Former Mayor Drew Campaign Manager & Rep. Geoff Luxenburg Accused of Voter Harassment, Not News to Middletown!

Rep. Geoff Luxenburg (D), former Mayor Dan Drew campaign manager
 being accused of voter intimidation & "combativiness" towards the Registrar of voters   in Manchester as well as elderly voters.

Chicago-style politics in CT - not news to Middletown where Rep. Geoff Luxenberg was Mayor Drew's campaign manager in 2011 and faced similar allegations.

The Manchester Registrar office has filed a complaint with the SEEC - State Elections Enforcement Committee alleging that Luxenburg harassed the Registrar of Voters in Manchester. The complaint alleges Luxenburg was "combative and negative" among it's  laundry list of accusations.

It is alleged that Mr. Luxenburg harassed two Registrars AND elderly voters. One registrar claims to have gotten a complaint the Luxenburg went to an sick and elderly womans house 3x to get her to vote via absentee.The bed-ridden citizen then made a complaint to the Registrar about Luxenburgs behavior asking the Registrar to ask Luxenburg to leave her alone.

http://www.courant.com/community/manchester/hc-manchester-lux-complaint-1025-20131024,0,2099254.story

If proven true, voter intimidation/fraud, (which harassment of a registrar or voter falls under),  is a felony that can carry a 5 year prison term.

 Last local election cycle, Wesleyan College Democrat chairs & Democratic Town Committee members Gabriela De Golia and Ben Florsheim (Florsheim shoe company heir) filed accusations with the SEEC falsely accusing the Republican Registrar of Middletown and GOP candidates of voter intimidation as an attempt to smear the campaign. The SEEC dismissed all accusations as false. The judge actually ruled all three accused were promoting voting. Neither the DTC or Florsheim have issued apologies for their false accusations that carried felony penalties.

Flash back to Middletown 2011 & Office of the Registrar of Voters: 
Is this Luxenburgs first instance of election intimidation and alleged bad behavior?

In an article last year posted by the Middletown Eye written by Sterphen DeVoto (now a candidate on P&Z running with the Democratic slate), Devoto writes about alleged interrogations & harassing behavior towards the Town Clerk and Registrars of Voters by Luxenburg. Devoto writes:

"According to Tommasi, the Drew campaign then further escalated the interrogations and challenges. Most of this came from Geoff Luxenberg, the recently elected State Representative from Manchester, employed as Drew’s campaign manager. Luxenberg communicated with Tommasi in a series of emailed questions (see links below). Tommasi said that the questions made her very uncomfortable because they seemed to challenge her impartiality, “They raked me over the coals.” In one exchange, Luxenberg seemed to question why Democratic Town Committee endorsed candidates on the primary ballot could not serve as election workers."

Tommasi volunteered to meet face to face with Luxenberg, to resolve any issues and to avoid the possible misinterpretations that written emails can engender. She said the Drew campaign “refused to meet face to face”, apparently preferring the written record that emails would create."

The original article by Devoto can be read here in its entirety:

Democratic Registrar Of Voters Objects To Drew Campaign Actions

Subsequently, after defending her impartiality, Democratic Registrar Anne Tomassi was fired by the Democratic Town Commitee as Democratic Registrar and kicked her off their town commitee. The Republicans then appointed Tommassi as the GOP deputy registrar.

Then Town Clerk Sandra Russo-Driska ( since retired & now a Republican Common Council candidate) defended the actions of the Registrars, and wrote a public letter rebuking the behavior of the Drew 2011 Campaign and its treatment of the Registrar's in Middletown.

CT Dems seem to be adopting Chicago methods of intimidation on local level - is this the next generation of CT Dem leadership?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/hc-manchester-lux-complaint-1025-20131024,0,2908801.story

Malloy & Bye Keynote Speakers at Gun Violence Prevention Convention Wesleyan Sept. 28th ($75)

On  Sept. 28 Wesleyan University will host a Gun Violence Prevention public forum with featured speaker Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. He is joined by Ct state Senator Beth Bye.

The Conference on Gun Violence Prevention will be held on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on campus.The event is hosted by Connecticut Against Gun Violence, the Wesleyan Association of Christian Thinkers, Wesleyan’s Center for Community Partnerships and the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, Delta Kappa Epsilon, Psi Upsilon, Womanist House, Buddhist house, 200 Church residence hall and Wes Democrats.

