Stewart
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 […]
Amid Growing Questions and a Democratic Resolution, Stewart and Council Republicans Abandon Patton Brook Sale
In the wake of mounting questions about why Republican Mayor Erin Stewart sold the Patton Brook Well while the city knew it was facing significant drought conditions, and a City Council resolution, originally offered by the three Democratic Council members, to revoke the sale, the Republican mayor and the Council’s Republicans are abandoning her plan to sell […]
Stewart Proposes Freeze on City Education Support, Increase in City Hall Spending
Republican Mayor Erin Stewart’s proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1st would freeze city support for New Britain’s schools while increasing overall city spending and pushing taxpayer debt into the future. Stewart’s General Fund budget proposal would increase city General Fund spending by $2,167,486 to a total of $241,537,535. Funding for the New Britain school […]
Did Facebook Censor Based on an “Apparent forged court order”?
Facebook told the New Britain Progressive that it had removed from Facebook a post of a Progressive-published opinion piece four days after someone asked Google to “deindex” that same opinion piece. The request to Google was labeled a “Court Order Complaint”, using what UCLA School of Law Professor Eugene Volokh called an “Apparent forged court order” in […]
Column on Washington Post Site About “Apparent forged court order” Concerning New Britain
“Apparent forged court order for the benefit of a New Britain (Conn.) volunteer city commissioner” is the headline of a column by UCLA School of Law Professor Eugene Volokh, published on the editorially independent “The Volokh Conspiracy” portion of the Washington Post. Volokh’s column discusses a request to Google to “deindex” an opinion piece by Bobby Berriault […]
23% Increase in Mayor’s Salary Proposed
The Republican-dominated City Council is considering a proposal that would increase the salary of the city’s mayor by 23%, up to $108,016. Currently Republican Mayor Erin Stewart’s salary is $87,634, an amount that is more than twice the 2015 New Britain median household income of $40,457. The proposed mayoral salary of $108,016 would be 267% of what the […]
By the Numbers: Statistical Debate Concerns Educational Quality in New Britain
Press Pool Story A critique of Republican Mayor Erin Stewart’s education record by Democratic City Council candidate Bobby Berriault sparked a heated internet debate in January about education in New Britain and whether to view statistics about the city’s schools as a sign of progress or as a measure of how far the community has […]
Water-gate? Extreme Drought Continues While Stewart Drinking Water Well Sale Comes Under Increased Fire
Press Pool New Britain continues to be under “Extreme Drought” conditions, according to the United States Drought Monitor. The news comes as the plans by Republican Mayor Erin Stewart to sell a high-yield drinking city water well come under increased fire, with state legislation proposed in response to the sale. The well sale has come […]
Rep. Lopes Bill Requires Fair Market Value For City To Sell Wells, Watershed Land
By John McNamara State Rep. Rick Lopes (D-24) has filed a bill requiring municipalities or water companies to “complete a fair market appraisal of any property encompassing a watershed, well or reservoir before such property may be sold, and to make such appraisal public at least 90 days prior to such sale.” The legislation (6481) […]
City Hall Watch: Deferring Municipal Debt Payment Means Cash Now, Higher Interest Next Year
By John McNamara The Stewart administration is shifting $6 million from a scheduled payment on the city’s rising municipal debt— creating an election year windfall to avert yet another tax increase. The Common Council approved what representatives of William Blair & Company, the city’s bond counsel, called a “re-structuring” of a $28 million bond at […]
Stewart Accused of Denying Access to Council Videos to a Critic
Press Pool Story A city resident says that the city denied her a copy the video of a public City Council meeting after Republican Mayor Erin Stewart apparently questioned whether the resident planned to use the video to disparage her. The resident made comments on Facebook, dated December 14th, asking, “Does a public official have the right to restrict […]
Berriault Defends Critque of Stewart
By Bobby Berriault In response to a recent post on the President of the Board of Education Nick Mercier Facebook page, calling me a liar, saying I live by “alternative facts” and complaining that I blocked him on my exploratory committee Facebook page, I want to rebut his first allegation and explain why he and […]
Stewart’s Economic Record Criticized
By Bobby Berriault I take issue with Mayor Erin Stewart’s recent assertion that our city’s economy is better than ever. While it is true that a few businesses have moved into New Britain – namely the food truck that is downtown a few hours a week, for every business that has moved into our city, […]
Stewart-Proposed High-Level Bureaucrat and Department Head Residency Requirement At Issue
Republican Mayor Erin Stewart will ask the Republican-dominated City Council to approve her choice to lead the “Human Resources Department”. The new high-level bureaucratic position was created when the Council approved Stewart’s proposal to increase the number of city departments to fifteen, including the creation of the Human Resources Department. Who her choice is for the position […]
City Hall Watch: Stewart Wants More Money For Tilcon Watershed Study; Costs To Exceed $350K
By John McNamara The Stewart administration is seeking an additional $17,500 for an environmental study of Tilcon Inc.’s long-term plan to lease city watershed for trap rock mining. The extra cost is up for consideration at the December 14th Common Council meeting and follows the June 2016 Common Council approval of a $337,000 no-bid contract […]
City Purchasing Nearly $500,000 of New Vehicles
Press Pool Story The Republican-dominated City Council is considering a proposal from the administration of Mayor Erin Stewart to purchase $495,078.84 for various motor vehicles. Under proposal, the city would purchase $461,578.84 of vehicles from Crowley Ford, LLC of Plainville: Also, the proposal calls for the purchase of $33,500.00 for one vehicle from Crowley Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge of […]