Just got this from Republican City Council hopeful Joe Geladino, one of six candidates vying for a 2nd District seat:
This coming election day don’t just cast your ballot for the same old same-olds you’ve been picking for years just because their names are familiar. This election day, do something different: vote for the taxpayers! The taxpayers must come first this time around.
We need to run this city like a business. Budget increases have to stay in line with the cost of living index. Rampant spending on real estate must stop. Selling off idle, unproductive property should take place immediately. We’ve had enough of our City leaders buying up real estate before they have even a vague idea what to do with it or how to pay for it.
Right now the city is being run by a dysfunctional City Council, feuding amongst themselves, spending tax dollars unnecessarily and making promises that will never be kept. Most of them have no experience in real-life business matters; they are just playing Monopoly with our tax dollars. We must have real business people in office. Enough is enough!
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Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
26 comments:
Yes!!!!
Go get 'en Joe, love to see you and ragaini representing me.
What are Mr. Geladino's qualifications and experience? What does he have to offer the taxpayers?
These are real questions. I'm not firmiliar with the man and I'd like to know more.
What have Zoppo & McCauley done for us? You got my vote Joe! I also would like to see you and Ragaini get in. Time for a clean sweep. Minor needs to go too.
I know you will work well with Ward if he gets in, becasue you don't care what party they belong with as long as the job gets done.
based upon the info that he gave about his plans, he'll be short.
"What are Mr. Geladino's qualifications and experience? What does he have to offer the taxpayers?"
What does Lydem offer the taxpayers? I know...MORE TAXES
Joe: can you list two pieces of real estate that the City Council has bought in the last four years?
Joe: Exactly what unnecessary tax spending are you talking about? Can you give us a couple of specific examples, and not vague generalities?
Joe: Hello? Are you still there? I'm waiting for answers. Please don't tell me you made those accusations without having specifics at your fingertips.
Please give this qualification a rest. By state law the only thing you have to be in order to run for office is 18 yo and a registered voter.
How many Democrats have served on the council that couldn't put a sentence together.
As for city owned property it doesn't matter if the council hasn't purchased any in the last 4yrs. Just look at what they are trying to sell now. and that's been done in the last 10 years.
Joe: what exactly do you mean by "we need to run this city like a business"? Because private businesses have competitors that the customers can always go to if they don't like the price or the product. And customers can chose not to spend their money at a private business if they don't like the management. Does that sound like a city to you?
Joe I'm interested in learning more about you as a candidate. Where can I get information about you and your views on the future of the city and how can I ask you any questions that I have? Will you have a forum set up some time soon?
We definately need a change in our area of town, but I'm not sure what I'm looking for in a candidate.
Joe's point about running the city like a business is exactly what we need. Bristol does have competition(i.e., Burlington, Farmington, Planville, Southington, etc). Dissatified citizens can always move to another town or choose to spend their dollars supporting businesses elsewhere. Running a business requires accountibility, setting priorities, getting rid of non-performers and always being mindfull of your customers -- in this case the citizens of Bristol. Sounds like a business so why not run it like one?
If the officers and directors running a business are wasteful with the stockholders' money, the stockholders can vote them out. We voters of Bristol can likewise vote out the Mayor and City Council members if they waste our money.
Has anyone ever been to a City Council meeting or watched the taped meetings on Channel 21? I've seen Joe in action a few times, and I can tell you he's not afraid to speak his mind. At least he's shown that he's not anyone's puppet. That's all the "qualifications" I need to see! Good luck, Joe!
Are you serious? You are scaring me.
So which is it? Are the residents of Bristol stockholders or are they customers? They can't be stockholders, because stockholders don't have any emotional stake in an investment - it's just an investment. If it doesn't perform up to expectations, you just cash it in and re-invest somewhere else. But they can't be just customers either, because they do have an emotional stake in the town. You don't simply up and move to another town if your family and friends have lived in Bristol for decades. (And the towns you listed - well, the Bristolites I know who move to Farmington or Burlington are "movin' on up" because they've gotten too good for Bristol.) The fact is, government is not a business so it can't be run like a business.
Joe: So why haven't you replied to my questions? I hope it isn't because you're just another wannabee politician who talks tough but has no real ideas behind the big talk. Say it ain't so, Joe!
This is Steve Collins' blog, not Joe Geladino's. If you're trying to embarass someone Mr. Anon-Joe-Geladino-Inquisitor, I must say you're actually embarassing yourself.
As far as property purchased by the city, there's one piece of property the council approved the purchase of, it's called the Centre Mall. Perhaps you're aware of that? How about the building on the corner of North and North Main Streets? How about the proposal to buy houses near the library, near city hall, near the BOE, and of course lets not forget Ms Zoppo's dad's building, 51 High Street, which the city bought in 2000.
The there's the Robert's land, the proposed school project and of course the "Industrial Park" on Middle (formally the Bugryns). Do you not get the point now?
PS Are you Allen Marko, Sue Gorski or Craig Minor?
You're putting words in Geladino's mouth. I'm quoting him. He says "Budget increases have to stay in line with the cost of living index" so I want to know what his formula is to do that. He complains about "City leaders buying up real estate before they have even a vague idea what to do with it or how to pay for it" so I want to know what purchases he's talking about. He accuses the Council of "spending tax dollars unnecessarily" so I want to know exactly what he feels was wasteful. He said the Council members are "making promises that will never be kept" so I want to know what empty promises he's accusing them of making.
Geladino says politicians should be held accountable...well, let's start with him. Answer the questions, Joe. You've had more than enough time.
There's no formula for keeping the budget within the cost of living index. My point was that the City can't keep bleeding the taxpayers for every single budget item that gets proposed. Their incomes are usually tied to the COL index, and some aren't even keeping pace, so how can you justify raising taxes over and over when the taxpayers simply can't absorb it any more? You come to a breaking point where people will just stop paying their taxes altogether. Then what, will the City foreclose on their homes and add more property to our real estate inventory?
We need a Council that will start cutting spending even if it means eliminating jobs, which would be a last resort. The bigger picture is to demand efficiency and not play favorites with departments and department heads. Unqualified
and underperforming personnel should be eliminated. If there was proper accountability for management (like there is in private-sector business), there
wouldn't be so much waste.
Well to your question residents of Bristol are both stockholders (owners) and customers (folks who support Bristol by spending money here and using services). If you think that the people have an emotional investment in this city can't or won't leave you are mistaken. It is not moving up it is moving out. Bristol is a product that competes with other products (other towns) and yes the trend is showing that even if your family and friends live here you will still leave... it's called being fed up with a poorly run government. It is not emotional it is business and it does effect how the product (City) is perceived. Run it like a business and see what happens. The current way certainely is not working.
Sounds like you've got Bob Merrick writing your stuff now. It reads purty but if you can't back it up it's just empty rhetoric. Talk is cheap, and I'm (still!) waiting for some specifics on the promises/complaints in your original posting.
More vague accusations and innuendo...you're really creating quite an inventory of unsubstantiated rants. What department head is being shown favoritism, and by whom? Who are these "unqualified and underperforming" employees? Do you have some specific people in mind, or are you talking about all government employees?
Anon-Joe-G-Inquisitor:
I think almost every property purchase the city has made since 1993 has been a waste of tax payer money.
IF Joe G said: "City leaders buying up real estate before they have even a vague idea what to do with it or how to pay for it" as you say he did, I will tell you this. I agree whole-heartedly with that statement and him.
anon-Joe-G-Inquisitor:
If you're trying to say there are no un-qualified or underperforming city employees, you're dillusional.
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