Wilson asks Democrats to back him for mayor

Here is the prepared address that Chris Wilson delivered to the Democratic Town Committee on Tuesday night:

Good evening Town Committee members and guests!  In the worst kept secret I would like to announce that I am a candidate for Mayor in the 2013 election and I ask for your support.

Chris Wilson

Bristol has been my home for over 30 years. I chose to live here. I have happily been in business and raised my family here. I have truly enjoyed the people and relationships I have developed. I have a vested interest in Bristol. I plan to stay in business. My grandchildren are growing up here. But lately I have become concerned with the way things have been going. As I became more involved, mostly through Board of Education activity, member of a charter revision  and mayoral task force on government efficiency, I saw that Bristol has so much more potential. I have learned a lot by watching the current leadership operate. I am convinced that things can improve, but the only way to change and move ahead is for someone else to step up.  Sitting back and watching politics as usual won’t improve things. The best person to lead the city would be someone whose heart is here, who has invested his life here, who has been exposed to various organizations in town, who has spent time in the public and private sectors, who is not beholden to particular loyalties, who has demonstrated leadership in a variety of ways and who has the education to blend those experiences in order to create a positive influence in Bristol. I pondered long and hard about what it would be like to be put oneself “out there” and offer to serve. So here I am, stepping up.

Over the past several months I have focused on three concerns in determining my candidacy for mayor.  First, did I have the support of my wife and extended family and was I willing to sacrifice my time with them? (Since running for mayor really becomes a family affair –

My second concern was did I have sufficient support from you the town committee, given my unusual route to be a candidate, and did I have sufficient support from the general public.  Third, could my business run without me-did I have enough support in my business so that it wouldn’t be harmed by taking on the task as mayor. The answer to all three of these concerns was yes.  Thus I am here this evening to make formal my announcement and commitment to running and getting elected as Bristol’s next mayor as the Democratic Party candidate.

I will tell you the most common reaction I have had from clients and friends is that they think I am crazy to want to get into the politics at this stage of my life. They believe the sacrifice of my personal and professional life is not worth it.   But I believe now is the perfect time and I can provide the leadership that Bristol sorely needs.

In addition, two other factors made me think twice about running for mayor; giving up my positions on the Bristol BOE and my presidency next year of the Capital Regional Education Council, or CREC as many of you know it.  I have been working in those organizations for 10 years and feel very committed to education of the students of Bristol and Connecticut.  I believe I have helped both organizations in dealing with educational reform and will greatly miss the implementation of those reforms.

Before I begin discussing the initiatives I will focus on during my campaign for Mayor, I’d like to address my switch in parties.  Many of you know I am from Massachusetts-where I spent my formative years   developing my political views.  Massachusetts is not known as a bastion of conservative ideology.  Although I was a Republican, I always viewed myself as a moderate: high on social activism while fiscally conservative.  Much like many of you!  As the Republican Party drifted to the far right, I have not drifted with it.  Those of you who know me well know that I have been a little out of step with the party for some time.  I am about solving problems:  something the Republican Party seems in short supply of these days.

When people ask me why I want to be Mayor several thoughts come to mind:

●     First, I want to change the culture in city hall.  I want more civility and professionally run meetings.  I want thoughtful discussion and reasoned responses.  Too much time is spent on bickering and being partisan.  I will work with anyone who wants to make Bristol a better community to work, raise a family and live.

●     Secondly, I want to engage the public in a larger and deeper manner.  We must allow, encourage and nurture those who are younger, more diverse and female to become involved in city government instead of letting a few people make all the decisions.  The demographics of Bristol are shifting: we need an inclusive government that represents the entire city.

●     Third: We need more focus by the City Council on public policy and legislative issues and less on operational issues.  We have professional staff and managers who can and should be allowed to carry out their responsibilities of administering city business.  We must empower them and hold them responsible. Our elected officials should not drift into micromanaging routine operational issues.  I intend to set an agenda that will keep us focused on policy and legislative issues.

●      Jobs: We must create an environment whereby entrepreneurs and developers want to invest in Bristol and create jobs.  We must streamline the permitting process with land use boards and must become more public friendly. Growth of the grand list is critical for the growth of Bristol.  Entrepreneurs and investors have choices to make about where they will invest their resources.  We must make Bristol one of their first options.

●     Education: We must support and finance a first class 21^st century education system in Bristol.  Education is a critical quality of life issue as well as an economic issue.  If we want new citizens to invest in our community by buying the existing housing stock or building new homes, we must provide the quality of life  that competing towns offer such as quality education, including all-day kindergarten.

●     Quality of Life issues also include a robust, clean and safe park system and numerous activities for the youth of our city including athletics and arts.

●     Safety and security issues are a major concern of residents in Bristol.  I plan to make sure we have a strong and active public safety infrastructure in Bristol.

●     Additionally, I will support the allocation of resources for code enforcement and the remediation of blighted properties in Bristol.

●     All of these initiatives will be implemented with the clear understanding that Bristol has limited fiscal resources.  I intend to rely on my experiences in public service, my own educational experience (a graduate degree from Barney School of Business at the University of Hartford) and my experience leading many organizations in Bristol and elsewhere. These include Bristol Rotary, the Board of Education, McCabe Waters Little League, Professional Insurance Agents of CT, Trustee of New York Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church as well as serving on the boards of the Bristol Day Care Center, The Family Center for Boys and Girls, United Way, Greater Bristol Chamber of Commerce.  I haven’t just talked about leadership; I have worked hard to provide it.

The challenges facing Bristol are significant. But if we all work together we can make Bristol a better place to live, work and raise our families.  I believe our best days are ahead of us.  We must embrace this new vision so that we as a city can be successful.  I plan to work very hard campaigning, attending meet and greet sessions and  walking door to door and supporting my fellow Democratic candidates so that we can provide a unified team that the voters will be energized to vote for.  My experience, public service record and commitment to Bristol are what I will hold up to the people of Bristol and ask them to support; a record of leadership, a record of engagement, a record of making Bristol a better place to live, work and raise your families.  I appreciate your help and support.

Copyright 2013 All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Gill: Accentuate the positive

Republican mayoral candidate John Gill said that Bristol's new direction needs to include taking greater advantage of the talents its citizens have and better marketing of the city.

