Search This Blog

Sunday, July 31, 2011

SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE

Early this morning, Hartford recorded its 21st homicide for the year. That might not seem too bad for those that compare us to New Haven, we have been running neck and neck for the lead with them. New Haven currently is at 19 homicides for 2011.

New haven isn't known for any stellar government operations and neither is Hartford. But then look at the greater picture and let's compare Hartford to Boston. Boston, a city almost five times as large as Hartford population wise (Population in July 2009: 645,169) is only at 26 total homicides for the year. What are they doing right as compared to what we are doing wrong.

I hate to beat a dead horse here, but when we brand the City as recommended by the Canadian marketing firm, do you think visitors or potential companies moving here will pay more attention to the crime statitics and how many cops we have on the streets or do you think they will feel more comfortable coming here knowing that Hartford's Chief Operationg Officer, David panagore, is hiring four new assistants?

It still does not make any sense to me that we consider spending $100,000,000, yes that is $100 million dollars, on some crazy skating rink proposal to link Bushnell Park to the Riverfront at the same time we have eliminated money from the Police department budget and cut new officers from the latest recruit class.

What am I missing? Can anyone apply some logic to this to help me understand?

Maybe a suggestioin for a possible "brand", let me know Canadian's what you think of this if we keep going in the direction we are going..."Hartford, we are better than Boston...when it comes to homicides"

HOMICIDE 21 IS DONE

Hartford's 21'st homicide of the year took place this morning after an early morning shooting at 125 Benton Street.

The victim was pronounced dead at Hartford Hospital at 5:06am.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

A RESPONE TO AN ANONYMOUS COMMENTER

This response is going to be a little long, so rather than post it in the comments section, I am choosing to put it here.

Whenever I need a good laugh, all I have to do is read some of the Anonymous posts.

Anonymous commented at 3:57pm under "Wrong, wrong, wrong and finally Wrong"is one of those. It just makes you wonder if some people should be allowed access to the Internet.

Anonymous at 3:57PM commented; "Hey Kevin, rather than hiding behind this post, grow a set and tell us the officer's name or better yet the cruiser number or plate. While you're at it, tell us if your buddy who sent you the photo (...one of your friends from the building across the street at 525) did his job and put a ticket on the van or is he just stirring the pot some more like usual???

You start your post saying you're a friend to the HPD but when one of your friends looks bad you just leave it alone. A true politician!

Frank's report should be out soon and I'll bet you'll only criticize him and the report cuz it aint gonna look good! (but it'll be the truth)"


You advised me to "grow a set" rather than "hide behind this post". OK, I'm confused, what am I hiding behind? I posted the picture, I took action with HPD upon observing something I believe was wrong and I believe it will be addressed further. In fact, after the officer received a call stating that someone was complaining about his parking, he came out from City Hall and confronted me and asked if I had a problem. I replied yes and was willing to go head to head with him rather than back down from something I felt was wrong.

Now you probably would have run away and remain "Anonymous" rather than take a stand in public, so you might want to "grow a set" yourself.Maybe you might want to "grow a set" and take ownership of your comments under your own name and put your name with your comments as I do here day in and day out.

As far as your second comment "You start your post saying you're a friend to the HPD but when one of your friends looks bad you just leave it alone. A true politician!" Can you clarify that as to who you are speaking about. I have quite a few friends at HPD as you seem to be well aware and I think I have called it like it is on many situations. I have posted quite a bit about one of my friends Hector Robles. I have posted quite a bit about another person I consider a friend, Chief Daryl Roberts, some good, some bad, but definitely not one sided.

I can only assume the one you are taking issue with is Lt. Neville Brooks, again, someone I consider a friend and a friendship that probably goes back over 40 years. I am loyal, but definitely not blind and I posted the facts that were available at the time. If there was negative information that I had on Neville, that would have been posted also.

I will admit that I do have facts that I have not posted that in the end might be relevant to how Lt. Brooks and others have been treated when it comes to varying levels of discipline. None of those facts relate directly to Lt. Brooks, but they do relate to other officers who have engaged in egregious behavior that in some cases should have most likely resulted in demotion or termination, but nothing happened to them. My intent here is not to ruin any ones career, but I will not turn a blind eye to anyone, especially a friend of mine, when I feel they are being singled out for doing their job. Neville is one such case.

I also took a strong stand here on the blog and in public for Officer Matthew Secore. Secore did do something wrong, and something he readily admitted. I knew nothing of him before we met and I learned the facts of his case. I firmly believe that if I didn't persist in pushing on Secore's case and if there wasn't a change in leadership at the HPD Union, Secore would still be struggling get the justice ordered by the Labor Board and the Courts in his case.

Although I didn't agree with his actions, after seeing all of the facts, I did agree with the Labor Board decision. Officer Secore is back on the job today after learning a very valuable, and personally costly lesson and I believe he will be an asset to the residents of Hartford.

As far as the Rudewicz report, don't hold your breath waiting for a written report. As of this point, all indications are that the City is being very careful to make sure that Rudewicz has apparently only reported orally directly to the Corporation Counsel. If they continue in that direction it will allow the City to hide behind the veil of "Attorney Client Privilege".

That, I think, could potentially be political suicide for Mayor Segarra and would stink of a cover up, but then again Hartford doesn't always make the most strategic moves when it comes to the public trust. I also know from sources that request was made to possibly expand the scope based on things the investigators found and that request was apparently denied.

I am also very interested in hearing the results of the Rudewicz Investigation and I have no doubt that it will be thorough and I have trust in Frank's integrity. It is up to his client, the City of Hartford as to what to do with the report though, not Rudewicz. I know that they have interviewed a wide scope of people, myself included, trying to get to the truth and the facts.

I do know that some of the gossip thrown around was that cases were lagging and the productivity in IAD was less than stellar while Neville was Commander of IAD. But it is also hard to command a unit when you are on an extended medical leave and fighting a potential life threatening medical issue. That was up to the Chief to ensure that IAD ran properly while Brooks was out and have an "acting supervisor" in place who was capable or replace Brooks all together if needed . That was not Neville's responsibility, it rests squarely with the Chief.

As far as the Dunkin Donuts parking issue, maybe you can start a blog of your own, if and when you "grow a set", and then look into who is giving out parking tickets. In the meantime, by posting the pictures here, maybe the Hartford Parking Authority will step up and do their own work to correct the issue.

