Four weeks from today (November 8th) is general election day in the state’s largest city. Are you paying attention to what the candidates are saying? Or are you catching Z’s in anticipation of the 2012 presidential cycle? Things have been relatively quiet in the two weeks after Mayor Bill Finch won his Democratic primary battle over Mary-Jane Foster. And that’s just the way the mayor wants it, a nice, peaceful easy feeling.
The mayor will continue to leverage the power of incumbency and his mighty registration advantage as Republican Rick Torres and independent petitioning candidate Jeff Kohut try to shake up a lethargic electorate. Lotsa luck. In 2007 the general election percentage turnout was actually lower than the Democratic primary count between Finch and Chris Caruso. What’s the over/under on that happening again? Will the general election hit 20 percent? It was a few points over that in 2007 when Finch defeated four challengers.
Finch can rise above the politics, act mayorally, kick out governmental press releases and posture feel-good positions while his well-financed campaign is poised for the election-day operation. Something tells me the mighty absentee ballot operation we saw in the primary will not segue into the general election.
Torres is potent on rhetoric–“let’s storm the castle and clean up city hall”–and he has a nice story to tell about his Cuban American experience, doing good in the city. His Harborview Market in Black Rock is a neighborhood gem. He waged a competitive battle as the GOP candidate for mayor in 2003.
There’s not a lot of boy scouts in city politics but in Kohut we have a bonafide eagle scout. And a policy wizard as well. If you love policy you’ll love Kohut. He does not lack for ideas. He is idea rich and cash poor.
You can read up on the candidates, their ideas and positions by clicking their respective links under the OIB politics header.
Is there any chance of Rick Torres cross-endorsing Jeff Kohut?
Either you want Bill Finch or you don’t … it’s a no-brainer. There’s zero chance of Torres endorsing Kohut. Is there any chance of Kohut endorsing Torres? Torres, at least, appeals to a wide cross section of the voters. Remember he lost to Fabrizi 15,000 to 12,000, while Finch (in the last mayoral election) defeated a very weak Republican 9,000 to 2,000. Torres has a better chance than Kohut to beat the inept Finch, and that’s a fact.
I am certainly not to be regarded as a political scientist. I lack perspicacity. But I do know how to recognize political dirty tricks when I see them. I have written volumes leading to and after the primary citing Mario Testa’s skillful yet nefarious electioneering methodology.
Now I am thoroughly upset with the Republicans in Congress and the Senate. The headlines read, “REPUBLICANS POISED TO DEFEAT OBAMA’S JOBS BILL.”
WTF?
Although I will not vote for Rick Torres I must say he is out there working the streets, in fact he was working real hard last week in the South End.
Mackey,
Why won’t you vote for Rick Torres?
Too many of Ron’s friends and family are involved with the current political scene and for him to tell you he won’t vote for Torres might be a ploy.
If he were smart, and I believe he is, he’ll vote for Torres and tell his friends and family he voted for Finch. It’s not easy being an African American who votes for a Republican in Bridgeport.
As I see it, Bridgeport is going to be stuck with four more years of bad management. I still will not vote for Finch as it has been made perfectly clear to anyone with a brain he has done a bad job.
I have listened to Rick Torres at the debates and while I see an improvement in his presentation, I have not seen a real answer to the city’s problems in his presentations.
Jeff Kohut just does not have the finances to get his ideas across.
Unfortunately, as a city, we are screwed.
yahooy,
A lot of Dems are standing up against the jobs bill, it’s not only the GOP. It’s a bad bill Obama is trying to ramrod through. If he wanted to create jobs, then he should stop companies from sending jobs overseas. Tax the companies that hire foreign employees for customer service, and things like that. Guess what? The jobs come back here or companies pay through the nose to hire people overseas.
Yeah, it’s a bad bill. Needs a little sorting out. burman is correct, many Dems are not supporting it.
tc,
What we know is Finch, et al. do not know the meaning of OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE, and TRANSPARENT as they apply to municipal governance. What the machine and Mayor Finch desire is control over every public nomination for elective and appointive office, control over all municipal employment, and supervision of every dollar spent in the operating budget, capital budget and any grants process. And you, dear taxpayers, shall pay for that “machine party” during the next four years and beyond as bonding rolls repayment out for 30 years and doubles to triples the ultimate costs for projects that will be forgotten, found too expensive or torn down before being fully paid.
