Wednesday, September 09, 2015

Rumblings! 25 Notes to End Your Summer

1. Since Drew has been in office and the Council controlled by Democrats, the city grand list has declined and the annual budget has increased by nearly 20 million dollars. The 78 million BOE mention does not include the 30 or so million Middletown gets in aid from state and federal taxpayers, via "grants" (of someone else's money). The actual school budget is something in the neighborhood of $98M. Not to mention over $59+ million in new debt the city has accumulated under Mayor Drew's tenure, no wonder taxes keep climbing. Swipe the credit card!

2. Drew gave us a 5 mil tax increase last budget & reduced by .1 mil this time. Math says still an increase.

3. Drew voted at Pension Board meetings to take pensions from two police officers who were found to be disabled. He claimed he didn't believe in one's PTSD diagnosis. Both cases are pending in court. Its gonna be a fun fall!

4. The city paid a certain E. W. $1.2 million  as a water & sewer employee in a workplace discrimination suit. So much for ending the lawsuits...

5. Everyone on on the BOE slate for the Democrats is either a "community organizer" or state employee.

6. Ed4ed isn't running, why the press needed to feed his ego with a whole article is beyond us. "More time to focus on family..." Yea we've heard that before. More time to sample local brews? TEA people, sheesh...

7. How many Democrats have pulled paper work to primary? 3. Hope Kasper, Susanne Wesoloski, & Sean King. BTW, how is it ethical Democrat registrar of voters is the spouse of candidate Councilman Bob Santangelo, Lisa Santangelo is in charge of voting machines?

8. Emergency Management volunteers get their stipends pulled. Is there any coincidence that are connections to the GOP ? Um let's think...

9. How many grievances are there between city workers and the BOE now that we are saddled with Sodexco?

10. Former Chief Pat McMahon's lawsuit. Drew get the city check book ready!

11. Drew wants to create Middletown poet laureate contest, workshops to rezone Newfield Street, a dog park at Vet's Park (can anyone get a straight answer on this?),and share cropping aka "Plantation Drew: Middletown's Poor Farm" out on River Road;  how many feel good vote ploys can Drew cram in before November?

12. Suicide barriers on the historic Arrigoni Bridge, lighting the bridge with LEDs as a tourist attraction...Mayor Drew & Rep. Lesser need to make up their minds really as they are just hell bent to spend money on the bridge in some way.

13. Hey CASHO weren't we supposed to get Rt 9 by the river fixed? Oh wait that was the last election cycles promise, our bad.

14. We seriously want an editorial by Dr. Fred, no really its about damn time!

15. The Press publishes ION restaurant recipes, seriously-what about other restaurants? What's the connection?

16. Mayor Drew misses the veterans dedication & marching in Memorial Day parade, to get his internet degree at Columbia. BTW, who paid for that?

17. Kasper gets dumped off council slate. Ironically she voted against Mayor Drews robbing of the police pension fund of $800,000 transferred to the general fund.

18. Inland Wetlands is still illegally constituted.

19. The City is going to bond $722,000 over 10 years to buy computer equipment (CNR budget) that instantly loses value and will likely not be in service before the bond has been paid. Yup, that's smart financing. Once again Press, when are you going to investigate the amount of appropriations that come out of this Mayor and the Common Council on a monthly basis??

20. Lets do quick math. Retire out the former Director of Personnel at a cost of over $500,000 in pension; elevate the Deputy Director of Personnel to the same pay grade. Retire out the former Acting City Attorney and bring the new City Attorney on at max salary; bring on the current Deputy City attorney (new position) at an increase in salary and a cost of $130,000. Estimate the Assistant City Attorney to be at the $100,000 range. Was the merger worth it? Ask the Finance Department….

21.Remember this? Drew donates his own unused campaign funds to his own PAC? So much for giving back...http://www.middletownpress.com/general-news/20140214/middletown-mayor-dan-drew-donates-campaign-contributions-to-his-own-pac

22. Someone should FOI how much has been paid out in lawsuits based on discrimination since Dan Dan has been in office... It's the new "Who wants to be a Millionaire"

23. Drew campaigned on riverfront & downtown development, yet has nothing to hang his hat on. No one is clamoring to build by the river. The election year remedy? Drew wants to make a full time riverfront czar position. Which Malloy crony or Democrat relative needs job now? Hope, you got yours, get out of line...

24. Gotta hand it to Councilman Tom Serra for calling out the village anti-artificial turf fear mongerers led by Devoto & Ed4Ed. Someone is still mad their boy didn't get the athletic director position.

25. Next bond will be approved to allow the Public Works Director to get botox and new suits. The last road bond which included desecrating the Ridge Road Farmhill neighborhood  with a grandiose bus turnaround band aid thanks (Ed4Ed, Public Works Dir. William Russo &  Superintendent Dr. Charles) was a$15 million dollar road bond approved last election. This time around, the Mattabassett  Sewer project is 40% over budget. Tell us why Water & Sewer Director Guy Russo still has a job?! And Mayor Drew plans to ask tax payers for another $15 million in a bond referendum this November. Bend over...

8 comments:

  1. Perhaps those who are able to vote in the upcoming primary and agree with Councilman Serra's position, should "bullet" vote for him (Vote only for him and no other candidates) to send a message..

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  2. All the democrats are dirty and need to go. Good job bringing the truths to light!

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  3. Today's press has a picture of the groundbreaking at the new apartment complex on the corner of College and Broad. One of the participants "said the downtown location will allow residents an opportunity to shop and to dine without getting into a car." "He warned the area should expect a traffic burden during construction." Aimed at empty nesters and young professionals, I hope that they can work from home or adjust their schedules to miss the gridlock that is the intersection of Main and Washington at peak commuting times. As far as I can see, the traffic lights on Route 9 have done us no favors.

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  4. In 2011, a handfull of northend Main St businesses got forgivable loans, basically free money from the city/state because of "hardship" in dealing with Arrigoni Bridge construction traffic, the city is giving each down town resident or any one traveling thru some money in compensation. Call (860) 683 4801 to inquire about your check.

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  5. Who authorized a Dog Park in Veteran's Park? That's what I want to know. I asked a couple of different council people from both sides of the aisle and not one of them said it came before them in committee. So is the mayor now just legislating or is this from someone else who has been clamoring for a Dog Park for a few years now?
    Why would anyone put a Dog Park next to http://cttreesofhonor.com/ .
    I hope this doesn't happen, but if it does I hope people will let those in City Hall know that this is not the place for a Dog Park.

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  6. Poor Hope Poor Hope. Sorry I don't feel bad for her at all. She finagled her unqualified real estate agent son in law a admin position at the BOE with full teacher benefits while anyone else in a similar position gets less benefits. Sorry, patronage. Time for Hope to pack her bags. I hope whoever wins are the folks that the GOP can beat!

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  7. I can appreciate the comments as posted, but many are vague and lack any supporting evience other than sarcastic thoughts of the author. It would be much better if there were some validation of the comments.

    ReplyDelete

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