A rainy Monday with little bits of news on a variety of issues. Karl Rove’s mission is accomplished and his product his shipping out of the White House at the end of the month. That and all the rest of the goings on in Norwalk await your comments.
Open Thread Monday
by turfgrrl
August 13th, 2007 · 23 Comments
Tags: In the News
23 Responses so far ↓ “Open Thread Monday”
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Sundays Stamford Advocate had a large 2 page story on Oyster Shell Park. It was the history of the park and all the mistakes that were made. I don’t think I have ever seen a story about this mess in such depth. especially in the “Hour.” If this was not incompetence at it’s finest, I don’t know what is.
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I read in the Hour that now that our wonderful legislators in Hartford want to charge us a tax for using our own roads. “Congestion Pricing” is the legal speak for this further rape of the Connecticut taxpayer. ESPECIALLY in FAIRFIELD COUNTY. They are claiming it will literally drive people to use mass transit. The legislators have consistently argued against TOLLS on ROUTE 95, but taxing the genitals off of the local residents to use the highway during both peak and off peak hours is the straw that broke the camels back. The are also talking about how they will charge and control the flow of trucks and traffic that try to avoid the fee by using back roads and city streets. The rational is that the roads are so clogged now that “Congestion Pricing” will clear this up. If you believe this fairy tale, you also must believe in the tooth fairy. It is another bill of goods that will end up in the General Fund (they say no) and our roads will still be crap and over burdened. A help would have been SUPER 7, but that made too much damn sense. I think that this will be the death knoll for our area of Connecticut. It will be a red flag for business, tourism, and the citizens. They want to keep trucks off RT 136? With this abortion they will be trying to keep them from the middle of SoNo, AND JAMMING EAST AVE. You had better write your legislators before they let their greedy little fingers do the walking. WALKING IN YOUR WALLET.
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John, Ralph: join the Miserable 25, come on in, the criticism’s fine!
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Ding, dong, Turd Blossom’s gone. Hi, ho, the Neo-Con, go!
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This editorial was in Sunday’s Advocate:
Issue lingers with contractor ordinancePublished August 12 2007
If the so-called Responsible Contractor Ordinance is approved this week - and judging by the hosannas that have greeted it, that’s all but certain - the new policy would be a big victory for workers in our area.
Not only would they have a leg up on laborers from elsewhere in the region, but they would be ensured of being paid a good wage.
The proposed law, which will be voted on by the Common Council on Tuesday, would require contractors or subcontractors hired for city projects to give preference to local candidates when employing workers for those jobs.
The measure has already received the full support of the council’s Ordinance Committee, and also has been praised by everyone from the mayor to trade groups to Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.
There’s a lot to like about it, no doubt. But city officials should pause to consider the possible financial implications before giving what appears to be their inevitable OK.
Placing demands on contractors can drive up the cost of a project. And it could limit the choices the city has when it comes to having work done, which also could make work more expensive.
It was suggested at a hearing this past week that city officials wait on approving the measure until a financial analysis can be performed. That just makes sense.
Officials seem convinced the ordinance would not add much to the cost of doing business. In fact, supporters say it would save money over the long run by reducing needed repairs - the thought being that workers would do a better job if they were building something in their own community.
Perhaps, but even if we take the home-pride theory as a given, the proposal could have such a wide-ranging and long-term impact. Having a sound basis for analyzing all possible consequences is simply being responsible.
Norwalk would not be the first community in the state to adopt such an ordinance, and reports from elsewhere have been good. In fact, the state is urging municipalities to pass local-hiring rules.
It’s easy to see why. They are good for local employment, and money the city spends here would stay here, as laborers pass it on to local businesses.
Those are certainly good things. As are greater controls the ordinance would give the city to ensure that workers are properly treated.
Contractors would be required to pay prevailing wages and submit regular payroll records to the city. And the law would prevent abuses that some workers say occur on jobs. Those include employers wrongly classifying employees so they don’t have to pay them benefits; or hiring illegal immigrants and paying them in cash.