There is no sign of any change in the Mayor’s attitude, and if human nature is better understood, his second term will not feature mellowing but rather mandate. As Torres’ campaign material questions: FED UP?? STAND UP!! For all the pursuers of perfection or party-line issues, local governance, especially in the case of Bridgeport, has precious little to do with democratic values. It would be good, not perfect, to have an alternative to the “machine Mayor” in office. The battles between the City Council and such a Mayor would begin to educate the City to what has been kept secret for the past 12 years. If taxpayers will have to bail the City out, why shouldn’t they know what their Council has obligated them to? Why shouldn’t the Council face up to the fact the current structure in Bridgeport, without a Board of Finance that has experienced members without obvious conflicts of interest, is broken? And let’s keep score with every Annual Audit as to the number of people in the City, the tax burden per capita for those who pay taxes and the debt burden per capita annually. Couldn’t hurt to know a few stats to see what the Mayor is really doing with “rain barrel magic,” could it? Why isn’t financial sustainability a goal of the machine?
“Why isn’t financial sustainability a goal of the machine?”
The machine is interested in financial stability. There own personal financial stability.
There’s An Election In Four Weeks …
Rick Torres, candidate for Bridgeport Mayor, will be guest tonight on the live TV show Bridgeport Now at 8pm. Ch 88 and netcast on soundviewtv.org
I will not vote for Torres either, he is way to the right for me. I might not vote at all this time. If I do vote there is a good chance I might vote for Jeff or Bill. Displaying your anger about Finch is not going to make others win the election. I voted for MJF and by a wide margin he won and he won 20 out of 23 precincts and ran strong in Black Rock as well. At the end of the day, voters have the say.
Wow are you gullable, donj. The voters did NOT have their say. The Machine had its way. It’s not that cut and dried. They manipulated their posteriors off. They may have won on the machines in the Democratic PRIMARY, yes, it’s just a PRIMARY, but are you ready to let 1/10th of the voting population in this city continue to pick our Mayor? Either you want change or you don’t. Now that IS cut and dried. If you want change you suck it up and vote for change. That’s how its done, donj.
donj … please read the attached hyperlink and reconsider your viewpoint. I know Rick Torres personally and with proper support from the electorate he would make an effective and HONEST mayor.
torresforbridgeport.com/political_story
donj,
Mario Testa’s AB operation ruled the day on 9/13/11. The same operation will not translate into the same sort of victory for the general election. Finch only won 56% of the machine totals. Six points is not a wide margin, and the DTC operation was able to manipulate the results of the AB totals. The general election is a different story. Everyone will be able to vote, not just registered Democrats. Many of Mary-Jane Foster’s supporters are now supporting Finch. Jeff Kohut has some interesting ideas but most of them are impractical. Rick Torres has the higher profile, the name recognition. He is aware he has an image problem and has moderated his views. He has my vote.
He has moderated his views, or his speech?
donj,
You realize a mayor has NO control over welfare, right? That was your major concern with Rick, correct?
Why don’t you go talk to Rick at his store?
Yeah, donj. Go to the market and talk to the man, listen to what he has to say. He’s not endorsed by Mario Testa and has no reason to spew bullshit.
donj,
“At the end of the day voters have the say.” And you are right about that fact. Until the next election.
During the next four years, when the fiscal chaos consumes the taxpayers and this time, those in office, anyone looking back on your comments on this blog are going to ask: What did he have on his mind?
Within the past two weeks the Mayor crowed and Lennie bestowed an article about S & P rating maintained (and Dawn Norton used the word “excellent”) on all of us. Why was S&P commenting? Because the City was issuing another round of Tax Anticipation Notes reportedly over $70 Million. Great news? To whom?
