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Saturday, April 9, 2011

TO MY READERS: I'D LIKE YOUR ADVICE

I'm not going to over dramatize this, but I value the comments posted here and I respect your opinions.

A few months ago, several people approached me asking me to run for Hartford City Council. My first reaction was hell no. I attend Council meetings, I watch what they do, I see the nonsense that goes on and I couldn't sit there and be part of that.

I've seen ordinances that attempted to tie the hands of our Police Department but no discussion about crime or the perception of crime that keeps people from moving to or visiting Hartford. I've watched the discussions about condemning the War in Afghanistan, but hardly any discussion about the looming tax disaster facing every Hartford property owner.

I've watched a Council that supported a corrupt Mayor despite overwhelming evidence that will eventually send him to prison. I like many people feel that the majority of the members on the Council are all about preserving votes and taking care of themselves and family members while the condition of our City spirals out of control.

I am surprised when I have raised issues that this Council replies back with blank stares and no action. When I raised the issue about the misuse and abuse of City credit cards the Council did nothing. In fact at least one Council member continued to spend on hers and initially denied expenses for a trip to San Antonio Texas. A City Hall source eventually told me that after I raised the issue, they figure that the City saved at least $1.5 million dollars in the first year that the card misuse was exposed.

I don't need to go on, but anyone who reads this blog should know pretty well what I stand for and the issues that I have raised. With that being said, I want your opinions on a simple question...should I move forward on running for Hartford City Council. I have spent the past couple weeks meeting and speaking with people to gauge their opinions and I would appreciate yours.

Thanks

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

GO for it, Kevin! PLEASE!

Anonymous said...

Hell YES, Kevin -- it's about time you and some other talented people in the city put together a slate that is a sure thing -- one that no one would question no matter who is running for mayor. Good Luck and so glad you're making your interest public!!

MMM said...

Yes! Please run for City Council! The city needs a more focused, independent, and creative council!

Anonymous said...

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!x7

Anonymous said...

Absolutely!

The King said...

Yes it would great to have a sane person on the council

Anonymous said...

Kevin, you say we know what you're for. That's not necessarily true. If anything, we know what you're against. When I see your rants on cable access at the council meetings, it's always bitching about something. If someone would ask me what Kevin Brookman is for I would say "Cops" and public safety based on your coverage of them But what else? and please don't give us that "transparency in govt." bs. Otherwise, as many voices as possible is always good.

peter brush said...

It's your funeral, but it would be in the City's interest if you were to run. As you note, the people we have seem more concerned with peripheral issues, even issues that are none of their business. (I would note, without intending offense, that you seemed to be pushing them on the issues of school board bonuses and superintendent searching. But, I do think you'd be opposed to pointless anti-cop ordinances, anti-transsexual discrimination ordinances, and anti-Obama-war-funding ordinances.) Your work on this blog has been beneficial in raising issues of mismanagement. And, it would be useful if this work were continued in-house. I'd probably vote for you on that basis alone, but beyond that a councilman who would examine the City budget in its entirety looking not only for mismanagement but for ways to cut departments and programs would be appreciated. The best thing the Council can do, and it may not be that much, would be to cut taxes. In short, if you can endure it, having you run for office would be helpful, and having you on Council would be an improvement.

Anonymous said...

Run!! But find some capable, competent people to run with you. There is nothing more frustrating than being a captain for change on a ship of fools.

KEVIN BROOKMAN said...

Anonymous, 9:12am:

I would urge you to go back on this blog and not focus on just the Public Safety postings. Probably the biggest thing I am for is a City government that knows what it is here for.

A government that actually focuses on the issues that affect the growth of our city. A big part of that is Public Safety, but it is also controlling taxes, reducing spending, business retention and development, education, some real leadership. I could go on, but if you are a regular reader , you will know that Public Safety is only one of the issues addressed here.

Feel free to call me if you have any questions as to where I stand on anything.

Proud Htfd Conservative said...

Regarding your response to Anon 9:12, you realize that there's little to nothing that you can do as a council member for education. You have to be on the Board for that. But it's a politically popular thing to run on.

also

Given the shrinkage of the Republican Party in the City, and with Cory Brinson running to actually get voted on by the people, do you think there's room for another conservative person on Council? I think you're registered Dem but we all know better. At the end of the day, you're a conservative (Safety, Controlling Taxes, Reducing Spending, Business Retention & Development)

Lastly, what would be your strategy? Go after Cory and take the one Conservative spot (provided the WFP keeps 2) or go after the lowest vote getter of the last election which was Deutch?

but my two cents, Run!! You got my vote!

