News Analysis
COO Patronage Job, End To Elections Of Clerk and Tax Collector Are On The Nov. 8 Ballot
Fuzzy Charter Question Will Keep Many Voters in the Dark by John McNamara New Britain voters will be deciding much more than who should be the Governor and making their picks for other elective offices on November 8th. City charter revisions will, if approved, make the biggest changes in a generation as to how Connecticut’s […]
Another Restructuring Adds Millions In Debt To New Britain’s Finances
Fitch “does not consider this to be a prudent management practice during a period of recovery.” By John McNamara In a perfunctory special meeting on June 1st the Common Council unanimously adopted a municipal budget for the year that starts July 1st. The $251,046,177 million budget for the new fiscal year is “controlled, calculated and […]
Probate Judge Contest Is A Rematch Of 2021 Special Election: Republican Carrier vs. Democrat Rivera
By John McNamara Attorney and former Common Council Leader William Rivera won the Democratic Party’s endorsement for Judge of Probate last week setting up a rematch of last year’s special election won by Attorney Michael Carrier. Convention delegates from Berlin and New Britain nominated Rivera without opposition. In accepting the endorsement Rivera acknowledged Carrier, who […]
Campaign cash soared in ’21 municipal election but voter turnout declined
By John McNamara “Money is the mother’s milk of politics” goes the observation first coined in the 1960s that applies to almost every state and federal election cycle as all kinds of committees and special interests raise billions in reported and anonymous donations. That old saying about money in politics applies less frequently to local elections where […]
Stewart Apparently Proposes Borrowing To Cover City Spending Again
Republican Mayor Erin Stewart is proposing $49.5 million in taxpayer borrowing to refinance existing city debt…
Campaign 2022: Fictional Bob On TV Is Same Bob Who Ran For Governor in 2018
by John McNamara Bob Stefanowski’s story is the stuff of hardscrabble immigrants making it to America in the 20th century to raise their families and realize the American Dream. That is the narrative in Republican Stefanowski’s re-branding to voters in his first television commercial for Connecticut’s GOP gubernatorial nomination in 2022. No doubt that Mr. Stefanowski’s parents […]
Top 10 of 2021: #3 – Stewart vs. Education?
Republican Mayor Erin Stewart has developed a reputation of antagonism toward both school funding and those who run the city’s schools.
Top 10 of 2021: #6 – Landlord Group’s “cage fight between Lamont & Zherka” remark stumps the press, brings apology to Governor
A May scandal occurred that may have been a statewide story, but there’s no mystery about who Sam Zherka is in New Britain.
Top 10 of 2021: #6 – Landlord Group’s “cage fight between Lamont & Zherka” remark stumps the press, brings apology to Governor
A May scandal occurred that may have been a statewide story, but there’s no mystery about who Sam Zherka is in New Britain.
Behind Mayor Stewart’s War On Supt. Sarra and the BOE
The vandalism and trouble that occurred at New Britain High School in September needlessly escalated the rift between Mayor Erin Stewart and New Britain School District leaders.