October 1, 2009

Proceed with caution, Lawton warns

Press release from independent mayoral contender Gary Lawton:

Kudos to ESPN, Proceed With Caution on Downtown, The Budget

It is great how ESPN has stepped up to help build the new Boys & Girls club. It shows the role ESPN has to the community. This city has such a powerful sports history that it only seems a natural fit for ESPN to be part of the build for the new center, a center that will not only benefit the city's youth through sports but so many other ways also, so kudos go out to ESPN.
I would also need to say that while it is a wondrous event to see some progress on the center mall site.. From first glance the renaissance group seems to see what we want, but I must also urge caution from just jumping in feet first. I realize we all need to see downtown move forward, but if we rush headlong into it and not hold a level head about us we could end up with something that will not help us and then were would we be. Slow patient steps lets do it right the first, time cause there may not be a second.
The last point I would need to address is the budget and expected shortfall. Only, through sound economic policies and concessions from all sides and difficult decisions, will we continue to were we need to be. I have already stated my intentions to return 35% of my salary if elected while perhaps a minor matter in the nature of a possible 8-10 million dollar deficit it is a start, and we have to start some were plus, I think it shows my desire to help try and be part of the result. One other issue is I will not assume any raises unless the citizens of Bristol vote on it. They are the employer, and they should be the ones to give me a raise if they think I am doing an good job. I also of course would not want to be reelected if they felt I was not doing the same good job. I would want to see unpaid furlough days set in a position to help the city, possibly shutting down city hall one day a month if possible. I would also want to see if we could combine some departments to try and get rid of some of the duplication that is amongst departments. I also feel pay scales should be looked at to see if the are in line with what other cities pay. In short everything would be up for review to make sure the citizens of Bristol are getting the best deal for their tax dollars. I think if every year we have to give them a bill to pay, the budget, and they pay that bill with their taxes, then they should be entitled to the best - possible deal we can give them. I hope we can all work together for the whole of Bristol.


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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I know he means well, but if he were to somehow become mayor, (to quote Mr. Lawton) "then were would we be." ??? Sad.

Anonymous said...

At least this guy is putting some issues on the table.

The others can't or won't.

john reek said...

A candidate should know that wage comparison is and has been a standard practice to ensure that they are in line with similar municipalities.
consolidating redundate services sounds the best on paper.
So what is your plan?

Anonymous said...

to oct 1 4:09 who knows but if you are not happy with the other 2 than who do you have left. Not happy with Ward, not happy with Alford, not happy with Lawton so who do you propose. I think if thought you could have done better you should have run

Anonymous said...

John, have any of the candidates come up with a plan?

Gary L. Graff-Lawton said...

Mr.Reek

While i am not up on all the prcedures on how the wage comparisons are done i can tell you this i called the New Britian, Meriden, Waterbury and the Board of Education just to see what their Superintendent of schools gets paid for the 2009-2010 school year and it runs from 150,000-160,000 and they all have about the same average family income as we do which is about 55,000 a year and last i heard our Superintendent gets paid about 192,000- 210,000 how does that compare.
Now i would like to see paid furlough days and combining departments, but getting unions to go along may not be as easy so if you have any ideas you think would be of use let me know.
We are all in this together so why not offer ideas I would love to hear from all of Bristol on this, my email is hoss0463@gmail.

Anonymous said...

Call the cops! Arrest this man for murdering the English language!

Is this man a graduate of Bristol public schools?

Seriously, is he a high school graduate?

I mean, really...

Anonymous said...

Go get em Gary!

Anonymous said...

8:24 pm you really need a life if all you can do is beat people up about their grammer .I agree it is important, it is after all a blog and just because Mr. Lawton let's his hair down here may not be the reverse in real life. If you don't like the way he is sending the blogs why not go help him,I mean after all you seem to be the rhodes scholar.

Anonymous said...

Ward caters to the unions so forget about the unions giving up anything.

Anonymous said...

@ October 2, 2009 7:19 AM

Let's get something straight, Mr. Lawton is running for Mayor of Bristol. He is sending press releases out to the public. This is not about me or comments on a blog. It's about him and his mangling of the English language. He'll never be taken seriously as long as he is unable to properly express his thoughts and ideas, much like yourself.

Furthermore, I neither have the time nor the inclination to provide private English grammar instruction for Mr. Lawton. He should have been more attentive in grade school and high school. Or he should now seek guidance from someone willing to edit his sorry attempts at coherently expressing himself. Ol' Hoss is embarrassing himself!

Anonymous said...

LMFAO - 8:24 is a Rhodes Scholar! HAHAHAH! He is just a union loving junkie that is fleecing the tax payer!

Mr.Lawton - you should find out how much of a savings it would be to out source some of the services that are offered to the tax payers? I know we cant do it now, but when those union contracts are up - why not and try to give the tax payer the best bang for their buck!