The fact is the BOE cannot operate the schools per the budget and another fact is the State of CT does not send down the educational cost-sharing amount as a lump sum on July 1, the first day of a budget year. As a matter of fact 25% comes in December, another 25% around March, and the final 50% shows up in late April. So we borrow money (at what interest rate?) because our property taxes + other revenues + City fund balance cannot maintain us. And we are able to borrow money because of the unrestricted and cumulative taxing power of the City, according to our rating agencies. Does this connect the dots about why not to continue the current machine governance? Why are readers on OIB so happy to maintain blinders as regards City financials?
Even my friend Bridgeport Now reads what I and others write (at least I assume he reads more than his own posting … maybe a wrong assumption?) about finances and process and secrecy, etc. Yet he has not seen fit to invite me to speak on his show on this subject. The shock that will resonate within the body politic because of the operations of the “Mario machine” will be profound. I wonder if Bill’s Hartford relationships will maintain the secrecy of City operations when the fan gets soiled? Time will tell.
Beacon, I read as much as I can on OIB. Really need daily recap of all worthy comments, since Lennie’s topic comments often number over 40. You are certainly welcome on the show.
Meanwhile, I open this up to the group here. What questions or issues would you like raised tonight on the program?
The City publishes data each year when it presents its General Fund Budget, including material about its accounting policies. A sub-heading deals with internal controls and says: The management of the City of Bridgeport is maintained through a control structure designed to ensure that the assets of the City are protected from loss, theft, or misuse and to ensure that adequate accounting data is compiled to allow for the preparation of financial statements in conformity with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles … the City of Bridgeport has an internal audit staff responsible for monitoring the various City departments in compliance with the City Charter, ordinances and all other policies and procedures.” The fact is the City terminated their last identified internal auditor in 2008 and there is no person so identified in recent budgets.
The section goes on to identify Bridgeport as “a recipient of Federal, State and local financial assistance, … responsible for ensuring adequate internal control policies and procedures are in place to ensure and document compliance with applicable laws and regulations …” Our external auditor reports on our compliance in separate reports file along with the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the annual audit. In recent years the external auditor has found Significant Deficiencies and Material Weaknesses in Bridgeport’s work. Multiple deficiencies and weaknesses in multiple years!!!
No internal auditors and external auditors reporting problems, and the Mayor, in a “pre-primary” forum indicates that 2011 closed with a slight surplus though the actual reports are not yet available. In the previous two financial reports, the City was to finish with a projected deficit exceeding $2 Million.
Bridgeport Now, your NY employer would not run its business this way. Why do we let this administration get away with non-accountable, secret and opaque behavior, with only HOPE as a safeguard, that all will be right?
Have I stated at least one of the general concerns in a manner that is simple enough for you to state to your viewers, and for them to respond? By the way, when do your viewers expect property taxes to increase in the City? And if they do not expect them to rise, what source do they believe will come to the rescue of the City when one or more fiscal shocks hit the City? Like Pension Plan A fund going broke, or so close to it panic sets in? Time will tell.
Bridgeport Now: Questions: Why all the financial secrecy? Yes, secrecy. There is no transparency. Why all the layoffs and then hiring of friends? Where did you learn to tell a lie with a straight face and a smile?
nothingshocks, okay. And what do you refer to by financial secrecy?
Looking forward to watching “Bridgeport Now” tonight. GO RICK!
Please donj–don’t wear political party blinders. All politics are local!
There’s a wine and cheese meet and greet at Harborview Market tomorrow evening, 7:00-9:00. I’ve already spoken with Mr. Torres and agree with his positions on many issues facing the city.
The Republican Party has an image problem at the national level. Until New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s endorsement of Mitt Romney, the party’s most high-profile mouthpieces were the witches of East New Bumfuck Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry. Perry is noted for his liberal views on race and religious tolerance. We live in New England. The GOP in this neck o’ the woods has historically been more moderate and less beholden to conservative ideologies and failed economic policies. I would describe Rick Torres as a practical conservative. His ideas are sound and he does not buy into the feel-good bullshit espoused by Bill Finch. (Shame on you, Mr. Mayor. There will be a price to pay for insulting the intelligence of voters.)
