Currey afraid to stick her neck out? Not on tax increases.

Mayor Currey has found herself in the news again. What for this time? Advocating a local sales tax. Is this woman mad? No… I’m afraid she knows exactly what she is doing and just doesn’t care about how if affects us average Joes (and Joans). From Capitol Watch: East Hartford Mayor Melody Currey spoke in favor of a regional sales tax, saying she would keep the state’s long-running sales-tax exemptions that currently exist for food and prescription drugs. “We’ve... 

Mayor Signs Budget – Referendum Has Begun

Mayor Currey signed the budget last night opening the door for referendum on the out of control 6.8% tax increase. Budget petitions have already started going out. Petitioners will be at Stop & Shop on Silver lane from 9am until 12PM tomorrow if you’d like to come by and sign a petition or pick up some petitions to assist in the process. With the voter registration surge the Obama campaign inspired the referendum effort requires a little over 4,000 signatures to get on the ballot up from... 

East Hartford Legislative Delegation Responds

I received a letter yesterday dated March 9th from our Reps. Larson, Genga & Rojas and Senator LeBeau in response to the letter I sent them on Feb. 25th requesting emergency legislation providing an exemption for East Hartford from Minimum Budget Requirements and binding arbitration awards. According to the letter they are working on it but can’t gt it done in time. I disagree, if they wanted to do it it would be introduced by now. Incidentally the MORE commission presentation on the first... 

The Budget Proposal Details – Here are the Republican and Democratic Plans

Here are the specific budget plans put forth at yesterday’s budget meeting. It’s interesting to note that the Democrats’ proposed (and adopted) budget is actually less than the one put forth by the Republicans. The Democrats’ proposed reductions totaled $2,285,916 for a proposed mill rate of 33.81824. The Republicans’ proposed reductions totaled $2,201,518 plus a plan to increase revenue by $50,000 by auctioning surplus town equipment for a proposed mill rate of 33.84615.... 

Some Budget Wisdom From The Speak Out Column

I am reading my Reminder, which I oddly get every week on Monday though the publication date is not until Thursday, and surprisingly there is more budget wisdom in the speak out section than at the actual budget meeting. Courage In regards to proposed tax increases, how about these ideas: a 0-percent tax increase, five furlough days required per year (starting at the top), employees to pay more for healthcare and new employees to manage their own retirement accounts. Private industry does these... 

Town Council fails in their duties again. 6.8% Tax Increase Approved. Budget Referendum Imminent.

I kind of feel like I got gang-mugged last night. Gagged, beaten and mugged, all while my attackers repeatedly insisted it wasn’t their fault and patted each other on the back for doing me a favor. It may not be their fault that the economy is upside down, but it is their fault East Hartford can’t remember what economic growth is. It is their fault that employee wages and benefits are bankrupting this town. It is their fault that the Board of Education spends more every year for a worse... 

Pre-Budget Rumblings

Word on the street has it that the Dems will be proposing around 4 million in cuts from the budget with Reps proposing an additional 1.8 million in cuts. It’s unclear if the 4 and 1.8 overlap at all and what services are involved. That translates into a tax increase around 4.5 percent or down around 2-3 percent if the Republican cuts are non-overlapping and are adopted. I have heard vacuum leaf pickup could be on the block… though I don’t know why. It’s an appreciated service,... 

Taxpayers Win at Garbage Tax Meeting… For Now

The Council and Mayor clearly didn’t expect the packed room at the Town Council Special Meeting last night. The Mayor’s expression appeared to  turn rapidly to one of of concern and agitation when a minute into the hearing a member of the crowd began to express his concerns. I will work on getting the video up today. Unfortunately the crowd is not very audible, though no doubt the rounds of applause Councilman Thompson got for refusing to take this abysmal failure of a tax savings plan... 

Action Alert: Please Attend Garbage Tax Meeting – Monday March 8, 2010 @ 7PM

Are you in favor of the new plan to make you Pay As You Throw by buying town garbage bags? Did you know this program will cost East Hartford taxpayers at least $80,000 per week? Did you know this program will cost East Hartford Taxpayers between $4,000,000 and $8,000,000 per year year in bag fees? I can’t afford to pay another $390 per year in bag fees. Can you? If you are as fed up with the runaway tax and spend policies of this administration as I am please attend the Special Meeting on this... 

Town Council Calls Special Meeting on Garbage Tax

The East Hartford Public Notices system sent me an email a little bit ago informing me that a special meeting has been called relative to the Pay As You Throw garbage tax that the Mayor and Public Works director Billy Taylor presented to the Council this past Monday. The meeting will be on Monday, March 8th at 7PM,  directly against an important meeting of the Republican Town Committee at which the Republican Town Committee members will elect officers for the 2010/2011 term.  This will force the... 

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