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Tuesday, May 8, 2012

WHO MAKES THESE DECISIONS ?

I just watched the breaking news on Channel 3 that the University of Connecticut Women's basketball program has ended their relationship with CPTV to televise the women's games. This is wrong on so many levels. Let's start off that the company chosen, SNY isn't even Connecticut based, it is in New York. Hopefully Governor Malloy might have something to say about this as we look at more jobs being lost in Connecticut by the people that produced the UConn games. According to Uconn, the winning bid for SNY was $20,000 more than the CPTV bid which was somewhere in the $4 million range over the next four years. UConn needs to realize why they are the popular program they are today. It's the loyalty of their fans and the people who have supported them over the years. CPTV was airing their games back when no one was watching women's basketball. The success of Uconn can be tied largely to the fan base built by CPTV. Should the UConn program be driven entirely by dollars or should they also consider their fans, many or them who are senior citizens who don't have cable or satellite packages. It just seems like a state university should be about pride and support from their local fans who also support the college through taxes paid and not so much "broadening the UConn appeal" as the media reports stated. Maybe it is time for a boycott of the UConn Women to remind them what is important and who supports them.

"R-E-S-P-E-C-T"

Respect, it goes a long way, especially when you are looking for $9 million dollars from the State of Connecticut.

Over the last week I have spent some time at the Capitol observing the inner workings while the Legislature is in session and I can't help but thinking Democracy shouldn't be this difficult. Yesterday was a perfect example.

Apparently last Friday an amendment to a bill was moving forward that would essentially giver Hartford $9million dollars from the State to help Mayor Segarra close his budget gap. Maybe not a gap, more like a canyon that will only get wider in the next few years under the reckless budget plan of the City of Hartford.

The deal was set except for one detail. Representative Doug McCrory was apparently trying to get a commitment from Mayor Segarra and his Chief of Staff Jared Kupiec for the use of a city field for the midget football program. You are probably asking what one thing has to do with the other. Spend any time at the Capitol and you will quickly learn that it is not about right and wrong and what benefits a community, it is about old fashioned horse trading. If you need something to benefit your constituents, you have to cut a deal when someone else needs your support.

In the end it wasn't McCrory's request that put the bill in jeopardy, it was one local business leader who put pressure on State Senator John Fonfara and later Saturday evening the bill was "killed" . (it is campaign time and those business contributions weigh more heavily than constituent's needs).

Monday was a new day and the horse trading began once again. Segarra and his Chief of Staff were scampering around the Capitol all day wheeling and dealing, from caucus rooms to the private office of Fonfara and everywhere in between. In order to be "deal makers" though, I think you need to come from a position of respect and be willing to compromise , not just make demands. At this point I think Segarra needs the help of the legislature more than the legislature needs him.

It just boggles my mind that a $9million dollar deal bailout for Hartford came down to arrogance and refusing to work with McCrory for his football field. All he needed was a commitment for a flat space for Hartford's kids to practice. If it was my call, I would have told McCrory the bulldozer was on the way to level a field and I was headed to Home Depot to buy the grass seed, and when could I pick up the check for the $9million.

It seems like a no brainer, but there is a flip side to the coin also. Hartford doesn't have the best track record when it comes to using the State of Connecticut's funds wisely. You might remember a couple years ago when Hartford was at the Capitol crying poverty and they needed $3million for school tranportation. The legislature found the money for Hartford only to be surprised a few weeks later when the Board of education gave out $2.8million in bonuses.

Hartford can not continue to spend money they don't have and expect the legislature to continue to bail them out. Maybe some cuts in spending and a little belt tightening might go a long way to show that we realize we have a problem and we are working to solve it. To project a $128million dollar budget canyon 5 years from now, as Segarra has done, and do nothing to begin to address it, is nothing short of reckless and incompetence.

The Mayor also needs to begin asking who is behind these failures and constant embarrassment for him. Two names seem to be the ringleaders of almost all of the failures and missteps...Panagore and Kupiec. As I go around the City I have begun asking people to name one, just one, of their success stories for Hartford. No one has provided me with any , although they can rattle off the failures and times that they have both made Mayor Segarra look like an unprepared amateur.

The WFSB building, the market at Hartford 21, the $45million that the State owes us to close the budget gap that the State claims they don't owe, Occupy Hartford which cost the City tens of thousands of dollars at the same time the CEO was bringing them coffee and donuts, the Chief of Staff's City SUV and his love of the lights and siren, the pay raises , the bonuses, I think you get the point.

Again, it goes back to respect on both sides . The letter below was sent by Mayor Segarra to Hartford's delegation today. I kind of doubt Mayor Segarra wrote the letter, but by the tone I can almost tell you who did. The dynamic duo should have learned a few weeks ago that they aren't going to shame Governor Malloy into forking over $45 million dollars by embarrassing him. Trying to do the same thing to the Legislature probably won't work either.