But thanks for the comment, you gave me something to post about today. And to all the police officers that have called and texted today (as well as everyone else) agreeing that it was "wrong, wrong,wrong" to park a cruiser in a handicapped space, thanks for your support.

Oh and by the way Anonymous 3:57PM, a quick computer lesson. If you would like to know the identity of the cruiser or the officer, double click on the picture of the cruiser in the handicap parking space and that should bring bring up a full screen image of the cruiser that should make it very easy for you to read the "352" next to the license plate. Sorry for "hiding" that from you, I just assume my readers are computer literate, my mistake. I'll leave it up to you to do the rest of the legwork to figure out who "352" is.

Friday, July 29, 2011

WRONG, WRONG, WRONG AND FINALLY....WRONG



Most people that read this blog know that I am a huge supporter of the Hartford Police Department, some would say to a fault. But with that being said, I am not afraid to say when I feel something is wrong, and this is wrong.

This afternoon I was collecting signatures in front of Hartford City Hall to qualify for the Democratic Primary. It was a busy day as many taxpayers thought today was the last day for tax payments. Although many people were reluctant to sign the petition on the way into City Hall, most were more than willing on their way out after paying their outrageous tax bills.

Parking spaces were at a premium around City Hall, in particular the Handicap spaces directly in front of City Hall. At about 2:30PM an elderly woman pulled into the Handicap space and had her "handicap hangtag" displayed from her rear view mirror. A Hartford Police cruiser pulled up behind her and blew the "air horn" of the cruiser a couple times and flashed his overhead lights. After he blew the horn a couple more times, the elderly woman pulled out of the spot and drove off.

I wasn't sure why the Officer did that, but I figured it might have been after the time for the parking bans for rushhour. I was somewhat amazed when the officer parked his car in the handicap spot and proceeded into City Hall. At least three other Hartford residents were standing with me at the time and they all were upset by the officer's actions.

Sometimes I think that some HPD officers don't realize that when it comes to their image in the eyes of the public they serve, they are their own worst enemies. When the officer eventually cam out, he claimed he was backing up another officer but the HPD dispatch center had no record of that.

But so that you don't think it is only the cops ignoring parking requirements, apparently the contract company that enforces parking violations for the Hartford Parking Authority feels they are exempt also. The picture below of the "Central Parking" van was taken yesterday and sent to me by someone that witnessed the driver park in a "No Parking" zone and go into the Dunkin Donuts at Main and Elm Streets for a break.



And just for clarification, the person that sent me the picture of the Central Parking van is more than capable of identifying a "parking violation".

ANOTHER ONE THAT WILL MAKE YOU SHAKE YOUR HEAD IN DISBELIEF

Posters and fliers have been plastered around Hartford City Hall proclaiming a new "Global Medical Benefit". The poster states that the "City of Hartford is now offering a 100% medical travel benefit which gives you access to high quality healthcare in Puerto Rico with no deductibles, co-pays or co-insurance".

The poster further claims that "This benefit is covered 100% by your City of Hartford Health Plan" and that it "Includes airfare, hotel and ground transportation for you and your companion, plus $250.00 for incidentals " as well as "15-17 day stay in Puerto Rico at a world class hotel".

Is anyone at City Hall paying attention to the fact that we are in a severe economic crisis? No one would comment on this but it just seems that we might want to encourage the use of our two local hospitals such as Hartford Hospital and Saint Francis. And further, if we can afford some crazy benefit like this, maybe the City should look at another plan that doesn't offer ridiculous payouts for travel and "incidentals".

Healthcare is an important issue for everyone, but this is just lunacy.

But on the bright side, the poster encourages everyone to "Relax and enjoy your medical vacation".

The poster was too large to scan in, but here's the major point of it below:

Htfd Travel Benefit

Thursday, July 28, 2011

SERIOUSLY NOW, REALLY, YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS


Unfortunately though, this is not a joke, it is true. The City of Hartford is advertising for an Assistant to Chief Operating Officer. Well let me rephrase that, not just one assistant, apparently four new assistants are needed for COO Panagore.

Something bothers me about this, and in so many ways. In a cash starpped City, how do we cut Police Officers from the latest recruit class, yet we can find over a quarter of a million dollars for an already top heavy administration? Does the COO really need four assistants?

And don't expect too many questions from the City Council since they are most likely banking their political futures on the coattails of Mayor Segarra, COO Panagores boss.

The advertisement above was published in the Thursday edition of the "Hartford News"

MY DECISION FOR THE COUNCIL RACE

It has taken me a few days to regroup and move on after the Democratic Convention last Thursday.

Originally, as Jeff Cohen reported last week, I was contemplating working with a slate of which rJo Winch and four others were expected to be a part of. For those of you that thought I had lost my mind, thank you for your phone calls and e-mails.

As I have said all along, you just can't plan these things out and what will be has a way of coming through. The deal fell apart Saturday and a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. I need to learn to trust my first instincts and my first instinct was how do I now explain working with someone that I have been highly critical of. I do wish Winch luck in her future moving forward with whatever decision she makes

I think I was overlooking that in part due to the promise I saw, and still see, in a couple of young people that were also going to be part of the slate, in particular A.J. Johnson and Ramon Espinosa. I have to also admit that the other issue was the collecting of petition signatures. It is much easier for 6 people to collect 1600 signatures than it is for an individual to collect the same amount.

I have chosen to run as an individual in the primary and collect the 1600 signatures needed to get on the ballot.

I am trying not to be arrogant when I say that I know I am one of the best candidates for the Council and I have probably done more to bring about change to our City than anyone running at this point. The question is whether Hartford wants to change or is it 4 more years of business as usual. It seems like our elected officials are very good at taking care of themselves and their cronies at the expense of the people of the City.

Ask Alexander Aponte about his $65,000 in legal work for the MDC Clean Waters Project, advertised by the MDC, while Hartford's poorest residents can't even get a job as a laborer on a street project. I asked John Kennelly at the Convention what some of the candidates he was pushing for had done to make Hartford a better place. He couldn't come up with any answers and then shot back at me "What have you done for Hartford?".

I replied back to him if he really wanted an answer to that question, just ask Eddie Perez what I had done to make Hartford a better place. Did he forget of the $1.5 million the former OMB Director told me they estimated the City saved when I raised the issue of misuse and spending sprees on City credit cards? Did he forget about the $2.7 million in "bonuses" given out by the Board of Ed.that no one on the Council , or even the Mayor,knew about before I exposed it?