It would also require contractors to take part in applicable, state-certified apprenticeship programs, a good thing for young people in the city.
Contractors could get out of that - and the other requirements in the law - if they have existing labor agreements that determine whom they can hire, or if they can show that they can’t find skills they need locally.
That sounds like the potential for logistical, or legal, headaches. But on balance, it appears the enthusiasm for the ordinance is warranted. It would serve and protect local workers, and give the city greater control over public projects.
It would be a way for the city to take care of its own. It would just be a good idea to be sure of the potential costs first.
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By all means do a cost-benefit analysis, but do a truly rigorous study, including the major benefit the editorial referred to: what economists call the “multiplier effect”. As an illustration, a contractor has to hire somebody from Norwalk to do work paid for by Norwalk taxes, so that worker can then spend those wages at a local grocery store, a local car dealership, maybe even to buy a trinket for their “significant other” at Jack Chiaramonte’s store. All these establishments hire more locals and pay local taxes, and the money goes round and round.
Contrast this to what we have now — contractors bringing low income workers from as far away as Arkansas, workers who spend the bulk of our tax money back in their home towns, to the benefit of those areas.
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How about hiring only union workers.
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The Advocate did some great work today on How many police officers Stamford needs. Zach Lowe a staff writer took the time to crunch numbers point out other cities and bring to the readers an in depth look at whats going on in the Stamford police dept ,yesterday, today and tommorow. The population , the comparison the interviews alone lends insight to how and what the mayor thinks about the subject points out strategy on overtime , and safety in the streets.
It was under the Norwalk news this morning but just the same its close to home , makes sense for Norwalk to talk about such things and share some numbers work as a city to improve at least the visual aspect of our dept where we simply had what we are paying out in a suit against the chief the city and officers in the same paper today.
These are the type if issues we as a city with almost the same population have been kicking aroud for months and with another armed robbery close to home this morning, and some citing articles and reports Norwalk may not need to enhance its force and has no funds because of previous contracts maybe we should all read Zach Lowe’s story and generate some debate here on our own force..
I joke around about Moose and Molly and how its not in the Advocate and to some seemed like I need rehab, it was an inside joke the Advocate has Bob Weber’s son Bob Jr. who has run Comics for kids , they both come from Ct and are probably one of the best father and son cartoonists around. Whats that fact have to do with our police dept? nothing just someting else to rant about this morning….no one ever thought Moose going to Westpork was a coincidence?
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Baloney! Karl Rove didn’t leave to spend time with his family. He’ll try to wiggle his way out of his legal problems, then write a book and of course he’ll turn up running some presidential campaign.
By the way does he still have executive privilege to hide behind?
He’s a creep and creeps don’t change their strips! Good riddance for now. -
Congestion pricing is bad for this area because there is no alternative for traffic to go but local roads. If you don’t want trucks on route 136, then you’ll definately won’t want congestion pricing.
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Bridgeport just got $175,000 dollars for the weed and seed project for the community, Shays helped, mayor John is looking good! more police less chance of crime
what did Norwalk police get?
the short end of a stick maybe?
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Congestion pricing at the state borders is a good idea. Let the users and abusers of our roads pay so that the state can fix roads, improve rail transport and make other alternatives available. This is clearly a chicken and egg situation. Get the money from the truckers and out of state commuters/travelers. We pay in NY, NJ, Del, MD etc. Why should CT be free? Lets get our roads and rails in shape.
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#11 if you what you were talking about you would know that we have had Weed and Seed money for ten years and that according to federal guidleines, that is limit for a designated area. When the city applied originally they put the entire city as a Weed And Seed area Bridgpeort being larger did it by neighborhood Which means as funds run out in one designated area they can apply for another area that meets the crtiera which still allows then to receive money. Where do you think the money for the dare programs or some for the summer youth job program has come from over the last 10 years. Once again misinformation by the way we recived 400,000 for imprioving our raio interoperabilty, that Bridgpeort did not. Every city ahs differnct needs. But do not let the truth get in the way.
