Governor Dannel Malloy visited the city today (Monday) for a Bridgeport Regional Business Council noon event at the Bridgeport Holiday Inn, one in a series of discussions the business community will host for Connecticut government leadership. The topic: Malloy’s budget proposal and his vision for job growth. Ken Dixon of CT Post reports. www.ctpost.com/news/article/Malloy-pledges-commitment-to-job-creation-1046174.php
The governor has been moving around the state to sell his spending plan and let residents vent about his proposed combination of tax increases and budget cuts, now in the hands of the Connecticut Legislature. Bridgeport bean counters took a deep breath, after fearing the worst, when Malloy announced his budget cuts would not include the state’s cost-sharing formula that supports local education funding. Phew! If the governor had cut that and the legislature went along with it, the repercussions would have been felt in the city budget.
Mayor Bill Finch is about one month away from submitting his budget to the City Council. The mayor’s budget architects Tom Sherwood, chief of the budget office and Andy Nunn, the city’s chief administrative officer, know the mayor’s mantra: no tax increase in an election year. Sherwood is like the man behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz, except this is one bean counter that cannot be ignored. He’s an expert at budget manipulation knowing all the tricks to respond to a mayor who wants to hold the line on taxes.
Sherwood’s forest of budget knowledge could be the difference between another four years for Finch, or not. Hold the line on taxes and the mayor’s large campaign war chest can hammer home that message to voters.
I can just imagine those conversations between the mayor and Sherwood.
“We’re not raising taxes,” mayor declares.
“Okay, but ya know that depends on a number of factors,” Sherwood responds.
“What factors? We’re not raising taxes.”
“Okay, we might have to sell city hall.”
“So sell the damn thing.”
“Maybe the annex as well.”
“So sell that too.”
“Well that money should really beef up the fund balance.”
“Ya want to build up the fund balance to make Wall Street happy, fine. How about making me happy? Don’t raise taxes.”
“Okay, but that means the budget may be contingent upon more employee concessions.”
“Contingent? The only contingency we have is to not raise taxes.”
Weeeeeeeee!
You should take and pass a test to vote in our city; that said: We ain’t that dumb to vote him in again.
Gomes 2011
Tom Hagen // Mar 6, 2011 at 7:49 pm
to your posting
Tom
SHERWOOD is going to try another master act of deception with the budget.
Not one word will be true. The budget hearings are not going to uncover anything to help the Bridgeport taxpayer.
Sherwood could resign and save the city his salary. That would help Maid Mayorion trim the budget. Yep, sure would.
Many of us believe the two biggest obstacles to the reemergence to prosperity of our fair city is El Squid and Timpanelli.
We are concerned with Foster’s relationship with Timpanelli. If she is elected will she be nothing more than a prettier face perpetuating the same ole same ole?
What thinketh y’all?
Foster has no close relationship with Paul Timpanelli. They are cordial to one another but not close.
What is her relationship with Mario and the DTC?
Perhaps MJF and Timpanelli do not have a close personal relationship, but they do have like minds.
There is no question if MJF were elected mayor, Timpanelli and all the rest of the leeches who suck the life out of Bridgeport will continue to do so. Maybe even be empowered.
That’s becoming abundantly clear. She claims complete change is necessary yet she endorses Timpanelli. Unless she publicly states she intends to dismantle El Squid, the calamarian control and the immediate dissolution of the so-called Bridgeport Regional Business Council, we need to find a better candidate.
Gomes has to make the same statement as well.
Valkyrie I also invite you to the meet and greet with Mary-Jane on the 24th at Vazzy’s. It starts at 6PM. Hope to see you there.
Not a chance.
yahooy: First off you are missing the key word in Bridgeport Regional Business Council, it is made up of 5 to 7 surrounding towns and the key word is REGIONAL. So Mary-Jane can’t just disband it.
You make everything sound so easy, snap your fingers and it’s done. Baloney. The only ones who can change the town chairman is the town committee. Did we do better as a city when Stafstrom was the town chair? I would venture to say the answer is no.
I will tell you what, I am sponsoring a meet the candidate on March 24th at Vazzy’s at 6 PM. I respectfully invite you to this meet and greet and encourage you to ask Mary-Jane any question or questions you wish answered. That way you will get a direct answer to your concerns. Hope to see you there.
As much as I think it is “Time to Say Goodbye” to Paul Timpanelli, I think it is even more critical to say so long to Bill Finch.
One of the biggest problems with the city and its incestuous business community is you have a bunch of “Ball-less Wonders” who are in lockstep with whomever is mayor. It’s called the power of the incumbency. Timpanelli and his 2 Live Dead Crew of a Business Council applauded Joe Ganim after he had been indicted in 2001. Business leaders have continued to financially support the incumbent. Foster and McGregor admit they supported Ganim before becoming aware of his corrupt practices. They supported the two past mayors, perhaps out of the belief they and the city could be better served by Fabrizi and Finch. I think overall and especially in light of Mayor Finch’s performance, they have been deceived. John Gomes and many of his backers have also been “hoodwinked” by Finch.