He said Bristol has "a pretty good job base," nice parks and recreational facilities and more that could help draw new businesses and people to town.

"What we need to do is draw attention to the positives the city has," Gill said Wednesday night.

He said that one of the problems the city has is that "there's a lot of bickering" and infighting at City Hall.

One reason for that, he said, is "there's a lot of retreads" who have been there for a long time.

Too many of them are "afraid to take a step forward and let go of what was," Gill said.

He said he's disturbed that so many projects, such as the Roberts property recreation complex, are debated but never finished.

Gill said he would impose "an organic and sustainable" plan to bring some of the projects to fruition.

"Everything has to be done in an orderly fashion," Gill said.

One way to make it happen, he said, is to draw on the talents of residents who have been left out for too long.

"People should have a voice. People need to be heard," Gill said.

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

So, is it Stortz?

The Republicans pick their municipal candidates on July 23 - only eight days from now. So far, they have no mayoral contender to take on Democrat Art Ward.
Everywhere I go, people ask about whom the GOP might tap to run. The only name that comes up time and again is William Stortz, who has won two mayoral races and lost just one, serving most recently from 2005 until 2007, when he voluntarily stepped down. He also held the post from the time John Leone quit as mayor to go run the chamber of commerce until Frank Nicastro led a Democratic landslide in 1993 that left the GOP reeling for a decade.
The Republicans, it must be admitted, aren't too crazy about Stortz. Some of them positively loathe him. But Stortz is the only Republican in the past quarter century to win the mayor's office - and he did it twice.
Sure, some of the other candidates were hopeless longshots, but some pretty good candidates have tried, too, and come up short, including Mike Werner's bid for a comeback in 1999, Whit Betts' run in 1995 and Ken Johnson's narrow loss two years ago.
It's hard to see why the party can't even find a candidate this year, at least since Johnson pulled the plug on his nascent campaign.
So Stortz may be the one. And the Democrats might wish, in the end, that it was someone else.

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

Ward raised nearly twice as much money as Johnson

On his way to winning the mayor’s race this month, Democrat Art Ward raised nearly twice as much money as his Republican challenger.
Ward raked in at least $57,314 compared to GOP hopeful Ken Johnson’s $29,195, according to campaign finance reports filed with the city clerk shortly before the election.
The candidates are required to file a complete accounting in mid-December that would include any last-minute or post-election donations.
At least $5,000 of the money raised by Ward came from city workers or unions representing municipal employees, including $3,000 from Council 4 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
The city’s police union also chipped in $650 to help out Ward.
Among Ward’s other donors were Darlene Coffey, the assistant senior center director, who gave $460; Sean Mowad, a dispatcher, who forked over $145; Democratic Registrar Bob Badal, who gave $150; Police Officer Richard Brown, who forked over $200; and Francis Baehr, an inspector, who chipped in $175.
Among the big donors who also helped Ward was auto dealer Stephen Barberino, who gave $1,000.
Johnson, too, attracted some large donations, including $1,500 from the Realtors Political Action Committee.
The city’s Republican Town Committee helped Johnson out with a $1,200 contribution.
Johnson also got $1,000 from Michael Cucka, a doctor, and Tom Barnes, who heads the Barnes Group.
Detailed reports of the candidates’ fundraising are available at the city clerk’s office.

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Did Zoppo supporters back Johnson in mayor's race?

Reporter Jackie Majerus has the story:
Democrat Art Ward's relatively narrow win in the mayor's race could be because supporters of his primary opponent, Ellen Zoppo, crossed party lines at the polls Tuesday, Ward and others said.
Ward said Wednesday that he thinks the close race with Republican Ken Johnson can be partially attributed to the bitter Democratic primary battle he fought with Zoppo.
"Unfortunately, I believe it did have an impact on it," said Ward.
Some Democratic voters who supported Zoppo in the primary either cast ballots for Johnson or didn't participate in the mayoral election, Ward said.
The margin of victory should dictate to the Democratic Town Committee that Bristol's Democrats need to unify as a party, Ward said.
Zoppo said local races are "more about the personal relationships" than party affiliation. At the polls, people "voted a mix and match slate" of candidates from both major parties.
"Obviously by the numbers, some Democrats voted for Johnson, but I don't know who or why," said Zoppo. "And I am sure that Ward picked up a share of Republican votes as well."
Johnson could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
City Councilor Craig Minor, a Democrat who won re-election, said he wasn't surprised at the close race, but said it didn't have anything to do with Zoppo.
"I don't think there was an Ellen effect," said Minor, who said most Democratic voters don't care about bickering within the ranks. "The average voter was really oblivious to all that."
Minor, who along with Councilor-elect Cliff Block, recognized Zoppo and thanked her publicly for her support in their victory speeches Tuesday, had supported her in the primary.
Minor said a "handful" of Zoppo supporters may have opted out or voted for Johnson, "but not enough," he said, to make a difference.
Instead, Minor said, Johnson deserves credit for running a good race.
"Johnson raised a lot of good issues early in the campaign," said Minor, adding that at the end of the race, Johnson "said and did some strange things."
Johnson was a better Republican candidate than others, according to Minor. He worked hard, too, said Minor.
"He really invigorated the party," said Minor. "Maybe more Republicans voted this time than usual."
But Dick Inglis, who attended Ward's victory bash at Nuchie's Tuesday, said the close race indicates that either some Democrats cast ballots for Johnson "or didn't vote."
Some of the Democratic votes for Johnson could have been Zoppo loyalists, Inglis said.
Inglis said he knows all the candidates who ran for mayor this year and likes each of them.
"Ken Johnson is a good candidate," said Inglis. He said Zoppo has been running for mayor "since she was 10."
"She'll be mayor someday," said Inglis.
But for now, Inglis said Zoppo is inexperienced where Ward is not.
"Art Ward, he's earned it," Inglis said.
Ward didn't say that Zoppo campaigned for Johnson or used any influence on her supporters.
"I personally don't have any evidence to substantiate that," said Ward.
Ward said he hasn't spoken with Zoppo since the election. He said he knew she was in the room at the Democratic victory party Tuesday, but said, "I didn't cross paths with her."
Bob Dunlap, who served as the treasurer for Ward's campaign, said he wasn't surprised by the close vote.
The past two years under Republican Mayor William Stortz, said Dunlap, were a rocky road for Democrats, who held a majority on the city council but didn't always stick together.
According to Dunlap, the conflict within the party had a lot to do with why Ward's win wasn't by a bigger margin.
But at the victory celebration at Nuchie's on Tuesday, Democratic Town Chairman Dean Kilbourne glossed over the travails of the past several months, saying only that the party had been through a primary and an election.
"It's been a long haul, but we worked together," Kilbourne said.

