New Britain
“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 […]
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 […]
Free Fashion Series Starts Saturday (1/28) For Students 10-18 At S.U.R.E.
NEW BRITAIN – S.U.R.E. (Safety Usually Resolves Everything), a non-profit youth development program, begins a series of Saturday educational sessions January 28th for students ages 10 to 18 on the fashion industry and careers. The Fashion Group organized by SURE Founder Candyce Scott, MA, LPC, “helps children improve self-esteem, social and vocational skills.” The program […]
‘Strengthening Local Journalism’ Is Topic at Community Meeting On January 28
New Britain Progressive invites participation to strengthen local coverage NEW BRITAIN – The New Britain Progressive’s Board of Directors will host a 2023 Kick Off meeting January 28th focusing on strengthening local journalism at the online, volunteer community newspaper now in its seventh year of publishing. Residents are invited to the meeting on Saturday 1/28 […]
City Charter Question Sparks Bill For “Clarity” In Wording Of Local Referendums
Local And State LWV Backs Proposed Legislation At GAE Committee By John McNamara HARTFORD -Legislation to ensure specific wording on local referendum questions has been proposed by New Britain lawmakers in the 2023 Connecticut General Assembly. Proposed Bill 862 “to increase the clarity and simplicity of the language presented to voters in municipal referendum questions” […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 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 […]
Atty. Rivera Is Sworn In As Judge Of Probate
Democrat Begins First Term After Taking Oath At CCSU Ceremony by John McNamara NEW BRITAIN – The office of Judge of Probate for Berlin and New Britain changed hands for a third time in two years on January 3rd when Attorney Bill Rivera was sworn in to a four-year term. Rivera, an attorney in New […]
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 […]
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 […]
Attorney Bill Rivera Is First Hispanic Elected To Probate Court
Democrat Reverses 2021 Special Election Loss To Republican Mike Carrier By John McNamara NEW BRITAIN – Attorney Bill Rivera, a Common Council Majority Leader in the 1990s, won a close race for Judge of Probate in the November 8th state election and is believed to be the first person of Hispanic heritage elected to office […]
Farmington And New Britain Hold Official Observances On Veterans Day
Staff Reports, Photography by Frank Gerratana Central Park Ceremonies Recognize City Vets Of Past Wars With Marine Corps League’s Hardware City Detachment NEW BRITAIN – The city Veterans Commission led Veterans Day services at Central Park Friday (November 11) with wreath layings, presentations of colors and remarks from Mayor Erin Stewart and Terry Crescimauno, a […]
Hayes’ Ground Game Came Late To A CT-5 Democratic Stronghold
New Britain Had 2.6K Fewer Voters Than ’18 Gubernatorial Election By John McNamara Urban votes in state and federal elections are the firewalls for Democratic candidates to win competitive races in Connecticut. New Britain, the most reliable Democratic town in non-municipal years in the 5th Congressional District (CT-5), joined other cities in a lower turnout […]
DeFronzo on City Charter Referendum: “No Thank You”
A modest estimate for a COO, office staff required to carry out his/her functions, equipment, travel cost and associated expenditures will easily exceed half a million dollars annually.Voters should know that.
New Britain Has Close To 34K Voters Eligible For State Election on Tuesday
Redistricting Means New Polling Places For Some Voters in 2022; Polls Open 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Staff Reports NEW BRITAIN – November 1 was the last day to register to vote across Connecticut to be officially on the rolls before the November 8th state election. In New Britain, Registrars of Voters counted 33,731 voters as of […]
City Charter Changes To Be Discussed At Library
Progressive To Sponsor Forum On Referendum Questions NEW BRITAIN – An open forum on two ballot questions asking for significant changes to the City Charter will be held on Wednesday, November 2nd from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the New Britain Public Library, 20 High Street. On November 8th city voters will decide on Question […]