So what’s going on over in the first taxing district these days? Word on the grapevine is that they are looking for a new general manager as the most recent general manager has resigned. Is this the third one in three years? Delving into the previous coverage of first taxing district news, we have my perennial favorite, Osborne Ave and its frankenstein road, the klondike park battle, and the “we won’t release no stinkin’ water usage data.”
All these lovely topics warrant the kind of investigative journalism follow through that I’ve been tinkering with deploying over here.
Swing State Project has posted a campaign memo from Himes’ polling outfit stating that the race for CT04 is a dead heat.
The campaign’s tracking poll, fielded September 17th and 18th, shows that Democratic challenger Jim Himes has pulled even with Republican Congressman Christopher Shays. Each candidate has 45 percent support. Additionally, their support is equally strong with 27 percent certain to support Himes and 28 percent certain to support Shays. An even contest six weeks before Election Day means that the contest now favors Himes.
I’ve been hearing rumors that Shays’ re-elect is in the 30’s, and this memo confirms that.
Shays’ name recognition is as high as it is going to get, and Himes’ still has room to grow and time to do it. That math forecasts a growing share of likely voters as the campaign continues. Himes also has the benefit of being the better man for the economic times, the challenger in a change election, and a political outsider when polls have Congress’ approval rating in single digits.
The addition of seasoned political pro Dana Houle to take the campaign helm through the home stretch bodes well. There is a lot of work to be done over the next six weeks, but at this stage of the game, Himes has Shays exactly where he wants him.
The seizing of the markets and nationalization of major pieces of the debt market, and the sudden contraction in the investment banking segment, is a terrible development for Fairfield County’s families and communities.
While some opportunistically blame “unbridled Wall Street greed”, and speak in focus group tested political bromides, we know that the industry is an engine of American economic strength and the source of Fairfield County’s prosperity; and we need to ensure that Main Street Fairfield County continues to enjoy its well-earned quality of life.
The business of finance is complex, fast moving, and highly competitive. Jim Himes has the kind of first-hand experience and personal knowledge of the industry that we need in Washington as our nation addresses an antiquated and outmoded financial regulatory system. We need a state of the art regulatory structure, one that is in step with the state of the art in technology and financial innovation.
This is a complicated and structural crisis. There is no silver bullet policy prescription. We need to rebuild our financial system and that will take a long time and a lot of expertise. Jim Himes has the energy and presence of mind it is going to take to represent the interests of the fathers and mothers of Fairfield County as we work together to restructure and rebuild the financial industry and prepare us for a new era of innovation and growth in the global economy of the 21st century.
Government regulation of anything is as sure a divining rod of political philosophy as anything else. On the scale of as little as possible to 24/7, I’m over very close to the end scale of as little as possible. To a point. There are some things that just require the heavy hand of government because there’s no other way to achieve policy equilibrium. Like public health. Clean water, clean air, public safety are the kinds of things where good regulations make a world of difference. The key is good regulations, and therein lies the problem. Figuring out what is a good regulation versus a bad one is complicated.
At the end of last night, which for me at least, was early this morning, the fabulous Sounds of SoNo day turned out to be really nice. A some point I’ll opine on the economic impact, the dancing in the streets, the very european al fresco dining in the “piazza” and how this all came about. But for now, I’ll leave you with this blurb, from our Art Showcase: Public Art Project:
Art is everywhere. But working artists are not. Norwalk is home to many artists. This public art project serves to present local art in public settings.
Over at Connecticut Local Politics the pseudonymous Ghengis Conn has prepared another of his very nice maps, this one showing an analysis of the State House of Representatives races. I commented there on one race in particular, cross posted here.
The 106th, where Julia Wasserman has vacated her seat after holding it since late last century, covers most of Newtown (the rest of Newtown is part of the 112th, predominantly Monroe).
Running for it are the long-time Legislative Council Chairman, Third District Republican Wil Rodgers, who so far has been focused on presenting his bona fides and showcasing his experience and knowledge by articulating a set of well-informed positions. He enjoys support of certain long-time Democratic officials who formerly served with him and whom Rodgers supported last fall in the face of a very effective group of activists. Support from the local powers-that-be would normally be enough in Newtown for a Republican to win, but the aforementioned group of swing voters in town is expected to oppose him at the polls as they did last fall.
They are potentially decisive because he faces an unusually strong challenge in the person of Chris Lyddy, a lifelong Newtown resident from a large, well-known and liked family with several grown siblings raising families of their own in town. Lyddy is impressing a lot of people with his energy and enthusiasm, and is relying on his strong ground game to establish his name recognition and set-up the kind of GOTV you don’t see in the suburban districts. Lyddy was the top vote getter on the First District ballot in his inaugural run for office last fall, winning a seat on the Legislative Council. Some say that if he plays his cards right he has a real opening to motivate that bloc of activists, who are based in the Second District, and it might be enough to swing the election, when combined with his demonstrated strength in the First.
The race is offers an unusually strong contrast on several levels. Definitely a toss-up situation worth keeping an eye on. One of the few remaining independent, home-town newspapers in Connecticut The Newtown Bee offers weekly coverage and letters to the editor.
The fall Arts season kicks off with the Sounds of SoNo fabulous concert.
Starting at 1:30 PM
TESS and the Norwalk Symphony open the afternoon with a classical jam and instrument petting zoo.
2 PM
Tod Bryant, President of the Norwalk Preservation Trust, will lead a short excursion through the heart of South Norwalk’s commercial center, Washington Street. SoNo has a rich architectural heritage that was spared the wrecking ball over 25 years ago. The Norwalk Museum features a collection of historic photos of the area as well as ongoing exhibits of South Norwalk’s history.
Connecticut has been home, strangely enough, to several modernist architects. New Haven has seen it’s fair share of modernist structures over the years, but homes throughout Connecticut have also been built. None more famous than Phillip Johnson’s Glass House in New Canaan.
Phillip Johnson was a part of the group that became known as the “Harvard 5″ who moved to New Canaan in the 1940’s and built modern contemporary homes. From purecontemporary.com:
The super top secret district improvement plan was powerpointed to a slow tango last night amidst calls for the where’s the parent input. The Advocate reports:
The Board of Education delayed a vote on the district improvement plan Tuesday night after members expressed concern that the team that put the plan together, and is responsible for implementing it, did not include teachers, parents or minorities.
School board members and people who spoke at the meeting also were concerned that the document was not available to the public.