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Ward wins, but not by much

Photo by Mike Orazzi/ The Bristol Press

After a bitter primary battle and a general election that at times turned nasty, Democrat Art Ward emerged victorious Tuesday, capturing the mayor’s office in a close race against Republican Ken Johnson.
“We took nothing for granted,” said Ward, who said it took “dedication and commitment” from his supporters to emerge victorious by a 52-48 margin.
As mayor, Ward said he wants to finish projects already underway – like the downtown mall and the new industrial park – before tackling anything new.
Ward promised a new tone at City Hall under his administration.
“Open government is first and foremost,” said Ward. “This city council will be treated with respect and civility. Respect will be shared jointly amongst all the council members.”
Ward said respect will also be given to the public, the city’s employees and the many people who serve on its board and commissions.
Johnson said that he “will sleep peacefully” because he ran a clean,straightforward campaign that raised a host of important issues andsought to get the community more involved in its government.Johnson said that nobody should count him out, either.“My aim is Ken Johnson, mayor-elect 2009,” Johnson said, declaring that “we start the 2009 campaign right now.”After talking with Johnson on the phone, Ward said his opponent “ran a real hard campaign.”
The election showed that candidates must be vigilant and “listen to the people,” Ward said.
Democratic city Councilor Frank Nicastro, who easily won re-election, said he’s sure Ward will do well in the mayor’s chair.
“I feel very confident that Art Ward will hit the ground running , and I mean running,” said Nicastro, who served five terms as mayor starting in 1993.
“Fourteen years ago, Art Ward and I stood side by side as a freshman mayor and as a freshman councilman,” said Nicastro. “Today’s a great day.”
At Nuchie’s in Forestville, where Democrats celebrated their election victories Tuesday, the party faithful came in confident.
Dick Inglis predicted Ward would win big, with percentages of 63 to 37.
“Everywhere Artie went, he knew the people coming in,” said Jay Meisinger. “I don’t see how he could lose.”
But city Treasurer Patti Ewen, who did not seek re-election, said she didn’t see a blowout coming.
“I think it’s going to be very close,” said Ewen.
Ewen was on the money.
As the results began coming in and Ward supporters saw Johnson take some of the districts – with others closely matched – the mood quieted a little bit.
“You never know,” said Ward.
“I’m shocked at this,” said Democratic worker Jeff Merrow, at the close results. “I just don’t believe this.”
Later, with victory in his pocket, Ward relaxed and celebrated, slapping a high-five with one supporter and clinking beer bottles with another.
Johnson said he plans to “continue to reach out” to residents to help ensure that everyone's voices are heard at City Hall.Johnson that the Republican Party is “not going to stop” with a couple of City Council wins. He said its future is vibrant.“We are not going to accept mediocrity in the city of Bristol,”Johnson told a cheering crowd at the Franco-American Club on Barlow Street.“If you believe in change and a new brand of leadership, then staytuned,” Johnson said.
Ward’s treasurer, Bob Dunlap, said he was glad the race was over
“What a rollercoaster,” said Dunlap. “I didn’t know what to expect.”
Dunlap said he wasn’t surprised at the final numbers.
“The divisiveness in the Democratic Party had a lot to do with it being so close,” said Dunlap, who said whatever he put into bringing Ward to victory was worth it.
Dunlap said he was only upset that Ward lost in Dunlap’s own precinct.
Republican Frank Johnson, who heads the Bristol Downtown Development Corp. and the zoning board, showed up to support Ward and wait for the returns.“I’ve been friends with Artie for two decades,” said a grinning Frank Johnson. “I’m allowed to come. He told me it was okay.”

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Johnson wins Chippens Hill easily

At Chippens Hill,
Ken Johnson 815
Art Ward 690



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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Ward says he is "totally disgusted"

Email from Art Ward to Ken Johnson, Saturday morning, 6:35 a.m.:
Ken, just want to inform you that I am quite dismayed that you would insinuate that I and/or anyone participating in our campaign would have been a party to publicizing and/or initiating any actions with regard to your recent resignation from membership in your professional association.

Email from Art Ward to me, this morning:
FYI - Steve, I forwarded this E-mail to Ken Johnson [above] yesterday with regard to his irresponsible effort to insinuate that either I or anyone in the Ward for Mayor 2007 Committee had anything to do with exposing his problems with having to resign his membership in any organization as a result of accusations of "violating unethical standards". I have yet to receive any form of reply which leads me to believe that it is quite evident that the veil of decency which Mr. Johnson tries to convey to the public, is just another facade in his role as an actor.
Mr. Johnson needs to be aware of the fact that the people who are working so diligently on the Ward for Mayor 2007 Committee are of the utmost integrity and above reproach with regard to such underhanded tactics. These volunteers are persuing the goal of a Democratic victory on November 6, 2007 and neither myself nor anyone associated with the Ward for Mayor 2007 needs to be wasting time "conjuring stuff up to try and smear" Mr. Johnson; he, single handily seems to be quite capable of succeeding very well in this area on his own.
Mr. Johnson needs to step forward and render a complete explanation and apology to the Ward for Mayor 2007 Campaign committee, the Democratic Town Committee and the people of the City of Bristol
I am totally disgusted with Mr. Johnson's reprehensible actions and am not thrilled with the manner in which you or the Bristol Press has chosen to run this story today either; the disclaimer attesting to the lack involvement of either myself or anyone associated with the Ward for Mayor 2007 Committee in this situation is relegated to a mere footnote in the article and I believe that our complete exoneration deserves much more pronunciation.

I haven’t seen the paper, but I assume the story appears in the same form as it did on this blog on Friday. The “exoneration” that Ward mentioned is at the end, but so is Johnson’s claim that Ward was responsible.