Anonymous said...

You'd have a 5-9% chance of winning, and your blog would suffer. Please stay effective, please don't run.

Robin Oprysko said...

Yes, Yes, Yes, please run! As a Hartford Resident of over 30 years and an homeowner for 25, I feel that we, the long time residents have absolutely no voice in city government whatsoever. I'm sick of being thrown under the bus while poverty pimps, drug dealers and corrupt politicians feed off the city and it's people. Those of us in the South End have virtually no effective representation and most of us are leaving or making plans to leave. We need you and Hartford needs you, please consider this seriously.

peter brush said...

As far as the Council not having any control over the Board of Education, that is also untrue.
---------------------------------
Better to call it an exaggeration rather than "untrue." Council may have a voice, but not much control. It is true that the municipal government is required by the State to fund the District. As to how much funding is required, who knows? I suspect if we were to have a Council that cared about spending it could make a point by refusing to approve the District request, and perhaps some trimming around the edges would be achieved, but ultimately the State is in control, and if required would break any impasse in favor of the District. Recall; it was O'Neil that Sheff and Associates sued, not the District, not the City. (It is a sad irony that the State acts as if it is the District that has a responsibility to fix the segregation problem, such as it is.) The biggest expense of the District must be labor, and the State has deferred to the Unions. Don't like the contract? An arbitration panel will decide. I do think Council has a duty/power to be informed about District doings, ask questions, make rhetorical points.

Anonymous said...

Kevin ,
I think you would do a fine job !! I mean really how could you do any worse ? But you really are more effective now than you would be with the fancy title .
Either way I know you will keep up the good work and thank you for asking for our opinions. Something a politician never asks for !!!!!

Anonymous said...

Peter,

The minimum funding requirement states that municipalities can not give less then the last years amount when it comes to the school allocation. Unless, of course, the request is less. By this standard, the Hartford Schools have always asked for more and assure themselves X amount of funding year in and year out. The best the Council can do is flat fund them which they did 2 years ago. Last year they gave an extra million.

peter brush said...

Item from last night's Council agenda indicating ongoing confusion over Municipal involvement with School District.
And, honestly, is the underpayment of folks at the District a crisis as compared to, for example, District literacy rates? Is the school budget at $300,000,000/year dangerously diminutive? But, it's not just that the Municipality is goofy-left, it's that the District is simply outside its bailiwick. If Malloy wants to pay the living wage, let him.
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Living Wage. Request that the Living Wage Ordinance be applied to all employees of the Board of Education. (Deutsch) Tabled

Anonymous said...

Peter, as usual, you manged to say a whole lotta nothin in more words then you can shake a stick at. You should run for Council w/ Brookman on the Tea Party Express Slate

peter brush said...

correction (where have I been during the past$100,000,000 increase?):

Hartford School Superintendent Steven Adamowski has proposed a nearly $396 million dollar budget for next year.
http://capitalregionreport.wordpress.com/

peter brush said...

you manged to say a whole lotta nothin
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Thanks. It took years of "education." I do it for the children.
I won't be running for Council, I think, since the pay is going down. But, how about you? We need more courageous public servants willing to do the right thing regardless of what people think. We should start the Anonymous Progress Party. See you Friday at the Capitol for third annual "tea party" rally at noon.

Anonymous said...

Kevin,
I'm not really sure where I stand on this. I think you would be great, but you can't do it by yourself, those ineffective dolts that remain or for some strange confounding reason get reelected will try and perhaps succeed at undermining anything you try to do. Will you get burnt out with all that additional stress? If you do will the work you currently do to expose things via this blog and your show suffer?

On the flip side, as I am mostly an optimist, I'd be excited by the possibility that despite politics as usual you could have a significant impact on turning things around. If you do decide to run I just might have to help on your campaign; haven't done that in almost 20 years as there hasn't been a candidate I've been that excited about.

Unknown said...

That would be the best April Fools joke ever. It would be like the blind leading the blind! Kevin, Your blog is fun and entertaining, but you don't really think people take what you write seriously? You are a blogger who does no real research but rather prints rumors or one sided stories. You are a great blogger, but your Your blog is like Peoples magazine. You cant be serious... are you?!?