Anonymous said...

You can't make mistakes when you don't say anything.

You don't make mistakes when someone else writes for you: the mistakes are theirs.

Anonymous said...

Hey oct 2 8:36 how do you know who ol hoss is I've known him a few years now and that nickname is not the one people know him by around town, especially in the sports circles.

Graff monster , monster, these are the names most know him by around town. I think you have something agianst him personally maybe, because if all you can do is complian about his grammer it is quite obvious that you are not disagreeing with the message, oh and by the way real friends help not put down if you know him and are a friend then you would help, but i guess not, all you can do is b***ch and complain about things that only you find irritating, so sad little man so sad.

Hey by the way don't forget to correct my mistakes since it is apparent you have nothing more in life to do.

Anonymous said...

Monster for Mayor! Catchy... maybe we'll see that on his signs.

Could the Republicans have been right after all? This guy truly seems like a loose cannon.

Ready! FIRE! Aim!

Anonymous said...

@ October 2, 2009 11:08 AM

Answer to your question about "Hoss" comment (note email address): "I would love to hear from all of Bristol on this, my email is hoss0463@gmail." You really should pay attention, you might even learn something.

Response to your comment: "Hey by the way don't forget to correct my mistakes since it is apparent you have nothing more in life to do."

Unfortunately, the only practical way to completely correct the fullness of your mistakes would be to travel back in time in order to prevent your parents from copulating. That would have prevented a HUGE mistake!

Now, you run along and buy yourself some lottery tickets and chewing tobacco, big guy.

Anonymous said...

How much would we save if we outsourced the Mayor?

Anonymous said...

8:36am get over yourself! Ward's Secretary checks everything. Besides how can anyone take the office of Mayor in Bristol seriously - afterall Ward got in and he has been stopped for DUI. He still hits all the bars, do you think he doesn't leave them feeling good? Well he does.

Anonymous said...

If you are not happy with your choices, explore other options.

Anonymous said...

3:12 p.m.

Sorry, but a mayor who cannot spell or express his thoughts in a coherent, logical manner is not a viable candidate, no matter how nice a guy he may be.

Anonymous said...

He may be a loose cannon but at least he stepped up and is trying seems 11:28 and 11:52 would rather play armchair mayor than actually do or isit that they can't do it.

Gary is a good guy works hard, always there when you need a friend, would give you the shirt off his back even if he needed it. I know he probably worries more about the city than 11:28 or 11:52, who are so self absorbed could care less about the issues and more about themselves. Guys, are you sure you live in the same town sounds like you have your nose so far up in the air maybe Bristol just to normal for you.

Run for office I would like to see anyone on here that complains do as Mr. Lawton is doing and step up to the plate and run, or maybe you can not cause the party you belong to can not stand you and would not back you.

Don't forget correction time now

Anonymous said...

Lawton, you can talk all you want about salaries at the Board of Ed but if you got elected there is nothing you can do about them.

Anonymous said...

Hey Oct 2 11:28 am never had a nickname,oh thats right to busy complaining about people on here.

As far as the republican not wanting him, if you only knew the real truth about alot of went on behind the scenes you would be shocked. The old boy mentality and is still well entrenched in Bristol I am sad to say and I feel we will all suffer for it in the end.

One more thing from all my information I have been to both party meetings over the last 6 months and when they talk it is never really about Bristol, it is about beating the other side.

Anonymous said...

Don't be mistaken October 3, 2009 1:40 PM, every politician in the business is acting out of some sort of self-interest. Whether it be for reasons that stem from ego or personal gain, there's always something in it for them that motivates him/her. The salary/benefits package that goes along with the title of Mayor might be reason enough for 'ol Monster Hoss to "step up and try." Somewhere buried beneath his altruistic exterior, I'm sure you'll find he has his own selfish reasons for entering the race.

In the long run, it really doesn't matter. Because one skill every successful politician must perfect is the ability to clearly articulate ideas, but unfortunately for Mr. Lawton, that ability is lacking.

That saying - "not a snowball's chance in hell..." comes to mind.

Can't wait for them thar debates! They're gonna be a hoot! YeeeeeeHAW!!!

Anonymous said...

6:01

The Republicans did not want Lawtom they did not want Stortz.

The "few" wanted someone that they could control.

But, they do and will control nothing.

Anonymous said...

Lawton and his lone supporter must have gone to the same school. That would certainly explain their similar writing style of mangled, misspelled English. ;0)

Anonymous said...

9:36 AM, It's painfully obvious why the Republicans didn't want Lawton and it has nothing to do with control

Anonymous said...

6:01

You pointed out very clearly why Stortz wasn't asked to run (Alford was). Stortz was more interested in Bristol (and still is) than he was in satisfying the political and peresonal wants of a few.

I have attended many meetings and saw their behaviour. That is why
I will not be involved in the future, or at least until they change.