Open letter from Richard Scarola, GOP candidate for City Council in the 2nd District:
Dear Voters:
I just wanted to take this time as the election draws near to emphasize some thoughts that were never touched upon at the debate.
In reference to code enforcement:
As a taxpayer, I find it quite disturbing that Mr. McCauley represents district 2 but seems to have virtually done nothing for code enforcement in the West End. Of course, Federal Hill where he lives looks great. As a home improvement contractor, I have had numerous clients in the West End that have told me its been years since the fire department came through for fire doors or 42” railings and nothing has been done since. Mr. McCauley is a fine person but I believe his needs are better suited for trying to make his own department more efficient and streamlined than as a city councilman claiming he is on top of code enforcement. Drive down West St. or Divinity St. and look how many railing violations that there are. Look at the de facto landlords. Look at the way the neighborhood is now. Are we in district 2 better off than we were 4 years ago.? We have a long, long way to go to bring Bristol into the 21st century. You are not a councilman just because you are waiting for it to be “your turn” to be mayor.
Concerning the budget:
As of the end of last fiscal year, we were approximately 8 million dollars in the hole and that included raiding the rainy day fund. I have heard bits and pieces of how much we are in debt now, but I find it disturbing that the majority party to include the Mayor and Mr. McCauley refuse to open the books or give a specific figure as to exactly what the next fiscal year is going to cost us as taxpayers. We are going to have a serious budget crisis that is looming over us and I refuse to be a lemming falling off the cliff. At this point, I am still a taxpayer and I expect and demand more from my elected officials. I demand integrity, honesty and transparency. For the average taxpayer, none of this seems to be happening. They try to make you believe it is happening but it is nothing more than a shell game in the end.
As a Marine and Army National guard Veteran, I found it absolutely disgraceful that nobody talked about opening the community to our veterans. We are one of the largest suppliers of men and women to this state and country and each and every one of them comes home with pride, honor, integrity and a nice GI. Bill. This money can be used to start a business, buy a house and be used for higher education. They deserve more than a plaque on the boulevard. They deserve to understand that Bristol believes in them and supports them and in turn hopefully we can convince them to call Bristol home. Bristol vitally needs to attract small business and younger families to this town and this is one way to do it. As all things change, I appreciate the sacrifice that has been made by past and present city employees that have actively served in combat. I have walked in these shoes and I feel that I am greatly more in touch with the needs of the younger, combat experienced veterans. I want them to believe that Bristol is a place they can believe in.
If you watched the debate, I believe I answered each question effectively and with new and fresh ideas. Yes, some of them we will need help on at the state level, but I had multiple ideas for each and every question. Heck, if you noticed when the moderator asked us the question about Bristol Hospital closing, Mr. Marko went off on a diatribe that didn’t even nearly answer the question. He was followed by Mr. McCauley who also didn’t answer the question and when it became my turn, I asked the moderator the question over to ensure it wasn’t me. I then answered it and I answered it with appropriate reasons that Bristol Hospital needs to stay in this community.
That is why I am asking for your vote on November 3rd. I am battle tested, have experience within the Federal Government Law Enforcement (and with the unions as well) and have run numerous businesses by myself. I believe for the sake of the taxpayer and developing this town, I am the right choice. God bless our men and woman in theatre. May they stand courageous in the face of danger. May they deliver our wrath to an unseen enemy. God Bless Bristol.
Thank you, Richard P. Scarola
Candidate, city council, District 2
*******
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
34 comments:
...and God bless us everyone!
I'm not a fan of McCauley's, but this guy sounds like a total fruitcake!
Scarola,
And what has your buddy Cockayne done? He hasn't even raised any questions, hasn't been the opposition.
Comments?
Mr. Scarola, I suggest you get your facts straight before you open your mouth.
You clearly do not understand the budget, and if you ask for information it will be given to you.
Get it before you embarass yourself even more.
Fruitcake is the right name for him. Although I say he's just desperate !
Rich, Mary Alford, in a letter sent out, says that the BOF has already projected an 8 million dollar deficit for next years budget.
You say that the last fiscal year had an 8 million dollar deficit.
Do you guys talk to each other?
Do any republicans talk to each other?
This guy listens to Mocabee too much!
I watched scarola on tv and he only asked to repeat the hospital question because he wasn't paying attention, no other reason. he is right about mcauley and federal hill but the west end needs much more than railings and double talk to be brought up to code.
has scarola taken the time to ask anyone any of his money questions?
