Strap in for a hot summer of Democratic primaries in city politics. City Council President Tom McCarthy has filed paperwork with the State Elections Enforcement Commission to challenge incumbent freshman Marilyn Moore in Connecticut’s 22nd State Senate District covering about one third of Bridgeport, all of Trumbull and a piece of Monroe.
The candidates will spend the next couple of weeks schmoozing delegates to the state party endorsement convention that will take place in May, followed by an August primary. It looks like McCarthy is well positioned for the endorsement, depending how suburban delegates break. McCarthy is close to Bridgeport Democratic Town Chair Mario Testa. Maria Heller, with whom McCarthy worked in city government for years, is his campaign treasurer. She is also treasurer of the Bridgeport DTC. McCarthy’s political relationships will come in handy as he raises money to qualify for Connecticut’s Citizens Election Program of publicly funded races that will avail about $100K to spend.
Either way, an August primary is on the horizon. The challenger will need support from 15 percent of the delegates to wage a primary. In lieu of that a challenger can petition on to the ballot via signatures.
Two years ago, railing against the political establishment, Moore upset three-term incumbent Anthony Musto in a primary, running up large pluralities in Bridgeport to offset Musto’s suburban base. She’s the only African American woman in Connecticut’s State Senate. This is shaping up as a competitive race neither side can afford to take for granted. McCarthy is a strong campaigner with a North End base he has represented on the City Council for 15 years. As council president his constituent reach is also beyond his home district.
Moore has built up her name recognition in the suburbs taking advantage of the franking-privilege mailers accorded power of incumbency while addressing issues involving senior citizens, veterans and education that play well in Trumbull and Monroe. In Bridgeport, she will tout school construction projects in the district, voting to cut car taxes and fighting for living wage increases. The Bridgeport piece of the district includes the North End, West Side and Black Rock.
Still, primaries are all about identifying your friends and dragging them to the polls. Although Moore is now the incumbent, she’s very much in the same position as two years ago taking on the political establishment.
Meanwhile Moore ally State Senator Ed Gomes, who represents the other side of Bridgeport, faces a primary from school board chairman Dennis Bradley.
Jobs are a sore subject in the Park City often. There do not seem to be enough of them. Many of those that are out there are not necessarily those people are prepared to attempt. And then there is always the question of whether the compensation (including benefits) will provide a living wage.
Some folks have looked at the State legislative positions as a job, rather than an intense time commitment for many months each year, around which you work the hours of your regular vocation. But does Tom McCarthy have a new vocational track at this time? Perhaps the severance was enough to provide a bridge.
One question I have raised on several occasions is what Tom McCarthy believes about the necessity of “system provided assistance to legislators.” You see Tom put a red line through two Legislative assistant positions in the 2012 budget year. Only one was filled so he took credit for this “economy” move for the taxpayers. However, he also provided room in that same budget for a Legislative Assistant in the City Clerk office simultaneously. Credit for being economical, which proves to be in error. No discredit in four years of CC since who have had to depend on prayer alone for genuine Council oriented information equal to their needs.
What will Tom tell his constituents about need for legislative support or will he pledge to do all of his own homework to cut employee levels at the State? Meanwhile the terminated employee has been without full-time work, never got severance or an explanation from Tom as executioner and it all came from him asking about legislative stipend accounts over which the former legislative assistant had signing authority for Council persons, but no right to see whether the $9,000 maximum had been exceeded. Truly an unjust and non-productive termination from the Council viewpoint as new Council members arrive every year with less and less experience or strength in offering a check and balance on City executive action. How will McCarthy frame this issue in his campaign literature? Will he ignore it because it fails to put a smile on his face? Time will tell.
Poster boy for the conflict of interest against a good gov’t senator, let alone the only African American female senator in our state.
Good luck hiding all the baggage, Big Mac.
No-one else is interested in this seat? Jack Hennessy? Chris Caruso? Steven Stafstrom, et al.? No other Democrat has bigger ideas for themselves and Bridgeport besides the two declared candidates, in a district encompassing two towns?
So Jeff, what is your point?
Since you seem to be looking for challengers to Senator Moore, do you think she is doing a bad job? Or is this more of the Ganim/Testa mindset of if you didn’t support me you do not deserve to hold an elected position.
Sorry, the D22 Convention to endorse a candidate for the Democratic nomination is not in May. It is tomorrow night, April 19th.
Both Moore and McCarthy will address the Trumbull Democratic Town Committee tonight.
They do not have ‘weeks’ to shmooze delegates to the Convention. They have 26 hours.
Not according to the CT Secretary of the State election calendar.
www .sots.ct.gov/sots/lib/sots/electionservices/calendars/2016_election/2016_election_calendar.pdf
Endorsement for state senate in May.
WHAT!!!
Those bastards are playing games again and it looks like Lennie is also involved.
Lennie is correct.
