A former state House minority leader from
Edward Krawiecki, Jr, who served in the House for 16 years before stepping down in 1994, said Wright’s support of a tax package that threatens ESPN is baffling.
“His vote is damaging the largest employer in
“Chris is behaving in a way that makes no sense,” said Krawiecki, an attorney who may be eyeing a mayoral run.
Wright said he’s racked up a bipartisan record, voting against his own party leaders on a number of occasions, particularly in the insurance committee.
Wright said that perhaps Krawiecki is simply trying to get his name out in the press by “taking a shot at the freshman rep from the other party.”
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
56 comments:
What's so wrong with asking espn to pay it's fair share ???
Looks like Ed is running: guess that is why he told johnson and others that they couldn't win.
Then he could pick his own slate.
The Problem with Chris is that he is a follower and far from a leader. He is a puppet for the Democrats.
When ESPN stops expanding in Bristol and in CT for that matter and another state swoops in and woos them away from us, you can keep pondering that same question. What a jackass!
I'm not fan of Chris Wright, CC, but define
the "intellectual qualifications" it takes to serve as State Representative?
Wright is Wrong!
Thank you Ed Krawiecki for publicly challenging Wright. Chris Wright is intellectually unqualified to serve as State Representative for Bristol and is also a pawn of the most liberal and leftist wing of the state House Democrats. He needs to go! Dump Wright in 2010!!!
ESPN has been making a great profit every year. Democrats is Hartford (apparently with the help of their lackey, Chris Wright) need to raise taxes to balance the budget and keep their supporters (the government sector) happy. So they will eliminate tax breaks for ESPN.
ESPN, no matter how much corporate tax it pays, is the largest city tax payer in Bristol. We can not afford to have ESPN move it's business to greener pastures in the name of "wealth justice" or some silly liberal, progressive, neo-socialist ideology.
WE AS BRISTOL CITIZENS MUST NOT ALLOW THE LEGISLATURE TO PUT ECONOMIC PRESSURE ON OUR CITY'S BIGGEST TAX PAYER!
It's that simple!
Where is barnes on all of this?
May 4, 2009 8:53 PM:
When one is being led by the nose by someone else to the detriment of one's own constituency, then that one (in my humble opinion) is intellectually unqualified to be serving as a Representative.
capiche?
Bristol loses property tax, state loses income tax, Bristol loses recognition.
Thanks Chris!
I'll bet Chris Wright was a big fan of Tip O'Neill. But he seems to have forgotten O'Neill's most famous quote, "all politics is local".
Good-bye Chris Wright. You are one term and out!
CC: what kind of "conservative" believes that making everyone pay their fair share of taxes is "silly liberal, progressive, neo-socialist ideology"? You are a hypocrite and the ultimate Republican hack.
If you want to criticize Wright for having the intellectual honesty and moral courage to go up against ESPN in their own backyard, do it with logic, not namecalling.
According to this report, a big reason why Bristol's bond rating has improved (at least under the Moody's metric) is because of the presence of ESPN. For a number of years, ESPN has provided a stable flow of tax dollars and jobs for the city.
I would be very careful about over-burdening ESPN with taxes; the company has done a great deal for the city. If you're going to vote for an extra tax burden on the company, there'd better be a very good reason for it.
Logic? You think cutting off your nose to spite your face is logical?
I don't believe you Odin or Chris Wright have any idea what anyone's "fair share" in taxes is. You're reprehensible for defending this idiocy.
Odin:
What are you talking about paying thier fair share. They already do!!!!
Look at the jobs they create and the other revenue they bring to Bristol in the form of restraurants, shopping etc.
I understand a little about Liberalism from MSNBC but I don't understand stupidity.
I am beginining to believe that most Bristol Democratic liberals will not be happy until Bristol is a ghost town made up of only City Workers.
If were not going to stand up for ESPN than let's save some money and get rid of BDA and its staff b/c we have no reason to entice businesses to Bristol, if we're not going to support them.
Chris right was wrong on this vote. IF a bill is going to hurt your community than you vote against it. Period, regardless of hat your leaders want.
At least Frank Nicastro understands that.
