Thank you Adam for doing the right thing.
Mayor-elect Luke Bronin today released the following statement:
"I'm glad that Treasurer Cloud has made the decision to reject the raise and reimburse the taxpayers. It’s clearly the right decision. I’ve had conversations with Treasurer Cloud, and he recognizes that whether or not the raise was legal and whether or not a raise was justifiable, the process was simply not transparent or proper. Taxpayers deserve transparency and accountability, and while the Treasurer is fully entitled to ask the City Council to review his compensation in the future, there needs to be an open, thorough process before the public eye. As I prepare to take office, I plan to lead by example. Under the City Charter, the Mayor’s salary is set at the level of a Superior Court Judge, which would be $167,634 at the beginning of a new term. As we prepare make hard choices to address a substantial budget deficit, I will work as many days unpaid as are necessary throughout the year to return $20,000 of my salary to the taxpayers, so that my salary will remain at the level of $147,600."
Oh please, don't anoint this guy for getting caught doing something shady. He should never have done it to begin with and got caught pure and simple and when the crap hit the fan had to backpedal. There's probably a deal in the works to give him the $ as we speak. And what's with the double speak of the incoming mayor "giving back" 20k of his salary by working on his days off???? That's not giving taxpayers money back dude. That's taking the money, because in case no one told him, he essentially works every day so it's not like he is a 9 to fiver. If you want to give the money back, just take the lower salary. He's not starting off on a good foot.
ReplyDeleteI TRULY BELIEVE IT'S A GREAT START FROM THE MAYOR-ELECT.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely laughable. Cloud was caught red handed. If you rob a bank but give the money back is all forgiven?
ReplyDeleteLuke -last l knew the Mayor is a 24/7 position. No one begrudges you your salary it was set fairly and by the state, unlike your Treasures' back room sneaky deals. Better keep an eye on him - the citizens of Hartford sure will.
This is like when Obama(Barry from Honolulu) took over and gave the wall street bankers their million dollar bonuses after their business had failed and were being bailed out by the taxpayer. The greed of these top "progressives" knows no limits.
ReplyDeleteMad about Obama, still! Get a life or a cup of tea, your old good o boy politics are DONE!
DeleteWhat does the mayor elect mean he will work unpaid days to keep his salary at $147,000? You are not an hourly worker you get the same paycheck every pay period so why would you have unpaid days?
ReplyDeleteI felt there was something strange with Bronin's suggestion that he was to work on his days off to justify a give-back to the increase. His position is not a 9-5er. But I really don't have a problem with a pay increase for the mayor's position. I do have a problem patting Cloud on the back for giving back his increase. Good Hartford Courant reporting forced him to give it up. There was no doubt, a serious discussion between Bronin and Cloud and Cloud really had no choice. But pa-lease,Kevin, don't pat him on the back.
ReplyDelete8:37am
ReplyDeleteIt had nothing to do with the Courant. Jeff Cohen at WNPR originally broke the story and I posted my story about it and asking Adam to give it back days before the Courant's editorial, and I would imagine I had several more private conversations with Mr. Cloud expressing my concerns than anyone at the Courant has had.