Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Blight changes get green light; garage
at a standstill - The New Britain Herald (newbritainherald.com)


BY JAMES CRAVEN

15 comments:

  1. Craven's article makes one think that no Council members - except two - were present at the meeting, only O'Brien, little Mac and Rich Marzi.

    Who voted on the issue.

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  2. Reading City Hall news as printed by the current Herald staff is like "deja vu all over again (Yogi Berra)"; you know, pre Schroeder/Smith days.

    The Courant said there were comments from the Mayor. I guess the Courant attended a different meeting.

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  3. The Clean and Lien (anti blight) ordinace as proposed to be revised by the City Administration and contrary to inflammatory, partisan comments by some bloggers and speakers at the Council/Committee meetings actually makes it easier for the City to deal with uncooperative landlords of any kind, slum or not.
    The revised ordinance strengthens the city's anti blight measures, is much more inclusive and streamlines the process of dealing with uncooperative property owners. Many examples of how the city is handcuffed under the current ordinance were offered by the Mayor and aldermen Bernacki and Salvio to those who wanted to listen last night. Thankfully, those Council members present WERE listening and made thoughtful decisions as to their votes.

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  4. The hospital has withdrawn from buying out the lease because they
    are fearing the outcome of a goverment run health care system
    which will bring hospitals to their
    knees.

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  5. Of course O'Brien adamantly opposes any changes to his ordinance, because then the public will be made aware of the fact that he was responsible for a defective ordinance.

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  6. Republicans against slumlords is similar to democrats against the poor.

    Stewart, salvio and other crooks have spent no effort what so ever in the past 6 years trying to fight slumlords. They in fact buddy up with them while living in their nice west end homes.

    The system they set up only allows the city (ie mayor) to pick who to go after. They only did this due to being scared that it is election year and blight in this city is out of control.

    Now you will see the mayor go after only certain landlords... the ones who won't pony up to his lordship and pay the tolls

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  7. Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Blight changes get green light; garage at a stands...":

    Republicans against slumlords is similar to democrats against the poor.

    Stewart, salvio and other crooks have spent no effort what so ever in the past 6 years trying to fight slumlords. They in fact buddy up with them while living in their nice west end homes.

    The system they set up only allows the city (ie mayor) to pick who to go after. They only did this due to being scared that it is election year and blight in this city is out of control.

    Now you will see the mayor go after only certain landlords... the ones who won't pony up to his lordship and pay the tolls.

    MY REPLY TO THIS STUPID COMMENT IS THAT THE ORIGINAL BLIGHT LEGEISALTION PAST BY THE COMMON COUNCIL WHICH WAS AUTHORED BY FORMER ALDERMAN O'BRIEN DIDN'T WORK WITH ALL THE MATTERS BEING TIED UP IN THE COURTS. let's HOPE THAT CORRECTION VOTED IN TONIGHT BY THE COUNCIL WILL WORK TO EXPIDITE THE RESOLVE REQUIRED TO CLEAN UP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

    SO WHOEVER YOU ARE PLEASE CRAWL UNDER THE ROCK YOU CAME FROM.

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  8. When all else fails, here comes the class envy card. Wait. The race card will be drawn next. You guys are so predictable.

    The existing blight ordinance was so great there was NO blight in New Britain? Please. Blight is a citywide problem and yes it occurs on the west end also. Oh wait. Republicans offered the changes so it must be bad.

    Everyone is against blight yet the super majority democrats attempt to tarnish the integrity of Mayor Stewart and Ald Salvio while voting with them?

    What happened to "change you can believe in"?

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  9. Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Blight changes get green light; garage at a stands...":

    When all else fails, here comes the class envy card. Wait. The race card will be drawn next. You guys are so predictable.

    The existing blight ordinance was so great there was NO blight in New Britain? Please. Blight is a citywide problem and yes it occurs on the west end also. Oh wait. Republicans offered the changes so it must be bad.

    Everyone is against blight yet the super majority democrats attempt to tarnish the integrity of Mayor Stewart and Ald Salvio while voting with them?

