Our do-nothing/showboating State Senator sent this idiotic message to members of the Danbury GOP list serve regarding the recent budget forum held at the university with Speaker Donovan.
From: Michael McLachlan "DanburyGOP@aol.com" To: Danbury GOP group "danbury-gop@yahoogroups.com" Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 7:11:39 AM Subject: "danbury-gop" Democrats' Budget Forum TONIGHT
I hope some Republicans will show up at the Democrat's state budget forum to ask the tough questions why they are not considering SPENDING CUTS! Speaker Donovan, Bob Godfrey and JNJASon Bartlett will be conducting their dog & pony show at 6:30 pm at WCSU Student Center #202 downtown. Thank you.
Real classy Mike, love your sense of bi-partisanship in addressing a budget crisis that effects EVERYONE in your district!
Since being sworn into office, Mike McLachlan's performance at the State Capitol has been anything but productive for Danbury. Offering more lip service than meaningful results for his district, McLachlan's is exhibiting the same level of un-hinged hotheadedness that he's known for locally.
With a state in the middle of a budget crisis, maybe Mike could do something productive for his district besides running his mouth, name calling, and casting idiotic votes. Maybe someone can ask our absent-minded senator what spending cuts would he like to see that could make up for the governor's 2 BILLION DOLLAR GAP in the state's deficit that she didn't take account for in for State of the State speech/budget proposal).
...and by the way, the Democrats already highlighted possible spending cut scenarios that would address Gov. Rowland-Rell's 2 BILLION DOLLAR screw-up, maybe you were too busy mouthing off on your blog to notice? While we're at it, haven't seen a THING from you that YOU PROPOSED ON YOUR OWN in terms of addressing the budget deficit...NOTHING.
In other words, someone should tell Mike to dial down the B.S., STFU, and get to work or he'll be one of the most embarrassing one term state senators in recent memory.
Spent part of St. Patrick's Day mingling about at the firehouse and stuffing my face with a HUGE corn beef sandwich. The place is also a local political pitstop with such people as Joe DaSilva Sr, Fred Visconti, Duane Perkins, Mike "are you still talking about me on your blog" McLachlan (...and yes Mike, I read your blog...now maybe you can dial down the partisan rhetoric your spewing up in Hartford and get to work on the state budget), Lori Kaback, Phil Curran, and many others packing the joint.
Luckily I got there at noon and was out by 1 PM as I was warned to get there early before they run out of food. Trust me, when it comes to good corn beef, it's not even close...and a pint of Guinness for 1 dollar is a PLUS!
Tomorrow, CT House speaker Chris Donovan will join State Rep Bob Godfrey (110th) and Jason Bartlett to discuss the situation with the state budget with Danbury residents.
From Speaker Donavan's office:
Speaker of the House Christopher G. Donovan (D-Meriden) is scheduled to join State Representative Bob Godfrey (D-Danbury) and State Representative Jason Bartlett (D-Bethel, Danbury , Redding ) at a community forum concerning the state budget on Wednesday evening at Western Connecticut State University .
The legislators will discuss the current status of budget negotiations and what its impact might be on the City of Danbury . Members of the public are invited to attend the event, which will begin at 6:30 P.M. in Room 202 of WCSU’s Midtown Campus Student Center .
WHAT: Speaker Donovan, Rep. Godfrey, Rep. Bartlett host community forum on state budget
As you enjoy the beautiful weather today, I thought it would be interesting to go back in time through the HatCityBLOG archives and see what Danbury looked like around this time in 2007.
Late in the afternoon, I jumped into my ride and took a trip around town to see the damage. Here's a quick videoclip of how awful the roads were on Main and White Street today.
Thank goodness for 4-wheel drive.
(note: I took the video with my small digital camera so the quality is kind of low)
Gotta hand it to the AOH for showing the love...not.
Word on the street was that during the St. Patrick's Day parade, a FOB (friend of Boughton) spotted Democratic mayoral candidate Gary Goncalves walking in the procession and had him removed because he wasn't "invited" by the organization.