Well, he retreated quickly and conceded my points.

So my decision to run in a primary will take some work, but I believe in Hartford and I am sick and tired of seeing our City sink more and more caused by self serving politicians. I am tired of decisions being made that will potentially cost us millions of dollars in court costs and settlements, all on the backs of Hartford's taxpayers. And quite frankly, I am tired of the City I care about being a laughing stock over the direction we are moving.

So with that said, I still need help to make this happen. Anyone that can assist in collecting petition signatures over the next ten days would be greatly appreciated. Whether it is 5, 10 or 100 signatures, they all add up. Call me or e-mail me if you can help, 860-883-2297 or krbrookman@earthlink.net.

Thanks.

A WEEK OF HARTFORD'S POLITICS AS USUAL

Last Thursday was the Hartford Democratic Town Committee's nominating convention. As far as the "political machine" operation I am pretty new to it and I really don't want to be a part of it. None the less I was told I needed to "play the game" and make the obligatory calls to Town Committee members. I made the calls, although there were a few I just couldn't stomach calling, so I skipped them. No matter how much I want a nomination, I wasn't going to call an alleged child molester to ask for support.

Most of the calls I made didn't have the courtesy to even return my calls. But from those who did,my numbers before the convention was a count of 28 members who committed to supporting me. Well needless to say I am not delusional and I am well aware that integrity and standing by your word is not a strong point of Hartford politics.

The end result were that only two people stayed true to their word, State Representative Doug McCrory and Donna Thompson-Daniels actually voted for me as well as a third person who had never committed, but liked my views, especially on encouraging small business.

The biggest disappointment though was in the third district where the votes promised to me faded away because "they couldn't upset Minnie". The 4th and 6th districts were also disappointing because although many of the members I spoke with admitted that they thought I was one of the best candidates but they had to support some sort of alliance they had built between David McDonald, Sean Arena and rJo Winch to secure voters in the 4th, 6th and 7th Districts.

Not surprising though was that most members of those districts agreed that David McDonald was the least qualified and most considered him the least competent to be on the Council. But a deal was a deal and like the three Musketeer's. all for one and one for all. The arm twisting was on and it looked like they actually might have had the votes at one point.

Then apparently Minnie Gonzalez saw the handwriting on the wall and all of a sudden realized that the deals being cut might actually result in no Hispanics on the slate.Notice I didn't say the most qualified Hispanic, since the most qualified candidate, in my opinion, Ramon Espinosa was shut out by Gonzalez and her supporters.

Apparently Gonzalez was upset with Espinosa because he had signed an affidavit which outlined potential illegal activity by Gonzalez involving voter fraud a couple years earlier. From what sources told me, at the time of the 3rd District interviews, Espinosa received the cold shoulder from the Gonzalez crew because he had cost Minnie $20,000 in legal fees defending her corrupt activity that Espinosa had the audacity to testify truthfully about.

Another district that was wheeling and dealing was the 1st District. For some reason their candidate of choice was Kate Kowalshyn, a Southend resident. Now other than Kyle Anderson, who was also endorsed, Kate, I think would make an excellent Councilperson and would have definitely avoided the criticism lobbed at the HDTC for not having any females on the endorsed slate.

Now back to McDonald. When he saw the vote count becoming precariously close, he apparently forgot the 3 Musketeer's pledge of "all for one and one for all" and he began cutting his own deals with Gonzalez to secure his slot and jettisoned Arena and Winch. Sources tell me that Stae Rep. Kelvin Roldan also played a role in propping up McDonald to cut a deal for his own votes for Treasurer.

Well, McDonald prevailed and got his votes, Winch and Arena were left on the outside looking in. I do have to say though that even though Arena felt that Roldan had stabbed him in the back to get support for McDonald, Arena stayed true to his word and continued supporting Roldan, although his displeasure was more than obvious.

And you might be asking how the solid female candidate supported by the 1st District ended up. Well at the beginning of the night when the "solid" votes that I had began telling me that they had to make deals to get what they want, I was told by the 1st District spokesperson that i didn't understand "how the game was played". He told me that they had to cut a deal with Minnie Gonzalez to accept her two Hispanic candidates in order to get their choice Kate Kowalshyn.

I guess he was right, I don't understand how "the game" is played, and apparently neither did he. At the end of the night, Minnie got her two picks but the 1st District was also left on the outside looking in, like Arena and Winch, as Kate Kowalshyn was overlooked and didn't receive a nomination.

It was an interesting, albeit disgusting, show of how a Democracy should not work. It wasn't about the best candidates, it wasn't about moving Hartford forward it definitely wasn't about integrity. It was all about the "politicians" taking care of themselves and their deals at the expense of the people of Hartford

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

"BRANDING HARTFORD"

Apparently the buzz around downtown today was all about "branding Hartford". I think before we worry about a new logo, it might be more important to identify what we hope to be as a city.

One of the most discouraging things to me though was that this "branding" is more about downtown than it is a city as a whole. Downtown's contribution to the grandlist is not what identifies us as a City, it is the individuality of of our neighborhoods. That is where Hartford's strength lies if any of the outside consultants took the time to look at that.

I might also ask how many small business people have been approached by these consultants or even when was the last time they were approached by anyone from the Metro Hartford Alliance to see what they need as small business owners. I guess the same question could be asked though of the taxpayers employees working in Hartford's Economic Development Department.

With a mill rate for Hartford at over 71 mills, the highest in the State of Connecticut by almost 30 mills over the next closest town, "City of Hartford" and "Economic Development" seems to be an oxymoron. How can any business compete in this market, fancy logo or not.

I only stayed for a few minutes of the presentation at the Library tonight and as I looked at the cast of characters in the room, it seemed as though many of them were City employees, and unfortunately I didn't recognize any small business owners in attendance. That makes sense though, most small business owners are working 12, 14, 16 hours a day to stay afloat and be able to pay the outrageous taxes in Hartford.

I also was not impressed with the presentation. I have always felt that if you know and believe in your topic, a script is not necessary. Maybe talking points or notes to cover the topic, but to read from a speech shows you don't believe in or know the subject well enough. And no marketing companies from Hartford could have handled the contract?