Participants may attend sessions on “Past, Present and Future of Gun Violence Prevention in Connecticut,” “Guns 101: The Terminology and Technology,” The 2014 Elections: How YOU can Impact the Results,” “Beyond Mass Shootings: The Hidden Epidemic of Gun Homicide,” “Marching for Change: Building a Movement,” “Legislative Strategy: Making Your Voice Heard,” and “Maximum Impact: Effective Social Media Strategy.”

The conference is open to the public but a fee of $75 for attendees who are not students is required.
 
Sessions will include discussions on homicides with firearms, legislative strategy and social media strategy. Redding Police Chief Douglas Fuchs will speak on gun terminology.

More information, links pre register and pay the attendance fee as well as a full list of speakers is available here:
http://newsletter.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2013/09/16/gunviolenceconference/ 

and here: http://newsletter.blogs.wesleyan.edu/files/2013/09/WES-CONFERENCE-ONLINE-DETAILS-AND-REGISTRATION.pdf

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Wesleyan Students Kicked out of Museum: WTNH.com

 Nation College Democrat President,  WesDem chair & shoe fortune heir student  Wesleyan student Ben Florsheim ('14) was reportedly NOT at the Science Center. Florsheim and the Middletown Democratic Town Committee  helped to registrar over 400 Wesleyan students to vote in 2011 for the municipal elections (a right granted by the  Supreme Court). Florsheim is a veteran of the Dannel Malloy campaign for Governor. Florsheim received an award from Wesleyan for distributing flyers falsely accusing some local GOP candidates, a local police officer, and the registrar of voters of felony voter intimidation during the 2011 election cycle. The State Elections Enforcement Commission subsequently ruled that those same local GOP members were actually encouraging student voting . 
Despite having ruled his accusation unfounded and quite the opposite, Florsheim was allowed to keep his award given by Wesleyan faculty.
Florsheim now a member of the MDTC, has since worked on various CT campaigns, will he return to run for local office or work on municipal campaigns in November?

Repost from Source: http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/middlesex_cty/wesleyan-students-kicked-out-of-museum-for-sex-and-drugs#.USPzPI5j6-J  (see site for video)

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. (WTNH) -- Things got a little out of hand for a group of Wesleyan seniors at the Connecticut Science Center. They say they got kicked out after being there just a few hours.

Sex and drugs are just some of the things that allegedly got Wesleyan seniors kicked out of a science museum.

As college comes to a close, Wesleyan University seniors plan several events to bring the class together.

"It's a fun atmosphere. You're with your entire class, it's always supposed to be a good time," said senior Kaya Ceci.

The parties are called senior cocktails and usually happen at a bar but last week's event was held at the Connecticut science center and it did not go well. These seniors were there...

"Spilling alcoholic beverages," said senior Andrew Pfiffer. "Just way too much expensive equipment to have around some crazy college people."

Students tell us the science center shindig lasted less than 2 hours. Students were allegedly found doing drugs and having sex in bathrooms. At least one senior allegedly climbed a dinosaur exhibit and there are reports of vomiting off of a flight of stairs.

"The things that happened were sort of ridiculous," said sophomore Sage Ryza.

Still, students say don't blame them, blame poor planning.

"It was kind of a questionable plan to bring a bunch of people to a science museum where there is definitely drinking going on," said Charlie Smith.

"Apparently they've done other events in the past before and stuff and the events were for other age groups and then you put a bunch of students as opposed to AARP members, you're going to get a different reaction," said Christopher Caines.

"It was a bad idea and I am sorry to the staff of the science center," said Pfiffer.

News 8 did stop by the science center. Though some staffers said off camera that they knew of the alleged incidents, the center declined to comment.

Portrait of a Typical Middletown Resident : Man Who Cares

The Man Who Cares.

In 2011 Ben Florsheim 14', president of the WesDems, President of the CT College Democrats & Middletown Democratic Town Committee member helped then Mayoral Candidate Dan Drew rally, register, and transport over 400+ Wesleyan students to vote in the municipal city wide election.  

High student turn out is expected for the presidential and state level district elections in this November. 

Anyone wishing to vote, students & city citizens alike can, are encouraged to get information about voter registration from the Office of the Registrar of Voters at City Hall downtown.

