Election
Merrill Gay Announces Total Campaign Contributions of Over $60,000
Democratic Mayoral candidate Merrill Gay has announced that he has received $29,660 in campaign contruibutions between July and September. Gay announced that his most recent campaign finance report brings the total amount he has raised in contributions toward his Mayoral bid to over $60,000. That amount of money is widely considered to be one sign […]
Ward 2 Candidates Discuss Serving New Britain’s East Side
Democrats Lamar Bowsky and Brian Keith Albert are discussing improvements to the city economy and community services for the people of New Britain’s East Side in their challenge to first-term incumbent Republicans Jerrell Hargraves (R-2) and Kristian Rosado (R-2) in the City Council elections in Ward 2. New Britain’s Ward 2 elects two members of the […]
Ward 1 City Council Candidates
The City Council election in New Britain’s Ward 1 is between two incumbent Republicans and two Democratic challengers. Democrats Veronica T. DeLandro and Molly McGuire are taking on Ald. Jamie Giantonio (R-1) and Ald. Wilfredo Pabon (R-1), two of the city’s longest-serving Council members. Ten of the fifteen members of the City Council are elected from […]
Candidate Debate on Education Issues Oct 5th
The New Britain Federation of Teachers, in collaboration with other city organizations, including the Opportunities Industrialization Center and the NAACP New Britain Branch, are hosting a candidate debate on education issues in the city. The debate will feature Democrat Merrill Gay and Republican Erin Stewart, candidates for Mayor, and candidates for Board of Education. The […]
Reportedly False Attempt to Bury Article on Stewart Tax Mailing Elections Complaint
Democratic City Council candidate Bobby Berriault reports that someone falsely used his identity in an attempt to have Facebook remove a New Britain Progressive article about an elections complaint filed against Republican Mayor Erin Stewart. This New Britain Progressive article reports that a formal complaint has been filed against Stewart with the State Elections Enforcement Commission […]
Complaint Against Stewart Filed Over “obvious campaign promotion in car tax bills”
A formal complaint has been filed against Republican Mayor Erin Stewart with the State Elections Enforcement Commission by Democratic Chair Bill Shortell, according the city Democrats. Shortell says that he filed the complaint in response to a brochure included in motor vehicle tax bills. The brochure, Democrats say, “included statements promoting Stewart’s candidacy under her […]
Berriault Calls for Change in Leadership Because of Taxes and Spending
By Bobby Berriault After two terms of Mayor Erin Stewart, I say it’s time for a change in leadership. In her two terms of office, Republican Mayor Stewart raised our property taxes by 19% or $19,231,280! Our mill rate is currently at 50.5 mills, making it the fourth most expensive of any town in the State […]
Did Stewart’s Use of Main Street USA Advertising Violate Campaign Laws?
Questions have arisen about the legality of Republican Mayor Erin Stewart using the recent Main Street USA event for political self-promotion. A state law prohibits a candidate for public office from using public funds to promote themselves on, among other things, newspaper ads and billboards, within a year of an election. The questions about whether […]
Did Stewart Get A Prohibited Campaign Freebie In Mailing Of Car Tax Bills?
By John McNamara Contributing Columnist New Britain motor vehicle owners finally got their bills on September 1 along with a glowing missive from Mayor Erin Stewart that makes the case for her re-election. The city held up auto tax notices this year, blaming the state budget impasse for the two month delay. Uncertain was whether […]
Republican Partisan Gambit Raises Meeting Legality Questions
The attempt by members of the City Council elected as Republicans to claim different party affiliations than they were elected as has raised the question of whether the Republican Party’s caucus on the City Council may have been holding unlawful meetings. State law requires that meetings of a majority of City Council members must be […]
Democratic and Republican City Election Candidates for 2017
With Autumn just around the corner, election season will be coming into full swing. The Democratic Party and the Republican Party have both put forward their slates for the city elections on November 7th. For Mayor, the candidates are: Democratic Republican Merril Gay Erin Stewart For Town and City Clerk, the two parties have nominated […]
Connecticut Hispanic Democratic Caucus Endorses Merrill Gay for Mayor and Entire New Britain Democratic Slate
The Connecticut Hispanic Democratic Caucus (CHDC), a statewide coalition of Hispanic/Latino elected and appointed officials, community leaders, clergy, and business leaders, has endorsed Democrat Merrill Gay’s candidacy for Mayor of New Britain, as well as the entire Democratic slate in this year’s New Britain elections. “Our caucus typically only endorses Hispanic candidates,” said CHDC president […]
Merrill Gay Wins Democratic Party Mayoral Endorsement
Democratic Board of Education member Merrill Gay was unanimously endorsed by the New Britain Democratic Party to be the Democratic nominee for Mayor of New Britain. The Democratic Town Committee, the elected body representing city Democrats, held its 2017 nomination meeting at 7:00pm on July 20th at City Hall. In accepting the endorsement, Gay talked […]
UAW and Working Families Support Merrill Gay for Mayor
Democratic Mayoral candidate Merrill Gay has announced that he has received the endorsement from the United Auto Workers Region 9A, and Connecticut’s Working Families Party, just one day before the New Britain Democratic Party will vote on whether to endorse him for the Democratic nomination. The two endorsements add to the support Gay already received from […]
Democrat Merrill Gay Raises $32,000 for Mayoral Campaign
Democratic Board of Education member, Merrill Gay, who is running for Mayor in New Britain’s elections this year, has announced that he has raised over $26,000 in the most recent reporting period, bringing his total fundraising to $32,000. Raising campaign contributions as a challenger is considered to be an uphill battle, and Democrats are calling Gay’s […]
Merrill Gay: Why I am running for New Britain
by Merrill Gay Why, in today’s world, does anyone want to run for mayor of New Britain? It’s a good question. When I came to New Britain in 1989, I was immediately impressed by its people, its parks and natural resources and its rich cultural diversity. At once I knew this was the place to […]
Machinists Endorse Merrill Gay for Mayor
Democratic Mayoral candidate Merrill Gay has received the endorsement of the International Association of Machinist and Aerospace Workers, IAMAW, one of the largest unions in North America. In announcing the union’s support for Merrill Gay being elected as Mayor of New Britain, John Harrity, president of the IAMAW State Council said, “We are proud to […]
Official City Website Links to Stewart Campaign Materials
The official, taxpayer funded city website prominently directs people to an Erin Stewart social media site containing Stewart campaign videos and a link to Stewart’s campaign website. The first option available when visiting the city’s official website is the “How do I” link. It is an important website location, where people may obtain, for example, […]
Two U.S. Senators and U.S. Representative to Visit in Support of Merrill Gay
Both of Connecticut’s U.S. Senators and New Britain’s U.S. Representative are visiting New Britain in order to support Democratic Mayoral candidate Merrill Gay. In a message to supporters, Gay made the announcement that U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (D-5) are joining him at an event at […]
Support for Merrill Gay for Mayor
By Bobby Berriault After two terms of Mayor Erin Stewart, I say it’s time for a change in leadership. Under Mayor Stewart, New Britain has seen our property taxes increase by 16%, making New Britain the second highest property taxed town in the state. New Britain has the second lowest performing school system in the […]