Bob: I’m looking for someone I can trust to represent Bridgeport’s interests, not someone who is in the position as a stepping stone to higher office and who will give away the store to the suburbs in return for suburban votes. As far as Senator Moore goes, she is all over Trumbull/the ‘burbs, gung-ho about regionalizing our infrastructure for their benefit, apparently clueless about the whole history of the loss of our downtown retail sector to Trumbull after their connection to our infrastructure in the ’60s. (When did Senator Moore arrive on the scene in Bridgeport? It doesn’t really matter, a state senator should still know the detailed history of their district.) With Senator Moore’s stated agenda for the 22nd, I have no reason to want to see Senator Moore reelected given her big plans for Trumbull and Monroe and apparent cluelessness about an appropriate plan for Bridgeport. We have to be able to do better than the two Democratic candidates who have announced for that seat.
And to all Bridgeporters who read this blog; I would admonish them to not vote for any candidate who talks about regionalizing Bridgeport’s infrastructure, there is no way Bridgeport can do anything but lose from such an arrangement. Any politician who says otherwise is either lying and looking to gain personally from the deal (financially and/or politically), or they are just plain stupid.
Jeff Kohut, so you’re not aware Ms. Moore worked as Ed Gomes’ aide in the Conn. State Senate and knows all of the process in getting bills written and passed, she has the background, experience and knowledge to be a excellent state senator and how to work with others to get them to support Bridgeport’s needs. Jeff, what has McCarthy done besides looking out for McCarthy and being a puppet for Mario Testa? You make the choice, Jeff.
Jeff,
You have become so narrow-minded and single-focused, you are promoting an unworkable solution to Bridgeport’s problems.
You seem to be saying ‘Everyone is out to get Bridgeport.’ ‘Do not trust anyone else.’ ‘Bridgeport will solve its own problems without the help of any outside resources because we do not trust outside resources.”
All you will guarantee is Bridgeport’s downward spiral will accelerate under your scenario.
And to suggest Steve Stafstrom is the answer is beyond believable.
Steve wrote O&G to offer his help in facilitating a meeting with the community to assist in relocating their pollution-creating construction recycling facility to a more densely populated section of the city.
And I am not speaking ill of Steve. I am pointing out his solution to a problem I disagree with but apparently you have no problem with.
A vote for McCarthy is a vote for Mario to control even more than he does now. No, thank you. We have all witnessed how easily McCarthy is influenced during the Finch years. McCarthy was covering up backroom deals, voting however Finch told him to, giving away OUR tax dollars to charities of his choice, etc. Bottom line, McCarthy is out for himself, not anyone else. And that’s the truth.
Lennie, et al.,
Last night there were two speakers in the public address section of the City Council meeting. I was the lead-off and used slightly more than the five minutes provided along with the red boots to indicate budget info and budget reporting are not in good order for the Council or taxpayers.
George Cruz followed me to call attention to the opioid and opiate drug crisis we face in the City. He admitted his 35-year slavery to drugs and how destructive of people, young and old, they are. Several times in his talk, he referred to the “ruling body” in Bridgeport, the DTC!! He asked them to do something about the scourge. Curiously enough Mario Testa was seated in the back row of Council Chambers viewing the proceeding.
Will Bridgeport become a new territory for The Invisible Kingdom? A DTC member from the 132nd District was among the few folks who were present, but did not speak to the Council last Wednesday evening. Is the Charter-authorized City Council becoming so obviously not up to the task of acting as a genuine “check and balance” on City powers, the DTC becomes the genuine rather than “shadow government?” Time will tell.
John Marshall Lee, you are confusing me with a number of things you are talking about. The “ruling body” in Bridgeport, the DTC, and is the Charter-authorized City Council becoming so obviously not up to the task of acting as a genuine “check and balance” on City powers, the DTC becomes the genuine rather than “shadow government?” The DTC has no power but to vote on whom the Democratic candidates are and elected DTC officers. Drugs are a medical issue and a police issue. If laws are being broken then it should brought to everybody’s attention, from the mayor, the church, the city council, the police because it’s a community problem. But problems arise when someone calls the police about drugs being sold near someones home or business, people get scared.
Ron,
Two speakers last night. Yours truly and another citizen with a substance abuse history and a warning to the City. However, he called on the DTC three or more times to take charge.
Last Wednesday night at the first Public Capital Budget hearing. One speaker, yours truly for the public but introduced myself to one of very few people in audience. A DTC rep from the 132nd.
And then Mario, DTC Chair, is in the audience at least twice in the past 30 days.
Does that connect the dots with my suggestion perhaps the real power vacuum is being filled elsewhere in the City and checks and balance mechanisms are not at work in the City at this time?
Now if you were attending these sessions and speaking up it would all be clear to you. You might suggest other connections as well but your voice is important and is not heard. Perhaps Lennie might pose a VOTING questions as to who really makes decisions for the Bridgeport public:
EACH CITY COUNCIL MEMBER
DTC MEMBERS PROVIDING ANSWERS TO CC MEMBERS
OTHER
Time will tell.
