22 December, 2024
3 mins read

Council Members Chastise City Hall Over Unimplemented $4 Million Allocation for Flooding Improvements

Members of the New Britain City Council chastised city officials over an unimplemented $4 million budget allocation for Allen Street flood control project, calling the actions of the Mayor Erin Stewart (R) and allies an election year trick to placate vocal community members calling for action to address neighborhood flooding. Last September, a month before […]

3 mins read

DeFronzo, Endorsed With Democratic Slate, Emphasizes Grassroots Campaigning, Ayalon to Primary

Newly endorsed Democratic candidate for the 26th Assembly District, Dave DeFronzo, said that he is emphasizing a grassroots approach to campaigning in his run to succeed retiring State Rep. Peter Tercyak (D-26). “I have knocked on over two thousand doors so far,” DeFronzo said, “and the people of this district have said loud and clear […]

4 mins read

Some Democratic Council Members Vote With Republicans to Defeat Democrats’ Own Proposal to Eliminate Stewart-Proposed Tax Increase

After the Democratic majority on the New Britain City Council had approved an amendment to the city budget that would have rejected a tax increase proposed by Mayor Erin Stewart (R), the budget plan was defeated when a number of Democratic Council members voted with Republicans to vote down the budget plan. At least Democratic […]

2 mins read

New Britain Council Set to Vote on City Budget

The New Britain City Council is set to vote on Wednesday on a city budget for the upcoming year, in a special meeting, “dedicated to deliberating and voting on various budgetary proposals vital for the city’s operations and development,” a statement from the Council said. The Council’s Democratic majority said that, “This special meeting underscores […]

3 mins read

Ayalon Announces Education Platform in State Legislative Campaign

Former City Council member Aram Ayalon (D-3) has announced an series of priorities for education, as part of his campaign for state representative. Ayalon is running for state legislature in the 26th Assembly District. Another former Council member, Dave DeFronzo (D-AL), has also announced that he is seeking the seat. Ayalon, who is a retired CCSU education […]

1 min read

State Increasing Education Aid by $8.6 Million Amid Low Schools Funding by Stewart

The State Educational Cost Sharing Grant for New Britain schools is to increase by an estimated $8,647,194, providing an apparent lifeline for the city’s school system, amid continuing low local funding for education under Mayor Erin Stewart (R). The grant, already at $107,212,343 in the current state budget year, is set to increase to an […]

1 min read

State Legislators Secure $10 Million More in Aid For New Britain; $4 for More Aid for City Budget

New Britain’s state legislators have announced they have secured $4 million for the city budget in a one-time allocation of federal ARPA funds, as a part of a $10.1 million overall increase in aid to the city. State Senator Rick Lopes (D-6), Rep. Peter Tercyak (D-26), Rep. Manny Sanchez (D-24), Rep. Gary Turco (D-27) and […]

3 mins read

Ayalon Proposes Property Tax and Rent Caps

Former New Britain City Council member Aram Ayalon (D-3), as part of his campaign for state representative, announced two proposals as a, “policy platform for affordable housing,” one on property taxes and the other on rents. “Far too many of our neighbors,” Ayalon said, “especially those on lower or fixed incomes are struggling to keep […]

2 mins read

Stewart Vetoes Transparency Ordinances For Developer Tax Breaks And City Purchasing

New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart (R) has vetoed two new ordinance proposals approved by the City Council that would have provided that final versions of deals for tax breaks for developers and city contracts appear on the publicly-available Council agenda. One proposed ordinance approved by the Council and vetoed by Stewart would have required that […]

1 min read

Biden Delegates Chosen Include New Britain Council Leader

Delegates to represent Connecticut at this summer’s Democratic National Convention were chosen on Wednesday, including a New Britain City Council member. Council Majority Leader, Ald. John McNamara (D-4) was elected as one of the eight delegates representing the 5th Congressional District at the Democratic National Convention. All of the delegates are pledged to President Joe […]

1 min read

Council Approves Transparency Ordinances for Developer Tax Breaks and City Purchasing

The City Council has approved two new ordinances providing that final versions of deals for tax breaks for developers and city contracts appear on the publicly-available Council agenda. Both new transparency ordinances are similar to an ordinance that was vetoed by Mayor Erin Stewart (R) earlier this month. Council Democrats strongly criticized the veto of […]

1 min read

Council Refers Report on Unimplemented $4 Million For Flood Control to Committee for Review

The City Council has voted to examine in committee a report from New Britain city Finance Director Jonathan Perugini that appeared to imply that he did not implement a $4 million budget transfer approved by the City Council for Allen Street flood control project, saying that the resolution to approve it had, “deficiencies.” Council Majority […]

2 mins read

Dave DeFronzo Announces Qualifying for Citizen Election Program

Former City Council member Dave DeFronzo (D-AL) has announced that he has enough qualifying contributions to participate in the state’s Citizen Election Program, sometimes called the “clean election program,” in his run for the 26th District State Representative seat. “This program epitomizes a clean election process,” DeFronzo explained. “It bans dark money and emphasizes grassroots […]

3 mins read

New Britain Council Democrats Criticize Stewart Veto of Public Reports on Land Deals

Mayor Stewart, in Veto Message, Calls Use of Word “Transparency” Political, While Belittling Council Democrats Council Democrats are strongly criticizing the veto by New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart (R) of city legislation to provide for public reports to the City Council on final land deals, calling the mayor’s act, “a striking blow against the principles […]

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