The point here is this: By supreme court order students are allowed to vote in their college town. The staff of the Insider encourages everyone to vote.
 If you as a full time resident disagree with who some one like Ben Florsheim chooses to put in office of  Mayor, BOE member etc, then make sure YOU and everyone you know votes in this year's election for president & state representatives! Where are the student's now ? Will they demand the "transparency" parents  demanded from the BOE for example?

"Tom Florsheim said Weyco is subject to the same headwinds many companies selling retail goods face today, such as the slow economy in the U.S., increases in material prices and rising labor costs in Asia, where most of its shoes are made. But he’s upbeat on the future." Original article here

The billion dollar company is sponsoring a generous contest to help the  less fortunate.
 "The Man Who Cares" contest ending December 2012 will give away a single $150 gift certificate
 ( however does not include taxes or shipping, & not nearly enough for a whole pair, let alone one shoe. In honor of Ben, offer not good towards Work shoes.) .

Can you say the ONE PERCENT with the wealth?

Wait a minute people!  Can you say: Shoe Company Heir + 193 Million Dollar Senator?  I bet you can.. They are all Democrats, so with all that moola would that qualify them as part of the 1% of the people with the wealth.  Right, it's okay they're Democrats, they can do what they want and not as they preach..

"It wasn’t “fun” work but looking back he thought it was good to do a little manual labor in addition to the unpaid political stuff.  It built character– not that I’ll jump at the opportunity to work in a warehouse again anytime soon,” stated Ben."

The Insider is looking for any funny captions for this amazing protest photo. Leave them in the comments section. First prize, a brand new set of saddle shoes. Second Prize, forget about it, you're not part of the one percent.   

http://www.middletowninsider.com/2012/09/letter-to-editor-ben-florsheim-chair-of.html

WesDems held their first meeting of the year this evening, Wesleyan Drop-Out turned Anti-Term Limit & Future Career Politician Rep. Matt Lesser (District 100) was on hand to give remarks and inspire. Readers should check Wesleying blog website to stay tuned to whats happening on campus and how the WesDems plan to contribute to our local political elections.
Speaking of local elections, remember how last year the "non partisan group" Democracy Now of Wesleyan  invited Candidate Drew to speak on campus, and not incumbent Giuliano, and it was "coincidence" how it happened to fall right at election time? And remember how then after MRTC members showed up at the public lecture uninvited, yet behaved, and then writers affiliated with the  WesDems tried to counter attack and claim the group was disruptive?
 Seems Mayor Drew is making another "coincidental" & totally "non partisan" appearance as guest speaker at  the public First Year Anniversary Party of the Young Leaders Society branch of the Middlesex United Way  on 10/11/2012 at 7pm at the Shadow Room Bar & Lounge on Main Street. Let's hope this PUBLIC event is non partisan because that 501 3c non profit IRS status is a terrible thing to jeopardize for a group just for one's own  politicking. Take a lesson from Red Rosa  Dano and read our article!

January 3 2007! Read and Think

An Alternate History Lesson by: Robbie Sipangelo

A history lesson you will not find in the news, weather TV or

Print. You won’t find it in our schools  either.

         Do YOU REMEMBER JANUARY 3, 2007?

This is NOT a political message, but rather a clarification to remind us all of the correct facts.

Remember that on October 9, 2007, 11 months before our “economic crisis” occurred

(that was actually created), the Dow hit its highest point ever, closing at 14,164.53 and reaching 14,198.10 intra-day level 2 days later.  Unemployment was steady at 4.7%.  But things were already being put in place to create the havoc we’ve all been experiencing since then.  And it all started, as this email explains, on January 3, 2007.  --LFL

This tells the  story, why Bush was so “bad” at the end of his term. Don't just skim over this, it's not very long, read it slowly and let it sink in. If in doubt, check it out!!!

The day the Democrats took over was not January 22nd 2009; it was actually January 3rd 2007, which was the day the Democrats took over the House of Representatives and the Senate, at the very start of the 110th Congress.

The Democrat Party controlled a majority in both chambers for the first time since

the end of the 103rd Congress in 1995.

For those who are listening to the liberals propagating the fallacy that everything is

"Bush's Fault", think about this: January 3rd, 2007 was the day the Democrats took over the Senate and the Congress.

