Municipal Government
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 […]
Democrats Seek Transparency On Contracts And Tax Agreements
Common Council Budget Review Begins For the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year This report is the second in a series to keep the community informed about Council business and to encourage public participation in city government from the perspective of the Democratic Majority Caucus. The details of municipal purchasing, tax and and leasing agreements will be reported […]
Bill For “Precise” Wording On City Charter Referendums Gets Hearing
New Britain Lawmakers, League of Women Voters Back Fair Ballot Questions By John McNamara Legislation to ensure specific wording on local referendum questions has been proposed for a second year at the Connecticut General Assembly’s Government Administration and Elections Committee (GAE). The GAE Committee will consider House Bill 5494 that would establish “standards” for city […]
Watershed: New Britain’s 1989 Mayoral Campaign
The Municipal Campaign That Changed New Britain Politics For A Generation Introduction to Part 3 In 1989, Donald DeFronzo became New Britain’s 34th Mayor ending the late William (Billy Mac) McNamara’s six terms as the city’s top elected official, a modern-day record not matched until last November when Mayor Erin Stewart won a sixth, two-year […]
Watershed: New Britain’s 1989 Mayoral Campaign (Part I)
The Municipal Election That Changed New Britain Politics For A Generation Introduction: In 1989, Donald DeFronzo became New Britain’s 34th Mayor ending the late William (Billy Mac) McNamara’s six terms as the city’s top elected official, a modern-day record not matched until last November when Mayor Erin Stewart won a sixth, two-year term. “During the […]
Op-Ed: Council Democrats Address Stormwater, Audit and Shelter For Unhoused Issues
Hearing From Citizens Will Be Essential During City Budget Process Two months into a new term the new Democratic majority on the Common Council is working on key issues raised in last year’s municipal election and in responding to public concerns on housing and shelter for the unhoused, stormwater infrastructure and the status of the […]
Democrats Invite Candidates To Run For City Offices
Staff Reports NEW BRITAIN – The Democratic Town Committee (NBDTC) is seeking candidates for all municipal offices for the November 7th election. This year New Britain voters will elect candidates for Mayor, Treasurer, Common Council (15), Board of Education (3), Board of Assessment Appeal (2) and Constable (4). “New Britain Democrats believe that local government […]
Divided Council Confirms Stewart Pick For Chief Of Police
By John McNamara NEW BRITAIN – The Common Council confirmed Mayor Erin Stewart’s nomination of Captain Matthew Marino to become the city’s 16th Chief of Police at its April 26th meeting. The decision appeared to split council members, with a majority in favor of the Mayor’s choice but members from both Democratic and Republican caucuses […]
Council To Vote On New Police Chief
Petitions Filed For Major Changes To City Zoning Map At April 26th Meeting By John McNamara NEW BRITAIN – The Common Council is scheduled to select a new Chief of Police at the Wednesday, May 26th regular meeting. Three members of the Police Department’s(NBPD) command staff have been selected as finalists. The vote may come […]
GoNetSpeed Wires New Britain For Fiber Optic With $5 Million In City’s Federal Covid Funds
Company Rolls Out New Internet Service At Introductory Rates To Homes, Businesses; Citywide Access Expected By Early Summer By John McNamara NEW BRITAIN – A new internet service provider (ISP) is offering residential and business customers high-speed connectivity in all parts of the city thanks to a $5 million public subsidy. In June 2022 the […]
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 […]
Fair Rent Comm. Special Meeting Cancelled
Election of Chair, Revisions To Rules and Regulations Postponed To April 11 By John McNamara [Editor’s Note: This updates a story on the Fair Rent Commission posted on Monday, April 3] NEW BRITAIN – A hastily called special meeting of the city’s Fair Rent Commission was cancelled on Tuesday, April 4th, almost as quickly as […]
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 […]
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 […]
“Formal Changes” Coming To Fair Rent Commission’s Rules And Regs
Common Council Petition Seeks Answers To Commission’s Compliance With The Law In Handling Landlord and Tenant Rent Increase Disputes By John McNamara NEW BRITAIN – The Mayor’s Office “will be seeking formal changes to the rules and regulations of the Fair Rent Commission” to clarify the roles of housing and human rights and opportunities employees […]
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 […]
CPOA To Donate To Police K-9s For Its Last Act
Conservative Taxpayer Group Is Dissolving After 90 Years By John McNamara (Update: The resolution concerning the dissolution of the CPOA and its donation was withdrawn at the meeting) NEW BRITAIN – The Citizen Property Owners Association (CPOA), a conservative taxpayer group and one of the city’s oldest citizen organizations, is dissolving and plan to donate […]
Council Committee Agrees To Compromise On Tax Break For Myrtle Street Housing Development
Incentive Drops From 26 To 13 Years In Amended Resolution That Goes To Common Council For Approval By John McNamara NEW BRITAIN- The Common Council’s Committee on Administration, Finance and Law (AFL) unanimously approved a “compromise” tax break at a January 4th meeting for Avon Towers LLC to develop 119 housing units at 480 Myrtle […]
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 […]