The Return of Tim Stewart: Former Mayor Chairs SBC As $50 Million School Project Begins

Former Mayor Tim Stewart is the new Chairperson of the School Building Committee, gaining reappointment by his daughter, Mayor Erin Stewart, just as the seven-member committee moves forward with expenditures on the $50 million major renovation at the Chamberlain Elementary School on the city's East Side. The former four-term Mayor resigned from the SBC and … Continue reading The Return of Tim Stewart: Former Mayor Chairs SBC As $50 Million School Project Begins

School Building Committee Resolution Curtails Checks and Balances on School Construction Projects

By John McNamara A controversial resolution that removes Common Council and Board of Education approval of all contracts and spending on school construction projects came back to the Common Council April 28th meeting and was approved on a party line vote. The resolution, authored by Republican caucus members Daniel Salerno and Sharon Beloin-Saavedra and revised … Continue reading School Building Committee Resolution Curtails Checks and Balances on School Construction Projects

Four Ways to Fight Racism in Your Town

Commentary courtesy of Otherwords.org Spontaneous, peaceful protests have been occurring in New Britain over the murder of George Floyd and systemic police violence. A rare 15 to 0 Common Council vote declared "racism is a public health crisis." The movement is ramping up the pressure for a Civilian Review Board and changes in city government … Continue reading Four Ways to Fight Racism in Your Town

Rosemary Klotz To Be Recognized With Award at Democratic Party Women’s Leadership Brunch September 22nd

Rosemary Klotz, an executive aide to two mayors and a volunteer for Democratic campaigns in New Britain for more than 30 years, will be honored September 22nd at the state Democratic Party’s annual Women’s Leadership Brunch. Klotz, a Democratic Town Committee (DTC) Trustee, leads the nomination committee and candidate recruitment for the town committee. News … Continue reading Rosemary Klotz To Be Recognized With Award at Democratic Party Women’s Leadership Brunch September 22nd

Former Senator Harper To Be Remembered at CCSU Thursday, June 14th

City Taps Patton Brook Well For Water After Calling Off Bargain Basement Sale, Hiking Rates To Pay For MDC Water

By John McNamara More than a year after the Stewart administration and Common Council sought to sell off the Patton Brook Well at an undervalued price of $1 million the unused well is replenishing the Shuttle Meadow reservoir. Mayor Stewart and her Council majority authorized the sale in August 2016, seeking to give up the … Continue reading City Taps Patton Brook Well For Water After Calling Off Bargain Basement Sale, Hiking Rates To Pay For MDC Water

Numbers Don’t Back Mayor Stewart’s Claim That State Budget Caused City’s Negative Credit Rating

By John McNamara Mayor Erin Stewart has blamed this year's state budget crisis for the city's negative credit rating in response to a November 2nd report of an "escalating" debt and her administration's own budget that shows interest payments will cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars over the next four years. "We were downgraded … Continue reading Numbers Don’t Back Mayor Stewart’s Claim That State Budget Caused City’s Negative Credit Rating

New Britain’s Bond Rating Drops From Stable To Negative: Huge Spike In Debt Through 2021 Cited By Moody’s

By John McNamara Republican incumbent Mayor Erin Stewart, in her re-election campaign this year and throughout her second term, has touted improving municipal bond ratings for New Britain's fiscal solvency, claiming credit for budget surpluses of $15 million and pushing spending up at City Hall with no need for an election year tax increase. Fiscal … Continue reading New Britain’s Bond Rating Drops From Stable To Negative: Huge Spike In Debt Through 2021 Cited By Moody’s

GOP Alderman Hits School Board On Salaries But Rubber Stamps Pay Hikes, More Spending At City Hall

By John McNamara The sometimes fragile relations between City Hall and the Board of Education took a backward step this week over complaints from Ward 2 Republican Alderman Kristian Rosado appearing in the New Britain City Journal. Rosado, in a front-page story in the City Journal , derided a unanimous BOE move on salary increases … Continue reading GOP Alderman Hits School Board On Salaries But Rubber Stamps Pay Hikes, More Spending At City Hall

Opposing Trump, GOP Agenda: NB, Hartford Part of Historic Women’s March

From http://www.newbritaindemocrat.org By John McNamara [Photos by Frank Gerratana] The Women’s March on Washington the day after the inauguration of Donald Trump spawned marches from Augusta, Maine to Anchorage Alaska. Millions of people, connected by the same social media so deftly and divisively used by Donald Trump, answered the call of the women’s march … Continue reading Opposing Trump, GOP Agenda: NB, Hartford Part of Historic Women’s March