Minority Leader Salvio Speaks Out

1/11/10

To the Editor,

Results of the 11/3/09 Municipal Election ended with the election of 11 Democrats and 4 Republicans. Those results alone are not surprising. What was surprising was the margin of victory especially considering the history of proven Democratic ethical, professional and potentially criminal acts committed by some Council Democrats the previous two years.

Then, the Ds oust Alderman Trueworthy from his position as Majority Leader and vote in known troublemaker, Phil Sherwood to assume that position. Trueworthy is voted in as Mayor Pro Tem,a horrible joke and slap in the face to the people of New Britain.

The Ds professed a new era of cooperation with the Stewart administration to move New Britain forward. The rest was predicted: with their 11 – 4 majority, the Ds then stacked each subcommittee with a D majority and elected Ds to all chair and vice chair positions.

Then, in their first attempt at obstructing Mayor Stewart, new Majority Leader Sherwood and his D leadership cabal attempt to dismiss/fire the city’s independent auditor. They offer only as a reason, “there should be a new set of eyes auditing the city’s books.” This move is led by the quartet of Aldermen, Sherwood, Trueworthy, Catanzaro and Hermanowski. This group offers not a shred of evidence of any wrong doing by the city’s auditor, but only say in their infinite stupidity, “there should be a new set of eyes.” I offer the following quote from Alderman Sherwood: “If it is sufficiently proven to this body that we have entered into a contract for numerous years with Blum Shapiro and we can’t back out, fine. Then this might sound widely irresponsible but cut them the check. I want a new set of eyes looking at our books.” Imagine that! Sherwood has set himself up as the supreme dispenser of taxpayer monies! What unabashed conceit.

What this D cabal didn’t count on is that a couple of their Democratic colleagues would decide to think for themselves. The attempt failed.

Watch for it, this Sherwood led quartet of malcontents is not finished. I predict that in the next two years, the “Sherwood Quartet/Cabal” will continue in their quest to obstruct every positive move by the Stewart Administration to move New Britain forward to a positive future. This quartet is not interested in voting in the best interests of the citizens on New Britain, rather they are only interested in themselves and partisan (D) politics.




Lou Salvio, Alderman, New Britain