And finally, I know that when the "New England's Rising Star" logo was drawn up, there was another City using almost an identical logo, except the arc of the shooting star went in the opposite direction of Hartford's. Now I find this new "branding" proposal eerily similar to Hartford Hospital's new logo.

Maybe the designers all attended the same seminar on logo "branding" design techniques.

The old Hartford Hospital logo was the two blue "H"'s forming the cube. Recently Hartford Hospital changed to a more modern logo for "branding" all of their operations under the Hartford Hospital umbrella. Do you find the circular pattern, and even the position of the colors, similar to the proposed Hartford logo?







To read more about Hartford Hospital's "branding", click here. They seem to know why they did it as opposed to Hartford's need to fix its identity crisis

Maybe the Colt's Dome or even the Soldiers and Sailor's Memorial Arch might be more identifiable than a knock off of the Hartford Hospital logo.

The Courant story is more interesting to read the comments, click here to read Jenna Carlesso's story, but be sure to scroll through the comments and read those. You can also click on the link to the right for Jeff Cohen's take at WNPR

Thursday, July 21, 2011

BECAUSE YOU ASKED, SOME FYI

I have received quite a few phones calls and e-mails asking for the specifics on who I was referring to in yesterdays "Boiling Point" post.

For more information and to answer your questions, follow the links below.

The "ethically challenged" attorney:
http://www.jud.ct.gov/SGC/decisions/09-0695.pdf

The alleged sexual assault of a minor:
http://www.jud2.ct.gov/crdockets/CaseDetail.aspx?source=Pending&Key=c21e7de7-462b-424f-9a55-d16d0c05be7f

http://www.jud2.ct.gov/crdockets/CaseDetail.aspx?source=Pending&Key=c21e7de7-462b-424f-9a55-d16d0c05be7f

NO ENDORSEMENT AND POSSIBLY NO CONFIDENCE

As the election season heats up, it seems as though the Hartford Police Union is not ready to endorse any Mayoral candidate.It might be even worse for at least one candidate.

Hartford Police Union members have contacted me advising me that several members of the union are pushing for a vote of no confidence in both Chief Daryl Roberts and Mayor Pedro Segarra. The "no confidence" apparently results from the lack of manpower, low morale and lack of a contract with the City for over a year.

Recent cuts to the new HPD academy class will result in even lower numbers of sworn officers available. Last years graduating class brought the level of sworn officers to 460. Through attrition, officers leaving for other agencies as well as terminations now has the current level of sworn personnel at about 428, a number that will go even lower before the current class is available for deployment.

Those numbers come at the same time that Hartford's homicide rate is taking a steady rise and gun violence is increasing.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

WHEN WILL THE PEOPLE OF HARTFORD REACH THEIR POLITICAL BOILING POINT ?

When I began my run for Hartford City Council, I made a decision to keep the blog separate, at least as much as possible, from the campaign. Today I have reached my political boiling point and "We the People" is a way to get my message out. This is not about supporting myself as a candidate for City Council, but more about pointing out how broken, dysfunctional and even damaging the political process is to the people of Hartford.

The back door political deals and arm twisting that is going on this week is wrong and is not about what is best for Hartford or its people. It is more about political leeches, yes I said that, making sure that funding is kept in place for their nonprofits or protecting jobs for relatives and friends, all on the backs of the people of a city they were elected to represent.

It started with the interview process the individual six town Democratic Committee Districts conducted. Only two districts even held inclusive interviews for all candidates to even try to show some sort of legitimacy. The sixth district and the first district invited all of the candidates to interview. The other districts, such as the seventh and the third, entertained their chosen candidates, excluding the others. It hardly sounds like any open democratic process that our forefathers intended.

I had originally decided to forgo the Town Committee process and petition for a spot in a primary. A member of the Town Committee convinced me not to do that but play by the "political" rules instead and go through the HDTC. The more I see how the "rules" are carried out, the more disgusting the system becomes. I am trying to leave myself out of this, but there are several good candidates that are being pushed aside because of the political gamesmanship. Candidates that would make excellent leaders for the City, but they probably aren't willing to cut the deals to make their lives easy.

People like Andrea Comer, Ramon Espinosa and A.J. Johnson who show promise and common sense are overlooked. Instead, an ethically challenged attorney, a police recruit fired from the HPD police academy for his disruptive attitude, and a current Councilperson who makes the perfect argument why we should have term limits will most likely be endorsed. And lets not forget the mayoral candidate who can't decide what he wants to be or if Mayor Segarra is good for Hartford or still "unfit to lead".

The joke around town is that if you commit a criminal act you will have a much better chance of fitting in and getting the nomination. That's not too far off if you look at the makeup of the Town Committee and consider those that blindly supported and condoned( and some even profited) off of government corruption for the last ten years.

I somehow have a hard time accepting that some of these HDTC members even have the capacity to judge others qualifications when you consider their "lapses of judgement" in the past. I find it ironic that one member of the HDTC will attend tomorrow nights convention to select and judge the various candidates after he spends his day tomorrow in Court. He will be in court on pre-trial proceedings as he gets ready to move forward after his arrest for sexually assaulting a 12 year old child.

Another HDTC member was arrested while he was a city employee after patronizing prostitutes while employed by the City. Another was convicted for "selling" community service hours while employed with the Hartford Court. And you don't have to look too far to find several Hartford Democratic Town Committee members who turned a blind eye and in some cases even defended, the corrupt actions of now convicted felon Eddie Perez.

And in this day and age, how can anyone defend selecting candidates based on a racial quota system? The 2-2-2 system, (2 blacks, 2 whites and 2 Hispanics) was a policy apparently devised under the Perry administration to make sure "equal representation" was in effect. It was wrong then and it is wrong today. I could care less what race our Councilpeople are as long as we are selecting the best, who care about Hartford.

According to numerous sources, at least one HDTC member, John Kennelly is now pushing for a "3-2-1" racial quota system. Three Blacks, two Hispanics and one White.
Kennelly would not return my calls for comment, so I can't even begin to figure out the reasoning behind that move. Maybe if Governor Malloy chooses to meddle in Hartford politics, he might want to address the issue of the overt racism perpetrated and condoned by Hartford's political establishment.

In the meantime, those that are willing to play the political games don't seem to realize that business as usual will still mean no jobs for Hartford's people. Business as usual will still mean taxing many businesses, small and large, out of Hartford. Business as usual will mean that the politicos that have benefited off the backs of some of the poorest people in the country will still be taking care of themselves and their cronies.

