The four freshmen alderpersons headed by Alderman Phil Sherwood, touted their work on an ethics proclamation that was passed by the city Council at its last meeting.
The passage of these new ethics rules serves as an insult to the citizenry of our great city since no action was taken in starting an action for removal of their greatest ethics offender--Alderman Paul Catanzaro.
In the upcoming election, the voters need to remember how these Aldermen failed to perform their sworn duty as mandated by the city charter.
We need elected representatives who will enforce the law and most importantly who will obey the law.
June 12, 2008-State Sen. Ed Meyer (D-Guilford) Lauds Passage of Comprehensive Ethics House Bill 6502.
ReplyDeleteAfter years of promise, debate and delay, state Sen. Ed Meyer (D-Guilford), the vice-chairman of the General Assembly's Government Administration and Elections Committee, this morning June 12, 2008 celebrated the passage of a comprehensive ethics bill that he says will reinvigorate public trust in their elected officials and will hold government officials to higher ethical standards.
This is a good compromise, Sen. Meyer said of the bill which passed the Senate around 1 a.m. today 06/12/08. It gets to the integrity issue that has been dogging the State of Connecticut for years. It will go a long way toward restoring public faith in their government.
House Bill 6502, "An Act Concerning Comprehensive Ethics Reforms," passed the House 124-13 before passing the Senate unanimously 33-0. The bill heads to Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who has promised to sign it - but vetoes it.
Stung by years of highly placed public officials violating the public trust and going to jail, Sen. Meyer early on made ethical accountability a hallmark of his Senate service.
In 2006, Sen. Meyer served as co-chairman of a special investigative committee that questioned Gov. Rell's chief of staff, the governor's gubernatorial campaign manager, and a state official about campaign material that was distributed by the governor's staff to top state commissioners.
Just last fall, in the wake of the resignation of former Republican state Senator Louis DeLuca of Woodbury, Sen. Meyer proposed the creation of a standing legislative Ethics Committee that would be both bipartisan and bicameral.
While that committee did not come to pass (such investigations will be handled through Senate and House rules), Sen. Meyer's concerns about the active role that chiefs of staff sometimes play in elections was included in the new ethics bill.
The bill:House Bill 6502.
* generally permits state courts to revoke or reduce any retirement or other benefit due to state or municipal officials or employees who commit certain crimes related to their employment;
* makes it a class A misdemeanor for public servants to fail to report a bribe;
* expands illegal campaign finance practices to cover certain solicitations by chiefs of staff;
* makes several changes to state codes of ethics such as limiting gift exceptions, prohibiting state contractors from hiring certain former public officials and state employees, restricting the Office of State Ethics' (OSE) authority to issue subpoenas, prohibiting ex parte communications during OSE hearings on ethics complaints, limiting Citizens' Advisory Board members who can act on ethics complaints, and subjecting the governor's spouse to the code;
* requires OSE to provide mandatory training to legislators on the Code of Ethics for Public Officials; and
* requires public agencies to post, on available web sites, meeting dates, times, and minutes required by law to be publicly disclosed.
In 2009 Senate Ethics Bill 339 was again launched by State Sen. Ed Meyer and on 01/22/2009 Senate Bill 339 was again referred to Joint Committee on Government Administration and Elections.
Around and around the State Ethics Bill's goes - and where they stop nobody knows - not even NB Alderman Phil Sherwood!
In the upcoming election, the voters need to remember how these Aldermen failed to perform their sworn duty as mandated by the city charter.
ReplyDeleteFRANK,
I am sure you will be here to remind everyone, over and over and over!
Keep up the good work. All my co-workers read your blog religiously. They can't wait each day to see what slug you found hiding under each day's rock that you overturned.
Mayor Stewart should veto the NB ethics amendments Section 2-453 of the NB Code of Ordinances - Article VI. Code of Ethics- Disclosure of financial interest; until Senator Edward Meyer's gets his Ethics Bill 339 passed.
ReplyDeleteJust more examples of how inexperienced Sherwood is and how unprepared he is to lead anyone.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous says...
ReplyDeleteTypical Sherwood response to somebody who criticizes him - attack and degrade Frank Smith or anybody ("slugs") that contributes to Frank's blog. Also typical of Sherwood; do all the dity work and then get the other 12 Democrat "SLUGS" on the Council to vote for it.
I was able to get a copy of the ethics disclosure thing that the Council passed. I think it is a good idea.
