Officials
Adds Up
... TAX BREAK
HAS GOT TO GO ...
... One of the players
in on [xxxxx-ing] the nuns ....
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Fresh Comments,":
The Cool Justice Report exposes wrongdoing in the politically-charged worlds of cops and courts.
HAVEN'T THE PEOPLE OF ENFIELD GOTTEN IT YET??? Do you see any other Town under fire on this blog? The answer is seldom.
Now, to add to the last comment, the Town Manager used to also be the Public Safety Official. After the Town Attorney served as "acting" Town Manager and was replaced by the current Town Manager, the job of Public Safety Officer was removed from the Town Manager's job description, and given to the Town Attorney as an additional paid position for the Town Attorney.
I'm sure you've seen the Town Attorney in this Enfield PD get up.
But back to the point, why are Enfield Taxpayer's putting up with the shenanigans going on in this Town.
And get ready, for our enjoyment, Enfield P &Z Meets this Thursday. Get ready for another charade by DiPace and Company. Trouble is, what's going on Thursday night might not affect may. And when on with the Sister's didn't effect many. And what was going on with the Enfield Fed tax abatement would have had a big effect all of us too much. But it is the collective conduct of our Town Officials that is having a huge effect on our Town. And I think the Godfather syndrome is not far fetched.
Posted by Anonymous | 3:35 PM
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c has left a new comment on your post "Fresh Comments,":
I HAVE ACCOUNTS WITH ENFIELD FEDERAL AND I THINK THE TAX BREAK HAS GOT TO GO. WHATEVER THE REASON THE COUNCIL IS DELAYING THIS THE TOWN RESIDENTS WANT IT GONE. COUNCILMEN WE ARE WATCHING SO STOP THIS AND STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND DO THE RIGHT THING.
Posted by c to The Cool Justice Report at 7:55 PM
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Fresh Comments,":
>>HAVEN'T THE PEOPLE OF ENFIELD GOTTEN IT YET??? Do you see any other Town under fire on this blog? The answer is seldom.
>>Now, to add to the last comment, the Town Manager used to also be the Public Safety Official. After the Town Attorney served as "acting" Town Manager and was replaced by the current Town Manager, the job of Public Safety Officer wasremoved from the Town Manager's job description, and given to the Town Attorney as an additional paid position for the Town Attorney.
>>I'm sure you've seen the Town Attorney in this Enfield PD get up.
Isn't this the same Town Attorney who presided over Enfield's losing argument in the Argenta case? Wouldn't this seem to indicate that being Town Attorney AND Public Safety Director has left him stretched too thin. If not, it makes me question his competency as a lawyer, especially one who's supposed to represent Enfield.
Didn't Bromson also preside over the outsourcing of the P&Z suits to expensive Hartford law firms. Why didn't P&Z have to go to binding arbitration like Argenta got to?
And how pathetic that case was! Only in Connecticut, can a pot-smoking police dispatcher get fired and use have his union force the town to take him back.I generally want to like unions, but those kind of interventions do nothing but create bad PR. because twenty years of recreational pot use was an "addiction". I can't trust this guy to take my calls if I'm calling to report drug activity.
But Bromson is close to Tallarita. He was at Tallarita's HQ and victory party in '05. Clearly, he throws ethics and non-partisansip to the four winds. But he was definitely one of the players in on screwing the nuns.
Posted by Anonymous to The Cool Justice Report at 6:59 PM
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17 comments:
Why is no other town under fire on this blog? Probably because the blogger is obsessed with Enfield. It's not evidence that corruption isn't going on anyplace else. In fact, the issues tracked on this blog probably happen in many, if not most, town and cities in the state. Wealthy and connected people who want to do business in town always have the ears of local officials. It's the way things are done in representative democracy. Just look at how the U.S. Congress operates. Is it fair? Maybe not. Do people step over the line? At times, yes.
But let's really look at what we got here. First, is the Felician Sisters controversy. The PZC made a stupid decision to close down the school's parking lot -- there's no arguing against that. Why they did it is a matter of speculation. This blog fervently believes it was part of some land grab scheme involving the mayor. A recent Journal Inquirer article raised some very valid questions about that theory. Eventually, a court overuled the PZC and the school got to keep its parking lot, resolving the matter. The school is in court challenging the Historic Commission's denial of its expansion plans. It could be that the Historic Commission members acted selfishly and unfairly denying the application. The appeals judge will determine that. Did the commission act illegally? No. Did Troiano have a heavy influence on its decision. Sure, but he lives next door to the school. He's a major stakeholder in the issue. It's his right to oppose the school's plans and use whatever legally-acceptable influence he has to persuade the commission to go his way. It doesn't make him a nice man by any stretch. It doesn't necessarily make him a villain. The Felician Sisters are not helpless little nuns. They have the means to fight this thing in court, not to mention purchase the property abutting the school. They also did an excellent job rallying support for their cause. This is how democracy works. It isn't always pretty.
