FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Common Council to sneak through renters fee
New Britain, CT – October 3, 2012 – In a move that has local property owners and investors up and arms the Common Council of New Britain has called for a special meeting to discuss a highly controversial new fee on rental properties. “They don’t want to hear what the public has to say, and that is why they are doing this in a special meeting” said Republican Town Committee Chairman, Dwight Blint. The only difference between a regular meeting of the Common Council and a special meeting is that there is no public participation allowed at special meetings. Blint added, “There is no reason that this matter couldn’t wait until the next regular common council meeting to be addressed” pointing to the fact that the ordinance as written would not be enacted until February of 2013.
The ordinance in question is highly controversial and would call for a $150 per unit fee to be assessed on most rental properties within the city of New Britain. At last night’s meeting of the Planning Zoning and Housing subcommittee over 30 residents and property owners in New Britain spoke in opposition of the proposed ordinance and not one person spoke in favor of the ordinance. Alderman Jamie Giantonio was quick to point this fact out saying, “It seems like this administration is trying to enact this ordinance hastily and under the cover of darkness because they know there is a strong public opposition.” Other public officials were also disturbed by the way the Mayor’s office is handling this issue. Vice Chairman of the Republican Town Committee and Board of Education member Erin Stewart said, “I don’t know why any elected official would try to so blatantly avoid hearing what the public has to say.”
Blint echoed Stewart’s sentiments, saying, “This is coming from a Mayor who campaigned on the promise of a more open and transparent government. I don’t think any government that willfully tries to avoid public oversight can claim to be open.” Blint is urging all concerned property owners, landlords, and tenants to attend the special meeting at 8:00pm Thursday night in the Council Chamber of City Hall. “If they won’t hear our complaints they will certainly feel our presence.”
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Contact:
Dwight Blint – Chairman, NBRTC
dwightblint@gmail.com
Ph: 860-899-4711
Thursday, October 4, 2012
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2 comments:
Dwight,
Maybe if you paid your taxes we wouldn't have this problem.
They learned from Obama and his Obamacare. Shove it down their throats no matter how much the overwhelming majority is opposed to it. Having Democrats in power is like getting forcibly raped every day.
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