At the time:

The DOW Jones closed at 12,621.77 The GDP for the previous quarter was 3.5% The Unemployment rate was 4.6% George Bush's Economic policies SET A RECORD of 52 STRAIGHT MONTHS of JOB GROWTH

Remember the day...

January 3rd, 2007was the day that Barney Frank took over the House Financial Services Committee and Chris Dodd took over the Senate Banking Committee.  The economic meltdown that happened 15 months later was in what part of the economy?  BANKING AND FINANCIAL SERVICES!

Unemployment... to this CRISIS by (among MANY other things) dumping 5-6 TRILLION Dollars of toxic loans on the economy from YOUR Fannie Mac and Freddie Mac FIASCOES!

Bush asked Congress 17 TIMES to stop Fannie & Freddie - starting in 2001 because it was financially risky for the US economy.

And who took the THIRD highest pay-off from Fannie Mae AND Freddie Mac? OBAMA

And who fought against reform of Fannie and Freddie? OBAMA and the Democrat Congress.

So when someone  tries to blame Bush.  REMEMBER JANUARY 3rd,

 2007....

Letter to the Editor: Ben Florsheim, Chair of Wesleyan College Democrats

Ben Florsheim, Public Figure

You are within your rights to make wild, baseless accusations and live your life in an alternative reality of paranoia and ignorance. You are not, however, entitled to use my image on your website in association with this behavior. Take it down immediately.

Sincerely,

Ben Florsheim

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Insider never labeled Florsheim's picture, however, he has chosen to identify himself in the post previously published here: http://www.middletowninsider.com/2012/09/whats-up-did-anybody-in-2011-vote-2x-in.html .

Florsheim is president of the Wesleyan College Democrats, a Middletown Democrat Town Committee elected member, and the vice president of the National College Democrats. He worked on the Gov. Malloy campaign and aided MDTC in providing buses and pizza to bring students to the polls. Florsheim helped to register over 400 students last election.

Florsheim made false accusations towards former Mayor Sebastian Giuliano,  and then P.Z. Candidate Molly Salafia, Registrar Janice Giofriddo in an SEEC (State Elections Enforcement Commission) complaint filed by a fellow College Democrat. All allegations were dismissed, and in fact the SEEC ruled all were actually PROMOTING voting in their actions in which the complaint was based on. 
Several letters of protest from Florsheim and other  Wesleyan students seem to have aided in the retraction of the appointment of Giuliano to SEEC chair last year. The full ruling, which is also publicly available on the SEEC website can be read here:http://www.middletowninsider.com/2012/06/state-elections-commission-throws-out.html 

Had they not been, each could have faced up to 5 years in prison with a minimum mandatory 1 year served for the felonies..... Florsheim circulated

Get Shorty 3 to Film in Middletown starring Lisa Santangelo

Local Middletown resident to star in blockbuster movie!

Middletown- Jersey Films and director Brian Sonnenfeld have announced that the newest chapter in the Elmore Leonard Chilli Palmer series will be lensing in Middletown, CT.  According to the town’s current mayor and Chinese ambassador Dan Drew, the film will star local starlet Lisa “ME” Santangelo in the lead role of ex-shylock turned Hollywood producer.

      “We are going for a different vibe,” Drew said bluntly as he adjusted the pencils on his desk. “John’s (Travolta) version of Chilli was great in ‘Get Shorty’ and ‘Be Cool’, but now with Lisa cast in the role we are going for the gut.”  Drew then revealed the film will called ‘Got Trouble’ and will be based on Santangelo’s real life antics of causing trouble around town most notably in the Registrar of Voter’s office.

http://www.middletowninsider.com/2012/02/was-it-retaliation.html
Find out more about Santangelo's past career moves.

            “I think it’s remarkable casting,” added Benjamin Florsheim, Wesleyan class of 2014, DTC member, and definitely a public figure. “Lisa’s ability to piss off everyone in town is incredible. She is like a bull in a china (pun intended, Dan!) shop and has made enemies with everybody in her way. She also bullies her way onto committees all over town and doesn’t have the decency to show up unless there is something in it for her.”   When asked to press further about Santangelo’s reputed antics with regard to any other wrong doings, the Wesleyan student said with a wink: “Trouble is coming on Monday!”