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wow another pro at facts look at Shays grants site or state of conn federal grants page it make #13 comments wrong to the point of arrogance you work for Dick? you comments are so far from being on the money.
$225,000 went to Norwalk weed and seed program and 3 grand for bullet proof vest the $400,000 was the bronwfeild study where have you been? but when did we get help with our police presense on the street?
How do get to be one of the 25? where do i sign up?
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Welcome! Being One of the 25 starts with a progressive view and a willingness not to buy into the spin coming from the BS-Meisters who are seeking to promote the agenda of the self-interests of those who work in City govt.
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Congestion pricing - another drain on the working class. I would take mass transit to work if I didn’t have to drive through congested streets to get to a place I could get mass transit. Then there is the issue of parking. Driving to South Norwalk to park would not be an option as it is almost half the distance to my workplace. Let’s face it - until the mass transit system is upgraded and convenient, people are not going to switch. I will drive back roads and side streets to avoid the fees - and I am sure many others will also. If Rowayton thinks 136 is busy now - just wait. If the legislators really wanted to do something about the congestion, they would widen both I95 and the Merritt and FINISH SUPER 7!! Let’s just keep buildling more and more condos and apartments in Norwalk with no large corporations or major employers to employ the people that are moving in. I know we have Corporate parks, but I’m talking major employers like we used to have, i.e. Nash Engineering, Burndy, Perkin-Elmer, Edwards, Norden Systems, etc. People were able to live and work in Norwalk and either walk or take the bus to work. That just isn’t happening now.
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#14. This can be documented by checking with the weed and seed cordinator, we receive $175,000 for 10 years, where you came up with the one time figure of $225,000 is beyond me. Yes in 2006 the City received a $400,000 Brownfield Grant, what that has to do with anything I am not sure. But on July 17 Shays’s ofice announced and it was in the press that Norwalk received
a Cops Technology Grant of $400,000 for the radios. in addtion on July 16 his office also announced the grant of $500,000 for SONO tain station phase 11. A grant was also secured for the Norwalk Smiles free dental clinic, which the operators said publically was due to both Mayor and Shays lobbying so hard for it. The ribbon cutting was on May 31 and the press report the next day. Also last year Shays secured $300,000+ for the Norwalk Hospital. These can all be documented by press reports or a call to Shays office as you obviously will not beleive me. But to the public out there, there is much misformation and that is one of the problems with blog. But in this case I have given amounts, and dates and a source to verify. I repeat, his press notices were issued On July 16 and 17, the Weed and Seed amounts can be verifed by the adminstrator. The Hospital grants can also be verified by Shays’s office, but I do not have the date of the press releases. Any commertns #14? Or is this all made up. -
Norwalk did have weed and seed grants for police for many years. A great deal of the grant was used to fund selective enforcement in high crime areas and narcotics enforcement.
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Turfgirl, What’s with the recent personal attacks from these bloggers? I’ve never seen such nastiness!
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At least we have some numbers to go on, I’m sure like the rest of us it would of been nice to see city hall let this out as a press release , I’m sure whoever asked is now part of the 25.Now we can move on to more police protetection with money like this we must be looking good next time you write#17 tell us more it was actually nice to see someone knows whats going on who gave us numbers and dates, it was refreshing to see we are doing so well as a city.
I’m surprised I missed all of this in the News,,maybe the Hospital grant I did hear about but didn’t pay attention,,thanks #17 for the info.maybe no one would of asked if it was this easy to read.Maybe their approach was wrong.Thankyou #17
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Beach Bum: I’m dismayed that people are insulting other posters here. It adds nothing to the site, and I’ve removed some posts that were offensive.
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NEW MOTTO OF THE MISERABLE 25.
“We hate everything, anything, and everyone.”
Better to hope for the best while preparing for the worst and you will never be disappointed.
We just made that up.
Hurrah for the 25…
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Congestion pricing will do nothing to eliminate traffic. It is another form of tax and just another way to clog up traffic as people have to stop to pay it.