Specifically to the matter of the Business Council. The BRBC spends too much time on governmental studies and stuff and not enough time in trying to bring business and retain business. Certainly you can’t dismiss we are going through challenging economic times. After almost twenty years at the helm, it’s time for Paul to go. NO dynamic organization has a leader in for twenty years. To indirectly quote Bill Finch and JFK, it’s time to pass the torch to a new generation of business leaders. Paul like Bill is a policy wonk. The business community seems to be too ready to write campaign checks to support the status quo. Lowell Weicker once said ‘Status Quo Sucks!’ and it does especially in Bridgeport’s case. FYI–Many business leaders are afraid to financially support a candidate because they are afraid of retribution by the Broad Street Bullies (literary license stolen from Grimaldi). Pretty sad statement, isn’t it?
The bottom line is with a strong mayoral form of government the mayor must set the tone for economic development leadership. Clearly the Finch administration and Mr. Neversley are tone deaf.
Can you hear me now?
Up On Bridgeport // Mar 7, 2011 at 10:44 am
To your posting
Up on …
You say
“John Gomes and many of his backers have also been ‘hoodwinked’ by Finch.”
You go on to say that “… in light of Mayor Finch’s performance that they [Foster and McGregor] have been deceived.”
And yet you do not go on to say this Mayor has been the most deceptive, and probably has been the most abusively behaving Mayor this City have ever had.
Deceiving Foster/McGregor was part and parcel of his operating behavior that goes back for decades. Bill Finch probably can’t even remember his first deception … it goes that far back …
And I would rush to assure you John M. Gomes and his many backers have been more than “hoodwinked.” They have been vilified, they have been lied about, they have been verbally harassed by the City’s CAO, and the abuses continued after John left office.
So Up on …
If there first comes the right Mayor, then we can talk about Paul Timpanelli.
I know one person who would be the right choice for Mayor and is ready DAY ONE to set the tone for economic development leadership …
Time to walk the walk Up On … Help somebody as well as you post …
Full disclosure is I support MJF and have never heard her endorse Paul Timpanelli. This question would be better served to the Bored of Directors of the BRBC. Paul is supposed to work for them.
OK, TC. You’re right. The “Regional” council encompasses more than one community. BUT it is still run by Timpanelli and Timpanelli has done bupkis to advance real commerce in this city. His ties to El Squid are shameful. We need a dynamic regional business council like all other successful communities. Leaving him in charge is nothing more than a political maneuver MJF is completely willing to do. Give me a candidate who will attack the DTC, destroy Finch and reorganize the GBRBC and you get my vote and my check. AND … don’t ever tell me again MJF does not support Timpanelli. You know-it-alls are right all the time.
The problem with the BRBC is its belief that in order for the “region” to be successful, Bridgeport must suffer. If Mr. Timpanelli’s job is to assure the businesses that would normally come here go to the abutting towns, then he’s been a success.
Responding to your post:
Hector A. Diaz // Mar 7, 2011 at 5:15 pm
Exactly!
Gossip of The Rialto!
yahooy proclaims “Give me Liberty Rock or I’ll give you a piece of my mind!” Anna was seen slipping out of the Sunnyside Inn last night with yahooy. Politics sure does make strange bedfellows.
Don’t let the bedbugs bite!
It’s about as cerebral as we can expect from you.
Give ’em hell yahooy!
yahooy: In past posts I have referred to Timpanelli as Flush Timpanelli because of his stance on regionalization of the sewer treatment plant. I agree with you 110% he has to go. I don’t understand how he keeps his job as he has done bupkis.
Replacing the town committee rests with the voters. There are too many city employees on the TC as illustrated by my TC in the 138th. We have the following city employees on our TC, Paoletto, Curwen, Santiago, Monks, Powell and as honorary and most influential Mr. & Mrs. Marella. This group marches to Finch’s tune and we non-city employees account for squat. That is why after I work to get rid of Finch I am saying goodbye to the TC.
The right person who gets elected without the TC endorsement will negate the TC and then and only then will some of these yes men and women get off.
The mayor of Bridgeport will need the help of the other member towns’ leaders to change the BRBC.
Just make sure your candidate openly declares her intent to do as you suggest she will. We do not need another 4 years of this bullshit.
So did both Mr. and Mrs. Morella fraudulently change their addresses at the DMV? Did Curwen resign yet? How’s that goin’ for ya?
TC, isn’t Anastasi’s son on your town committee too?
Up On Bridgeport:
You encapsulated that perfectly. This city has been plundered by greedy businessmen & women for at least the past 4 mayoral administrations. Where the hell are businesses going? Out of town and into the suburbs. We are also in agreement on our City Hall. There are more eunuchs in city hall than all Turkish harems throughout history. Finch, DiNardo, Timpanelli & Testa are a blight on this city that must be removed before we can begin to grow. They say it isn’t over until the fat lady sings. Faintly I can hear.
Con te partirò.
Veduto e vissuto con te.
Molto Bene! I think we have a prayer this time.
Calamari can be dangerous to your health.
Here is something our Hartford delegation can look into if they can take time from their lunches and BS sessions.
Interesting article today (yeah I bought the Post). The two Bridgeport-based non-profit hospitals reported a net gain in their profits.
Bridgeport hospital reported their profits tripled this year from $4.7 million in 2009 to $15.8 million in 2010.
St. Vincent’s reported a 50% increase in profits for the same period, they went from a profit of $10.8 million to a profit of $15.6 mill.
Between the 2 hospitals they made a profit in 2010 of $31.4 million yet they have paid ZERO in taxes. Here we in Bridgeport are hanging on by our fingertips and they just keep churning out profits under the guise of the non-profit umbrella. Bullshit.
Open question to all OIB intelligentsia. How would we be able to reverse the status of a non-profit?
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Thanks, Ray.