Imposing taxes on ESPN solves nothing..all it does is open the door for the company to leave shop. Don't think they would?...they already have studios in New York, LA, North Carolina, Chicago, and elsewhere. It wouldn't take much for some other community to make a much sweeter offer, especially if we make ours sour. See ya later Wright, you had your chance to "wow" us and you did!
Odin:
Stop the bad spin. The feeders of the fat pig called government are the Democrats. Wright is sacrificing the welfare of his own constituency to feed an out of control state government budget. The Democrats have little intention or ambition to cut government spending.
A conservative believes in limited government. But this is beyond being conservative or liberal. This is what O'Neill meant by "all politics is local". This is a mistake by Wright in all aspects. He has clearly been drinking the liberal cool-aide and apparently so has Odin.
ESPN is roughly 7-9% of this City's entire gross tax base. With the "wreckless" spending that has been and continues, our mil rate will be through the roof which in turn will raise property taxes significantly. If there ever was a signal for people looking to get out of Bristol, this absolutely would be it. 1784 SF. property tax equals just around 4k a year. I have been pondering moving to Farmington or a similiar community but houses (in general) have been to expensive. I'll dump this town in a heartbeat if that happens because these people, (only 1 of which I voted for) have done absolutely nothing for me.
Chris is forgetting rule number one -- represent the people. When you do the math losing ESPN would be a very bad thing for Bristol.
If folks think taxes are high now what do you think they be if ESPN decided to leave?
Bristol and Connecticut for that matter are now the only show in town.
Other States like Michigan and Penn. would love to have this type of business in their State and if they offer a better deal could win them away. Don't take ESPN for granted. They are worth every penney in incentives that they receive.
The tax payers in Bristol are very uneducated. They keep voting in the buddy system politicians, and it has done nothing put slowly and painfully destroy our city. Its a shame. Look around your city people! Are you proud to walk around your downtown? Are you proud of the amenities that are offered to you from your city? How is it getting around on RT 6? Are you happy with the stores that are offered to you on RT 6? Do you like to have to travel outside of Bristol to shop? Think Think Think! Please think before you vote in November!
"Bristol SUCKS!"
THEN MOVE ALREADY - BUH BYE!
May 5, 2009 9:21 AM - nope!
Just think of all the valuable land Bristol will have to offer developers after ESPN leaves! Chrissy Wright is brilliant! Maybe we can move City Hall to the former ESPN buildings, after all, our hard working City Employees deserve a state of the art facility where they can pass the time.
Please screw around with ESPN - we in Southington have been praying for the day we get a 2nd shot at them.
They pollute nothing.They don't create the traffic nightmare anyone in their right mind would gladly put up with in return for the tax revenue ESPN generates.
ESPN just sits there and burps up the big bucks for Bristol year in & year out.
So go right ahead, mess around with ESPN, even a little bit.Southington made the mistake of jerking Pratt around once too often and they took their bat and ball and left.
We learned our lesson.
If ESPN gets a hard time; we'll send our people over right away....with a red carpet.
ACR:
This is about ESPN moving out of state, not moving to Southington.
No wonder the Southington GOP is so inept.
9:54 If you're not a tax payer, then MYOB.
AS long as Southington has the same town mamanger that told ESPN he didn't have the time for them in 1980, Bristol has no worries about going to Southington.
@ May 5, 2009 9:22 AM
KMA, Brisolite Bozo!
CC:
I see my post went over your head. Okay, I will rephrase it in words of one syllable: Chris Wright wants to close big fat tax loopholes (oops, two syllables). I'm still waiting for you to explain what's "liberal" about that.
10:28 pm:
Paying a lot of taxes is not the same thing as paying your fair share of taxes.
12:34 - Real classy. Bet you're the funniest guy at the trailer park! ;0)
>>This is about ESPN moving out of state, not moving to Southington.Well DUH!
And it's being promoted by a Bristol Democrat...which of course *is* the point.
Odumb:
Closing tax loop-holes or raising taxes for any reason including balancing the budget does NOT define being fiscally conservative. The premise that it is, is just liberal, progressive-socialist spin.
CC:
Sorry to sound like a broken record, but name-calling and cliches are not an argument. I know you can do better.
"Closing tax loop-holes or raising taxes for any reason including balancing the budget does NOT define being fiscally conservative."