Lisa Santangelo is the Democratic Registrar of Voters and formerly the chair of the Middletown Democratic Town Committee and campaign manager. She is wife of Councilman Bob Santangelo.

State Elections Commission Throws Out Allegations of Voter Fraud Against City Officials made by Wesleyan Student

The full document of the complaint & ruling is here:
 https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1OYjxtLEgUwUElDbEJGRUE0QWs/edit?pli=1

Florsheim, Blumenthal, De Golia, photo from Middletown 

Patch, by C. Day

Wesleyan student  and Windsor CT native, Paulina Jones-Torregrosa filed a complaint with the State Elections Enforcement Commission accusing local City officials Incumbent Mayoral Candidate Sebastian Giuliano, Registrar of Voters Janice Gionfriddo (R), Registrar Anne Tommassi (D), and then candidate now Planning & Zoning Commissioner Molly Salafia of voter intimidation  & fraud during the last local election held in November 2011. Jones-Torregrosa alleges that by allowing students at the University who in the past were allowed to register to vote with P.O Box's to change this to an on campus address as it was found by the SEEC &  State Attorney General to be necessary by law, would cause undo steps for the students and impede their voting rights. The student alleges that by trying to help students remedy this before the election, the incumbent Mayor and Registrar's from both parties were committing voter fraud. The student also alleges that a letter  to a local blog by Salafia that was found by the SEEC to actually encourage  the voting students, and to vote across party lines (see last page of document above) was in her opinion voter intimidation and should be punishable by a felony fine and  mandatory imprisonment. The SEEC dismissed all allegations by the student, and in its conclusions, states that the Commission feels all were trying to help in making voting easier; the opposite of what Jones-Torregrosa alleges. It is unknown at the time if Jones-Torregrosa is or was a member of the Wesleyan College Democrats who  handed out flyers & wrote press releases along side student presidents Gabriela DeGolia and Ben Florsheim stating that the same accused persons were trying to intimidate students and encouraging student voters not to vote for them. Florsheim and DeGolia worked with various campus groups to mass register over 400 Wesleyan students and bus some of them to the polls for the last municipal elections.  Florsheim, who is president of the National College Democrats, claimed that the registering of students and bussing was a non partisan issue, but was quoted in the Wes Argus in September of 2011 that he and the Wesleyan Democrats would do everything possible to assist the Drew campaign. http://wesleyanargus.com/2011/04/29/students-prepare-for-mayoral-race/ Florsheim and DeGolia have since joined the local Democratic Town Committee.

Do you want your tax money going to political campaigns? Common Council Votes May 7

This story was brought to the Insider's attention in an article by the Middletown Eye here: Mayor Drew, who spoke at a lecture held at Wesleyan organized by the non partisan group Democracy Now on campaign finance reform along side WesDem leader Ben Florsheim this past fall advocating public funding of campaigns to "level the playing field." As you may recall,  at the lecture, open to the public held just by "coincidence" during the 2011 fall campaign season, was "crashed" as stated by Florsheim by local Middletown Republican candidates and incumbent Mayor Sebastian Giuliano, who were not invited, as then candidate Drew tried to tell the crowd. It was after this lecture, and with the help of student leaders Gabriela DeGolia and Ben Florsheim that over 450 Wesleyan students were registered to vote, coincidentally, around the same margin by which Drew won the election. Florsheim, who is president of the Connecticut College Democrats and an up and coming politician in his own right, and DeGolia then wrote letters and organized protests of Giuliano's appointment to the SEEC (State Elections Enforcement Committee).  De Golia and Florsheim then manipulated statements made by Republican candidates and local citizens, who had merely quoted state statues, and the two  published statements & handed out flyers accusing the Giuliano campaign, candidates, and a private citizen not involved in the campaign, of felony voter intimidation against Wesleyan students.

To get back to the topic of Your money: idea behind the resolution is  to force campaigns to be "grassroots" efforts. However look at Drew's contributors who he claimed were "grassroots":Connecticut Young Democrats, Leadership in Action, People for excellence in government, Plumbers and Steamfitters Local Union 777, Susan Bysiewicz,State Rep. Matt Lesser, Colleen Flanagan, a spokeswoman for Gov. Dannel Malloy, State Treasurer Denise Nappier, Democratic councilmen Robert Santangelo, Grady Faulkner, Hope Kasper and James Streeto, along with Democratic Town Committee Chairwoman Elizabeth Santangelo. Those aren't grass roots contributors, it's they are Dem cohorts- and likewise- members of the local Republican party contributed to to Giuliano. Our point is: practice what you preach if your are going to preach it!

