Legal counsel give opposing opinions regarding Boughton's board of ed "punishment"
Thursday, September 09, 2010
Time: 5:19 PM
Time: 5:19 PM
When it comes to whether Mayor Boughton and the City Council have the legal authority to "punish" the board of education in the manner that they plan to do at tonight's meeting, the answer is not that simple.
From the City Council's ad-hoc committee meeting, here's corporation council Lez Pinter's take on the action.
While I don't think Pinter's rationale would pass the smell test in court, the legal opinion from the board of education regarding Boughton's action is quite different...
Although we're talking about a small amount of money, the board of education is well within their right to take the city to court over this highly controversial move. One body of government to punishing another separate body of government is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.
News-Times editorial 07.09.10
From the City Council's ad-hoc committee meeting, here's corporation council Lez Pinter's take on the action.
While I don't think Pinter's rationale would pass the smell test in court, the legal opinion from the board of education regarding Boughton's action is quite different...
Although we're talking about a small amount of money, the board of education is well within their right to take the city to court over this highly controversial move. One body of government to punishing another separate body of government is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.
News-Times editorial 07.09.10
Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton has gone too far and has overstepped boundaries in his attempt to cut the already approved education budget.
[...]
The mayor has called the 2.5 percent raises to four people irresponsible at a time when an intermediate school is closing in the city and other cost-saving measures are being instituted.
He has a point. Every expenditure must be carefully weighed when it comes to educating children -- no matter the frugality of the economic times.
But it is too late. The mayor and the City Council had their chance to review the proposed education budget; they took the responsibility seriously and allowed a less than 2 percent increase above the previous year.
It was up to the Board of Education to work with that amount, though the increase was only half of what was requested. Neither the mayor nor the City Council ought to have line-item veto power over the Board of Education.
All three arms of local government, after all, are elected by voters.
[...]
Schools Superintendent Sal Pascarella is offering to return his increase to the education budget, after he pays taxes, to be used for the new literacy center.
The net increase, without Pascarella's raise, comes to about $10,000 in a $114.1 million budget.
Mayor Boughton's suggestion, which was referred to committee last week by the City Council, amounts to posturing.
[...]
We are not quibbling about the salaries or whether they are deserved.
Our position is based on the fact that the mayor and the City Council ought not to try to override the Board of Education and manage its budget line by line.
For trying to do so, Mayor Boughton, a former teacher, should get called into the principal's office.
FLASHBACK: City Council question school administrators about cabinet position raise
Time: 3:55 PM
In advance of the streams of lies we're set to hear from Boughton and the city council members who plan on overstepping their role as elected officials by "punishing" the board of education, lets take a look back at what ACTUALLY transpired when BOE chairman Irving Fox and Dr. Sal Pascarella were asked about pay increases to school administrators.
As you can clearly see in the video clip, BOE chairman Fox and Dr. Pascarella NEVER stated that the administrators were NOT going to accept a pay increase. Furthermore, the BOE chairman explained that the pay increase process normally starts at the END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, which is after the council approves the school's budget.
This isn't about whether or not the school board's decision was correct, it's about whether a separate body of government (city council) has the right to withhold funds from another body of government (board of education) simply because they don't approve of a decision that group has made.
RELATED POST:
VIDEO: 2010 Education budget ad-hoc committee meeting
As you can clearly see in the video clip, BOE chairman Fox and Dr. Pascarella NEVER stated that the administrators were NOT going to accept a pay increase. Furthermore, the BOE chairman explained that the pay increase process normally starts at the END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, which is after the council approves the school's budget.
This isn't about whether or not the school board's decision was correct, it's about whether a separate body of government (city council) has the right to withhold funds from another body of government (board of education) simply because they don't approve of a decision that group has made.
RELATED POST:
VIDEO: 2010 Education budget ad-hoc committee meeting
Boughton's arrogance on display at board of ed meeting
Time: 12:00 PM
During Tuesday's meeting of the Board of Education, Mark Boughton displayed his trademark arrogance in his rationale behind punishing a separate body of government.
