Lower Values Will Mean Fewer Assessment Appeals, Lower Taxes (But Not For the Right Reasons)

The Board of Assessment Appeal will be hearing from hundreds of property owners in a couple of months who disagree with the just completed, state mandated revaluation on residential and commercial real estate in the city. But for City Assessor Mike Konik and his three-member board the number of appeals should be dramatically less than … Continue reading Lower Values Will Mean Fewer Assessment Appeals, Lower Taxes (But Not For the Right Reasons)

Tribute To Bart Fisher, the Herald’s Historian-In-Residence

Herald sportswriter Bart Fisher, who died last week at age 68, touched many, many people with his coverage of sports, "encyclopedic" knowledge of athletics and community and informative pieces about the city's history. Invariably a Bart Fisher column would reveal little known but important aspects of New Britain's past that gave us a deeper understanding … Continue reading Tribute To Bart Fisher, the Herald’s Historian-In-Residence

Community Journalism Gone Bad

The New Britain City Journal, once a promising venture in community journalism, has plunged into a tabloid gutter of innuendo, rumor and personal attack over the issue of regulating non-owner occupied housing and paying for code enforcement in the city. The City Journal, violating basic rules of journalism with all kinds of unsubstantiated accusations, has … Continue reading Community Journalism Gone Bad

Sunshine On State Budget: Lembo Launches Open Connecticut

Score one for State Comptroller Kevin Lembo on the government and transparency front to start 2013. .Lembo has launched a new website for the public to get an unabridged and politically neutral one-stop source for where state government spends its money, gets its income and borrows. If there are inefficiencies or redundancies to root out … Continue reading Sunshine On State Budget: Lembo Launches Open Connecticut

The Herald: Putting Absentee Landlord Policy In Perspective

The Herald's Lisa Backus provides a thorough examination of the city's landlord license and issues related to regulating non-owner occupied housing in a December 2nd story.Accurate and balanced information like this is the best way to combat the propaganda and misinformation coming from elsewhere, including the landlord lobby that has used political grandstanding and redbaiting … Continue reading The Herald: Putting Absentee Landlord Policy In Perspective

Lessons from California for New Britain, Hartford and Washington

Elected officials at all levels can learn something from Governor Jerry Brown and the victory of Proposition 30 in California this month as they contend with "fiscal cliffs" and budget holes.What Brown says and did points to a way forward for those who serve us at New Britain City Hall, the State Capitol and the … Continue reading Lessons from California for New Britain, Hartford and Washington

Mayor Issues Storm Safety Message for "Sandy"

An Important Safety Message from Mayor Tim O’Brien Dear New Britain resident,Ø Hurricane Sandy is approaching Connecticut. This is a large, dangerous storm that will impact New Britain, for a period of 24 to 36 hours beginning Monday. Please be advised of the following:Ø New Britain, is expecting high winds of 40 - 60 MPH … Continue reading Mayor Issues Storm Safety Message for "Sandy"

Absentee Landlord Licenses, Fees Exist In Many Communities

Updated November 21, 2012: Legitimate concerns about the city’s licensing of absentee landlords (all owner-occupied dwellings are excluded) have been drowned out by a phony anti-government coalition fueled by out-of-town interests and a failed GOP leadership seeking once again to use divisiveness for political gain. The well-publicized and well-financed campaign of distortion is now replete … Continue reading Absentee Landlord Licenses, Fees Exist In Many Communities

Add City of New Britain To McMahon’s Bad Debts

It's not the tax windfall that municipal government is looking for these days, but last week's uncovering of Vince and Republican Senate candidate Linda McMahon's bankruptcy records by the Day of New London shows the City of New Britain was one of the creditors.Included on a list of debts to banks, stores, the phone company, unions, individuals … Continue reading Add City of New Britain To McMahon’s Bad Debts

Debunking Romney’s 47% Assertion

Myth Four: It's poor people who are the biggest freeloaders. What's especially galling about conservative attacks on "takers" is that they focus exclusively on lower income groups and leave out all the subsidies to middle and upper income households. Yes, tax breaks for the working poor -- like the EITC -- have been expanded, but they … Continue reading Debunking Romney’s 47% Assertion