Troiano's Magic Wand
Charms Enfield Bank's
Existence, Operations
A Cool Justice Report Exclusive:
Enfield Federal
Tax Abatement Talks
Quiet And Intense
Town Manager's
Confidential Finances
Brought Into The Discussion;
Relevance Not Established
Question Of The Day:
Was Bank Leak
A Negotiating Tactic?
By ANDY THIBAULT
The Cool Justice Report
www.cooljustice.blogspot.com
June 19, 2007
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story is available for reprint courtesy of The Cool Justice Report, http://cooljustice.blogspot.com
Quiet and intense negotiations about a tax abatement for Enfield Federal Savings appear to hinge on the production of - or the failure to produce -- approxiately 40 promised jobs.
Various sources close to the negotiations report the bank has delivered only about half the jobs while closing its Stop & Shop branch and using jobs from other towns in its calculations.
"They might as well include [foreign] call centers," a source remarked.
In a bizarre development, the town manager's mortgage with Enfield Federal has also become a subject of discussion during the tax abatement talks.
"There's been a lot of e-mail traffic on that," a source said. "For that to get leaked out of a bank is ridiculous."
Town manager Matthew Coppler confirmed he has a mortgage with Enfield Federal, but said he has not been a negotiator regarding the tax abatement.
"I am an intermediary between the council and the bank," Coppler told The Cool Justice Report.
Enfield Federal President David O'Connor was not at the bank late Tuesday afternoon. Bank Vice President Scott Nogles said he could not comment on the job numbers related to the tax abatement or explain how Coppler's confidential mortgage information was leaked during the negotiations.
The Enfield Federal property was developed by Big Anthony Troiano, the politically-connected foe of the Enfield Montessori School. The bank sits on a parcel that was deemed unsuitable for development when another businessman tried to sell the land to CVS.
Enfield Mayor Patrick Tallarita - among the subjects of a political corruption investigation by the Chief State's Attorney - has recused himself from official discussions on the Enfield Federal tax break. At the same time, sources said, Tallarita has lobbied council members to keep the issue quiet.
One relatively new employee at Enfield Federal is Tallarita's sister, state Rep. Kathy Tallarita. She was hired as Business Development Representative for the bank.
In the midst of Kathy Tallarita's re-election campaign last year, Enfield Federal featured her as the lead story in its quarterly newsletter.
The item was the lead story for the customer newsletter, at the top of the front page. It featured a photograph of Tallarita and the headline: "The Bank Welcomes Kathy Tallarita as Business Development Representative." The newsletter is mailed to all bank customers, according to Nogles.
In addition to the article, the bank sponsored what Nogles called a "Private Wine Tasting" on Tuesday Oct. 17, 2006 -- less than a month before the elections.
Could the timing of the distribution of the newsletter and the wine tasting violate state election laws? Is the newsletter a campaign document? Was the wine tasting a campaign event or a testimonial? Should the distribution of the newsletter and the hosting of the party have been reported to state election officials?
State election enforcement officials have been silent on the matter.
Patrick Tallarita, meanwhile, went berserk in the checkout-line at Shaw's Supermarket on Memorial Day, threatening a witness against him in the ongoing criminal investigation. The witness, Jack Mancuso, has retained Hartford attorney A. Paul Spinella to preserve material evidence for judicial proceedings and to investigate subsequent actions by Enfield police.
Tallarita scared young children as he screamed and made an obscene gesture. Tallarita admitted to the Journal Inquirer -- when asked about whether he had made an obscene hand gesture to Mancuso: "Possibly, I could have."
The Memorial Day incident earned Tallarita the moniker "Mayor Cocoa Puffs" after the blogosphere noted, "Enfield Mayor Flips Out on Witness in Grocery Store Checkout Line," above a box of Cocoa Puffs cereal.
Tallarita was quick to note he would be seeking higher office.
Investigators have received numerous tips and documents about public officials and others in recent months.
