Thursday, January 5, 2012

O'Brien Expresses Displeasure With Costco Deal - Courant.com

By DON STACOM

12 comments:

Lou Salvio said...

Yet another example of the disingenuous rhetoric that continues to spew from troglodyte Mayor O'Brien and the Council's major obstructionist alderman, Dave DeFronzo. DeFronzo voted against every important economic proposal for New Britain in his shortened first term as alderman: the Aquinas proposal, the CREC Magnet School on Slater Rd. and the Costco proposal.
DeFronzo also completed the witch hunt of then aldermen Bernacki and Pabon begun by now communications director (O'Brien's), Phil Sherwood. DeFronzo was an avowed antagonist to practically everything proposed by the Stewart administration from "09 through '011.
The vote on the Costco proposal was a bipartisan effort as 6 of the 10 democrats present joined the 4 republicans to approve the purchase and sale agreement.
The blame-type rhetoric being used by the O'Brien administration should stop. Perhaps a reminder of the number of times parkland in New Britain has been compromised - especially, A.W.Stanley Park land - is necessary, here. Useless and unimportant blame rhetoric tactics are counterproductive.

Anonymous said...

Typical liberal--those evil rich businesses must be punished for having all that wealth. How dare they intend to make a profit. For liberal loons profit seems to be a dirty word!

Anonymous said...

O'Brien gets the support and votes from the anti-Costco crowd vowing to stop Costco. They in turn work to raise money for him, bash Stewart and the Republicans, and vote the entire democrat line.

The new Mayor criticizes Stewart while moving Stewart's and the Republicans issues forward. I don't get it.

What a weasel.

Anonymous said...

The Hartford Courant / O'Brien Expresses His Displeasure With Costco Deal,

Mayor O'Brien Says He Wants To Protect Park Lands From Future Development. But, the mayor says he has determined that he can't legally scrap the Costco deal, but wishes he could. O'Brien announced that even though New Britain must remain willing to turn part of the Stanley Golf Course into a retail Costco store, he plans to protect the rest of the city's park land from future development.

"The people of our city should never again be forced to choose between jobs and their public parks," O'Brien said. "I want to make sure that no city park land is lost in this way again." Council member David DeFronzo criticized a contract clause that penalizes the city if it backs out, saying it "handcuffs" the city in current dealings with Costco.

Former Mayor Tim Stewart, who negotiated the Costco agreement, dismissed the criticism and blasted O'Brien and DeFronzo as "ignorant" about the urgency of New Britain's need for economic development. "When you get a Fortune 500 company at your door, you work with it," Stewart said. "Nobody broke any laws here. The contract guarantees things go forward without the opposition of people like this who just pander to people so they can gather their votes."

O'Brien said he'll propose an Ordinance and a Charter Amendment to prohibit sale of city park land for business purposes.

Anonymous said...

How is the Mayor going to recoup the tax loss by Okay Industry leaving the city. What is he going to bring in to help the taxpayers? Being negative does not help those who pay ther taxes. Remember his promise was as of yesterdays paper to keep taxes low.

Anonymous said...

What a joke this is once again from this administration Frank!!!! Pander to the opposition during Stewart's tenure and then placate them with words like " the city is being forced into this deal and there is nothing we can do to stop it legally"??? So lets see, we'll change the city charter now and make it so we tie the hands of any future proposed development on city parkland??? Pennywise and poundfoolish if you ask me!
I bet he doesn't even know what the city has for parkland and all other associated structures on city property. If i'm correct there is already an ordinance and a state law that requires a public hearing on the sale of parkland. So lets get some more press and do nothing?? Seems to be the way this administration is going to operate!! In the papers with little or no actions!

Anonymous said...

O.Brien appears to want to make New Britain the poorest city in the state. While parks do hold an important place in the city, it takes taxes to keep them running. What price to pay to take a portion of a city park to use it for business purposes, i.e, paying taxes? Costco will serve an important role in serving New Britain residents.

Anonymous said...

NO'Brien and his socialist Lib Dem Party love to forcibly take private property for "economic development", as evidenced by the KELO V. NEW LONDON case, yet they pretend to deplore using public property even after they themselves voted to use it.

Anonymous said...

Maybe Costco should have found out why Walmart fled this socialist hamlet before spending a dime on this project?

Should Costco actually succeed in getting this facility built, how long do you think it will be before the radicals are protesting in front of the store demanding that all managers be Puerto Ricans?

Anonymous said...

On the subject of city parks, the previous administration managed to make some wonderful improvements to Martha Hart Park, including a new basketball court, and new softball field with outdoor lighting, without raising taxes. Upon taking office, The NO'Briens administration immediately shut down the park and its been closed ever since.

Anonymous said...

why would anyone care what pleases No'brien? He's not a dictator yet, even if he may think so.

Anonymous said...

Anything deal that causes this radical displeasure must be a good deal for the people.

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