JML, it connects nothing for me if you are talking about the DTC having anything to do with substance abuse. Now maybe they should, but I don’t know how or why they should because the DTC has no authority. Now maybe you could enlighten me. When I was on the DTC I had residents asking me about a lot of things they wanted the City to do and I would give them the mayor’s phone number and the City Council members’ phone numbers.
Ron,
We have “informal authority” rather than informed empowered authority and responsibility operating in this City. If George Cruz mentioned the DTC multiple times in his talk to the CC on substance abuse in the City, it is because he sees the power in that body.
Mr. Cruz was stating one person’s opinion, right. He still has that right. What you are saying is you operated differently and knew the limits of your responsibility and rights as an elected DTC member.
In Bridgeport, back in the day, lots of things traveled differently from today. Private sector jobs were more plentiful. City jobs were available because there was a “city fund balance” of $55 Million after the Financial Review Board. This was a comfort zone. But the last eight years brought tens of millions more dollars needed for Public Safety pensions presented by the last administration but never with disclosure on what the costs would do to the budget. No one likes taxes or is in favor of them, but lots of parents were out last night to discredit a process that will not account for normal personnel contractual cost increases but rather flatlined the BOE. That forces $15 Million of cuts on the shoulders of 22,000 youth who live in the City. Fair? Just? Where is the Mayor on this?
A vote for McCarthy is a vote for a selfish, self-serving, greedy politician who is always looking for more. Joe Ganim told him enough was enough.
After making over $1,000,000 off the city of Bridgeport and in salary, stipends, benefits and perks and serving as a council member, Council President, DTC member, DTC District Leader, member of both the Airport Commission and City Hall Committee, Joe Ganim said enough.
And what was McCarthy’s response? Not yet, I need more. Pay me severance. Give me more medical. And after all that he believes he is owed even MORE. Now he wants to be State Senator while not resigning from the council and not the Council President.
Joe Ganim said it and now the voters must. Enough already, enough is enough.
I don’t remember budget hearings attracting only two people. I think the public realizes the CC doesn’t have a clue to understanding the budget let alone making changes that would reduce spending with a veto-proof majority. Poor Mario, he’s just trying to get some face time with council members so maybe they’ll remember when he was relevant.
Ron: Take note. I am not supporting Tom McCarthy for that position. I watched him bend over backwards to accommodate Sacred Heart U at a meeting concerning student-caused problems in the North End several years ago. He couldn’t give away enough access to 90-acres (Veteran’s Memorial) Park or other city assets to Sacred Heart, while not demanding anything from Sacred Heart by way of curbing unruly students and the student housing blight destroying the North End. He never once mentioned compensation for any of Sacred Heart’s impact/stress on our budget and quality of life. He kissed their ass so hard, it drew blood!
No I don’t want either of those vote-hunting appeasers vying for the 22nd Senate seat to get into that seat. I want to see an alternative, Bridgeport-centric candidate get in.
I can think of many politically-active people I worked with in the NECC, the Revitalization-zone effort, and other movements in the city–22nd residents–who are focused on Bridgeport, who would fight for Bridgeport interests if elected to that seat, and not give away the store, as will McCarthy and Moore, two professional politicians with their sights focused beyond Bridgeport. (Both of them have lips that are permanently attached to Dan Malloy’s hindquarters.)
No, we need a “new” face in that seat.
Jeff, let’s say I agree with you about both candidates (I don’t agree with your view of Ms. Moore) and there needs to be a new face, well, where are they? It’s obvious those people don’t care enough to throw their hats into the ring. So now let’s deal with what is real, there is a choice and McCarthy has shown us all what he thinks about Bridgeport and our City Charter.
*** LOOK WHO’S BACKING MCCARTHY, THE SAME OLD CAREER POLITICAL HACKS WHO HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE THE BIRTH OF CHRIST; OR JUST BECAUSE THEY’RE IRISH AND SO IS TOM! AS WELL AS THOSE WHO HAVE A POLITICAL HISTORY OF RUBBER STAMPING WITH TOM IN THE PAST. *** DOES TOM BOTHER TO CHECK IF MS. MOORE HAS BEEN DOING A GOOD JOB AND IS A GOOD FIT FOR BPT AND TRUMBULL DURING HER SHORT STAY AS SENATOR, OR IS IT FEED THE POLITICAL EGO TIME AGAIN AFTER BEING LAID OFF BY MAYOR GANIM? MAYBE IF MS. MOORE HAS BEEN DOING A BAD JOB AND IT’S TIME FOR SOMEONE NEW WHO CAN GET THINGS DONE IN A BETTER WAY, I WOULD CONSIDER TOM FOR THE SENATE SEAT; BUT THAT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE THE PROBLEM AT HAND FROM WHAT I’VE SEEN, READ OR HEARD, NO? *** COMMENTS, ANYONE? ***