CONTACT INFO:
[Chief State’s Attorney’s Office
Public Integrity and Political Corruption Bureau
300 Corporate Place
Rocky Hill, CT 06067
Phone: 860-258-5805
Fax: 860-258-5804]
Areas of inquiry include but are not limited to:
* Alleged sale of government services including votes for personal gain.
* Alleged manipulation or alteration of land records.
* Alleged steering of a lease to a crony.
* Work allegedly done by a state contractor at a private residence.
* Alleged acceptance of gratuities including vacation trips and merchandise.
* Alleged falsification of time records by town employees working less than full shifts.
See prior posts in archives of www.cooljustice.blogspot.com
The Cool Justice Report
www.cooljustice.blogspot.com
Andy Thibault
tntcomm82@cs.com
Phone: 860-690-0211
Fax: 860-567-9119
www.andythibault.com
JUST NEIGHBORS
Oct. 26, 2006
JUST NEIGHBORS - Enfield Mayor Patrick Tallarita, asked repeatedly by The Cool Justice Report to describe his relationship with Big Anthony Troiano (far left), said, "We're just neighbors." In the foreground is Connecticut House Speaker Jim Amann. The Troianos -- Big Anthony and Lillian -- celebratd their 44th anniversary with the help of Amann and Tallarita's parents, Kay and Pat Tallarita. At far right is Mayor Tallarita's sister, State Rep. Kathy Tallarita. [For a while it was hard for us to tell whose anniversary it was anyway ... then we hired a translator to read the caption.]
Troiano is a developer whose projects include Enfield Federal Savings. The politically powerful Troiano has been a vehement opponent of the Enfield Montessori School.
6 comments:
Maybe some time in purgatory will help our beloved mayor to find a calling to real "higher office", up with President Bush's "higher father". Troiano acts like he's already there. No doubt Pat is on his way to join him.
I forgot. With the way thing have gone, Tallarita and Big Anthony will have trouble getting into purgatory, let alone heaven. What will God think of men who thought nothing of cheating nuns for profit? If you ask me, it's up there with cheating widows. May God have mercy on their souls, for they can expect none from the townspeople.
Ok so who gets the tax bill? Troiano or Enfield Federal? That is whatI want to know.
> "I am an intermediary between the council and the bank," Coppler told The Cool Justice Report.
C'mon, as the Enfield Town Manager, Mr. Coppler is a highly paid, influential town employee. Not some ostrich with its head in the sand. Scott Shanley must thank his lucky stars he's in Manchester now.
Would appear that some Enfield officials have elected to become nothing more than the "see no evil, speak no evil, and hear no evil" puppets. Hopefully the Enfield voters remember their ploys come election time.
> The bank sits on a parcel that was deemed unsuitable for development
Wasn't this the same parcel that housed a historical old Enfield home? The house was demolished so this bank could be built.
The Town took the time to have an old barn, alongside of the new Senior Center, dismantled board by board, but chose to bulldoze this older home? Hummmm, very interesting.
per a Courant clipping,
"Sue Lavelli-Hozempa of Enfield has joined the Yankee Institute as its policy advocate, helping Enfield residents identify and eliminate inefficiencies in their public schools by drawing on concepts developed by the Yankee Institute. She has spent the past 10 years studying public policy and free-market economics."
Hopefully she runs again for a higher office, and this time the people realize she's the real deal. She doesn't just rely on last name recognition.
> Town manager Matthew Coppler confirmed he has a mortgage with Enfield Federal
The only way this is newsworthy is if Coppler got a sweetheart deal on his Enfield Federal mortgage. Did he? I don't particularly care where his mortgage is, or who he bought a home from (unless of course, it was from the mayor's wife). Or if any of the Council members, who are real estate agents, assisted him.
I do care if he's turning a blind eye to any unscrupulous activities by council members or town employees. Cuz T-Ville doesn't stand for Troiano-ville either.
Post a Comment