FRANKSMITHSAYSNB EDITORIAL:
Mayor O’Brien has told us that there was a $10.5 M then $11.5M then $30 M budget deficit. This budget was reviewed and voted on unanimously by the democrat controlled council 10-1 last May (Friday, 5/27/12). The following facts must be repeated as many times as is possible until Council majorities change: the Common Council passes a municipal budget every year; throughout the 8 years of Tim Stewart's tenure as Mayor, all Councils have had a super majority of Democrats and all of those 8 budgets were approved; throughout the 8 years of Lucian Pawlak's tenure, the same situation prevailed and also for many years prior to Lucian!!!!
Back to the O'Brien/Sherwood administration. Since he took office in 11/11, O'Brien and Sherwood have continued with nauseum to blame the previous administration for everything they see as "wrong" with NB finances. The perceived deficits claimed by O'Brien/Sherwood: first, the Mayor took $10.5 M from the Water Dept. reserves to cover the first figure that was really (11.5 million). From where did the other $20 M suddenly appear?
What Mayor O’Brien didn't tell NB taxpayers is that he wants the City to join the State run, very expensive, Health Care plan. In order to join the plan the premium is $20 Million up front. This would also remove health benefits as a negotiated item from our City labor contracts.
Incidentally, this is the same plan that is being promoted by the New Britain Democrat Town Committee Chairman John McNamara and Dem. 5th Dist. Congressional endorsed Candidate, Chris Donovan of Meriden.
They also want the New Britain Board of Education to join. We should all hope that BOE Chairperson Beloin-Saavedra will stick to her previously announced "guns" and not agree to join this expensive plan.
Mayor O'Brien is calling for a meeting with the neighborhood residents to discuss what to do with Saint Thomas Thursday June 7 At 6 PM at the Stanley Memorial Church.
ReplyDeleteAfter the Democrats turned down a purchase agreement by Community Builders for a sum of $4,000,000 with their agreeing to and additional sum of $1,000,000 for remedial cleanup work The Council membership lead by the Democrats voted this offer down.
Alderman David DeFronzo sided with the neighborhood naysayers being against this proposal of tearing down the school and refurbishing the nuns residence into l8 single units and l8 two family units. Claiming it would downgrade "our community."
After being told that there were 16 request from builders for the packet information but the city received only one bid. The President Pro Tempore of the common council, Alderman Michael Trueworthy, stated that receiving only one RFP wasn't sufficient and in spite of Alderman Salvio's plea to accept the deal since heavy cost to maintain the property will continue but, Alderman Trueworthy continued with his usual dialog "this might not be the best proposal" " I spoke to a whole bunch of people and I would like to see a new RFP on the Street." "That neighborhood needs a change a community center something has to happen."
With a roll call vote the Democratic control council voted this issue down causing rumors to start from the Trueworthy statement "neighborhood needs a community center." Comments from everywhere surfaced indicating the Democratic plan is to turn over this site to The Friendship Center of Arch Street.
...and so they continue to attempt to make this site into the largest homeless shelter in the state--junkies, alcoholics and other bums soon to overtake this once peaceful neighborhood all in the name of a radical socialist agenda!
ReplyDeleteFrank::
ReplyDeleteFail to see that the first two comments have anything to do with the subject of your editorial.
The real issue is that O'Brien is inept and the viciousness of Sherwood and the obtuse statements by the DTC Chair, Mac The Lesser, won't help do anything except divert attention away from their apparent stupidity.
In the end, NB taxpayers will pay; that means that the welfare state in NB will continue to thrive while the working people pay. Sooner rather than later, the working class will disappear and so will NB. At that time, who knows, revolt? Revolution?
People are "revolting" with their feet and selling. House prices on the west end are down a significant amount.
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