line by line and comparing it to the 2010/2011 budget for significant variances and requested explanations for those variances. I voted to reject the 2011/2012 budget that was submitted to the city council.
Well let’s see, who would have given inflated deficit numbers to the media? Well, who was involved in the six months of back-room dealings and secret planning of the BBOE takeover? That would be Mayor Finch, Adam Wood, Dr. Ramos, Ben Barnes, Allen Taylor, Commissioner Coleman, etc., and they did everything in their power to portray the BBOE as “dysfunctional.” Dr. Ramos asked us not to pass a final budget because he wanted to take a stand with the state and most BBOE members voted to support his request and then the postponement in approving a final budget became a talking point in the media to serve as an example of our being “dysfunctional” and “incompetent.” That was part of the well-orchestrated plan all along.
You are so wrong about Megan DeSombre. I thoroughly enjoy when she writes articles about me. In my opinion, her blog offers significant entertainment value. Every time she writes about me she lets me know I am being effective. If I weren’t effective, she wouldn’t bother writing story after story about me.
I have to go now. I have to focus on who I will select for “emotional terrorizing” this upcoming week.
That is a credible statement it seems to me, based on recent “ranting writings.” But time will tell.
Several times in the past I posted comments with a twist of negative tones aimed at Maria Pereira–just like I’ve done to others–in order to draw them here and have them engage in a dialog. I don’t regret doing that to Maria nor will I apologize. I and I’m sure others are learning from her input. Maria, can you find and click and paste any and all of them? I remember one day I was pulling into my parking space at work on Lyon Terrace and Maria Pereira was passing by and she spotted me, she stopped and reversed just to correct me on my comment. Remember that one, Maria? I knew it was working and I’m glad it worked.