Thank GOD you're not the President, Cuckoo Conservative, or the Mayor of Bristol!
Thank GOD we have President Obama leading this Nation at this critical time in history! President Obama understands closing tax loop-holes and/or raising taxes is the fiscally RESPONSIBLE & FAIR thing to do for the good of AMERICA!
Odin is right.
You have to face the facts Cuckoo, there's a new Sheriff in town, and he's laying down the LAW! Follow the law or suffer the consequences. Let the chips fall where they may. Your way hasn't been working. It's time for change!
STBY...
Krawiecki will be announcing any day now.
This was a vote out of committee. Krawiecki knows better than most that the budget document will change 20 times by the time the leadership gets done with it. Chris Wright's response was stupid - he should have called Ed on the fact that its only a vote to get the document out of committee so the real work can begin. Morons, both of them, one for starting it and the second for not finishing it.
"Krawiecki will be announcing any day now."
Too bad!
"too bad"
Correct.
Krawiecki was a Belaga supporter in `86.
Some of us have not forgotten that.
Krawiecki sucker-punched a freshman legislator. That is the true Ed Krawiecki. Remember this when November comes around.
Where is the announcement going to be?
2:13,
Front steps of the Krawiecki palatial estate??? or maybe from the estate at the Vineyard???
how about from the City Registrar of Voters office where his wife works, talk about trying to double-dip.
I am working at the Capitol during this legislative session and am often shocked by what I see. This bill is SB932 and actually proposes a 3.3 billion dollar tax increase that will affect all corporations with a 30% tax surcharge; will affect many of us by losing our state tax deduction for local property taxes paid; add a 7.5% tax to estates and trusts; increase our state income tax for many residents and so on and so on. The loss of important tax exemptions that ESPN will experience is just one of the ways this bill will negatively effect the businesses and residents of Connecticut. We have a problem in that the majority of lawmakers would rather solve the budget deficit by increasing taxes while the governor wants to trim government and reduce spending. From what I see here, there are plenty of areas that could work more effectively by trimming.
DO YOU REALLY THINK THEY WILL LEAVE THEY WOULD STILL HAVE TO PAY THE TAXES. MAYBE THEY WILL TEAM WITH CITY UNIONS AND RUN THE CITY THEN WE WONT HAVE TO PAY POLITIANS NICE.
Just remember, ward wants Krawiecki as his Corp Counsel!
Boy lots of wonderful cover being given an elected official who had an opportunity to say no and help his community - instead he votes to carve up the largest employer and says maybe someone out there will help in a final package to save me from my stupid vote! What we don't need is someone in Hartford that doesn't know the import of his vote when he casts it! If you ask anyone at ESPN this vote can have serious implications for a company whose corporate enity is suffering deep financial loses because of the current economic climate. Final thought, it was Chris Wright who put out political cards during the last election where he said "I have a plan for economic development in Connecticut" I guess we all know now that his plan is to undermine our biggest employer, some plan! Maybe we should all chip in and put up a sign across from ESPN reminding people of the vote and lets see where the chips fall. After all he cast the vote and is now seeking cover. Even though some posters want to change the subject, Ed's not the issue, Chris Wright is the problem and the votes he is casting to send business out of the town, area, and State. Thanks alot!
Hey Westconn. I was there when Ed raised the issue, probably more important was how the "calling out" was taken from context. There had been a longer discussion about the current debate on the budget, the current leadership, how the magnitude of the current budget crisis dwarfs the last big crisis in 1990, the failure of those involved in Hartford to even attempt to deal with the problems until this point, the clear attempts to blow a hole through the State spending cap and the insanity of bonding the current deficit. Might want to ask Steve if my memory is at least close to being accurate on this point. It was done in a question and answer session with the Lt Governor at a Republican Town Committee meeting where one might expect to hear some partisan discussion, wouldn't you say?
That is pretty much right. But it wasn't really out of context. Krawiecki made a point of making sure I was noting what he had to say about Wright.
Gee, I thought that the Krawiecki that they were talking about running for mayor was Sharon.
OOPS!
Remember how we got the state income tax ED's games at the cap.
CC you are not "WE" Thank god! You are simply AC. Who Steve must like because very little is published on here about. Seems like certain criticizm of him is scrutinized. Can't take it even anonomously.
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