I don't go to everything either but have never seen scarola supporting any veteran activity,or ever seen him at any ceremony such as Veterans Day. sound bites are great but true actions are greater than election day crap.
3:20
He is, and he is the best the Republicans have to offer
Dear Richard - I watched the debate and the question you claim McCauley and Marko didn't answer but you did was about the Probate Court and the proposed closing of the Superior Court. So clearly you don't know what you are talking about!
Kevin will probably berate me for dignifying this with a response, but I could not let this strange posting go unanswered.
Mr. Scarola said:
“I find it quite disturbing that Mr. McCauley represents district 2 but seems to have virtually done nothing for code enforcement in the West End.”
If Bristol voters someday do Mr. Scarola the honor of allowing him to serve on the City Council, he will learn (the hard way) that blighted neighborhoods like the West End are not turned around overnight. As Chairman of the Code Enforcement Committee Kevin spends countless hours of his own time working with landlords, tenants, and city officials to bring sub-standard apartments into compliance everywhere in Bristol, and not just certain neighborhoods. And Mr. Scarola’s complaint could also be leveled at his running mate Ken Cockayne, who also serves the West End.
“I find it disturbing that the majority party to include the Mayor and Mr. McCauley refuse to open the books or give a specific figure as to exactly what the next fiscal year is going to cost us as taxpayers”.
What exactly do you want to know, Mr. Scarola? How much Bristol expects to spend on goods and services next year? It’s in the approved budget. How much Bristol expects to collect in fees, taxes, and government grants? It’s in the budget. Do your homework before you criticize others for not being “transparent”. And if Mr. Scarola actually thinks the Administration can predict, in October, “exactly what the next fiscal year is go to cost us” then he must know about some crystal ball in the Mayor’s office that no one else knows about. A tighter grasp of reality is called for here.
“I found it absolutely disgraceful that nobody talked about opening the community to our veterans.”
While I have no idea what he means by this, I think the dozens of men and women who volunteer their time on the Bristol Veterans Council would beg to differ, as would the several veterans who currently serve on the City Council (Art Ward, Kevin McCauley, Frank Nicastro, and myself) and the citizens who created the “Slice of Bristol” program several years ago. If you have some suggestions as to how Bristol can be more “veteran-friendly” than it already is, we’re all ears.
Hey Rich, go to a Board of Finance Committee meeting and get answers and FACTS to what you are talking about.
Thank you Mr Barns for offering this candidate to us.
Where do you go from here?
I have some comments for you, Rich. First of all, you claim to be this upstanding person. Your signs are all over city and state property which is totally ILLEGAL!!! You know this yet you still keep them there.
Secondly, you copy McCauley's colors so you obviously think he has a following otherwise you wouldn't attempt to confuse voters. If you thought he was doing a poor job, you would try to distance yourself from him as much as possible. You are attempting to do the opposite.
Thirdly, you don't have a clue about code enforcement or how any of these committees work or how slow bureaucracy can be. If you spoke with any of the city's dept. heads charged with code enforcement, i.e., Mr. Morin or Mr. DeCresantis, you would hear from them directly how hard Mr. McCauley is working throughout the WHOLE city and is making a huge difference.
I notice your buddy Cockayne was left out of your tirade regarding code enforcement in district 2. As has been pointed out, he's also a district 2 councilman and he lives in the West End. He sees what's going on all day long. Where's your criticism of him? Yeah, I thought not.
You're barking up the wrong tree, Rich. McCauley is an honest man and takes to heart everything that happens in this city. Anyone who knows him will tell you so. He, too, is a veteran and will represent anyone regardless of their political affiliation or district, but he is a humble man and doesn't have to appear in the Press every other day like Cockayne does tooting his own horn and taking credit for things he hasn't even done.
Scrola, in my opinion you don't realize what you are saying in your criticism of maccauley. these councilmen make less than 10,000 a year and i know for a fact that maccauley spends tons of his personal time on city business. this is not a part time job. Maccauley was one of two councilmen in the 2 district a couple years ago that attempted to get a west end study passed to try to see what would be the best way to solve the numerous problems which plague the west end. it was voted down by the board of finance. it was introduced again by the same people, maccauley included, and was finally voted in. but as was already stated, the west end is much worse than federal hill with many many more two and three family homes that are owned by absentee landlords so you can't mix apples and oranges. these two areas of town are like night and day. this is going to take a long long time to fix but maccauley is well on his way to getting this done and I'm going to vote for someone who is getting things done than someone who doesn't have a plan to fix any problems and does nothing but put up smoke screens and mirrors with his criticism.