For those who don't know, at tonight's city council meeting, the mayor is leading the charge in punishing the board of education for giving raises to school administrators...although the mayor and city council has no jurisdiction over the decision making of the board of education.
Since News-Times education reporter Eileen Fitzgerald and political reporter Dirk Perrefort refuse to inform the public on the arrogant (and possibly illegal) action by Boughton, other concerned people are stepping in to fill the void by exposing the mayor's nonsense.
From Tuesday, here's video footage of arrogant Boughton scolding the board of education. As you'll see, although some of Republican members of the board kissed Boughton's ring, at least some Democrat (Robert Taborsak) put Boughton in his place and informed others that the mayor's move was most likely illegal.
RELATED POSTS:
Boughton and city council are wrong to "punish" the board of education
News-Times 07.09.10 editorial: Gone too far: Danbury mayor oversteps limits when trying to punish school board
For those who don't know, at tonight's city council meeting, the mayor is leading the charge in punishing the board of education for giving raises to school administrators...although the mayor and city council has no jurisdiction over the decision making of the board of education.
Since News-Times education reporter Eileen Fitzgerald and political reporter Dirk Perrefort refuse to inform the public on the arrogant (and possibly illegal) action by Boughton, other concerned people are stepping in to fill the void by exposing the mayor's nonsense.
From Tuesday, here's video footage of arrogant Boughton scolding the board of education. As you'll see, although some of Republican members of the board kissed Boughton's ring, at least some Democrat (Robert Taborsak) put Boughton in his place and informed others that the mayor's move was most likely illegal.
RELATED POSTS:
Boughton and city council are wrong to "punish" the board of education
News-Times 07.09.10 editorial: Gone too far: Danbury mayor oversteps limits when trying to punish school board
Chris Murphy pays a visit to Danbury to hear residents concerns
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
Time: 10:22 PM
Time: 10:22 PM
Earlier this week, Congressman Chris Murphy paid a visit to Danbury to talk to residents and get their viewpoint on the state of affairs in the state and country.
Here's a video recap of the Congressman's trip...
Here's a video recap of the Congressman's trip...
Accident creates traffic backup on corner of Locust and Osborne
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
Time: 8:08 PM
Time: 8:08 PM
A collision between a Honda Civic and a Hyundai SUV on the corner of Locust Ave and Osborne Street resulted in traffic congestion that stretched from Western Connecticut State University to Danbury Hospital this afternoon.
According to the male operator of the Civic (who asked to have his name withheld), as he was turning left onto Osborne around 2PM, the operator of the SUV, collided with him. Although the collision resulted on the air bags of both vehicles being deployed, both operators walked away from the accident with no apparent injuries.
Since the police report was not available when I attempted to obtain a copy, it's not known if the police determined which driver was at fault or if either operator was ticketed for the accident.
I'll update this post once more info is available...
Boughton/city council disrespect Jewish community
Time: 4:45 PM
From the WTF was Boughton and the city council thinking files..
So Boughton and City Council President Joe Cavo decide to move the date of the city council's meeting from tonight to the middle of Rosh Hashanah...in other words, Labor Day is more important than one of the most important Jewish observances.
Ugh!
UPDATE: True to form, Boughton "apology" is a load of crap...
Meeting schedule is set years in advance?!? I call bullshit...I guess Boughton, Cavo, and the anti-immigrant moron who laughably calls herself the "Legislative Assistant" don't know how to use a calendar.
Courtesy of Wikipedia:
As you can see, the dates of Rosh Hashanah are known YEARS IN ADVANCE...and Boughton and his ilk would have known this if they really gave a damn in the first place.
The regularly scheduled City Council meeting for September will be held this Thursday.
According to city officials, while the meetings are typically held the first Tuesday of every month, the meeting for September was pushed forward because of the Labor Day Weekend.
[...]
