Monday, February 25, 2013
MAYOR O’BRIEN’S PROMISE TO NOT RAISE TAXES MAY BE AN EMPTY ONE
FRANKSMITHSAYSNB EDITORIAL:
When you get your tax bills try to remember that the Mayor spent $100,000 for a consulting firm to try and sell the public on his failed disastrous attempt to penalize landlords when their tenants dial 9-1-1, and even spent more taxpayer money for yet another consulting firm, this one headed by former State Representative David Pudlin—hired for an undisclosed purpose apparently known only to the mayor and his inner circle of cronies.
Another major issue facing the city’s administration is the Governor’s proposed elimination of the PILOT program (payment in lieu of taxes) to the city and the Governor’s plan to eliminate the car tax for cars valued at less than $28,500-- leaving our city short by several million dollars that will need to me made up by increasing taxes and putting any promise the mayor made about avoiding tax increases in even more jeopardy than his wild out of control spending has already done.
Maybe Alderman Willie Pabon had it right when he proposed a resolution adding a higher mil rate to the current tax rate only to be voted down by the Democratic controlled Common Council membership.
PILOT funding is a big deal. Where is the mayor on going after the Gov?
ReplyDeleteStewart hired cronies too some of them were his relatives. I don't mean to suggest they weren't qualified but every mayor has done this whether we agree or not.
Other state funds if cut will make it really hard to pass a budget.
Am I the only one that would like to know what Pudlin was getting paid for?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said..."Stewart hired cronies too some of them were his relatives. I don't mean to suggest they weren't qualified but every mayor has done this whether we agree or not."
ReplyDeleteHow do we know if these consultants were qualified or even what they were really hired for. Weren't both of these deals illegally approved behind closed doors in secret and without the required approval of the city council?
How many laws do you think were violated?
When are the state police coming to New Britain City Hall:
ReplyDeleteState police confirmed Monday that they have opened an investigation into whether former Hebron school Superintendent Eleanor Cruz misappropriated about $15,000.
"Our major crime unit has been brought in to investigate," said Sgt. Donna Tadiello, a state police spokeswoman.
Stewart hired people legally....O'Brien has done it illegally behind closed doors...
ReplyDeleteFormer NB Democratic State Representative David Pudlin's Political Consulting Firm - Strategic Communications (PSC) based in Bloomfield, CT, was hired by NB Mayor Tim O'Brien for consulting services in 2012 to spur economic development in New Britain area.
ReplyDeleteAccording to FOI Documents, acquired by the New Britain City Journal, the company owned by David Pudlin was paid from May 2012 through Feb. 2013, and NB Mayor Pro-Tem Michael Trueworthy worked for Pudlin Firm.
The Pudlin Political Consulting Firm (PSC) was hired without asking for bids. Alderman David DeFronzo confirmed that the firm was hired during a March 14, 2012 meeting that stated that Mayor O' Brien was hiring a professional economic development consulting service (PSC) not to exceed the payment of $2,800 per month.
It appears that Mayor O'Brien has hired Pudlin's PSC Firm with out direct approval of the NB Common Council as per the City Charter.
As an outsider it appears at least on the surface that someone has been using taxpayer money to campaign for re-election. I don't suppose anyone will ever look into this since it involves a Democrat, but had it been a Republican, there would surely be teams of investigators in raid jackets searching offices and seizing documents.
ReplyDeleteStewart hired people for his office which were considered "at will" employees. Allowed by city charter and done in the light of day! This idiot has hired political cronies to do consulting a much different circumstance than hiring your sister-in-law to be your office manager!
ReplyDeleteDifference being this administration has spit into the faces of all the taxpayers of NB by doing this type of thing with their money. Doing things to stay under the radar by only spending $2800 /month instead of the $3000 threshold that requires a public bid is exactly the type of behavior one would expect from political hacks like these liberals in NB!
You got exactly what you asked for. Vote for sleazy scumbags and get sleazy back door deals ripping you off and giving your tax money to their cronies for secret deals.
ReplyDeletePudlin's PSC of Bloomfield was hired by Mayor Tim O"Brien, and two payments to PSC exceeded the $2,800 per month agreement set by the council. The PSC’s first payment of $16,800 was sent June 8, 2012, but was marked due on May 17, 2012. Since then PSG received $8,400 on Oct. 12, 2012 and $1,400 three times in December with the last payment being on Feb. 1, 2013.
ReplyDeleteDoing things to stay under the radar by only spending $2800 per month instead of the $3000 threshold that requires a public bid is exactly the type of behavior one would expect from liberal politicans in NB !
It's a FOI fact that Mayor O'Brien's Office had hired Pudlin Strategic Communications, (PSC) LLC, a Pudlin political consulting firm for consulting services with out direct approval of the NB Common Council in a no bid contract.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why TV stations don't pick up on this nonsense. What is it going to take until someone says no more?
ReplyDeleteI don't believe the mushbrains in this city will ever say enough, even if New Britain collapses in the same manner as Detroit where the city government is being abolished and the county has to take it over because the Democrats ran the city completely into the ground. Even if the city of New Britain were to totally collapse, they will just blame Stewart and keep voting for the radicals who destroyed the city.
ReplyDelete