Steve, is scarola right or is alford right or are they both wrong?
It's a shame that the Republicans can't seem to understand that attacking the opposition will get them nowhere. Why don't you tell us what you can do, Scarola, and not what you believe McCauley isn't doing? It's clear the man knows how to get things done and he does things without a lot of fanfare. People want to know what you have to offer them. Maybe you don't have anything to offer and attacking is all you can do.
We are poor little sheep who have lost our way, baa, baa, baa.
Being led to the slaughter
Thanks Craig, for clarifying what an empty gesture this "Press release" is. No one has worked harder on code enforcement than Kevin or the councilwoman before him who we shall not name on the blog, and that's a fact.
I watched the debate and Scarola did not impress. And at the risk of being accused of being some Dem hack, I would like to tip my hat to Derek from the other district - I was surprisingly impressed with his demeanor and how he answered questions.
last minute desperation tactics.
prediction for a week from tonight. Scarola a distant fourth.
I take it he and Cockayne are not running as a team?
Count the "I's" in his letter, go back and count the "I's" in his responses in the paper.
I I I , all about himself.
Hard to do, but he almost makes Cockayne look good.
Almost.
Go away Minor!!!
Heading should read " Scarola lays out case for voters not to vote for him".
Who is providing guidance to these candidates?
Where is the party leadership?
Scarola, did Cockayne open the books for you?
Why not?
Do you even have a clue?
11:01
No, Cockayne was seen campaigning with democrat candidate.
Scorola, there was a pasta fund raiser for veterans programs at the Elks tonight.
Were you there?
Don't even put Kevin McCauley in the same sentence as Ellen Zoppo!She was the best councilperson in this District for the last 20yrs.Nobody even close!Mr.Minor,the people that voted McCauley in are from District 2.He has been in office for 4yrs.and he knows hardly anything about his district!The W.E.is the worst neighborhood in town!In his 4yrs.&Cockaynes 2yrs. neither of them have done nothing about crime in this area!Gangs,drugs,prostitutes,graffiti absentee landlords!He is chairman of the code enforcement committee,but nothings changed!You said it won't change overnight but he has had almost 1500 days in office and we are still waiting for him to start!I will be honest with you,not 1 of you councilmen have done anything about this the last 4 years!The sad part is the neighborhood is 1 block from city hall!Kevin will get re-elected because he seems to be a good person but we need to fix this neighborhood before it gets lost forever!
Actually McCauley and Cockayne made Richard Scarola look like a rocket scientist.
Scarola, I saw 1 of your signs on Rte.72 in Terryville!What's up with that!
Scarola wants to annex Terryville already, in an effort to expand his district.
10:52, Gotta agree with you there!
;-D
McCauley and Cockayne make Richard Scarola look like a rocket scientist! Everyone complains but they do NOTHING to change things.
The bashing going on in this blog is clearly the democratic team, this shows your true colors. Is this what you do on city time boys????
I refuse to blame mccauley for the crime in the west end. this is man years in coming and mccauley has been dealing with code enforcement in a big way which has started to clean up bristol in general. as was stated previously, the problem didn't happen overnight nor will it get fixed overnight. it's a no brainer that there are way too many section 8 tenants in the west end hence many of the problems we face there. i know people don't like to hear it, but it's true. you might as well face the facts. i lock my doors when i'm driving down there. you can't blame the councilmen for the section 8 overruns in that area of fed. hill or any other part of town, but you can force the landlords to comply with keeping the properties in decent condition which might just attract decent people. now the bashing seems to me to be a bunch of republicans. check out the other blog posts. there is no bashing here from republicans because this is a republican candidate. not rocket science, in my view. i think scarola doesn't know what he is even talking about and it irks me that he disregards the law already by placing signs on state and city property just like cockayne. you can't argue that fact, folks. you want people running your city that aren't upholding the law? mccauley is a nice person and does a great job. just because you are nice doesn't mean you are not effective. he does things quietly behind the scenes but he gets things done. he doesn't have to go running to the press every time he does something unlike cockayne. it's embarrassing how that man struts around.
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