It seems that integrity does not matter in Hartford and it is all about the political gamesmanship. I do have to add one caveat though, two of the "rumored" endorsee's I think will be an asset to the Council. Even though I have only had limited conversations with Kyle Anderson and Kate Kowalshyn, I am somewhat impressed by them.

I think it would be very interesting to see no one garner the needed votes tomorrow night and all of the candidates forced to compete in a primary. Everyone starting on the same footing and no dirty deals. Let the voters actually decide who represents them, because the Hartford Democratic Town Committee obviously isn't.

I want to ask every Hartford voter "what will it take to upset you enough that you will actually vote?"

Friday, July 15, 2011

ANOTHER BUSY NIGHT, ANOTHER HOMICIDE


I don't know how much clearer it needs to get, but we obviously have a real crime problem in Hartford. I know, that might seem like a news flash to some of our "leaders".

I started off the evening attending Reverend Henry Brown's latest prayer vigil at the corner of Martin and Nelson Streets. Martin Street has been extremely violent this year. Although many people were watching the vigil from behind curtains in their apartment windows, only a handful ventured out to show their solidarity as a neighborhood. The bright spot was when a group of kids on bikes stopped and Henry said a prayer with them.
.

As we were about to leave the vigil, the police radios squawked with a report of "shots fired" at 32 Vine Street. It was a little after 6:00PM,still daylight, and the streets were still very busy. Henry and I both drove by the location and we stopped to talk to residents that were out on the sidewalk.

The people we talked to were telling us that no one really pays attention to them and the sounds of gunshots and shooting victims on the sidewalks are a regular occurrence. I texted Chief Roberts about the incident because I knew he had the Mayor in tow once again for the latest episode of "Pedro on the Beat". Unfortunately I guess my text interrupted their stop at the Jazzfest in Bushnell Park. The Chief texted me back that they were "on the way".

While waiting for the Chief and the Mayor to show up, the group of people talking to me grew by a few more residents, and it surprised me the information they were providing to me. I asked if they had passed it on to the police and they said no. The wall of mistrust between the community and the police, and I think vice-versa also, amazes me.

Why would they share information with me, the guy standing there in a suit and tie, but not with the Police? Definitely something that needs a lot of work in our "Community Policing" plan. They were also surprised that I was taking the time to talk to them, no "politicians" ever stopped and talked to them. That was obvious later on when the Council President drove by, beeped and yelled hello to the Chief and Mayor as she drove by.

It also surprised me that when the Mayor and Chief showed up I introduced Mayor Segarra to the group that had been speaking with me and they had never met him before and didn't recognize him.

The original call for the shots fired never did strike a victim apparently. They did hit a car that was in the line of fire and the windshield of the vehicle was hit twice and one round exited through the drivers side window. The outcome could have been much different if the vehicle was occupied, especially if the infant had been in the child seat strapped into the back seat

The same residents that were talking to me, invited me back to their community day and cookout that they have scheduled for next Saturday, definitely a positive side to strengthening their neighborhood.

I had just barely arrived home when the word of Hartford's latest homicide reached me, homicide number 19 for 2011. The victim was shot on his front porch at 67 Oakland Terrace. The victim is being kept alive on a respirator until family members make a decision regarding organ donation. The one shot to the victims head was described by Doctors at Saint Francis Medical Center as a "non-survivable temporal head wound".

I guess the main question is now that we have reached homicide 19, what is being done? Has anyone heard of any "summer initiative" being implemented? Has any of that $500,000 that the Council cut from the Police Budget being re-instated for extra coverage in what many residents who are calling me are now referring to as the "triangle of death"? Should the "election year" driven mill rate cuts instead be channeled back into additional funding to address this violence?

What do I know though? I'm only talking to the residents from the affected areas. I guess we should leave the decision making to the "politicians" who drive by and shout their "hello's".

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

MAPLE AVENUE NRZ TO MEET THURSDAY EVENING

The Maple Avenue Revitalization Group (MARG)will hold their monthly meeting Thursday night at 6:00PM in the basement of Saint Augustine's Church, located at 10 Campfield Avenue. The meeting is open to the public.

A Public Safety report will be the first agenda item, followed by a question and answer period for Mayoral candidates.

Light refreshments will be served. Stop by and become involved in your community.

A QUESTION FOR COUNCIL PRESIDENT WINCH

Seriously, President Winch, I have to ask, have you ever read the Charter of the City of Hartford? Do you understand the wide range of power given to the Council under the Charter?

I am somewhat surprised by your constant statements lately that we need to make Department heads live in Hartford.Do you realize you already have the power to make that happen and it is no ones fault but yours when it doesn't? Do you understand that the Mayor can only appoint a Department Head for 90 days as an "acting Department Head". Do you understand that the only way an "acting Department Head" becomes permanent is by your vote, and not by the Mayor.

The comment in the Hartford Courant today about an unnecessary ordinance change "The major change is that it affords the council an opportunity to put in a resolution asking the mayor to terminate some one's employment if they don't comply," Winch said also makes me wonder if you understand the Charter.

You have the power to remove any Department head if you and your colleagues come together and conduct a hearing and put together the 7 votes, whether the Mayor agrees or not. Chapter IV, section 3, subsection "a" will explain this if you need any clarification.

Why don't we just play by the rules we already have rather than deflecting attention or ignoring the obvious?

I have attached the Charter of the City of Hartford for your viewing pleasure.
Hartford City Charter

IS THE SHOOTING TASK FORCE HANGING BY A THREAD?

Once again in true Hartford fashion, politics and egos promise to interfere with what is best for the residents of Hartford.

Sources on both the State and local level are telling me that a case of severe friction and turf wars worthy of Hartford's gangs are brewing in the Law Enforcement community.

It all started with the organization of the coalition formed between the City of Hartford, the Chief State's Attorneys Office, HPD, the Hartford County States Attorneys Office, and several other agencies and Towns.

Sources are telling me that the tension began when Mayor Segarra attempted to take the lead to give the appearance that it was his initiative that brought the group together. Apparently that was not the case.

From what several sources have told me, the initiative resulted from Governor Malloy instructing Chief States Attorney Kevin Kane to get involved and do "something" about Hartford's escalating violence and homicides. This was after Governor Malloy began asking " why isn't Hartford asking us for help?".