The case between the city and Joe Putnam's failed transfer station continues...
A judge ordered city officials to turn over all communication between Mayor Mark Boughton, the city's planning commission and the Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority regarding local businessman Joseph Putnam's application for a garbage transfer station on Plumtrees Road.
Putnam's application -- which was met with fierce opposition from neighbors living in condos and townhouses in the Plumtrees Road area -- was rejected by the Danbury Planning Commission on April 8, 2008.
Putnam appealed the decision to Danbury Superior Court a month later.
Putnam's attorney, Gregory Cava of New Milford, claims that Putnam's application never had a chance in front of the planning commission because the city was already making plans to take over the White Street transfer station from James Galante, who is now serving a prison sentence for racketeering.
In court papers, Cava claims Boughton wanted Putnam's application rejected because the city wants to be the only entity running a transfer station in Danbury.
[...]
In a document dated Feb. 18, Judge Mary E. Sommer -- responding to a discovery request from Cava -- ordered the city to produce:
* All communication between the city and HRRA regarding Putnam's application.
* All communication between the planning commission and Putnam.
* All communication regarding the removal of "transfer station" from certain zones in the city, including any communication between Boughton and the planning commission on the subject or between Boughton and HRRA.
This part of the request from Putnam's lawyers should be interesting
Cava also claims city government used the city's emergency notification system to tell residents about a public hearing in front of the planning commission regarding Putnam's application. The goal was to build opposition to the application, Cava said in court papers, not to simply notify residents about the meeting, as the city claimed.
The judge ordered the city to reveal any e-mails or memos regarding the use of the notification system as it pertained to Putnam's application -- and a list of every resident contacted by the city.
Boughton has had a habit of blurring the lines when it comes to his use of the emergency notification system. His most notable stunt was when he used to system to conduct a "poll" of the ICE ACCESS program back in Faburary 2008.
Also, this quote from the last honest man in Danbury caught my eye...
Boughton said the city did not launch a plan to take over Galante's transfer station until long after the planning commission rejected Putnam's application.
While this could be technically right, I can't (and won't) believe for a second that Boughton didn't have his eyes on the White Street transfer station since Galante was all but toast at the time when the Putnam proposal was in front of the commssion.
Now, all that being said, in my opinion, the planing commission had several reasons to axe Putnam's proposal which had nothing to do with Boughton. As someone who attended (and videotaped) most, if not all, of the planning commission meetings, I could tell you that there was FIERCE opposition from residents who would be directly effected by Putnam's station. In any case, it would be interesting to see if the mayor did anything wrong.
NOTE: You can read my footage from the transfer station...it's listed under the "DEVELOPMENT MADNESS" tab in the left column under the "Elmer's Diner Disaster."
04.25.22 (RADIO): WSHU Latino group call on Connecticut lawmakers to open a Danbury charter school
06.03.22 (OP-ED): KUSHNER: "Career Academy ‘a great deal for Danbury"
On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
The amended complaint states that plaintiffs sought to remedy the continued discriminatory and unauthorized enforcement of federal immigration laws against the Latino residents of the City of Danbury by Danbury's mayor and its police department.
Plaintiffs allege that the arrests violated their Fourth Amendment rights and the Connecticut Constitution because defendants conducted the arrests without valid warrants, in the absence of exigent circumstances, and without probable cause to believe that plaintiffs were engaged in unlawful activity. In addition, plaintiffs allege that defendants improperly stopped, detained, investigated, searched and arrested plaintiffs. Plaintiffs also allege that defendants violated their Fourteenth Amendment rights when they intentionally targeted plaintiffs, and arrested and detained them on the basis of their race, ethnicity and perceived national origin. Plaintiffs raise First Amendment, Due Process and tort claims.
Plaintiffs request declaratory relief, damages and attorneys fees.
From: Michael McLachlan "DanburyGOP@aol.com"
On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
