CT Capital Report polling: Science of push button survey has skeptics

No question political junkies can't get enough of polls in the run up to elections. In 2010, Connecticut is seeing an extraordinary amount of polling because of the high stakes U.S. Senate race and an open seat for Governor.In addition to the well-established Quinnipiac Poll, national outfits such as Rasmussen are measuring voter sentiment in … Continue reading CT Capital Report polling: Science of push button survey has skeptics

GOP "Common Sense" Plan: Hypocrisy Thy Name Is Republican

A key phrase from a new state government agenda from Republicans is: "Borrow only what you can afford to pay back". Minority Leader Larry Cafero and the crafters of this "common sense" plan conveniently forget to mention that a Republican has held the Governor's office for 20 years. The Governor has sole and exclusive control over … Continue reading GOP "Common Sense" Plan: Hypocrisy Thy Name Is Republican

An Over-Reliance On Police Station For Downtown Revival?

New Britain's Stalinesque and worn out police station cries out for a replacement. The men and women of the force deserve better to carry out their public safety duties.  The point is non-debatable. It's past time to put shovel to ground.The matter is apparently settled according to an August 18  Herald story. The options are … Continue reading An Over-Reliance On Police Station For Downtown Revival?

MA communities get big time savings from health insurance pooling

Connecticut's efforts to establish a health insurance pooling option for cities and towns have been thwarted by the vetoes of Republican Governor Jodi Rell over the last two years.House Speaker Chris Donovan has estimated that New Britain would save $900,000 or more if the city could opt in to a state health care pool, reducing … Continue reading MA communities get big time savings from health insurance pooling

U.S. Sets Poor Example With Too Much Money in Politics

Connecticut's relatively new public campaign system has run afoul of some courts and is causing no small amount of confusion in the run up to the August 10th Primary.The July 13th circuit court ruling upheld some provisions and threw out others leading the General Assembly into special session on July 30th to fix it. No … Continue reading U.S. Sets Poor Example With Too Much Money in Politics

New Britain Weekly Is Reborn As "City Journal"

An upstart weekly community newspaper -- started last fall as "The Hardware City Journal" -- has given way to a new newspaper with the same editor and same approach to covering the community. Editor Robin Vinci, a veteran of reporting for the Herald, has re-started the weekly with the name New Britain City Journal. nbcityjournal.com In … Continue reading New Britain Weekly Is Reborn As "City Journal"

Health Care Advocate Lembo Makes Strong Case For Comptroller

Seasoned political observers will recall that the job of State Comptroller carried little weight in terms of governing a generation ago. At state elections it was the office used to balance a ticket based on diversity or geography.For all of the time Connecticut has had a Constitution (and it is the "Constitution State") the office … Continue reading Health Care Advocate Lembo Makes Strong Case For Comptroller

Will City Avoid Layoffs To Frontline Education and Public Safety Jobs?

 From New Britain Democrat http://newbritaindemocrat.blogspot.com/2010/05/muncipal-budget-hearing-monday-may-17th.htmlThe full weight of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression is falling on the city’s budget makers in shaping a fiscal plan for the year that begins July 1st. Few cities or towns in Connecticut and the nation are exempt. And with Connecticut’s over reliance on property taxes the fiscal … Continue reading Will City Avoid Layoffs To Frontline Education and Public Safety Jobs?

U.S. Senate: New Britain Didn’t Stiff Merrick Albert

He got into the U.S. Senate race as an upstart Democratic challenger to an increasingly vulnerable Chris Dodd. He sent Democratic leaders a self-published and  autographed autobiography and tooled around the state delivering an anti-war message akin to the Lamont campaign of 2006. He appeared to be on a mission to go from political kindergarten … Continue reading U.S. Senate: New Britain Didn’t Stiff Merrick Albert