It seems that Kane and several others from his office and the Hartford County State's Attorneys Office set up a meeting with Mayor Segarra. Kane outlined the initiative and apparently questioned why Chief Daryl Roberts wasn't in attendance. Eventually, again apparently on Kane's insistence, Roberts was summoned to the Mayor's Office to be part of the meeting.

Although the Connecticut State Police are said to be part of the initiative, they have not been visible and no one from CSP was in attendance at the dog and pony show when it was announced on July 1st at the Mayor's press conference on Martin Street. When I asked Chief Roberts about their absence at the press conference, he replied to me "Oh, you noticed that?".

The Task force has actually been aggressive in locating guns and the shooters and has already made arrests of some very severe and dangerous individuals. The sad part is that one person close to the task force told me yesterday that an arrest is pending in a Homicide, but that they are waiting for the Mayor to schedule a press conference to announce the arrest.

I am not going to give the details or identify the homicide, but there should be no question that the suspects actions show that there is no way this person should be anywhere near Hartford's streets, press conference or not.

This is just crazy that we are letting political agendas and election year politics drive a very important crime initiative. Give credit where credit is due and stop the grandstanding.

It would be a shame for a program that has already shown proven results to be killed because of egos, but then again, that is the Hartford way.

Maybe we need a few more people like Kevin Kane who pretty much stood in the background when the initiative was announced but knows how important the program is to combating violence, whether he gets the credit or not, as well as the members of the task force doing the actual heavy lifting. Instead we have politicians who seem to be driven by their need for acceptance.

HERE WE GO AGAIN...MORE CHANGES AT HPD COMMAND LEVEL

It seems like it will never end, but once again, the deck chairs are being re-arranged on the sinking Titanic known as HPD. In a city suffering from extremely violent crimes this year, I'm not sure anyone on the command level at HPD gets it.

When approving this years budget, the Council seemed to send a clear message that they thought the Hartford Police Department was top heavy with "leaders". The Council cut $300,000 from the budget specifically from the Chiefs Office and , again, seemed to make it pretty clear that they wanted two Assistant Chief positions cut. As of tomorrow, one position will be eliminated and resulted in the termination, retirement,resignation or whatever you want to call it, of Assistant Chief Lester McKoy.

Now as a result of that, one other Assistant Chief position that the Council wanted cut remains still filled by Assistant Chief John Horvath, the lowest in seniority of the two remaining Assistant Chiefs.

In reassigning the tasks that Chief McKoy was responsible for prior to his termination, retirement, resignation or whatever you want to call it, it has resulted in a full scale shake up of the Chief's Complex.

Not only was Chief Horvath's position "saved" through the efforts of Chief Roberts, it also resulted in two new police officer positions being cut from the new recruit class to find the money to save Horvath. If that wasn't bad enough, Assistant Chief Horvath has now been assigned a Lieutenant to serve as his "Executive Officer". From what sources are telling me, this is the first time that an Assistant Chief has had an executive officer assigned to them.

If the Council was trying to send a message to the Chief, it seems like the message isn't being heard. The two remaining Deputy Chiefs have also had their assignments redefined. Since the creation of those positions at the start of the "Neighborhood Policing Plan" several years ago, one Deputy Chief was responsible for the North half of the City and the other responsible for the South half of the City. That will no longer be the case.

Also, at least two Lieutenants have had their responsibilities increased in addition to the Lieutenant who has been assigned as Horvath's executive officer. Lt. Mac Hawkins, who was supervising Major Crimes for the last few months, has been assigned as the "XO" to Horvath. Hawkins played a key role with his performance on the Pawtucket Street shooting video.

Lt. Brian Foley has been assigned as the new Commander of the Major Crimes Division and the Evidentiary Services Division. This move seems to make sense as the two divisions typically work hand in hand after almost every major crime incident. Foley is a capable supervisor that will hopefully take full advantage of the opportunity. Foley comes from a family with a long line of law enforcement professionals.

The interesting part is that Foley currently has a lawsuit pending against Chief Roberts. It might be hard to prove any discrimination on the part of Robert's against Foley now that Foley has been given what many would consider the prime assignment for a Lieutenant at HPD. Foley's claim was that Roberts had made homophobic and unprofessional comments publicly directed at Foley.

Lieutenant Lance Sigersmith, who had commanded the Major Crimes division until recently when he was transferred to the Intelligence Division will also apparently take on the responsibility of the Crime Analysis Division. Sigersmith is also a very capable and professional supervisor and probably one of the most well educated members of HPD, having attained his Masters degree.Lt. Sigersmith would be one of those at the top of my list if I had a choice for the next Chief at HPD.

I think the expansion of the areas of responsibility for Foley and Sigersmith make sense in streamlining the Department. The assignment of Hawkins to shadow Horvath does not. Supervision and uniformed bodies on the streets are what we need right now, not another layer of management to prop up an Assistant Chief.

City Hall should really look at the issue of cutting the two new police officers to save Horvath's position. Horvath will most likely retire and be gone in a couple years, the two new recruits who were cut would be serving the City, quite possibly for the next 20 years or more. As the numbers of officers continues to drop, we need every body on the street possible. Although the number of Officers came close to 460 with the addition of a new class last July, the numbers are now back to around 428 officers.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

DOES THIS MAKE ANY SENSE? LET ME KNOW


Is it possible to stimulate business growth in Hartford? Is there any hope for real "economic development" with a mill rate almost 30 mills higher than the next closest Connecticut city, New Haven at approximately 43 mills?

One of the challenges in running for Hartford City Council is trying to figure out what to do if I am successful in my campaign and actually get there.

One of the things that I think is necessary is a plan that will actually allow us to compete with other towns to attract business back to Hartford. What business owner would locate or start a new business in Hartford with a tax rate of 73 mills when they could travel probably a mile in any direction and see their tax rate almost half of that in our neighboring suburbs.

I know this plan would need a lot of work, but Hartford has had a history of giving tax breaks and incentives, primarily for large corporations, to move into Hartford. But shouldn't that also be done to encourage more small business development. The reality is that small business, typically the businesses with under 50 employees, are the engine that drives any City, not just Hartford.