The second big controversy appears to be the Enfield Federal tax abatement application. Why this is considered evidence of grave corruption is mind boggling. Municipalities all over the country offer tax abatements to attract development and increase their property tax bases. The mayor's sister has a job with the bank. This might cause concern if the mayor didn't recuse himself from any vote related to the abatement. This business about the town manager's mortgage is absurd. The abatement was being negotiated long before he arrived. Being new to the position, he was never in a position to heaviy influence the council's vote. And the council hasn't approved the abatement anyway. It's subject to some pretty intense deliberation. Again, that's democracy at work. You can argue that tax abatments are a bad idea, but it's much harder to argue that they a necessarily corrupt.
In fact, the same people who cry about tax abatements are often the people who cry and cry and cry to the town council about taxes being too high. You want to ease your tax burden? Then you have to expand the tax base. The only way to do that is through development. And town's need to do something to entice developers. In this case, they're considering a tax abatement. It's just the way it is.
Sure Enfield has some issues. But it isn't the boiling cauldron of corruption that some people would like it to be.
I just want to slightly amend my above monologue. I was wrong to say the Historic Commission didn't act illegally. That's what the appeals judge will decide. Sorry.
"Wealthy and connected people who want to do business in town always have the ears of local officials. It's the way things are done in representative democracy. Just look at how the U.S. Congress operates. Is it fair? Maybe not. Do people step over the line? At times, yes."... AND THEREIN IS THE ISSUE IN ENFIELD! THE SAME PEOPLE! TIME AND TIME AGAIN! AND OTHERS ARE EXCLUDED! OVER THE LINE!
"The PZC made a stupid decision to close down the school's parking lot -- there's no arguing against that. Why they did it is a matter of speculation. The appeals judge will determine that. Did the commission act illegally? No."...THE APPEALS ALREADY DECIDED THAT THE COMMISSION ACTED ILLEGALLY!
"The Felician Sisters are not helpless little nuns. They have the means to fight this thing in court, not to mention purchase the property abutting the school."....THIS IS AN OUTRAGEOUS STATEMENT!!!! THE WRITER SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HIMSELF!!!! THAT SAID, IF ONE BELIEVES IN GOD, THIS WILL BE DEALT WITH IN THE HEREAFTER!!!! "They also did an excellent job rallying support for their cause."...THE PEOPLE OF ENFIELD SAW THIS FOR WHAT IT WAS, OUTRAGEOUS!!! AND RALLIED BEHIND THE GOOD SISTERS, FINANCIALLY AND OTHERWISE!!! "It isn't always pretty."...ANOTHER OUTRAGEOUS STATEMENT!!! SO MUCH SO, IT'S NOT WORTHY ADDRESSING!!!
"You can argue that tax abatments are a bad idea, but it's much harder to argue that they a necessarily corrupt." TAX ABATEMENTS ARE USED TO ATTRACT BUSINESS TO A COMMUNITY. HERE WE HAVE IN ENFIELD FED, A BUSINESS THAT HAS BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY FOR 60 YRS OR MORE. AND THE NAME "ENFIELD FED". WHERE ARE THEY GOING? WHY DO THEY NEED AN ABATEMENT? THIS WOULD SET A PRECEDENT TO GIVE ALL THE OTHER BUSINESSES IN ENFIELD AN ABATEMENT TO MAKE THEM STAY.
"You want to ease your tax burden? Then you have to expand the tax base. The only way to do that is through development. And town's need to do something to entice developers."...SO WHY IS THE P & Z COMMISSION TRYING TO RAILROAD THRU A MORATORIUM FOR AGE RESTRICTED HOUSING WHEN EVERONE KNOWS HOW LUCRATIVE THESE ARE TO A TOWN'S TAX BASE? FOR THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION, GO BACK TO PARAGRAPH ONE!
"Sure Enfield has some issues. But it isn't the boiling cauldron of corruption that some people would like it to be."...AGAIN, THE WRITER IS MISSING THE POINT! THE PEOPLE OF ENFIELD SEE IT FOR WHAT IT IS, A BOILING CAULDRON OF CORRUPTION AND THEY DON'T WANT IT!!! PARDON, A SMALL FEW WOULD LIKE THINGS TO STAY AS THEY ARE!!!!
>> It's the way things are done in representative democracy. Just look at how the U.S. Congress operates. Is it fair? Maybe not. Do people step over the line? At times, yes.