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Overview of mayoral race

For the past two years, longtime Democratic city Councilor Art Ward has been something of an outcast at City Hall, shoved to the sidelines by a Republican mayor -- and left there by colleagues from his own party.
Now, as his party's mayoral standard bearer, Ward said the experience has given him a keen appreciation of the frustration that residents must feel routinely trying to deal with city government.
Republican mayoral candidate Ken Johnson is hoping to tap that frustration, too, as he seeks to take the city in a new direction. He vows a more open, honest administration that can work effectively across party lines.
“It’s time for change,” Johnson said.
Voters will decide Tuesday which of the two men should succeed Republican Mayor William Stortz, who is stepping down two years after he walloped Democratic incumbent Gerard Couture to claim the city's top job.
Both Johnson and Ward, who call themselves friends, said that Bristol is at a crossroads. With decisions needed on how to deal with the mall, new schools, the impact of the Route 72 extension and more all needed soon, the candidates said that what's done in the next few years will set the direction of the community for decades to come.
Ward, a veterans' services counselor for the state, said that not much has been done since Couture's defeat because of "a fragmented administration."
"This division that he speaks of is self-imposed," Johnson said, because Ward couldn't even get along with his Democratic colleagues, all of whom backed a different mayoral contender in a September primary that Ward won easily.
Johnson, an energy consultant and real estate broker, said that what's most important is restoring faith in the honesty and integrity of city government.
People "don't believe that their political leaders are listening to them," he said.
Johnson said he offers voters "the opportunity to choose to replace acid tongues with open ears," and the ability to pick "diversity of thought instead of single-mindedness."
Ward promised to bring a much more open government because "open communication are the fundamentals of good government."
He said he has a long record of working closely with Republicans and maintaining a level of civility that's been missing with Stortz at the helm.
“It's time to move Bristol forward," he said, and vowed to work with the council and boards, and to boost employee morale by respecting employees.
"I have been putting Bristol first for decades," Ward said. Bristol has the choice between an experienced hand or a well-intentioned newcomer, he said.
Johnson said that many Democrats are struggling with the idea of voting for Ward. He said that staying home is not effective protest and urged them to vote.
"I'm not a career politician. I'm a citizen like you," Johnson said, one who is honest, will listen to concerns and ideas, and has the energy to get things done.
“I have a bias toward action,” Johnson said.
"We've got an opportunity chart a new course for the city of Bristol," Johnson said, if voters are willing to turn in a new direction for mayor.
Ward has served as city councilor for 14 years. Before that, he chaired the Zoning Board of Appeals. He's been a leader among city veterans for decades.
Johnson ran unsuccessfully for a council seat in 2003 and served a stint on the Water Board under Stortz. But he has not held elected office before.
While Ward has patched up relations with his Democratic ticket, he hasn't repaired relations with his primary opponent, city Councilor Ellen Zoppo. They haven't spoken in months. She has, however, talked with Johnson.
Stortz has taken potshots at both Ward and Johnson during the campaign. He said that he wouldn't tell which of them he’ll vote for.
Mayors serve two-year terms for about $100,000 annually. They serve as the administrative chief of city government, chair City Council and many other meetings and perform numerous ceremonial functions.
The polls are open Tuesday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.


Key issues
Manager - Johnson strongly backs a charter change that would dump the "strong mayor" form of government that Bristol has used for nearly a century in favor of having a professional city manager wielding administrative power. Ward said he is willing to consider the change, but doesn't see a reason to make the change.
Mall - Both candidates want the Bristol Downtown Development Corp. to proceed quickly to develop a plan and begin the revitalization of the 17-acre site.
School plan - Johnson seeks a "time out" so the city can make sure it comes up with the best possible plan, a move that Ward said is unnecessary.


For more information online
Bristol Blog - bristolnews.blogspot.com
Ken Johnson - bristolfirst.org
Art Ward - movingbristolforward.com

Watch the candidates on TV
The final debate between the two mayoral candidates will be rebroadcast by Nutmeg TV on channel 21 at 7 p.m. Monday.



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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Johnson's real estate business could pose problem

While touting himself as a real estate broker devoted solely to helping buyers find what they were looking for, Republican mayoral candidate Ken Johnson was also running another firm that catered to sellers, a move contrary to the ethical standards of a national association to which Johnson belonged for years.
Johnson’s best-known real estate company, A Buyer’s Market, made its money representing buyers searching for a new home or investment property.
To bolster business and develop professional ties, Johnson belonged to the Virginia-based National Association of Exclusive Buyer’s Agents, which calls itself “an independent alliance of real estate professionals who provide client-level services and whose real estate companies do not accept seller-property listings.”
A key element of its ethical standards, stated frequently on its website and literature, is that buyers who turn to “exclusive buyer agents” are looking for brokers who will work only for their interests and do not sell property as well.
Johnson, however, sold many pieces of property through another of his businesses, Properties Plus, for at least the past couple of years.
He quit the national broker’s group only this week, apparently after learning that it was investigating whether he had violated its ethical standards.
Johnson said he resigned “because I’m no longer an exclusive buyer’s agent.”
He said a “fundamental change in the marketplace” has occurred, shifting the power from sellers to buyers because of the glut of property on the market, so he’s aiming now at helping people sell their homes for a set fee.
A Buyer’s Market, he said, is today a firm “dedicated to buyer’s service but it’s not exclusive” any longer because he’s selling property as well.
Johnson said that he had been a member of the national group for years but he never realized that his Properties Plus firm posed a conflict with the rules governing exclusive buyer’s agents.
When it was brought to his attention, he said, he resigned.
Andrew Snow, a broker who serves as the chairman of the national group’s Ethics and Professional Standards Committee, said in an email Thursday that he could not discuss any cases that might have been raised because they are “by their very nature confidential, just the same as many other professional associations.”
Johnson submitted his resignation to Snow in an Oct. 30 email obtained by the Press from a real estate professional unhappy with Johnson’s conduct. The broker asked to remain anonymous because the facts spoke for themselves and disclosure could harm his business and personal relationships.
In the resignation email, Johnson indicates that a problem had been brought to his attention by Snow.
After apologizing “for my delayed reply,” which he attributed to being “entirely focused” on “running for political office,” Johnson wrote, “The most expeditious action for me is to simply drop my NAEBA membership.”
Johnson said he did nothing wrong and as soon as he realized that he did not qualify for membership in the national group, he left its ranks.
However, there are scores of “exclusive buyer’s agents” advertising their businesses on the internet in many states and all of them tout their refusal to represent sellers.
“Exclusive Buyer's Agents never take listings and never represent Sellers!” says The Buyers Agent of NW Florida in Pensacola. “They always represent Buyers and never try to work for work for the buyer and seller at the same time.”
The central concept is that exclusive buyer’s agents can’t ever face the dilemma, even remotely, of representing a buyer and a seller at the same time, a happenstance which could make them less likely to look out only for buyers.
Johnson said that his Democratic opponent, Art Ward, may have had a hand in trying to turn the real estate issue into a campaign tool to lever votes on Tuesday.
Johnson said Ward has dodged answering questions about his role in the state Freedom of Information complaint that resident Jay Meisinger filed against the city “while at the same time conjuring stuff up to try to smear me in the final days before the election.”
Johnson said it is time for “an end to this bitter divisiveness” that would lead candidates in Bristol to seek “personal and political benefit” by creating issues out of nothing.
However, this matter was not raised by Ward or anyone connected to his campaign. Instead, it was brought to the Press’s attention by a real estate professional with no obvious Bristol ties who thought voters should weigh it when considering Johnson’s integrity.
For information about the national organization, check out its website at www.naeba.info.