Finch really dodged a bullet by ‘winning’ the primary. It is highly likely he will succeed as well in the general election. His salary in excess of $100,000 is assured for the next four years. He and his family have far more immediate financial security than the very people who ‘elected’ him.
As BEACON2 keeps pressing; this city is in a free-fall accelerated by the Finch administration. There is no hope of good things to come. We are condemned to four more years of idiocy. There have been no pronouncements indicating Finch is aware of programs that are not working and reasonable thought-out remediations are planned. Quite the absolute contrary. The same ineffective management group still does whatever it is they do every day. Nothing improves that we can see. The real money ready for development investment in Bridgeport that may have given us a second look while there was hope the current regime would be toppled has packed up their tents and moved on to other more favorable prospects. Even that big announcement a few days ago about the company who will move here is impotent. Finch orchestrated financial incentives that will preclude the city from receiving any form of financial benefit for at least a decade. 100 people will report for work at this facility. Maybe, just maybe, some will buy homes but they sure as hell won’t be sending their kids to our public schools. The whole thing has a negligible benefit to us, an enormous benefit to the business owner.
So Finch can count on his salary for the next four years at least. If we attack him in a primary and Mario Testa is still around, we’ll lose. I don’t see a cure on the horizon for voter apathy.
It is just pathetic a worthless piece of nobody like Finch can be better off than the rest of us simply because when Mario went fishing nobody but Finch bit at the bait.
Dreadful.
I enjoyed watching “Bridgeport Now” and listening to Rick Torres. One of the issues I have is who is the real Rick Torres? Last night he made some good points, he seems honest and he does understand the issues of Bridgeport but there is the flip side of Rick Torres where his statements are the same as the “Tea Party” and the far right of the Republican Party. Who is the real Rick Torres?
I have know Torres for years and I think he would be a good mayor. I think he is principled and would not acquiesce to the wishes of the local Republican pundits. Actually there are no real Republican pundits in this town. So who does he have to bestow favor upon?
Tea Party? I’m still trying to figure out what’s so bad about the Tea Party. But that’s another story.
Remember, Torres had the balls to endorse Caruso. Why? Simple. Torres is a member of the ANYONE BUT FINCH party. Torres knew his chances were slim but Caruso had a chance.
I actually think Torres would sweep the entire Calamarian crowd into the sea if he were elected and I think he would be as good as MJF in presenting an inviting persona to doing business in Bridgeport. And I think he would welcome MJF and John Gomes (The Package) to become an integral part in his plans to restore the city to past prominence.
That’s what I think. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Ron,
Other than you, I’ve never heard Rick mentioned as a member of the Tea Party. Even if he were, the Tea Party believes in reducing taxes and reducing government spending. Why be opposed to paying less in taxes? Unless you don’t pay taxes.
The Tea Party was founded on the premise of the “Boston Tea Party” where our country rebelled against heavy taxation. The Tea Party is not far-right-religious-winged. While there might be some religious zealots in it, it is not everyone associated with it.
Just because Obama wants socialism does every single Democrat want socialism?
All one has to do is to watch the Republican primary debates for President and watch how each candidates answers questions in an attempt to please the Tea Party.
Are we talking Presidential Debate or Rick Torres?
Once again, the Tea party is against TAXES!
It seems to me the media or whoever “they” are in this circumstance are taking every idea that is a departure from the party-line held postures and labeling it “Tea Party.” In my interpretation of the Boston Tea Party it was an event to fight taxation without representation that consisted of dumping tea sent from England into the harbor in Boston. It was a singular issue. I am not getting this whole Tea Party thing and can’t make the connection to every other idea politicos are dumping into that category. Is it just me? Am I just an ignoramus?
*** Unfortunately the November election is a wrap for the present admin. so it’s time to start concentrating on the future district DTC slates. Change can start @ the district level & continue from there! Waiting four years for another try for some type of local change is not feasible. Change of some members on the 10 district local town committee seats means possible changes in the district leader positions which can lead toward changes on the city council, BOE, state legislators, town clerk, city clerk, voter registrars, etc. … There is strength in numbers, no? *** HERE WE GO! ***
This is what I said, “Rick Torres’ statements are the same as the “Tea Party” and the far right of the Republican Party. Who is the real Rick Torres? Don’t get caught up in the “Tea Party” portion, look at the the far right of the Republican Party. Let’s be real, there was a whisper campaign that was not true MJF was a Republican and she lost, now you think Democrats will come out and vote for a real Republican? No way.