    What happened to "change you can believe in"?

    LIKE I STATED BEFORE PLEASE CRAWL UNDER THE ROCK YOU CAME FROM.

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  10. Frank sounds like one of O'Brien's fellow commies is upset that he is being shown up to be the failure that he really is!

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  11. When Mayor Stewart was working at the fire department (long before his run for mayor) I bumped into him at City Hall. I was there to file yet another complaint about the blighted building next door to me on Kimball Dr. I had written letters to the building department, followed up several times as did other neighbors but there was always red tape in the blight oridinance that prevented anything from really getting done. I shared my frustration with Tim and he wrote the address down and told me he would try to look into it. That afternoon the fire department pulled up to view the property. Tim hadn't brushed me off or forgotten my concerns.

    Over the years the building has fallen into further dis-repair. It has been empty for many years.
    We have witnessed squatters in the floors during the winter burning candles. My reports of this activity to the building department has continued to fall on deaf ears and I have been read the riot act over the procedures and policies which prevent the department from ever really getting anything done with regard to blight. The owner needs to be served papers and the building department cannot go on the property to inspect or can be charged with trespass. There are lengthy delays. Bottom line nothing
    happens.

    Last year my insurance company, Nationwide, came out to inspect my home which is new procedure for multi family dwellings. The inspector informed me that they could consider non-renewal of my building because of
    the blighted and abandoned property next door. He said he would refrain from noting it on his report but he wanted me to be advised for future.

    I sold my home. Difficult as it was with the eyesore next door. After 15 years of dealing with blight next to me with no assistance from the city it was enough for me. I took I drive by this week and the entire area is
    in decline. Blight is apparently
    contagious.

    I don't believe that Tim Stewart is using the issue for his campaign
    or picking and choosing which slum
    lords to pick-on either. Anytime I have seen him over the years he always inquired of the problem and never forgot. He took this issue seriously before he was Mayor and continues to fight the good fight today to keep New Britain in good condition and a place where you can
    be proud to live.

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  12. It took the mayor too long to fix the problem. Even if he did the right thing, he only did it after his campaign opponent elevated it as a campaign issue. FACT!

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  13. Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Blight changes get green light; garage at a stands...":

    It took the mayor too long to fix the problem. Even if he did the right thing, he only did it after his campaign opponent elevated it as a campaign issue. FACT!



    WRONG! WRONG! AND AGAIN YOU ARE ENTIRELY WRONG.

    The Democratic leadership known as the 13-2 voting block was the cause of what you determine as being the mayor’s delay with his action.
    It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to know the great harm the democratic majority has caused to our city with their dictator mannerisms on the Council floor.

    It’s a very cheap attempt in trying to make claim that the Mayor’s “opponent elevated it as a campaign issue” since Tim O’Brien together with the DTC Chairman both beg for the retention of the ordinance, has it exist, during public participation of the Council meeting a few meetings back.
    If you are attempting to win pick on another issue which may hard to do because of the infamous 13-2 Majority.

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  14. Anonymous said...
    It took the mayor too long to fix the problem. Even if he did the right thing, he only did it after his campaign opponent elevated it as a campaign issue. FACT!

    September 10, 2009 10:23 AM


    It only became a campaign issue because the council’s left wing attempted to turn a simple change of the ordinance (an attempt to strengthen the cities enforcement) into an issue. Originally they claimed that Alderman Bernacki and Salvio were gutting it. Then after review it became apparent that the proposed changes would strengthen the cities hand. Now all that is left is the far left wing Chairman of the DTC John McNamara and his hand picked Democratic mayoral candidate whistling in the wind because they have again been foiled in their sad attempts to make Mayor Stewart into a big bad ugly (big oil, big pharm, big tobacco, big real estate, big this and big that) boogie man.

    When the DTC comes to its senses and off loads these far left acorn type advocates from the leadership roles within the party maybe just maybe people will again take the DTC (or is it the D/WFP town committee) seriously!

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  15. Just more staged theater at the direction of circus master McNamara!

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