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Tax dollars flushed away?

Republican mayoral hopeful Ken Johnson just sent this along:

I’m unhappy that the initial hearing for Freedom of Information complaint about scripted meetings happened yesterday. I state again: we are all aware that the complaint served one purpose and one purpose only- to poke a political stick in the eye of Mr. Ward’s opponent in the Democratic primary. I’ve repeatedly asked my opponent to ask his friend Mr. Meisinger to withdraw the complaint and last Monday Mr. Ward publicly refused to do so. I’ve warned that this could cost the taxpayers money to defend this frivolous case. Sure enough, a hearing took place in Hartford yesterday and we’ve now running up the tab for the cost of outside counsel at taxpayers’ expense for the city to defend the case.
I understand that Mr. Meisinger showed up with no attorney and presented no evidence -- is the complainant even taking this seriously? I guess they’ve got to see it through to give it the appearance of legitimacy. Public disgust at watching our tax dollars being flushed away is completely justified.

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Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Couture defends Ward

"Let’s also talk about the mother lode of all contract fiascos: the purchase by the City of the Downtown Mall. This contract was negotiated and entered into behind closed doors, in secret, at one or more meetings held at a local Forestville restaurant. Mr. Ward you were present, along with other members of the City Council and various support staff including the former mayor’s secretary who took notes. Mayor Stortz has the pictures and probably the notes.
Mr. Ward, if you think that the public doesn’t care about how you participated in these secret meetings, then come out and explain why it was okay to have those meetings in secret! You were involved and often took credit as the Deputy Mayor. Is this what we can expect from you? With all the contracts this city is about to enter, you have only demonstrated that you are capable of dealing behind closed doors out of sight from the public, whose trust is the mortar of public service. You were the proclaimed Deputy Mayor that spent 5.2 million taxpayer dollars without public input and that administration was thrown out of public office. Why should we expect anything different from you in the future? Or will you flip flop on this issue as well?” -- Art Mocabee, chairman of the Bristol Republican Party

Former Mayor Gerard Couture said Wednesday that Mocabee’s got it wrong.
Mocabee “talks a good game, but he just can’t play shortstop,” said Couture, who served as mayor from 2003 to 2005.
“I just want to clear the air. Artie was never a part of those meetings, those sessions we had,” Couture said.
On the other hand, he said, “our state legislators were there,” including state Rep. Bill Hamzy, a Plymouth Republican.
“Every meeting I ever had, Bill Hamzy was part of it,” Couture said.
He said he held many informational meetings with members of the community before seeking to buy the mall and ultimately got approval to purchase it for $5.3 million in March 2005 with the unanimous backing of the City Council and only one dissenter on the Board of Finance, Dolores Caper, who worried about how much it would eventually cost once everything was tallied up.
Couture said he met with Chamber of Commerce officials, businessmen such as Wally Barnes and Bob Fiondella, and many other to seek out their advice before proceeding with the mall purchase.
Fiondella told him that “in the end you won’t have any friends,” Couture recalled, which proved partially true.
But the meetings were never improper, Couture said.
“My council was kept abreast of these meetings but they were never a part of them. They were never any illegal meetings,” he said.
“It’s not fair to Arthur Ward,” Couture said, to hold him any more accountable than any other official who supported the mall’s purchase, including state Rep. Ron Burns, Hamzy and many Republicans.
“I think we did the right thing,” Couture said.
He said he used to keep Burns and Hamzy up to date with regular Monday meetings “to make sure they knew what we were doing.”
Burns “was one of the guys who stuck by me from day one” because he saw the vision embodied in the downtown plan Couture pushed, the former mayor said. Burns was elected to the state House last year after serving on the council during Couture’s stint as mayor.
Couture said that he feels sad that some politicians “sold their souls” in 2005 to get reelected by distancing themselves from the administration’s effort to revitalize the mall site, but he hopes everyone recognizes that the mall buy gave the city a chance to remake its downtown.
After six terms on the council and a term as mayor, “I got a chance to do something that everyone was waiting to happen,” Couture said, and he took it.
Everyone wanted to do something with the mall, he said, and tackling it had been part of every campaign for years. “Finally, we got a chance. We got a commitment from the state,” he said, so he plunged forward with a plan that he still believes would work out.
“The city never, never was going to lose that money,” he said. “We would eventually get our investment back.”
With Couture’s plan for a field house, community theater and more now off the table, the ex-mayor said, “you have to start from scratch all over again” because there’s no proposal for the state to consider.
He said he hopes the new downtown corporation will move swiftly to come up with something that would help Bristol.
Meanwhile, though, Couture said he couldn’t stay on the sidelines any longer and watch Ward get beat up for things he never did.
“I’ve got to defend my people and everyone who was involved in what we did,” Couture said.