 In January, it was reported that Drew's campaign raised over $97K (vs. Giuliano's $68K),  the majority of which came from businesses rather than individual donors; the Insider's point is that the pot is calling the kettle black with this resolution to stop supposed campaign corruption and favors  by businesses who donate to local campaigns. The Insider suspects that because of statements at this lecture, the local Democratic Councilmembers will be in favor of having tax money used for local campaigns.

On the agenda for the regular common council meeting for May 7, 2012 is a resolution
regarding public elections and the financing of those elections. This resolution states
in part that the residents of Middletown, CT “stand with communities across America
in protecting our republic from the influencing effects of well-financed interests by
establishing that
1. Corporations should not enjoy the Constitutional rights by being considered
human beings;
2. All public elections shall be publicly funded;
3. Independent political spending shall be limited and made transparent;”

On the surface after reading quickly, this sounds admirable; however, after thought, not
so much.  The Insider would rather put in place or enforce the regulations that limit the
amount of spending or lower the cost of an election rather than make all public elections
publicly funded. Elections are too costly, that’s a given, so perhaps it would be better
to cap the amount that may be spent on an election for a specific office. For example, if
you’re running for Mayor you may spend $30,000; how you come up with that amount
and what you do with that is up to you, but that’s it, that’s all you’ve got.
The Insider doesn’t want to see our tax dollars, and that’s what public funding is: my taxdollars whether it be local or federal, spent on campaigns when there are so many other needs to be met. We don’t believe that the residents of Middletown want to have their mil rates go up even more than they already are ( 2+ mil) so that candidates for the next election can receive campaign funds. How would you feel if your tax money went toward say the Communist Party? Or a campaign party called "I did Your Mother"? If this resolution passes, all parties would receive equal funding-

This resolution, if passed, speaks for all the residents in Middletown and the Insider is not sure
that the Council, just by virtue of their position as Council, has the right to put forth
a position such as this without some sort of public hearing or public input. Also, this
resolution is assuming that the voter has not the ability to judge candidates and vote on
their candidates based on informed knowledge but rather on the money spent on their
campaign. The Insider would rather think that the voters in this city are more informed and engaged then that.

Former Superintendent Forms Super Music Group

Frechette, Haynes and Senges- Together Again: $350,000 + One Million Tour

            It seems that former Superintend of Schools Michael Frechette and his merry duo of cronies aren’t done polluting the intellectual stimuli of the citizens of Middletown, he’s back and this time his assembled a band that consists of his former assistants: Barbara Senges on tuba and Nancy “The Illegal” Haynes on blowhorn.  Although not officially named yet, some Middletown residents are calling the trio "The Users" or "The Richies".

“Although I was paid a tremendous sum of money from the Middletown school system for doing nothing, I decided to get the band together and play a final gig at Kiegwin Middle School for all my adoring fans,” Dr. Michael Frechette told reporters last night at a literacy press conference last night in Middletown.  “I will be selling CDs and I hope the citizens band together to bring me back for education work in town, which of course would benefit me due to the large consulting fee I will charge the district,” Frechette said with a twinkle in his eye as he adjusted his diamond ring and asked Haynes in a sharp voice to, “move my Rolls [Royce].”

Recorded Live from the Scream Room!

For $12.99 plus shipping and consulting fees, fans get the following songs:

One NIGHT ONLY! (CD COVER)

1)       I Fought the Law and the I Won

2)          Chain, Chain, Chain of Fools.. (Middletown Residents are Suckers!)

3)           Hit me with your Best Shot

4)           You’re so Vain with Carly Simon

5)            Poker Face

6)            Hot For Teacher in the Scream Room

7)            Mo Money, MO Problems

8)           Miki’s Girls

9)             The 466 Blues (Contracts are Null and Void Anthem)

10)         It’s good to be the King

11)         Theme from the Godfather

12)         Don’t stop Believing

13)         The Mileage Anthem

14)         It’s the End of the World as We Know it. (Teachers need Supplies)

Good Question: "Why doesn't the BOE just show us the books?" Answer: THEY DON'T HAVE TO.