Paul M. Simon, president of the Congregation B'Nai Israel on Clapboard Ridge, said he was surprised city officials would schedule a council meeting during the holiday.
"I would like to hope they didn't realize what they were doing," Simon said, adding that the holiday starts on Wednesday and ends at sundown on Friday. "It's a very unfortunate situation. It shows that our own local government doesn't have respect for some of its citizens. For me it would be tantamount to scheduling the meeting on Christmas or Easter. I wish the mayor and the City Council would reconsider."
So Boughton and City Council President Joe Cavo decide to move the date of the city council's meeting from tonight to the middle of Rosh Hashanah...in other words, Labor Day is more important than one of the most important Jewish observances.
Ugh!
UPDATE: True to form, Boughton "apology" is a load of crap...
Boughton on Tuesday was apologetic about the error.
"The meeting schedule is set years in advance and we certainly didn't want to offend anyone," he said. "We will make sure it doesn't happen again."
Meeting schedule is set years in advance?!? I call bullshit...I guess Boughton, Cavo, and the anti-immigrant moron who laughably calls herself the "Legislative Assistant" don't know how to use a calendar.
Courtesy of Wikipedia:
Rosh Hashanah occurs 163 days after the first day of Passover (Pesach). In terms of the Gregorian calendar, the earliest date on which Rosh Hashanah can fall is September 5, as happened in 1899 and will happen again in 2013. The latest Rosh Hashanah can occur relative to the Gregorian dates is on October 5, as happened in 1967 and will happen again in 2043. After 2089, the differences between the Hebrew calendar and the Gregorian calendar will result in Rosh Hashanah falling no earlier than September 6.[12]
Rosh Hashanah will occur on the following days of the Gregorian calendar:
* Jewish Year 5771: sunset September 8, 2010 - nightfall September 10, 2010
* Jewish Year 5772: sunset September 28, 2011 - nightfall September 30, 2011
* Jewish Year 5773: sunset September 16, 2012 - nightfall September 18, 2012
As you can see, the dates of Rosh Hashanah are known YEARS IN ADVANCE...and Boughton and his ilk would have known this if they really gave a damn in the first place.
Boughton and city council are wrong to "punish" the board of education
Time: 12:40 PM
On Thursday, Mayor Boughton and the members of the city council plan to overstep their boundaries as elected officials by punishing the board of education for giving raises to four non union administrators.
The question isn't whether the school board's June 9th decision to give a 2.5 percent raises was responsible…as someone who's still shaking his head over the board's decision to give two principals a nine percent raise back in 2009. What's outrageous is the fact that one separate body of government is taken upon itself to punish another separate body of government.
The mayor, city council, and board of education are separate bodies of local government elected by the people. After the city council reviews and approves the education budget, it is the board of education responsibility to spend the money in any way they want to choose. The mayor and/or city council DOES NOT have the line item authority when it comes to the board of education. In turn, the board of education does not have the authority to punish the city council when it comes to questionable decisions they make in terms of the overall city budget.
And in terms of the money the mayor is crying foul about…we're talking about peanuts.
News-Times editorial July 9th 2010:
The board had approved the raises for the schools superintendent, deputy superintendent, assistant superintendent and finance director at a June 9 meeting. The board revisited the decision at a June 24 meeting, and upheld it.
Schools Superintendent Sal Pascarella is offering to return his increase to the education budget, after he pays taxes, to be used for the new literacy center.
The net increase, without Pascarella's raise, comes to about $10,000 in a $114.1 million budget.
Mayor Boughton's suggestion, which was referred to committee last week by the City Council, amounts to posturing.
Remember, the mayor and members of the city council do not attend every board of education meeting, therefore, they have no knowledge of the day to day decision making by the board that goes into operation of the school budget.
For a part-time mayor that's spent a majority of his time running for state office and a city council that has a LONG history of questionable spending decisions while turning a blind eye to accountability, this latest move is outrageous to say the least.
…to be continued.
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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.