It might be wise for Mayor Segarra to make the trips to the Capitol by himself and leave his baggage back at the office, unless he needs the lights and siren to get there.


5.8.12+Ltr+to+Legislative+Delegation+Re+Tax+Bill

Thursday, May 3, 2012

HERE ARE THE GOP NUMBERS

Below are the actual numbers by district for votes cast in last weeks Republican primary. There has to be a better, and more cost effective way, to do this.

At least 3 District polling places had no one show up and 5 polling locations each had one person show up.

District 1   Liberty Christian Center        0 votes cast
District 2   Liberty Christian Center      34 votes cast
District 3   Grace Lutheran Church       17 votes cast
District 4   Hartford Seminary               28 votes cast
District 5   United Methodist Church    13 votes cast
District 6   Northend Senior Center        0 votes cast
District 7   Rawson School                     0 votes cast
District 8   Annie Fischer School            1  vote cast
District 9   YWCA                                  5 votes cast
District 10 House of Restoration            1  vote cast
District 11 United Way                           7 votes cast
District 12  Burns School                        5 votes cast
District 13  Parkville School                   5 votes cast
District 14  Mary Hooker School            6 votes cast
District 15  Batchelder School               13 votes cast
District 16  Kennelly School                  10 votes cast
District 17  Southend Wellness Center   9  votes cast
District 18  Metzner Center                   12 votes cast
District 19  Bulkeley High                      3  votes cast
District 20  Learning Corridor                3  votes cast
District 21  Dutch Point Comm. Room  4  votes cast
District 22  Hartford Public Library      10 votes cast
District 23  Mary Shepard Place             1  vote cast
District 24   Parker Memorial                 1  vote cast

All of these polling locations were staffed by paid workers from before 6:00am to after 8:00pm.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

THIS IS GETTING AGGRAVATING

I'll be the first to admit that Hartford has its problems.

But I am getting tired of everyone that feels they can make claims using Hartford's problems to cover their own poor decisions or personal problems. You are probably asking yourself what the heck I am talking about. Bottom line is not everything is as it appears when people portray Hartford as a violent fearful place. That all goes to giving Hartford a public black eye, when in several high profile cases recently the stories are the furthest thing from the truth.

Whether they are claims of vicious attacks or broad daylight sexual assaults, people are quick to jump on the claims to make Hartford look like a city full of predators waiting to jump their next victim. The other problem is that the City doesn't come out swinging on these things to combat these false portrayals.

Today is a perfect example. On April 12, 2012 a woman made a claim that she  was "taken" off the street, apparently dragged behind  the Mark Twain House and was the victim of a sexual assault. The alleged incident immediately made the news, a sexual assault occurring in broad daylight behind one of Hartford's most notable landmarks and tourist spots.

Now it turns out that there were several inconsistencies. Surveillance cameras covering the grounds of the area showed no evidence of anyone being dragged anywhere. The alleged victim, a 19 year old student at the Lincoln Culinary Institute apparently showed no outward signs signs consistent with her claims. A victim being dragged across the lawn and into a secluded area should at least show some grass stains, dirt or other evidence on a white chef's uniform, none of that was apparently the case.

Today the "alleged" victim, a 19 year old female was arrested by the Hartford Police Department for Falsely Reporting an Incident 2nd degree. Unfortunately, in cases like this, the damage has already been done and the public corrections will probably not be forthcoming anytime soon.

MORE SMOKE AND MIRRORS FROM CITY HALL

Why the residents and business people of Hartford are not up in arms over Hartford's fictitious budget is beyond me. At least one local reporter though is doing more of the digging to expose this work of fiction. The claims of the $45 million the State of Connecticut owes us, the $1 million dollars in union concessions were both being used to prop up the claim to balance Hartford's budget gap, but it seems those dollars may potentially be nonexistent.

Jeff Cohen at WNPR now is looking into the claims that mayor Segarra made that he has cut $1 million dollars from the Mayor's Office budget. "Cut" might have been the wrong term, shuffling and hiding is probably a more accurate description.

Read Jeff's story here to see how creative budgeting and accounting actually works at Hartford City Hall.

I think I need to put a disclaimer here though..."DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME, THESE ARE TRAINED PROFESSIONALS. USING THE SAME TECHNIQUES  IMPLEMENTED BY THE SEGARRA ADMINISTRATION FOR YOUR OWN PERSONAL FINANCES MAY RESULT IN FORCED BANKRUPTCY, LOSS OF PERSONAL PROPERTY AND REAL ESTATE  AND MAY ACTUALLY BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH AND WELL BEING"

Click here to read Jeff Cohen's report

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

TAKE THE POLL

In the top of the right column is a blogpoll related to Hartford's search for a permanent Police Chief. It is far from scientific, but I would like to know what you think. You can not post a comment on the poll, but feel free to post your thoughts here