A much loved reader The Blue Cat asked an intelligent question in our comments section the Insider would like to address. " Why doesn't the BOE Administration just show the public the accounting books?" We don't mean to pick on you kitty cat, its a really good question; good for you for taking an interest in where your tax money goes. Many have asked this over and over in various letters to the media and statements given and its a fair question answered below. 

"Rumor Disney to make movie about Nancy Haynes & Middletown BOE!"

2 Comments - Show Original PostCollapse comments

 The Blue Cat said...

It is clear that the BOE had over-spent their special education budget. They did it two years in a row.

Thing is.. thats the norm. And normally there is a grant check that covers a lot of that expenditure. Problem is.. the City used that money without BOE permission. Should the City have done that. No. Did the BOE overspend their budget? Yeah. Thats what happened.

But in the end the city has to fund the BOE no less then the year before. And all of this is over two institutions sharing money. For a few years they have been getting less from the state and the spat between Guiliano and "Evil BOE Empire" didn't help the sharing process.

Now I do have my doubts about some of the accounting practices at the BOE. It appears that some things are left in the dark. Why cant we get a "completely detailed receipt" from the BOE? Isn't that a fair request?

Either way we all have to pay for it.

March 4, 2012 10:22 PM

 Middletown Insider said...

Thank you thank you for the question Blue Cat! in a nutshell here is the answer...

I have to correct you a a few points Blue Cat- the City did not spend the BOE's money. The City told Haynes it was not going to receive the grant money from the State and she and the administration played dumb and kept spending anyway. Mind you, she and all the admins got raises, not a single teacher did. In fact students have been sent home with supply "wish lists." SO the City never had the money. Chalking this up to Giuliano having a spat is inaccurate and unfair and a rumor perpetuated by some of the local Democrats. Again not all, newly elected are doing a fine job asking the right questions. Frechette actively campaigned for Tom Serra and Dan Drew so you have to see that connection. This set the stage for any questioning of Frechette by anyone in public office from either party to have the preconceived connotation of being strictly politically motivated.The crew enlisted  the help of Wesleyan student Dem presidents Ben Florsheim and Gabriela D'Golia who  accused Giuliano supporters of felony voter intimidation. Employees employed by the City working as aids, janitors, secretaries etc have filed numerous grievances citing real mistreatment, discrimination, and unlawful practices by the BOE administration that has gone unnoticed for years. The then Mayor trying to remedy this only to find no communication on the part of the BOE admin namely Frechette is anything but a spat. (So Giuliano took the BOE Administration to court, which the public  grossly misunderstood. Dan Drew ran his campaign on the premise "end the lawsuits save money", and badda bing badda boom, gets elected, no more lawsuits basically giving Frechette carte blanche to continue the madness of the BOE acting like a soverign nation and he the big Chief.)  The only instance of this gross mistreatment of workers, out of dozens, that made the Press was when cafe workers and janitors were not paid for 2 months for the hours they worked at the storm shelter. The only person to blame for this is Michael Frechette. How would you feel if your boss told you he was not going to pay you money you were owed for 2 months? Wrong and illegal but it happened!

By law, which no one seems to understand is the BOE Administration does not have to show line items or be transparent. THATS THE LAW. So if they don't have to all the cries of transparency, talking, hugging, sharing "fair request" will continue to fall on deaf ears. It is not or never was a matter of the BOE and Mayor Giuliano being stubborn, its a matter of the fact Frechette and Haynes by law do not have to show the public the books, and therefore won't. By standing up Blue Cat, we as tax payers do not have to pay for it. Some people have jobs illegally (Haynes) and some people got huge raises (Frechette & Senges) and and mileage- that certainly will cover a lot of the million deficit. Also did you forget Frechette gifted Datco a magic bio-diesel or something school bus a year ago? He spent what he called a $100,000.00 overage!

The Insider pulled the contracts of Frechette and Haynes, and there is not exit clause. Frechette's 3 year contract auto-renews in its second year. Therefore he is always in his second year of three, employed for life. However, contrary to rumors there is no buy out. A vote of no confidence on the part of the elected BOE board would give Frechette, the Insider feels, the much deserved boot. (hint hint) Frechette was the highest paid public employee of Middletown the past two years; his salary is comparable with other superintendents around the state, however, they do their jobs without making headlines- they do not have scream rooms or deficits of a million dollars. Haynes was hired last spring, however, did not sign her contract until August. Why? And, remind you, she was hired illegally as the State has since ruled. Now, the position will be filled again, and taxpayers will be paying for Haynes's salary and that of a person duplicating her duties. Have you ever seen "The Shining" where the twins come down the hall ? Yeah....double the pleasure, double the fun.

