There’s nothing like a hot city election. The charges, counter charges, lawsuits, court challenges, absentee ballot operation. The Democratic primary between Mayor Bill Finch and Mary-Jane Foster was high drama, the way it should be. Two gladiators in the arena. Now we’re in the general election cycle and it’s like Death Valley has taken over. Knock, knock, anyone home? How about some excitement?
Three weeks from today Finch faces Republican Rick Torres and petitioning candidate Jeff Kohut. We’ve heard very little from any of the camps and that’s good for the mayor who’s a huge favorite for reelection. Just the way he wants it. If you care to see the candidates in debate check this out:
Mayoral Candidates’ Debate
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
The Greater Bridgeport Fairfield County Property Owners Association will be holding a candidates night at the Burroughs Community Center, 2470 Fairfield Avenue, Bridgeport on Wednesday, October 26th. Candidates expected to attend are:
His Honor: Mayor Bill Finch (D)
Candidate: Rick Torres (R)
Candidate: Jeff Kohut (Ind.)
Doors will open at 6:00pm with the debate to begin promptly at 6:30pm. The debate will end promptly at 7:30pm and will be followed by a “Meet ‘N Greet” with the candidates.
The event is free and open to the public. However, seating is limited. Please call the Burroughs Community Center at 203-334-0293 for more information.
I voted for Foster in September not because I disliked Bill Finch but because I thought Foster had better ideas. My vote this time around will go for Bill Finch or Jeff Kohut. Not because you vote one way in the primary means you will vote the other. Everybody has their reasons why they vote for a candidate and I had mine in September. If this race were between Russo and Finch no doubt Russo would have my vote. I refuse to be a crybaby over the blog because that will lead to nothing.
Come on donj, you’ve been more than a crybaby on this blog for four years now. When Webster’s Dictionary selects the word gullorant as an official word, I’ll make sure they have your picture next to it. You voted for Foster just because you were convinced she would win due to the excitement and energy she generated. When people just ‘go with the flow’ they tend to go down the waterfall or drown in the deep end.
What the heck, Lennie! You wake me up for this crappy question? Here is one excited person, ask him, her or both:
Godiva2011 // Oct 17, 2011 at 11:15 pm
I must say Stewie has better odds of beating Mayor Finch than Kohut or Torres. Face the reality, Finch is a shoo-in. Take it or leave it.
Well, since the election is boring, how about discussing why the latest department head got the ax? That would be Harbormaster Bob Scinto. Any thoughts, Lennie?
How can a person get excited about an election where nobody cares? The general voting public in Bridgeport just doesn’t give a damn who governs them. I am beginning to think there might be some validity to their way of thinking.
Present a good alternative candidate with a fresh approach and the people still stay home. I can’t wait to hear the crying and wailing when the real taxes are announced and all those dumb asses who voted for Finch find out they were lied to again. (Where is my $600 check?)
Present MJF as an independent in the next General Election and Finch goes away. No more primaries. Testa is too street smart and there is nobody who can beat him and his cronies. One absentee ballot cast so far in the general and nobody is complaining.
Tomorrow evening at 6:00pm there is a special meeting of Budget and Appropriations. Wonder what makes it so special it could not have been handled last week at their regular monthly meeting? If that type of thing gets you curious, show up. Now tc, you have been at many of these, so you know we have no right as taxpayers to say anything, but it is fun to watch these folks, the last bastion of “check and balance” in the City do their level best to understand what the City presents to them and then vote it out of Committee so the rest of the Council can pass it without thinking about it. Unfortunately there is a lot of “no-brainer” activity ongoing but you need to see it to believe it, and if you can’t see it, ask me. I shall try to do my best Howard Cosell, sotto voce naturally, so as not to interrupt the important proceedings.
One thing that is positive is an action by Sue Brannelly to request budget review will be a standing item on B & A agenda. And that means we should be seeing at least 11 monthly reports where those eleven reports last year showed up on only three occasions. What would they study if they did not have the report? Well they could always cancel a meeting for lack of quorum (Curwen’s concern), for lack of a report (Sherwood’s responsibility, or maybe Norton, but Sherwood speaks for all) or for lack of problems, issues or concerns that are within their understanding.
If half or more of the Council depart for a conference on urban municipalities the week after the election, using their City taxpayer-funded stipends, do you think we might get some info about how many Cities operate without a Board of Finance structure? And how much time does a “check and balance” group spend in reviewing operating, grants and capital items funded today and in the future by taxpayers? I would like to know the B & A vision at least matches the reality of what they are left with under our Charter. I would like to think when Tom guides them through Sherwood forest, each of them understands the map of the territory. I am betting they do not based on what they ask for and the actual work they do in committee. Time will tell.