June 14, 2010

Debate rages over finance board firings


Two of the three Board of Finance members who voted against the budget last month are getting the ax.
Mayor Art Ward said he told the pair, Janet Moylan and Mark Peterson, they would not be reappointed. Their four-year terms end this month.
Though the mayor insisted his decision had nothing to do with their performance, political foes said there’s no way the pair’s desire to see a lower property tax increase didn’t play a big role.
"If it looks like a goat or smells like one, it usually is one," said TJ Barnes, the city’s Republican Party chairman. "The whole thing kind of smells like politics to me. Click here to read the entire story.

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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good luck Janet and Mark. Thank you for your service. Your only hope is the next election.

Steve Collins said...

8:03 -- You should be an editor. You certainly have the right condescending tone.
Anyway, it's one of those double meaning things that clearly needed a sharp-eyed copy editor.
But thanks for pointing it out. I hate making goof-ups like that.

Anonymous said...

Collins:

I thought I told you that you were the condescending one?

Steve Collins said...

8:51 - Yeah, I'm sure you did. But I clearly don't have what it takes to be a copy editor.

Anonymous said...

It seems suspicious that he would get rid of these two volunteers because other people showed interest in being appointed. Why didn't he get rid of 2 people that have been on the board the longest amount of time?

Anonymous said...

You have to love this town.

Here we have two individuals, one female and one African American being "removed" from one of the most powerful boards in the city and the bloggers are interested in double entendres.

Just incredible!!

Anonymous said...

Collins:

I appreciate the compliment. You had owed me one that's for sure.

Anonymous said...

It seems to me Ward is only looking out for the Unions, and he just bought a one-way ticket out of Politics in the City of Bristol. I hope the GOP can muster up some ideas on how to start saving the City some cash because they to will have a hard time getting people elected come November if they cant!

Anonymous said...

Said TJ Barnes, the city’s Republican Party chairman. "The whole thing kind of smells like politics to me"

Precisely the reason Bob Casar is on this board. That and his brown-nosing and blowhard-ing

Anonymous said...

Who TF cares? This board is a useless joke these days anyway.

Anonymous said...

June 15, 2010 2:08 PM:

As a former GOP activist I can honestly say that the GOP will not "muster up some ideas on how to start saving the City some cash" (as you state) because they don't have the will, the brains or the experience necessary to develop a viable plan. Nor will anyone at the local level because this is a problem that pertains to public labor and compensation for that and that comes from the state level.

So I guess Ward has not "bought a one-way ticket out of Politics in the City of Bristol".

Anonymous said...

I think we need to work on GROWING the tax base, by fixing up our city and attracting new TAX PAYING businesses to locate in our city. How about that for a GOP Idea!!!!

Fire Jonathan Rosenthal and lets work on actually moving "Forward" not Sideways as to economic development. AT this stage the City Budget is mostly employee related expense and nobody wants to cut that.......

Anonymous said...

To 2:08, you've not been paying attention to the current GOP candidates. Take a look at their plan for common-sense government. And don't we need that!

Tom said...

Hey Steve have you heard a Park Board memeber is resigning?
I would like to know why... seems Artie has been a very bad boy.

Anonymous said...

Ward did asked for minorities to serve in committees and boards...and now he is letting them go?

is he for real?

Anonymous said...

The Republican Chair should swallow his pride and get someone that can win and do what is right for BRISTOL

Anonymous said...

Steve, they are not gone until they are replaced, or if they resign.

What names are being submitted?

Anonymous said...

Barns, is that all you are going to say or do?

Anonymous said...

How many other times did Ward change his position?

ANSWER: A lot!!!!

2011 is the year for Mills to run for mayor. said...

June 17, 2010 12:29 PM et al:

Bane$ got his lackey, Casar, in. That's all he expects or that anyone he cares about expects from him.

Barne$ would also be happy to have anyone who could win get on. By your statement I assume you're referring to Stortz? He could not win. But Dave Mills might be able to if Ward keeps showing how weak he is himself.

Anonymous said...

10:24

Actually, Mills is as weak as Ward.

Stortz could/would give Ward a battle, and Stortz would win.

Anonymous said...

10:24

Does Barns know what it takes to win?

Anonymous said...

4:46

Hasn't shown so so far