As an example I use Sunshine Laundry on Maple Avenue. Sunshine Laundry employed probably over 40 Hartford residents, many of whom actually walked to work from the surrounding neighborhoods. After a devastating fire, Sunshine Laundry did not rebuild on their site primarily because the property taxes on a new building would have killed the business's profit. The owner actually looked at properties outside of Hartford and considered moving his operation to a neighboring town where the taxes would be close to half of what they are in Hartford. The fire site is now basically a vacant lot and the business operates out of a few storage sheds on Prospect Avenue, near the West Hartford town line

Now my question. Does it make sense to develop a program that any business willing to move into Hartford, or anyone starting a new business in Hartford, and willing to make the commitment to hire Hartford residents would receive a tax abatement to equal the mill rate of comparable suburban towns? This would hopefully make Hartford able to compete with Windsor, Bloomfield, West Hartford, East Hartford and every other town that is willing to make the effort to lure small business away from our City.

I would probably prefer to see the abatement's issued only on new construction or for abandoned or vacant buildings not currently generating revenue for the City, but that could be open for debate. I guess my thinking is that nothing times nothing is still nothing. If we were able to convince businesses to take a chance on Hartford while only asking them to bear the tax liability they would incur if they started in a suburban town, I think that would at least give them a reason to consider Hartford.

Hopefully at the end of the term of the tax abatement, whether 5, 7 or even 10 years, Hartford will have its act together and the Grand List will be growing, the mill rate will be decreasing to a competitive rate and a lot of our vacant businesses will be occupied by companies that can compete and are committed to Hartford.

I know it is just a thought, but let me know how you would tweak it or if you think it would even work at all.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

STRIKE UP THE BAND , IT IS TIME TO CELEBRATE

The good news keeps coming from Hartford City Hall. Mayor Pedro Segarra announced yesterday that he has cut Hartford's mill rate 1/2 a mill. That combined with the herculean work of the Council, amounts to a full mill reduction for the upcoming year. Since the mill rate has increased over 30 mills in the last ten years, any decrease is good.

Luckily for Hartford's business community, at the rate of 1 mill a year reduction, in 30 years we can once again compete with most other Connecticut municipalities. The next highest mill rate compared to Hartford's 73 mills is New Haven at 43 mills.

To the business community, please hang in there, 29 years to go at this rate.

A "mill" equates to $1.00 taxed per thousnad dollars of assessed value, or at 74 mills, $74.00 per every thousand

A SIGN OF THE TIMES?


Now that we have a new Superintendent of Schools starting in Hartford, hopefully there will be a focus on the basics. Maybe we can concentrate on the little things that make a difference, like proper spelling.

The sign above is at Noah Webster School on Whitney Street. The proper spelling for more than one bus is "buses".

Don't we pay supervisors to catch things like this?

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW ON WOODEN'S PREMATURE WITHDRAWAL

For those that feel starved for their Hartford news, another good source that tends to focus on Hartford issues is the Hartford Guardian. If you aren't familiar with it, click here and take a look. The Guardian is more than a blog, it has the feel and look of a more "on-line" newspaper.

Several people sent me the link to their piece today on Wooden's withdrawal from the Mayoral race. The piece is on point and says what many, myself included, had said directly to Wooden.

Skin color or race alone doesn't make a candidate. It is what is behind the skin that matters and voters are smart enough to realize that.

To read the Guardian's story, click here

Monday, July 4, 2011

MORE THOUGHTS ON LAST WEEKS POLITICAL ANTICS, BUT NOT BY ME

I don't usually do this, as far as posting other peoples thoughts, unless it is in the comments section. The reason I am posting this letter which was posted first on Facebook by J. Stan McCauley is that I think it says what many of us were thinking last week after Shawn Wooden dropped out of the Mayor's race. A move which Governor Malloy openly admitted was orchestrated by him.

Here is Stan's letter, and although Stan is a friend of mine, I am posting it because it says what most people are thinking and it is right to the point.

Open Letter to the Hartford Democrat Town Committee
by J Stan McCauley on Monday, July 4, 2011 at 1:18am.

I was asked by the HDTC: In what way will you, as Mayor work with the HDTC?

Let the following reflect one of the ways:

On Thursday July 21, 2011, the Hartford Democrat Town Committee will cast votes to endorse its candidates for the next Mayor, Treasurer and City Council members of Hartford. This is an awesome responsibility for those HDTC members that represent you the residents of Hartford. They must give this serious consideration because their vote must reflect the will of the people. It is after all the people's government.

Last Sunday July 3, 2011 on my weekly radio address I talked about this awesome responsibility. You can listen to it by logging on to www.mccauleyformayor.com click on the “Listen to radio show” link.

While I believe that I am the best choice for Hartford's next Mayor, that is not for me to decide. That decision is up to you the people of Hartford. I encourage you to call your Hartford Democrat Town Committee members and tell them to vote for who you think will make the best Mayor for Hartford. Because they can not afford to get this wrong.

There are some who believe that the answer to that question is NO. Can Hartford residents govern themselves? This is the question that has been put forth. Recently, the Governor weighed in on the subject and said that he was doing so for the good of the Democrat Party. It is telling when the “Head” of the party directly gets involved in a municipal election, even if the municipality is the capitol city.

The bottom line is this.

■The HDTC must send a solid message that it is in control of Hartford politics and that it is in touch with the electorate.

■The message must be sent to Connecticut and the world that Hartford can and will manage it's own affairs.

■The message must be sent that the HDTC will not have it's choices made for it by anyone other then the people of Hartford.

■Help your town committee stand strong. Call them and tell them who you want as your Mayor, Treasurer, and City Council members. Together we as One Hartford - the residents, businesses large and small, the Hartford Democrat Town Committee, City Council, Treasurer and Mayor can make Hartford one of the top 10 small cities in the United States.

CALL TODAY

■You can call your HDTC member because they are your representatives and they work for you.

■Tell the HDTC that the world is watching and Hartford's future depends on them.

■Tell the HDTC that you sincerely hope that their vote reflects the communities they represent.

■Remind the HDTC that if their vote doesn't reflect the results in the primary on September 13th that it will be clear that they are not the voice of the people.

■Tell the HDTC that you want a Mayor, Treasurer and Council that is accountable and demonstrates real leadership, real governance, and real vision.