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

The other "scripted" meeting, which included Ward

The other day, Republican Party Chairman Art Mocabee lambasted Democratic mayoral candidate Art Ward for a number of things that I think most of the readers here are familiar with.
But one point may be fuzzy.
Mocabee's attack included this paragraph: "In addition to your failure to negotiate the City’s business in the open, why don’t you step up to the plate and explain why it was okay for you to participate in the 'scripted' meeting when the Blight Ordinance was adopted? Now you feel, by way of your supporter’s recent FOI complaint, that the process is flawed. Maybe the answer is that if it serves your needs it is okay, but when you don’t support another council member’s idea it is wrong. This is hardly the mark of a leader."
I'm not sure that issue has been made clear to everyone, including Mocabee.
It wasn't the blight ordinance, as Mocabee says, it was the new housing code in 2005.
City Councilor Ellen Zoppo provided a copy of that "script" back in June but it got left on the back burner because it was both older and duller than the downtown hearing last winter that's been the focus of attention.
But I am sure some of you would like to see the script so you can ascertain for yourselves whether Ward did anything wrong.
In the first comment below, you can read the entire text of the "Housing Code Talking Points" that Zoppo prepared for the Sept. 14, 2005 meeting that led to the implementation of a new housing code in Bristol.

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Johnson talks about city contracts

Republican mayoral contender Ken Johnson wrote this letter on Friday night or Saturday morning. I just got a copy today, so here it is:

I am writing in reply to the Saturday Bristol Press article that attributes comments to me about City contracts.
In Wednesday night’s debate, I was asked if I was satisfied that all City bids, contracts and hirings are done completely above board. My answer was ‘no’ based on an experience I recalled from 2006. The situation I was referring to was the city’s plan to hire a real estate brokerage to help the city dispose of surplus city-owned properties. The awarding of the contract to an out-of–town real estate company and the perception that local companies were not given every reasonable consideration upset many Bristol-based companies that were interested in the work.
I feel badly that several elected officials got so angry about this. I choose to believe there must be some misunderstanding because I am certain that our elected leaders, on both sides of the aisle, feel like I do – that we’d all like to see qualified local businesses get city work. I choose to believe that the Real Estate committee was acting in the best interest of the city and followed proper procedure when it made its choice. However, if there were numerous businesses questioning the process and feeling left out, then something is wrong with the process.
I stand by my answer because I was being honest. Unfortunately some people didn’t like my answer. But, as many are finding out, I do not mince words. If I am asked a question, I give an honest response and stand by it.
I’m a citizen of Bristol, like you, who cares a lot about my city. As your mayor, I pledge to be honest, to act with integrity, to listen respectfully to your point of view and to restore civility to our politics.
The full text of my comments to the Bristol Press about this matter can be found at http://bristolnews.blogspot.com/ under the heading "Johnson explains his comment on city contracts."
It is time to Put Bristol First. I hope to see you at the polls on Nov. 6th; I would be humbled and honored to be your mayor.
Ken Johnson
BristolRepublican candidate for mayor



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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Bristol fighting drug dealers now, officials say

Calling Bristol “a safe haven for drug dealing,” Republican mayoral contender Ken Johnson urged more help for city police to combat the problem.
Police Chief John DiVenere said Tuesday that Bristol “has a drug problem, as does every other community in the country. I know we’re not any worse than most.”
“We have a very safe community,” the chief said. “I’d be lying if I didn’t say we had a problem, but we do very well in enforcing those laws.”
“I don’t want our drug dealers to think they have the run of the community, because they don’t,” DiVenere said.
Johnson said, though, that the department’s fight against drugs needs more resources.
“We need to send a strong message to the drug dealers and drug buyers that they are not welcome here in Bristol,” Johnson said in a prepared release Tuesday.
“Drugs in our community are not confined to the West End,” Johnson added. “They are in our neighborhoods and in our schools.”
Art Ward, the Democratic mayoral candidate, said that even one illegal drug transaction in town is too many. But, he said, the problems facing Bristol are no different than cities across the country are dealing with.
Democratic city Councilor Frank Nicastro, a police commissioner, said that police are “fighting day and night” against drugs and keeping the dealers in check.
He called Johnson’s comments “an election ploy” and challenged the Republican to prove his statement that the city has become “a safe haven for drug dealing.”
“Where’s his proof of that?” Nicastro asked.
“We combat drugs very effectively in the city of Bristol,” said Nicastro, who served as mayor from 1993 to 2003.
DiVenere said his department considers the battle against drugs “very serious” and it’s a high priority for him.
He said that every officer is trained about drug enforcement and there is “a very active narcotics enforcement team.”
Moreover, the chief said, the department has an active DARE program to educate students about the dangers of drugs. It also have four police dogs, including one that’s specifically trained for narcotics enforcement.
Johnson said that he would work with the chief and Police Board “to allocate more resources” to the police. Ward said he’s already discussed ideas with the chief.
Johnson pointed to a “a successful drug sting in New Britain this summer that netted more than 100 arrests of drug dealers and buyers” and called for “similar sweeps here in Bristol as our city has become a safe haven for drug dealing.”
He said he would beef up the narcotics division by providing police with the tools they need to step up the effort to crack down on the narcotics trade.
Johnson also said the community needs to be alert for gang activity.
“We cannot be blind to the threat of gang violence,” Johnson said. “Look at the increase in graffiti – it might look like art but to me it is an ominous sign that the gangs and the drug dealers are already here.”
Johnson said residents should be “vigilant,” looking for signs of gangs and drug trafficking such as graffiti and sneakers over power lines.
“I’d like to see a confidential tip-line to the police,” he said.
Johnson said that he believes a confidential tip line “would encourage the reporting of incidents or suspicious activity. If one phone call leads to averting violence or helps shut down a drug dealer then we got the bang for our buck.”
What Johnson apparently doesn’t know is that the city has had a confidential tip line: (860) 585-TIPS.
“We’ve had one for many years,” DiVenere said.

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Why people should vote for Johnson

Letter from Art Mocabee, chairman of the Bristol Republicans:

The Bristol Mayoral election is about to occur and we as voters must go to the polls to choose who we think is best qualified to lead our city for the next two years.

As the minority party in Bristol, we have enjoyed the view from inside for the first time in 14 years. Having access to the Mayors office is far different than one council seat and having both a council seat and the Mayors office has been enlightening.

Ken Johnson, the Republican candidate for Mayor has run a respectable visionary campaign, committing to moving Bristol in a positive direction with rapid development of the Mall site, a thorough airing of the school issues we face and an aggressive marketing approach to develop the Southwest Industrial Park. In addition, he sees the need to increase the resources Bristol must have to improve public safety and to protect our open space.