One would think if there was nothing to hide the books would be public, however, so far it hasn't happened, and I wouldn't hold my breath. The Insider says if we had a dollar for everytime Mayor Drew says "communication" or "transparency" the million dollar deficit would have been long paid by now. By law, the BOE does not have to give the public a "detailed receipt", which everyone and their mother has asked for over and over, therefore it will never happen.

Blue Cat you are right in the fact by our charter herein known as "Our Stupid Charter," taxpayers must fund the BOE no less than the previous year, therefore the deficit is in fact compounded. This is possibly how DEAL and Special Education got shafted. Oh Our Stupid Charter.

**Correction: according to State Law- the BOE  must provide no less funding than the year before.** Apologies for the misinformation. Also a better choice of words is that our Charter is confusing rather than stupid.

Anyone else who would like to submit a question please do! The Insider is here to answer!

Was it retaliation?

A strange article in the Middletown Patch this week. Middletown Democartic Town Committee (DTC) Chairwoman Lisa Santangelo, wife of Councilman Robert Santangelo responded to questions posed by Patch writer Cassandra Day about allegations about retaliation made by Christine Bourne.  Christine Bourne is quoted in the article in Patch saying: “Anybody who disagrees with them gets thrown out.” in reference to her recent "extraction" so to speak from the DTC after 16 years of participation. Chairwoman Lisa Santangelo is quoted in the same article as saying "Its a very clean process."  Huh? The Insider thinks she sounds as if speaking of some sort of medical extraction procedure, or certain situation in a certain Scorsese flick where a lot of "cleaning" took place. 
 Bourne challenged Dan Drew for the Democratic nomination for Mayor in this past election cycle. Bourne, then City Treasurer and BOE employee was also the so called whistle blower about the spending deficit, claims that were recently corroborated by an independent accounting firm hired by the City. Several members who long held membership were not reinstated as part of the DTC. Ann Tommasi, the Democratic Registrar of Voters in Middletown sought the opinion of the Secretary of State regarding the registration of Wesleyan students this past fall was removed from the DTC. The article is balanced providing responses from all parties( something the Insider likes to see),it failed to mention local Wesleyan Democrat student leaders, who denied working with  DTC to organize the mass registration of students to vote in the municipal election this fall, Ben Florsheim and Gabriela De Golia, were made official members of the local DTC. Florsheim and De Golia filed an official complaint  to the State Elections Enforcement Commission accusing former Mayor Sebastian Giuliano, who was being offered an executive counsel position at the SEEC, of  voter intimidation and suppression citing two instances where he visited campus and statements from supporters, which then played a key role in successfully persuading  the Commission to rescind it's job offer. Did Giuliano not receive this job on the sole basis  of the complaint by students? The answer is unclear; however the complaint and who it was made by cannot be under estimated in it's political weight as well- these were not your average students without their own politically charged agendas driving the complaint. The Insider sees a very odd coincidence in the timing of these events that begs the question: Were these students coerced into and then rewarded by the DTC for challenging Giuliano? Ironically enough, Ben Florsheim is the chair of the College Democrats of Connecticut, a huge voting block wielding a lot of power - a relationship that would be very beneficial to the DTC. For a politically ambitious young man such as Florsheim, doing the bidding of Democratic politicians in key  positions too timid to file a complaint themselves with the SEEC- for fear of appearing partisan perhaps - say attacking  a  former Republican mayor seeking a job in election enforcement would be a very smart move for such a young man seeking political advancement and wanting to trade favors down the line ( not that that ever happens). It's what you call.. well..  DIRTY politics. The process seems anything but clean.
The Middletown Patch article written by Day can be read here: http://middletown-ct.patch.com/articles/dem-town-committee-chair-refutes-retaliation-claim
The Insider thinks the timing of this article and response by DTC Chairwoman Santangelo is just strange. 
Oh and Christine Bourne - You go girl!