It's That Magical Time Again

It's once again time for us to determine the tax rate of one third of of our car and home taxes.

The three City Fire departments (don't start on the three) determine about one-third of our total tax bill. This is determined by a "town meeting" set by the Fire Commission. Of course, these Commissioners don't want you to know about these meetings. But --

If you want to have your say in in this matter, go to your meeting!

For West Shore Fire District Residents:

Friday, May 1
Bailey Middle School 6:30 pm

For Center Fire District Residents:

Tuesday, May 5
Savin Rock School 7:00 pm

For Allingtown Fire District Residents:

Tuesday, May 12
Forest School 6:30 pm

Again, these are the meetings they don't want you to know about. If you don't go, THEY will get their way. And WE will have to pay for THEIR way.

Can't We All Just Get Along?

The most recent confrontation in the Registrar's office appears to come down to a "She Said, She Said" matter.

I don't know what happened, but I could see it coming.

Michelle Hufcut (the Democratic Registrar) was newly elected to clean up the royally screwed up Registrar's Office. As the number of Democrat voters outnumbers Republicans, Unaffiliated and all minor parties combined, she rightly felt it was her duty to take the lead...and she's determined to do the right job; and she may have seen everyone in the office as complicit.

Jo Ann Callegari (the Republican Registrar) suffered under the last Democratic Registrar; and she clearly hoped that Hufcut's election signalled a new day and a better working atmosphere in the office. However, she clearly viewed public statements and actions made by Hufcut as attacks on her; and she felt she was slighted whenever the two spoke together.

This is simply a case of two strong-willed individuals who quickly devolved into an attitude of opposition...even though they share the same goal.

I hope both take advantage of this sorry episode by "clearing the poisoned air", with a disinterested third party mediating. This office needs too much -- and is too important -- for this childish activity to continue.

Tea-Baggers in the Mist

After all the media hoopla about the so-called "tea-bag parties" held on April 15th, it was surprising that our fearless and feckless local newspaper had nothing to say on the issue.

This is all the more curious, since Little Billy Boy (our local version of Perry White) has written extensively in support of the same themes espoused by the billionaires supporting this "(crab gr)ass roots" movement. There's SO many billionaires in West Haven, right?

Additionally, (as anyone who has read his, um, "editorials" or "special columns" can attest), if there is anyone who knows about tea-bagging, it's our own home-grown Glenn Beck.

Maybe he just needs his own local Dick Armey to help him out....

When One Hand Washes the Other and BOTH Hands End Up DIRTY

While driving around town, it's surprising to see how many public officials are doing major renovations on their homes. It's even more surprising to see that the same contractor is doing the work.

This is nothing new: our "proven financial manager" had this contractor do the repairs on "his" house.

What's troubling is that this contractor has been awarded many "no-bid" contracts for major City work...all since this administration took office. And this contractor supposedly is trying to find waste in the City bidding process.

Of course, I'm not implying that something smells here, am I? Like Louie would have said --

Helping the City Out

As the City Assessor is going around looking for residents who register their cars out-of-state (to avoid paying property taxes), it's only fair for everyone to forward their candidates. Here's ours:

This car belongs to a certain prominent businessman who's in tight with our "proven financial manager"...in fact, he sits on our Finance Board, supposedly trying to help the City control its costs and maximize its revenues. This is truly a case of looking in your own backyard first...this car can be seen in the public parking lot across from City Hall. You're welcome, Ann!

(And this has nothing to with my being a Giants fan!)

When Reality Bites Back

Last week, our "proven financial manager" touted his latest work of fiction:

Now, the other shoe has dropped: the other day, Superintendent of Schools Neil Cavallaro announced the Board of Ed will have to close Stiles School and the Blake Building to make this joke of a budget work.

So, in John Picard's universe -

• "No Tax Increases" means a $40.00 increase in sewer use fees;
• "No Cuts in Services" means closing one school and the administrative building.

If this makes sense to you, then you probably believe that those bonuses given to AIG execs were "retention payments". This bucket of bull is just another Wall Street juke and jive.

Of course, using the Bayer campus -- even temporarily -- will probably cut into our PILOT payments from the state. Details, details....

Maybe, just maybe, those 4% raises for City Hall bosses could be better used to help prop up our sadly lacking educational system. Yeah, right.