Mojo has it right, change can start @ the district level & continue from there!
I agree changes can start on the district level, but I am still not voting for Finch. The Finch Administration has been active in the quest to relieve the citizens of Bridgeport of the right to choose our own mayor. I won’t be a party to that violation of the voters just to be on the “winning” side. I am not going to add to his tally. I will vote, and I will vote for another candidate.
Ron, what I’m trying to tell you is if you are linking Torres to the Tea Party, the Tea Party is against government spending and wants to lower taxes. Personally I would welcome some transparency as to where my tax dollars go in this city, and lowering my taxes. The Tea Party is an offshoot of the Republican party, but by no means “far right.” The far right is the ultra conservative and über-religious part of the party.
Maybe YOU should clarify what statements you are referring to that Rick said. Rick hasn’t announced he was Tea Party nor ultra right wing. I have never heard him spout on about God, although those might be his personal views, that is his business. What comments of his are you referring to?
burman, your move.
Look, if you want to back the present administration that is your choice, but please be informed instead of going off half cocked. Just like the Democratic party, the Republicans have ultra conservative, along with Tea Party folks who want taxes controlled, and there are middle-leaning Republicans also. Please learn the difference between ‘Tea Party’ and ultra-right before labeling people.
Bring the Tea Party Message Bridgeport with Rick Torres (running for Mayor)
Saturday, September 24, 2011, 10:00 AM
Selected By: barbara g.
Marina Village
386 Iranistan Street and South Ave, Bridgeport, CT (map)
Corner of Iranistan & South Avenues (use 386 Iranistan Ave.- Bridgeport 06604 for G P S or MapQuest)
Selected By: barbara g.
POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER UNTIL SATURDAY OCTOBER 1ST same time same place.
Please keep Saturday morning 9/24 open.
Greetings from Right Principles:
As you know, Rick Torres is running for Mayor of Bridgeport. We’ve developed a concept that we think would serve to both convey an accurate impression of the tea party movement in the city and focus attention on Rick’s free-market, self-reliant, freedom-based, conservative solutions for Bridgeport’s challenges.
On a Saturday morning a group of us in the CT Grassroots Alliance will go into Bridgeport, meet Rick and set up some free coffee and donuts, give out some literature on our principles, do a clean-up of the area and engage the residents in conversation. Rick would be there campaigning, while we would have an opportunity to support Rick’s message and engage the residents with a conversation about liberty and begin to make some inroads in the city together.
Bob MacGuffie
Right Principles
Let’s help get the ball rolling in Bridgeport to spread the liberty message and support Rick.
barbara g.
Ron!!!
What did he say at that meeting? That email message said absolutely nothing about the far-right-wing policies you say he is all about. What are his policies?
… and for the last time what is your issue with the Tea Party’s message of paying LESS taxes, and controlling government spending?
burman, perhaps you can inform all of us what the “Tea Party” is all about and why should the voters of Bridgeport back a candidate from the “Tea Party.” Could you tell us what bill have they passed that became law?
burman, this country had 8 years of President George W. Bush and tax cuts and where are the jobs from those tax cuts? Bill Clinton left President Bush a surplus so what happened to that money? As for Rick Torres, nice guy but I will not vote for him.
Ron,
I’m done with the tit-for-tat thing here, you obviously haven’t heard him speak and don’t know his views, you are merely guessing. As far as the Bush thing, we had a Democratic-controlled congress that put those cuts through, they also let all the bad mortgage legislation go through too. Obama has had 3 years in office and put us more in debt than any previous President ever has! There was no surplus when Clinton left office, our national debt was lower than when he entered, a result of the Republicans controlling congress in the 1990s, but you won’t acknowledge that, so who cares, right?