Headlines
Happening in New Britain Jan 2nd to 8th
New Britain city meetings and community events coming up during the week of Monday, January 2, 2023 to Sunday, January 8th include… [MEC id=”30208″] Editor’s note: If you would like to submit an event for inclusion in the New Britain Progressive weekly events articles, or would like to update something already listed, here, feel free […]
Top 10 of 2022: #1: Federal COVID Aid to City Boosts High Profile Capital Projects
The quantity of federal aid given to the city as part of the federal pandemic relief, and how it was spent, may have seemed mundane news in the moment, but its impact in terms of local projects — and politics — has been profound. In 2022, Republican politicians attributed federal spending in the form of […]
Top 10 of 2022: #2: Attorney Bill Rivera Is First Hispanic Elected To Probate Court
New Britain appears to have made history in the state by electing the first Latino as Judge of Probate. It is a proud moment, not just for Attorney Bill Rivera, but for the New Britain community, as well as for Berlin. Judge-elect Rivera, who was, in the past, the Majority Leader of the New Britain […]
Top 10 of 2022: #3: Property Revaluation
Property tax revaluations in Connecticut communities are producing higher than ever appraisals for tax purposes. New Britain is no exception and the impact on city residents and the municipal budget will hit home in 2023 when they take effect. Connecticut’s main system for local taxation, property taxes, are regressive, meaning that people tend to pay […]
Top 10 of 2022: #4: CCSU Honors DeFronzo’s Public Service To City And State
In October, CCSU recognized former Mayor, State Senator and State Commissioner Donald DeFronzo for his public service career, a history of service that deserves to be recounted and honored. DeFronzo’s long career of leadership, spanning decades, includes union leadership in AFT, leading the city as Mayor, representing New Britain, Berlin and neighborhoods in Farmington as […]
Top 10 of 2022: #5: Hayes, Other Democrats Win Big in New Britain
What Republicans sought and Democrats feared never happened. The anticipated 2022 Republican wave victory fizzled out and Democrats rolled to big wins in New Britain. Republicans had high hopes nationwide. Buoyed by predictions of the “red wave”, they were blaming President Joe Biden and Congressional Democrats for the runaway inflation that was much more caused […]
Top 10 of 2022: #6: More City Debt To Pay For Stewart Annual Budgets
On topic, again, of a newspaper’s role as the first draft of history is what is probably the most historically enduring legacy of Republican Mayor Erin Stewart — annual budgets being floated by debt to be paid for by taxpayers long after she is no longer Mayor. It has been called formal-sounding terms, like, “debt […]
Happening in New Britain Dec 26th to Jan 1st
New Britain city meetings and community events coming up during the week of Monday, December 26, 2022 to Sunday, January 1, 2023, include… [MEC id=”30205″] Editor’s note: If you would like to submit an event for inclusion in the New Britain Progressive weekly events articles, or would like to update something already listed, here, feel […]
Top 10 of 2022: #7: Charter Changes: New City Power Jobs, Transparency Concerns and Minority Party Council District System
Republican Mayor Erin Stewart and her newly elected Republican City Council supermajority set right away in 2022 to change the City Charter in a raft of different ways. Some of the changes were widely viewed as innocuous, while Council election changes raised concerns and new, powerful appointed positions and other changes, encased in an opaque […]
Top 10 of 2022: #8: Council Districting Raises Racial Gerrymandering Concerns
It is said the journalism is the first draft of history. And part of the mission of any real newspaper, including the New Britain Progressive, is to record contemporary events well for the future judgment of history. In 2022, the city hall of Republican Mayor Erin Stewart approved a plan for new City Council districts […]
Top 10 of 2022: #9: A New Schools Superintendent
In 2022, New Britain saw the retirement of Schools Superintendent Nancy Sarra and the selection and installation of Anthony Gasper as the new head of the city’s school system. In April, the Board of Education named Dr. Anthony J. Gasper, Ed.D as the new schools Superintendent, who came to lead the New Britain school district […]
Top 10 of 2022: #10: New Britain Support for Ukraine
The suffering of the Ukrainian people has been a major concern for many people in New Britain as Russia carried out a war of aggression against its neighbor. The invasion has drawn widespread condemnation from people across New Britain, as well as support for the people of Ukraine affected by the largest war in Europe […]
2022 Campaign Activists Recognized At New Britain Working Families Party Celebration
WFP Ballot Line Boosted U.S. Rep. Hayes in 5th Congressional District Staff Reports NEW BRITAIN – The Connecticut Working Families Party (CT-WFP), the union-backed third party instrumental in U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes’ (D-5) narrow victory in November, celebrated election year wins across the state at a fundraising reception on December 20th at the Five Churches […]
Happening in New Britain Dec 19th to 25th
New Britain city meetings and community events coming up during the week of Monday, December 19, 2022 to Sunday, December 25th, include… [MEC id=”30088″] Editor’s note: If you would like to submit an event for inclusion in the New Britain Progressive weekly events articles, or would like to update something already listed, here, feel free […]
Council Restricts Locations, Adds New Fees for Street Vendors and Food Trucks
Staff Reports NEW BRITAIN – The Common Council revised an ordinance and the fee schedule for outdoor vendors and food trucks doing business in the city at its final meeting of the year on December 14th. Under the revised ordinance vendors will be restricted to seven designated areas called “public way green zones”. Under the […]
Mill Rate Cut Is Expected To Offset Big Jump In Property Tax Values
Post-Pandemic Revaluation Brings Hikes Of 50% Or More To Single And Multi Family Homes By John McNamara New Britain’s turn for a revaluation of real property came this year in the regressive property tax system that mandates every city and town set new values for tax purposes every five years. Unlike the last revaluation in […]
Three Schools Get $800K For Technology Improvements
Legislators Praise Approval of Bond Funding For Student Achievement Staff Reports NEW BRITAIN – Northend Elementary and Pulaski and Slade Middle Schools will receive $814,484 in instructional technology improvements thanks to support from the city’s legislative delegation and approval of state Bond Commission funds this week. In a joint statement State Senator Rick Lopes (D-6), […]
North/Oak NRZ Turkey Drive Helps Families At Thanksgiving
Group Holds Meeting To “Re-Brand” For 2023 Organizing Staff Reports NEW BRITAIN – Resident leaders of the North/Oak Neighborhood Revitalization Zone (NRZ) held a “rebranding” meeting on November 17th at the Howey House on North Street to plan outreach activities that will engage more neighbors in 2023. Led by NRZ President Manny Sandoval, participants discussed […]
Happy Thanksgiving from the New Britain Progressive
The New Britain Progressive wishes you a happy and peaceful Thanksgiving Day. From our families to yours, we hope that your day is filled with the joy of time with family and friends. Many of us have many things to be thankful for, all of which, of course, are reminders of what so many others, […]
Black Ministers Alliance and New Britain Police Hosting Thanksgiving Feast for Those in Need
The New Britain Black Ministers Alliance and the city Police are working together to organize a Thanksgiving Feast for people in need. New Britain Police have been collecting donations from people to support the event. Event organizers say that, “meals are takeout only,” though event organizers say that deliveries will be made, as well. [MEC […]