To accomplish these goals, many city contracts will come into play. Mr. Johnson, during one of the recent debates, expressed his personal feeling that the process can always be improved. There is no debate that when the contract awarding the sale of properties owned by the City to a Plainville Realty company was announced to the community that there was outrage. Mr. Johnson is right, but his comments only touched the tip of the iceberg.

Bristol employees and Bristol employers make up the hard working Bristol families who pay taxes and deserve to be the first for consideration when it comes to providing their talent and trade to our community. Bristol contractors bring pride to building our community that no outsider can do. Even after the outrage expressed by the community, the Real Estate Committee, headed by Frank Nicastro, still ignored that outrage and gave Bristol business away to an outside firm. Yes, the policies set forth in the purchasing manual were followed, but based on this past winter’s community-wide outrage, something is wrong with the way we do business. It can be improved and Mr. Johnson knows it, Mr. Ward denies it.

In addition to the real estate fiasco, the company selected to do our re-valuation was $72,000 higher then the next bidder. Also, a local construction company lost a bid because he was higher by pennies per $100 of contract specifications.

Mr. Ward, you are satisfied with the status quo, Mr. Johnson is not, especially when it comes to local contractors and services that involve re-evaluation of our homes for tax purposes. After 14 years, why have you not addressed this flaw in our system? Bristol businesses that are qualified and meet all bid specifications technically and financially need to have the first option on city business. It is as simple as that!

But let’s also talk about the mother lode of all contract fiascos: the purchase by the City of the Downtown Mall. This contract was negotiated and entered into behind closed doors, in secret, at one or more meetings held at a local Forestville restaurant. Mr. Ward you were present. along with other members of the City Council and various support staff including the former mayor’s secretary who took notes. Mayor Stortz has the pictures and probably the notes.

Mr. Ward, if you think that the public doesn’t care about how you participated in these secret meetings, then come out and explain why it was okay to have those meetings in secret! You were involved and often took credit as the Deputy Mayor. Is this what we can expect from you? With all the contracts this city is about to enter, you have only demonstrated that you are capable of dealing behind closed doors out of sight from the public, whose trust is the mortar of public service. You were the proclaimed Deputy Mayor that spent 5.2 million taxpayer dollars without public input and that administration was thrown out of public office. Why should we expect anything different from you in the future? Or will you flip flop on this issue as well?

Mr. Ward, you and your party controlled every vote over the last 14 years. Whatever it is that you say needs to be done now begs the question: Why hasn’t it been done over the last 14 years? A wholesale change is needed in our City government.

In addition to your failure to negotiate the City’s business in the open, why don’t you step up to the plate and explain why it was okay for you to participate in the “scripted” meeting when the Blight Ordinance was adopted? Now you feel, by way of your supporter’s recent FOI complaint, that the process is flawed. Maybe the answer is that if it serves your needs it is okay, but when you don’t support another council member’s idea it is wrong. This is hardly the mark of a leader.

Speaking of scripts, Mr. Nicastro has stated that he could never support a mayor who did not support a member of his own party. Everyone in town knows that you, Mr. Ward, had one of your supporters initiate the Freedom of Information action against fellow Democrat Ellen Zoppo. Come on Frank, you cannot have it both ways. By your logic you will not support your candidate for Mayor.

It is too bad that Art Ward and the current members of the City Council would rather cloud the issues than discuss them. Ken Johnson is a breath of fresh air, not a member of the old boy network, which has run the City for the last 14 years. It is time to change the makeup of the City Council and to choose a leader who has a new vision and will lead Bristol to becoming the regional urban center Bristol can be. The question we all need to ask ourselves is “Who can lead us more intelligently and openly as Bristol passes through the cross roads we are about to enter?” That person is Ken Johnson.

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Johnson calls for "time out" on school plans

Press release from GOP mayoral contender Ken Johnson, just in:

The Republican nominee for Mayor of the City of Bristol, Ken Johnson, elaborated further today on the Board of Education plans to switch from the current Elementary School/Middle School approach to a Kindergarten through 8th Grade (K-8) system and build two new 900-pupil schools.
Johnson, a Real Estate Broker, understands the importance of maintaining a strong and vibrant educational system as a way of attracting families to Bristol and keeping them here. “While we endeavor to open our doors to those who want to call Bristol home, we must always remain cognizant of the needs of those of you who already live here,” Johnson Said. “The citizens of our community -- young and old -- cannot afford to pay exorbitantly high taxes and still call Bristol home.”
“My Mayoral opponent and I both agree that the Board of Education needs to do a better job of communicating to the public about these plans. We both sat through a presentation on the school plans at the October City Council meeting. Unfortunately, it was again poorly publicized to the public and, while education officials seem to have convinced my opponent that the K-8 system is the way to go, I’m not convinced,” Johnson added, “That is why I have called for a ‘Time Out.’”
Johnson hailed Councilor Mike Rimcoski, a member of his Bristol First Team, for his leadership at the October meeting to turn back the proposal to build one of the new schools at the old Scalia sand pit site. “Taking a stand, particularly on a controversial issue, is what leadership is all about. Thanks, Mike,” Johnson said.
Johnson wants the public to clearly understand that “we are not going to a K-8 system.” The Board’s stated intention to implement a K-8 system only applies to certain sections of town. “At best it is a hybrid – Northeast and Chippens Hill will still be middle schools and have many years of useful life in them.”
“The West End is driving the need for new schools. The near century old O’Connell and Bingham schools are obsolete. But is Memorial Boulevard? Is a new K-5 in the West End a realistic alternative to the proposed K-8 complex?” With the unique needs of a more transient population in the West End, Johnson asks, “Why aren’t we exploring a school/community center for this area? Could the Bristol Boys & Girls Club be a part of the solution? What about addressing blight? With the inter-relationships of downtown and the West End, perhaps we should be seeking input from the BDDC and others associated with the downtown. I don’t see any collective vision coming out of the efforts to date. All I see are Boards and committees bumping into each other.”
“We are certainly looking down the gun barrel of major education issues and big dollar items. The decisions we make will have long-term implications. Calling a Time Out and allowing ourselves the time to think this through and get it right can only be a good thing.”