So let me get this straight, its OK to overlook this "crap" cuz
that's the way its done in a democracy? Its OK to look away because people in other towns are also stepping over the line? Man,
oh man, wouldn't want ya running
this town (or police dept). Wrong is wrong. Doesn't make a difference if this crap slips through cracks elsewhere.
Once its uncovered, its time to do something to stop it. Enfield residents should thanx this blog for taking such an interest in our lil'community. For alerting unaware folks to the seedy side.
>> After the Town Attorney served as "acting" Town Manager and was replaced by the current Town Manager, the job of Public Safety Officer was removed from the Town Manager's job description, and given to the Town Attorney as an additional paid position for the Town Attorney.
Wait a minute, the current Town Attorney, was paid to be acting Town Manager, and then he was appointed by mayor to be the Public Safety Officer (a responsibility of former Town Manager)? So he's still the Town Attorney, as well as the Public Safety Officer? Are these two positions considered part time jobs (but commanding a full time salary)?
What a racket. And the new Town Manager is making over $100K but w/o the public safety piece of "job"?? Well at least now I have a better idea of where some of my tax $$$ are being wasted.
>> "The Felician Sisters are not helpless little nuns. They have the means to fight this thing in court, not to mention purchase the property abutting the school.".
As I recall, the good Sisters didn't start the mess. Am sure they would have much preferred to be left alone, but they also refuse to be pushed around by rich neighbor. And for that, I commend them.
They set a wonderful example for Enfield's younger generation. Its great to see a real life "David vs Goliath" scenario play out in favor of the "lil'good guys"
To the person who writes in all capital letters:
You're right, the appeals court found the PZC acted illegally in its action toward the parking lot. My mistake. It's not unheard of for the courts to overule a PZC. What I was getting at is the court ruling doesn't prove the PZC was motivated by corruption.
Also, I am not the least bit ashamed about pointing out that the Felician Sisters can, and do, take care of themselves. Just because people belong to a religious order doesn't mean they're incapable of playing hardball. And it's not as though the Catholic church has never stepped on anyone.
Who says tax abatements can't be used to entice a successful business to remain in town? And to argue that Enfield Federal must remain in Enfield due to its name is idiotic. And again, they haven't even gotten the abatement and don't seem likely to get one.
I don't know enough about the moratorium issue to comment on it extensively, although I suspect you don't know very much about it either and are jumping to conclusions. There might be valid reasons for holding off on age restricted housing developments. I'm not sure it's a good thing for a town to rely too heavily on a type of development that doesn't allow children. Is that what this is about? Do you hate children? How outrageous. You should be ashmamed.
To anonymous posted 1:03, I think the readers of this blog will read both of your comments and my responses to your comments and clearly side with me.
You are the hypocrite! Again scorning the nuns! Have you not been reading this blog for the past several years? Did you not read the scornful way inwhich the P & Z Commission handle the Felician Sisters? Even after the lower court found in favor of the Sisters, DiPace ordered an appeal of the lower court's decision. And the Appellate Court threw the appeal out. Wouldn't even hear the matter. Shame on you!
My position on age restricted has nothing to do with a like or dislike for children. Simply stated, 70% of tax dollars are used for education. Age restricted housing have no children. Therefore, the 70% of tax dollars that would normally go for education can be used to reduce our collective tax burden. Did I suggest a moratorium on single family housing so that we do not increase the school population? Not so!
Had a great day. Played 18 and then did the back nine for a second time. Had a cold one and burger at Chicago's (great burger) and came home to log onto Coooool Justisce. And much to my surprise, I see all this new stuff about Enfield. Just kidding about the surprise part.
Ok, now correct me if I’m wrong. Aren’t we paying the Town Manager to be the CEO of the Town? When Scott Shanley was Town Manager, all department heads reported to him. The way the Town should be run. The way any organization should be run. One CEO. So why is it that when Shanley departed (was looking for an appropriate word), the job of public safety officer was broken out of the CEO’s job and give to Bromson? Why pay Bromson for a job that the Town Manager should be performing?
Another question, did Scott Shanley ever run around with a police vest and badge and set up speed traps? Is this what we’re paying Bromson to do?
Forget about raising tax dollars by attracting developers. Let’s keep the developer’s out. I like our Town just the way it is. But we need to take a serious look at the way we’re spending our money. What did it cost to go to court over the Felician Sisters? If our P & Z Commission didn’t act with flagrant disregard for our citizens, the court case would never have happened and the good Sisters would have gone along in peace and the Town would have saved a lot of money. Not to say what it cost the poor Sisters both is money and anxiety. And give the public safety officer job back to the Town Manager where it belongs and save the Town another bundle. And I can go on and on, but you get the idea!
