News
Election of Chair, Revised Rules On Agenda At Special Fair Rent Commission Meeting, April 4
By John McNamara NEW BRITAIN – The city’s Fair Rent Commission, a largely dormant city board, will hold a hastily-called special meeting Tuesday, April 4th to elect a Chairperson and revise its rules and regulations. The Commission meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 6:30 P.M. in Room 201 at New Britain City Hall, 27 West […]
Senate Bill For Clear Language On Municipal Charter Referendums Advances
By John McNamara HARTFORD – Legislation sponsored by New Britain lawmakers to require clear language on city charter and other municipal ballot questions received a joint favorable (JF) report from the General Assembly’s Government Administration and Elections Committee March 22nd. The Committee approved advancing the bill for possible floor action 14 to 5 on a […]
Lawmakers Praise $1.7 Million For Expanded Child Care At YMCA
Community Investment Fund 2030 OKs Support For Six Classrooms Staff Reports HARTFORD – The State Community Investment Fund 2030 (CIF) board approved $1.7 million in state funding to enable the New Britain area YMCA to renovate unused racquetball courts into space for six additional classrooms at the Y’s New Britain facility that will enroll 72 […]
Legislation On Clarity Of Local Ballot Questions Gets Hearing
GAE Committee Will Consider Changes Endorsed By NB League of Women Voters Staff Reports HARTFORD – Legislation to bring “clarity and simplicity” to municipal referendum questions will be the subject of a public hearing on Friday March 10th at the State Capitol. The Legislature’s Government Administration and Elections Committee will hear testimony in Room 2A […]
Hearing On Demolition Of Mount Pleasant Public Housing Set For Tuesday, March 7
Staff Reports NEW BRITAIN -A public hearing on the planned demolition of the Mount Pleasant family housing complex on Myrtle Street will be held Tuesday, March 7, at 3 pm at the Jane Johnson Conference Room, 18 Armistice Street that is located in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood. There is a zoom link for the meeting […]
New Britain NAACP Expresses Solidarity With Student Anti-Racism Protesters
The NAACP New Britain Branch has expressed solidarity and support for CCSU students who held an anti-racism protest that interrupted the showing of a movie by a far-right student group. The controversial film, The Greatest Lie Ever Sold: George Floyd and The Rise Of The BLM, was presented by the student group, Turning Point CCSU. The […]
Data Shows Large Rent Increases in New Britain
Staff Reports Data from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) points to hefty increases in rental housing in New Britain. HUD data appears to show rent levels in New Britain growing dramatically in the past few years, confirming anecdotal accounts of rent increases that people are experiencing. According to one New Britain […]
Senator Murphy Invites New Requests For Federal Funding Via Congress
Proposals for Special Appropriations Formerly Known as Earmarks Are Due March 19th By John McNamara Opportunities for “Congressionally Directed” federal funds for a wide range of community, institutional and local government projects in Connecticut are available through the office of U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) who is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Congressionally […]
Remote Public Participation Resumes At Common Council Meetings 2/22
Staff Reports NEW BRITAIN – The opportunity for residents to raise issues at the start of Common Council meetings remotely resumes at the regular bi-monthly meeting on Wednesday, February 22nd. City Hall Watch Remote participation was available at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic but was ended by city officials for both Council members and […]
Deadline Is Friday, Feb. 17 To Appeal Property Assessments
Common Council Adds Two Temporary Members For Board Hearings In March Staff Reports NEW BRITAIN – The Common Council has approved two special appointments to the Board of Assessment Appeal to hear property owner appeals of new assessments that took effect last October following the required revaluation of real estate in the city. The additions […]
Mount Pleasant Slated for Demolition and Redevelopment In Revised NBHA Plan
Staff Reports | News Analysis A March 7th hearing will be held at the New Britain Housing Authority (NBHA) on “significant amendments” to the Authority’s 2023 annual plan that include the demolition and redevelopment of the aging Mount Pleasant family housing complex on Myrtle Street. With an approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) this […]
Lawmakers Will Discuss Legislative Issues, Priorities For 2023 Session
NB League of Women Voters Hosts Public Forum at Library January 21 Staff Reports NEW BRITAIN – The New Britain area League of Women Voters (NB-LWV) invite the public to ask questions and hear from local lawmakers at “2023 Legislative Conversations” on Saturday, January 21st, at 10 a.m. The forum will be held at the […]
Coalition Pushes For Rent Stabilization
2023 Legislation would cap rent increases to stem gouging, homelessness By John McNamara HARTFORD – A statewide “Cap The Rent” coalition kicked off a campaign to enact rent stabilization legislation in Connecticut this year at an online meeting of tenants, fair housing advocates and legislators on January 12. More than 225 participants heard calls for […]
Marlo Greponne Of HRA To Keynote MLK Day Observances
NB Museum of American Art To Hold Free Community Day To Mark Dr. King’s Birthday Staff reports NEW BRITAIN – Marlo Greponne, Ph.D, Executive Director of the Human Resources Agency (HRA), will be the keynote speaker at the Human Rights and Opportunities Commission’s observance of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) national holiday. The […]
Council Considering Tax Reduction for Apartment Development
A City Council committee is holding a hearing and meeting on a proposal to provide a tax reduction for a planned conversion into apartments of a former Stanley Black and Decker office building. The proposed Council resolution, submitted by Ald. Robert Smedley (R-4), concerns plans by Amit Lakhotia, managing partner of Avon Towers, LLC, to […]
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 […]
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), […]
Farmington Results: Representative Demicco, Democratic Candidates Prevail in Farmington
Staff Reports FARMINGTON – State Rep. Mike Demicco (D-21) held off Republican challenger Joe Capodiferro in the Farmington-Unionville state assembly district as Democrats prevailed across the town’s ballot. Demicco received 5,486 (54.86%) to Capodiferro’s 4,919 (45.04%). Demicco will begin his sixth term in January. He was first elected to the legislature in 2012, after serving […]
Democrats Win Big in New Britain; Charter Questions Approved
Democrats appeared to have won big, across the board, in New Britain, but some multi-town elections, especially for the 5th Congressional District, were still left very close. Meanwhile, Charter ballot questions were approved, but with a large number of voters abstaining from voting on the questions.
Voters’ Choices on Proposed City Charter Changes Discussed at Forum
Former Mayor, Senator and state Commissioner, Donald DeFronzo, was joined by John McNamara, a contributing writer to the New Britain Progressive and former Democratic Town Committee Chair at a discussion on the questions in front of voters on changes to the City Charter.