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Bipartisan anger at Johnson over GOP mayoral hopeful's claim that not all city contracts "are done properly and completely above board"

When Republican mayoral candidate Ken Johnson told a crowd recently that he is "not satisfied that all contracts are done properly and completely above board" at City Hall, city officials and politicians said they were perplexed.
But when Johnson explained the next day that he was referring to last year’s decision to hire a Plainville real estate broker to help sell surplus city property, they got mad.
Calling the charge “an eleventh hour political ploy, Democratic city Councilor Frank Nicastro, said Johnson’s comments were “offensive as heck. He owes the city an apology.”
“He cast a general allegation against the city,” said Republican Mayor William Stortz, that made Bristol look bad without any justification at all.
Republican city Councilor Mike Rimcoski, one of the three real estate panel members that picked the Plainville firm for the pilot project, said, “If I had to do it again, I’d do it again.”
Democratic mayoral contender Art Ward, a council veteran, said that Johnson “cast dark aspersions” that he failed to justify.
Johnson said that some city firms that sought the contract to sell surplus residential property “were not satisfied the contract was awarded properly.”
Johnson said that his own real estate firm, based in Bristol, was one of the brokers shut out when the city tapped the Plainville-based Berarducci Realtors to handle its sale of surplus residential property.
It’s unclear, though, what anyone did wrong.
Roger Rousseau, the city’s purchasing director, said that the selection process that led to the hiring of Berarducci was “no different” than the way Bristol awards all of its professional service contracts.
He said the contract was advertised twice in both The Bristol Press and a Hartford paper, discussed at council meetings and the subject of news stories.
Still, though a dozen firms sought the contract, some agents complained later they didn’t know the city was looking to hire someone to sell off surplus land.
“Were local firms given every reasonable opportunity to bid on the project and every reasonable consideration to be selected?” Johnson asked.
In hindsight, Rousseau said, he would not rely only on the normal marketing methods. He said he would ask the Realtor’s Association to spread the work about a similar contract in the future.
Nicastro, who heads the real estate panel, said that everything about the selection of Berarducci was done in public and correctly.
Rimcoski said it led to the sale of $700,000 worth of property that has helped reduce the tax burden for residents.
The other member of the Real Estate Committee, Democratic city Councilor Kevin McCauley, said the panel “did everything above board. Nothing was done behind closed doors.”
“We have nothing to hide,” said Nicastro.
McCauley said that Berarducci got the nod because it offered the most attractive deal to the city, something that Nicastro, Rimcoski and Rousseau also said.
McCauley said he is disappointed that Johnson would attempt to make an issue of the deal after it was extensively discussed in public last year.
“Why didn’t he bring it up at the time?” Ward asked.
“I never saw Mr. Johnson at any of the meetings,” Nicastro said.
Nicastro said he was particularly offended that Johnson would put Rimcoski in the crosshairs.
“When he attacks a member of his own political party, that’s not the kind of person I want as mayor,” Nicastro said.




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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Fighting over the conveyance tax

During the past three and a half years, the city has raked in more than $5 million in extra cash from a conveyance tax surcharge that officials reluctantly imposed.
There’s been no effort to repeal it because politicians and finance officials alike are thrilled to have another solid revenue stream that helps them pay for municipal services without hiking property taxes.
But Republican mayoral hopeful Ken Johnson said he would dump the extra tax, a move some real estate experts strongly endorse.
"I will do away with the higher tax," Johnson said, adding that it imposes too high a burden when property trades hands.
City Comptroller Glenn Klocko said, though, that “giving that money back is really an unnecessary and irrational move on the city’s part.”
“The conveyance tax is a very helpful tax for the city,” Klocko said Thursday. “It’s probably one of the most helpful taxes the state has granted to the city.”
Democratic mayoral candidate Art Ward, who voted along with the rest of the City Council to adopt the tax in 2004, said it brings in necessary revenue to fund one-time projects and equipment purchases.
Ward said the money is used for one-time items so it's not built into the city’s yearly spending plan. It just lessens burden on taxpayers, he said.
“It certainly helps us when we make our budget,” city Finance Chairman Rich Miecznikowski said Thursday. “It’s extra revenue that really helps offset rising costs.”
City financial records show that Bristol has collected $1.6 million annually from the extra tax. This year, it’s on track to make at least as much.
Klocko said that the money pays for major purchases, but most of it winds up as end-of-the-year surplus cash that helps ensure the rainy day fund remains secure.
A state law allows “distressed municipalities,” which include Bristol, the chance to impose an extra .25 percent tax on all real estate sales, an option that city officials initially declined but later decided to snatch up.
Because of the extra surcharge, the city’s share of the conveyance tax on a $100,000 transaction would be $250. That’s $140 more than it would get if it used the same tax rate that non-distressed municipalities are allowed to impose.
It adds up to big money. This year alone, Klocko said, the city collected $460,000 in the first quarter of its fiscal year.
Despite the revenues pouring into city coffers, Bristol Realtor Bob Fiorito said that he strongly agrees with Johnson’s position.
“The conveyance tax is a regressive tax paid by homeowners,” said Fiorito, a former president of the Connecticut Realtors Association.
Because it’s based on sale price, he said, it poses a real difficulty for many sellers now in a tough market when many sellers are facing “a lot of hardships” already as they deal with foreclosures, interest rate hikes and other difficulties.
“It’s not about Realtors. It doesn’t affect us at all,” Fiorito said.
Miecznikowski said that he recognizes the extra charge poses a burden to property sellers, but he has never personally heard a complaint about it.
Fiorito said that the state gave distressed municipalities the option of collecting extra conveyance taxes during a budget crisis that is now over.
“The reason for the conveyance tax to be increased to the detriment of homeowners is now gone,” Fiorito said. “And the tax should be allowed to sunset as it was supposed to Fiorito called it “a dubious honor” for Bristol to embrace the distressed town status that allows it to charge more.
“We’re trying to attract people to this town. It’s just a bad idea,” he said.
Johnson said he doesn’t want Bristol to advertise itself as a distressed community.
He said that part of marketing the city to prospective businesses and others is to showcase its strengths rather than grabbing more taxes by lumping itself in with places such as Hartford and New Britain.

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Hartford Courant endorses Ken Johnson

I'm not sure why editorial endorsements matter to campaigns, as they are normally written by badly out of touch editors, but they do. Here's what the Courant had to say this morning:
www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-endorsebristol.artoct25,0,7714246.story

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com