END OF McCAULEY LETTER

And to my readers, this is in no way an endorsement of Stan's campaign for Mayor. There is a long way to go and I hope that the frontrunner will not be whoever raises the most money, but will be the one who shows the best vision for Hartford

Friday, July 1, 2011

AN IRONIC TWIST, HOMICIDE 18 IS ON THE BOOKS

Hartford's latest homicide occurred tonight on Martin Street, just yards away from where Mayor Segarra announced his latest crime fighting initiative earlier today. I guess the neighborhood didn't get the Mayor's message.


And there also seems to be a much different version of how this task force was created than the one that was delivered to the media today. It seems that the Governor and Chief States Attorney Kevin Kane were the driving force that brought the parties to the table rather than being the brainchild of Segarra. More on this next week.

IF YOU CAN'T STAND THE HEAT...GET OUT OF THE HPD KITCHEN


Well, some of Hartford's budget problems could be eased by the latest retirement at the Hartford Police Department, Assistant Chief Lester McKoy is calling it quits. Numerous sources have confirmed that McKoy is retiring from HPD. McKoy had also retired from the Stamford Police Department and was collecting a pension from Stamford.

The savings to the City of Hartford and the taxpayers should be substantial. No longer will we have to pay for McKoy's daily commutes to and from his home in Stamford with his city issued vehicle. No longer will we have to pay for the bodywork and repairs after the unexplained crashes with his city car. No longer will we have to pay the tickets when he runs the New York tolls in his city vehicle.

Connecticut State Police are also breathing a sigh of relief knowing that Chief McKoy will no longer be racing to his hairdresser's appointments with the lights and siren blaring on Interstate 91.

Hopefully, Chief McKoy will agree to come back one last time to celebrate the issuance of the Rudewicz report when the report is turned over to the City. A retirement party will most likely be planned with a special showing in HD of the Pawtucket Street video that was withheld from the firearms review board.

Mayor Segarra, at a press conference this morning, also confirmed that one Assistant Chief position will be eliminated. A second Assistant Chief position also may be eliminated to conform with the budget resolution passed by the Hartford City Council last month.

UPDATE 4:30PM FRIDAY: These actions are not a retirement by Chief McKoy. According to a source knowledgeable with the specifics, McKoy's position as Assistant Chief will be eliminated as of July 15, 2011. In a letter from Chief Roberts to Mayor Segarra yesterday, the position is apparently being cut to comply with the Council's budget cuts to the HPD budget. On April 18, 2011 the Council attempted to eliminate 2 Command staff positions totalling $300,000 as well as cutting $500,000 from the Police overtime budget ( so much for the Council being serious about Public Safety). One more Command staff position may be cut to reach the $300,000 amount demanded by the Council, but then again, it is not clear if the Council has the authority to slash specific positions. It appears by Charter that they do not have that power.

As the Assistant Chief with the lowest amount of total time at HPD, although he is the longest serving Assistant Chief, McKoy will be the first to be cut when his position is eliminated July 15. Other Command Staff "shake-ups" are to be expected in the next couple weeks also according to the source.

LET ME CORRECT THE TITLE FOR THAT LAST POST...."WOODEN DOESN'T JUST QUIT, WOODEN IMPLODES"

In what seems to be more and more common each election we face in Hartford, a new Academy Award should be established for best Actor in the "Theatre of the Political Bizarre".

Flanked by the current Mayor, who candidate Wooden had labeled as "pretending to be fiscally responsible" and that Segarra had "forgotten to obey the law" and along side Governor Malloy, Shawn Wooden today gave up and quit the Mayor's race.

But have no fear though, since he gave up running for Mayor, he now wants to throw his full support behind an individual that until about 24 hours ago he wanted us to believe was unfit to lead the City of Hartford. And to further reassure us of his integrity , he wants to be "in a leadership role" and has decided to run for City Council.

Unfortunately for Wooden though, I didn't receive one call from anyone that supported Wooden's decision. Many of the calls were from, up until noon time today, die-hard Wooden supporters. Several of them were also financial supporters who had donated the maximum of $1,000 to Woodens campaign.

The rumors of dirty deals being cut were, and are, running rampant. Many people, myself included, are having a hard time figuring out how you tear someone down for months and try to convince us that Segarra is unfit to be Mayor, and in less than a day you have a sudden epiphany and next thing are standing side by side with your new found love for each other.

How many people would take me seriously if I announced tomorrow that I think Eddie Perez should come back and run for Mayor? I would say very few, and most would think I had lost my mind. That was the feeling I was getting today is that very few people are holding Shawn Wooden real high on the integrity and trust meter.

I am trying to understand Governor Malloy's involvement in this mess though. The Governor explained his long term friendship with Wooden, and I understand the loyalty of friends, it's sometimes hard to find. But I also have to wonder the last time a sitting Governor stepped into a municipal political dogfight. And if anything, Governor Malloy I would think understands the benefit of a hard fought political campaign. He's come through a few himself and I would hope is stronger for it.

Isn't democracy all about letting the voters decide who comes out ahead in the political fight? Holding politicians accountable by forcing them to fight for what they believe in is not a negative thing. Instead, Wooden is like the boxer headed for the ring, afraid to climb over the ropes and get the fight started because he may get a black eye or a bloody nose.

Luckily for Wooden, his big brother Dannel pulled him off the ropes and allowed him a graceful exit from a fight, apparently according to Wooden's polling data, a fight that he couldn't win. But Malloy has been in the ring and realizes the value of the fights, so I don't understand the need to rescue Wooden from one of lifes hard taught lessons.

And why should we now think that Wooden will make a decent Councilperson. Especially if he wasn't willing to fight to save us from the unfit leaders like Pedro Segarra. Is Wooden just a bad judge of character and now realizes he misjudged Segarra? And what reassurance do we have that Wooden just won't roll over and give up when the tough battles need to be waged for what is right for Hartford and its people?

Will he still be afraid of the black eye or the bloody nose from the Council fights and be waiting for Governor Malloy to pull him off the ropes and rescue him from the ring?

I guess it isn't a bad thing to have a friend like the Governor watching your back, but do we want the wimp on the playground to be the one watching out for us as residents of a city in distress? I think we need a few people on the Council that aren't looking for someone to rescue them when the going gets tough, but rather people that are willing to fight to the end for what they believe in.

The video of Wooden's retreat is below for your viewing pleasure, "and the Academy Award for the most bizarre political performance in a less than leading role goes to........Shawn Wooden"