ReplyDeleteThe freshman democratic alderman should be being mentored by their senior counterparts, however when the level of incompetence reaches levels that are currently demonstrated by the democratic members of the council it becomes clear that the Democratic party of New Britain is in need of wholesale house cleaning.
ReplyDeleteEver since the intra party conflicts of the late 90's and early this decade the Democratic Party in New Britain has become nothing more than a defacto rubber stamp of far left elements of the State level far left leaning Democrats.
The average New Britain Democrat has been left to watch groups such as the ccag overtake the town committee.
If you are a registered Democrat in the City I suggest that you take a little time before the next election and attend a council meeting or watch one on the local cable community channel.
I think that some of you may find that the Democratic Party of New Britain no longer represents your interest.
Socialist leaning elements of the national and state democratic party have used a well scripted plan to advance legislation and candidates that are detrimental to free markets and individual wealth through a coordinated plan that includes overwhelming local DTC's with activist to gain DTC endorsements for their candidates. Thus giving an appearance of statewide support of their ideals.
There is an old saying that all politics are local politics. When local politics are corrupted it endangers the very principles that this country were founded on.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDelete"Socialist leaning elements of the national and state democratic party have used a well scripted plan to advance legislation and candidates that are detrimental to free markets and individual wealth through a coordinated plan that includes overwhelming local DTC's with activist to gain DTC endorsements for their candidates. Thus giving an appearance of statewide support of their ideals.
There is an old saying that all politics are local politics. When local politics are corrupted it endangers the very principles that this country were founded on."
All the more reason why those Democrats who are disillusioned by the likes of CCAG and other such groups taking over the Democratic Town Committees should either get involved in local politics and get "Those People" out, and return the Democratic party to the idealistic party it once was, or switch to the Republican party, who still values the American way of life.
If I am reading the new state law correctly. So for example I am a hypothical municipal employee and I have been submitting time sheets that show I was working while I was really eating at restaurants and not on my "official lunch break" then the court will have the authority to revoke my pension for this unethical behavior?
ReplyDeleteOnce again you send a boy to do a man's job!
ReplyDeleteThe Alderman Phil Sherwood Resolution:
ReplyDeleteSection 2-453 of the NB Code of Ordinances. Purpose: Disclosure of financial interests.
The mayor, members of the common council, city clerk, collector of taxes,treasurer, members of the board of assessment appeals, constables and registrars of
voters, each department head including the purchasing agent and each Attorney in the
Office of Corporation Counsel, subject to the applicability of any collective bargaining
agreement, shall file, under penalty of false statement, a statement with the board of
ethics, town and city clerk, and office of corporation counsel within ninety (90) days of the
effective date of this ordinance or within thirty (30) days of taking office or the date of
appointment if applicable and on an annual basis thereafter which provides the following information:
Apparently, the Board of Education members are free own businesses that sell millioins of dollars worth of goods and services to the school system. Once again, a boy in a man's job! Why don't they repeal this and table it, and tell Sherwood to come back after he has some life experience!
ReplyDeleteThe Alderman Phil Sherwood Resolution:
Section 2-453 of the NB Code of Ordinances. Purpose: Disclosure of financial interests.
The mayor, members of the common council, city clerk, collector of taxes,treasurer, members of the board of assessment appeals, constables and registrars of
voters, each department head including the purchasing agent and each Attorney in the
Office of Corporation Counsel, subject to the applicability of any collective bargaining
agreement, shall file, under penalty of false statement, a statement with the board of
ethics, town and city clerk, and office of corporation counsel within ninety (90) days of the
effective date of this ordinance or within thirty (30) days of taking office or the date of
appointment if applicable and on an annual basis thereafter which provides the following information:
Anonymous says...
ReplyDeleteDo all NB alderpersons pay NB property taxes? If not real estate taxes, do any of them pay only auto taxes? All of them seem to drive. If they drive and don't pay auto taxes, where are their cars registered and by whom?
IT WOULD APPEAR THAT MR ETHICS CZAR HIMSELF IS STILL UP TO HIS CHILDISH TRICKS. HE SHARES WITH US THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE THAT THE MUSHBRAINS PASSED LAST WEEK, BUT DELIBERATELY CUT OFF THE PART THE EXPOSES WHAT INFORMATION THE PEOPLE WHO FALL UNDER THIS ORDINANCE MUST PROVIDE. WHY WOULD HE DO THIS IF HE HAS NOTHING TO HIDE? JUST MORE CHILDISH GAMES BY PHONY PHIL AND HIS ENTOURAGE. ISN'T IT COMFORTING TO KNOW HOW COMFORTABLE HE IS PLAYING BABY GAMES WITH YOUR TAX DOLLARS?
