Opinion
New Britain Progressive Opinion Page
On this page, you will find Op-Ed pieces, news analysis and other opinion in which the authors seek to inform on topics of interest to the New Britain community. If you would like to send commentary for consideration, please email it to newbritainprogressive@gmail.com.
Storm This Week Floods Critical Neighborhood Again
By Frank and Sharon Chase, The “critical neighborhood” of Allen-Stewart-Hampton-Eton-Newbury-Roxbury-Stanley Park flooded again yesterday December 18. The attached photos from December 18 tells the story. The Allen St. Basin and the Hampton-Eton Sub-Basin backs-up, flooding from Allen through Hampton-Eton-Newbury-Roxbury to the Stanley Park at the corner of Stanley and Roxbury. This is the sixth flooding […]
Roxbury Road Resident Speaks Out on Flooding
By Frank Chase, Roxbury Road We purchased 24 Roxbury in 1973 with a healthy, dry basement and a flood free property. Our property is not the same today. Our neighborhood is not the same today. Remember, we are not in a flood zone. As we all know, our weather is more severe and climate conditions […]
Opinion: Candyce Scott Would Bring Conscience and Work Ethic to Council
Dear Friends, While I do not live in Ward 3 — I live in Ward 1, where I will be voting for Richard Lacouriere and Nate Simpson — my street is a Ward line and Ward 3 is across the street from me. So I would offer to my neighbors how happy I am for […]
Opinion: By Electing John McNamara, Ward 4 Can Have a Truly Good Person Representing Them
Dear Friends, I feel very comfortable in saying that there are many people, across party and political divides, who would agree with me that Mr. John McNamara is decent and good-hearted human being. He genuine, caring, honorable and devoted. John has among the strongest of convictions of people I know, I yet I do not […]
Marchers in New Britain Call for a Free Palestine
By Bill Shortell I crossed the street through the light, cold rain up to the small crowd gathering in front of the Taqwa Mosque on Arch St in New Britain at 4:00pm on Sunday, October 29. Omer Abdelgader, President of the Executive Committee of the Islamic Association of Central Connecticut, greeted me and said that […]
Local Improvements Come from Democrats at State, Not Mayor in City, Reader Says, Criticizing “Political Plagiarism”
To the editor, If the mayor of New Britain said she wrote “Harry Potter,” would you believe her? No? Then please don’t believe much of the rest of the things she brags about in her campaign letters. I was knocking on voters’ doors the other day with Council candidate Luz Osuba. A voter was explaining […]
State League of Women Voters Co-President Calls On Voters to Seek Candidate Information
Election Information You Need To the residents of New Britain, Please make sure you know all about the candidates and issues on your ballot! The outcome of these elections will impact our everyday lives. Please, citizens of New Britain, find your personalized voter guide to see where your candidates stand on issues like: Jobs, Affordable […]
Activists at Hiroshima/Nagasaki Remembrance Call for End to Nuclear Weapons
By Danaiyla Mendoza and Amy Martin “Those of us living today have been given the opportunity to save the world,” said Dr. Ira Helfand, Co-President of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) and member of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). “The problem is that we don’t believe another […]
Lowell Weicker’s Victories Dashed The Hopes of Liberal Democrats Throughout His Career
Reflecting on the Politics of Connecticut’s Three-Term Senator and One-Term Governor By John McNamara The first time I and many viewers (outside CT) saw and heard Lowell P. Weicker was watching the U.S. Senate Watergate Committee hearings in 1973. I was paying attention every day from my perch in the newsroom of the Lynn Sunday Post where […]
Op-Ed: A Need to Advance Good Government in City Hall
By Ald. Aram Ayalon A series of recent decisions by the mayor and the Republican-led majority of the New Britain City Council, point to the lack of good government practices. For example, mayor Stewart decided to put aside a well-qualified and community-supported deputy chief of Police Murphy and appoint a less experienced and less qualified […]
No Labels?
The New Britain Progressive, a publication of the New Britain Independent Newspaper, Inc. is free to read and community supported. http://newbritainprogressive.com Please feel free to help the New Britain Progressive with a donation and you are invited to purchase advertisements in the New Britain Progressive. Click here to sign up for the e-mail edition of […]
State School Aid to New Britain Up 56% Since 2012; Grant Will Reach $115.5 Million By 2025
“Flat Funding” Claim By Mayor Stewart Is Contradicted By The Actual Numbers By John McNamara The new state budget adopted last month brought increases in Educational Cost Sharing (ECS) funds to the New Britain School District over the next two years. The $11.9 million increase approved by the legislature and Governor will bring the total […]
Alderman Ayalon Counters Mayor’s State of The City Address
Ward 3 Democrat Cites Administration’s “Extreme Partisanship”, Increasing Debt Service And Gentrification Moves By John McNamara NEW BRITAIN – Alderman Aram Ayalon (D-3) , the Common Council Minority Leader, responded to Mayor Erin Stewart’s widely publicized State of The City address delivered on March 8th at the only scheduled regular council meeting last month. City […]
Matt Ritter’s Batterson Park Redux
State Park Status Can Bring Abandoned Recreation Area On Farmington-New Britain Line Back To Life By John McNamara Will Batterson Park, the abandoned recreation area and pond shared by New Britain and Farmington and owned by the City of Hartford, become Connecticut’s 91st state park? Last week State House Speaker Matt Ritter of Hartford picked up the […]
Legislators Get ‘Rennied’ for Bill On Mandatory Voting
Universal Voting Will Get A Hearing At General Assembly’s GAE Committee by John McNamara Courant Columnist Kevin Rennie has skewered the co-sponsors of a bill that would “institute mandatory voting” to “incentivise civic engagement” not once but twice this month. Raising Rennie’s ire is legislation that would require voters to cast a ballot or provide […]
Martin Luther King and the Economic and Social Bill of Rights
This weekend, our nation, state and communities celebrate and remember the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his accomplishments.
Les is More: It’s The New Year – New Organizational Structure
Les is MoreBy Leslie Jacobs Everything requires energy/motivation to do something you really don’t want to do. This includes losing weight, mastering yoga or getting organized. But everyone can do it, if they have the right plan. Here is one plan. Mark a month or more out on your calendar and then book online a […]
DeFronzo on City Charter Referendum: “No Thank You”
A modest estimate for a COO, office staff required to carry out his/her functions, equipment, travel cost and associated expenditures will easily exceed half a million dollars annually.Voters should know that.
Berlin Legislator Goes Low With “Pro Criminal Democrats” Rhetoric
By John McNamara BERLIN – State Rep. Donna Veach (R-30), a first-term Republican state representative representing Berlin and Southington, is calling Democrats “pro-criminal” on a campaign billboard. Rep. Veach, however, received a rebuke from constituents at a candidate forum held at the Berlin Senior Center last week when she again attacked Democrats and, by implication, […]
Indy Party nominee for governor runs on elimination of business property and car taxes
Third Party Candidates Don’t Succeed But Their “Solid Ideas” May Eventually Win The Day By Mike McGarry Most third parties have their day in the sun, but then the sun sets. We remember old friend, the late Oz Griebel, for his upstart Griebel-Frank Party in 2018 that is now part of the Forward Party that […]