ReplyDeleteThe Alderman Phil Sherwood Resolution:
Section 2-453 of the NB Code of Ordinances. Purpose: Disclosure of financial interests.
The mayor, members of the common council, city clerk, collector of taxes,treasurer, members of the board of assessment appeals, constables and registrars of
voters, each department head including the purchasing agent and each Attorney in the
Office of Corporation Counsel, subject to the applicability of any collective bargaining
agreement, shall file, under penalty of false statement, a statement with the board of
ethics, town and city clerk, and office of corporation counsel within ninety (90) days of the
effective date of this ordinance or within thirty (30) days of taking office or the date of
appointment if applicable and on an annual basis thereafter which provides the following information:
MAYBE PHONY PHIL SHERWACK NEVER KEPT HIS PROMISE TO SHARE THE INFO ON UNPAID TAXES BECAUSE HE KNEW IT WOULD REVEAL EMBARRASSING INFORMATION ABOUT HIS FELLOW DEMOCRATS. IF HE HAS NOTHING HIDE, THEN WHY DID HE GO INTO HIDING RIGHT AFTER HE MADE THAT PHONY PROMISE TO THE PUBLIC THAT HE IS ELECTED TO SERVE? WHAT ARE YOU HIDING MR. SHERWOOD?????????
ReplyDeleteAnonymous says...
Do all NB alderpersons pay NB property taxes? If not real estate taxes, do any of them pay only auto taxes? All of them seem to drive. If they drive and don't pay auto taxes, where are their cars registered and by whom?
The Phil Sherwood NB Section 2-453 of his city Code of Ordinances would include additional wording on who must disclose and what must be disclosed to the public.
ReplyDeleteThis amendment (Section 2-453) would require the mayor, common council members, city clerk, tax collector, treasurer, constables, registrars of voters, members of the board of assessment and appeals and all department heads including the purchasing agent and each attorney in the office of corporation counsel, subject to the applicability of any collective bargaining agreement to file statements of disclosure within 90 days of the ordinance’s taking effect, or within 30 days of taking office.
This statement would require the disclosure of all property owned within the city, excluding a primary residence; the name of any employer from which the official, employee or spouse earns more than $10,000; the name of any business entity that had a contract with the city in the preceding calendar year for goods or services exceeding $5,000; and a certification that all required persons have read and understand the city’s code of ethics.
The amendment also would allow a fine of $10 for each day of violation, up to $5,000.
Simply put, this will allow the public access to what they need to know about their politicians, Sherwood said.
We don't think that some public servants like the private citizens serving as NB members of the board of assessment and appeals are politicians - Mr. Sherwood - you and your CCAG have no sense of honor sir!
Anonymous said... Do all NB alderpersons pay NB property taxes? If not real estate taxes, do any of them pay only auto taxes? All of them seem to drive. If they drive and don't pay auto taxes, where are their cars registered and by whom?
ReplyDeleteWhy leave us guessing? To write this you must feel that an alderperson is not meeting their obligation to pay property taxs owed.
As far as I know the information that you are alluding to is public. If you have the goods expose it.
Or is this just a childish attempt to divert attention from a REAL ethics violations.
The Mayor should veto this ordinance proposed by Sherwack even if the Democrats would try to use it against him in November. This measure is designed to protect current Democrat Council members, etc. Why not require all Council members to disclose where they live and where they pay any kind of taxes? It will all come out in November. By the way, one Dem Council member wants to run for Tax Collector! Believe it! Does he pay any taxes to the city? What an inept chump this Sherwack is. The Mayor shouldn't be afraid to veto his resolution.
ReplyDeleteWhy is the contents of Sherwood's ethics filings such a heavily guarded secret? Is it possible that it fails to ask what town every elected official's car is registered in because they are avoiding the New Britain taxes because they know their own taxes are too high, and it is so obvious what he is up to, that he is ashamed to reveal his handy piece of work?
ReplyDeleteHe certainly knows how to hide and avoid questions when the public catches on to his childish liberal games!
You can hide all summer, but in November you will answer to all of us, you phony!