To the person who may or may not like children, but who clearly doesn't want to pay for their educations:
I wouldn't expect the readers of this blog to side with me. I'm not telling them what they want to hear.
Anyway, you're wrong on the facts. The lower court upheld the PZC on the parking lot. The appeals court overturned the lower court. The PZC decided not to appeal to the state supreme court, which was good because its entire effort to close the parking lot was really stupid.
And it is not scorning the sisters (they are not nuns -- look it up) to say they can take care of themselves.
Also, allowing more age restricted housing developments probably wouldn't do much to lower the amount of tax money you spend on schools. Many of the people who will move into those types of developments already live in town and end up selling their houses to families with children, who go to the public schools.
>>My position on age restricted has nothing to do with a like or dislike for children. Simply stated, 70% of tax dollars are used for education. Age restricted housing have no children. Therefore, the 70% of tax dollars that would normally go for education can be used to reduce our collective tax burden. Did I suggest a moratorium on single family housing so that we do not increase the school population? Not so!
Maybe you're an idiot, but even if you are, it's time you got this through your thick skull. It would require an influx of several hundred children for the developments you describe to change the school system budget.
Why? Because 90% of the school system budget goes to salaries.
Besides, weren't there a bunch of demographic studies recently done that showed the Enfield schools losing population in the next ten years?
If you really think the decrease will lead to staff cuts, all I can say is- good luck!- let me know when you get back from La-La-Land. The Enfield Teachers union is incredibly powerful. They know how to wield cash and power.
Let me know how long age-restricted developments stay child-free. I'm telling you- it'll happen as fast as condos came clamoring for town trash pickup, taking back their deal with the town to be service-free.
By the way, my son is single, in his 20s, and childless. He wants to start an age restricted community that requires residents to be 18-35 (thus excluding children). Doesn't it strike you as silly that this is illegal but 55+ is not?
As to the speculators, I say it's high time we kicked the speculators out of town. They're one of the big reason why taxes are high and there have been so many foreclosures. The played the pump and dump game and left Enfield citizens holding the bag.
If all the dollars for new construction are going to age-restricted housing because it's denser, isn't that tantamount to declaring a moratorium on subdivisions- but creating false incentives to build age-restricted.
>>Simply stated, 70% of tax dollars are used for education. Age restricted housing have no children. Therefore, the 70% of tax dollars that would normally go for education can be used to reduce our collective tax burden.
You're spending too much time thinking about raising tax revenue and not enough time thinking about how to reduce the 70 million dollar school budget to the 40 million dollar budget it was during the '90s.
>>In fact, the same people who cry about tax abatements are often the people who cry and cry and cry to the town council about taxes being too high. You want to ease your tax burden? Then you have to expand the tax base. The only way to do that is through development. And town's need to do something to entice developers. In this case, they're considering a tax abatement. It's just the way it is.
So it's "normal" and "okay"to pay kicbacks to business to get them to move to town and stay in town?
What kind of town have you got there?
Tell me what does Enfield Fed have that the Bank of America one block up doesn't? The bank of America has had jobs there for years AND it got robbed on Monday, but isn't getting the tax relief Enfield Fed is getting? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this the government picking winners and losers- giving Enfield Fed an unfair advantage over Bank of America? No job is worth a tax abatement if it means selling out your values
>>Isn't this the same Town Attorney who presided over Enfield's losing argument in the Argenta case? Wouldn't this seem to indicate that being Town Attorney AND Public Safety Director has left him stretched too thin. If not, it makes me question his competency as a lawyer, especially one who's supposed to represent Enfield.
>>Didn't Bromson also preside over the outsourcing of the P&Z suits to expensive Hartford law firms. Why didn't P&Z have to go to binding arbitration like Argenta got to?
Don't you guys see the conflict of interest in having the Town Attorney do casework on the firing of a subordinate formerly in his chain of command?
I stand corrected on the chronology of the Felician Sisters court saga. But in the end, I was correct, the Courts found in favor of the good Sisters and that the Town had acted illegally (screwed the Sisters). And again, the "Town" is inanimate. It was not the "Town" that acted against the Sisters but the "Goodfellas".
Oh, I can't wait for tomorrow evening's season finale of "Big Love". That is Tony (Roman) DiPace and the P & Z Commission working their "religion". I wonder if there are several versions of the show's ending, you know, like the Soprano's.
I would like to adress the Argenta issue. He was restored to his job after a wrongful termination. His union had NOTHING whatsoever to do with his reinstatement to his RIGHTFUL position. He was forced to retain an attorney because too many people within the union had "opinions" on the matter. The fact is, Mr. Argenta was a model employee, trusted by then Deputy Chief Bouchard, and responsible for training MANY of the dispatchers currently employed by the town of Enfield. Whatever opinion you might hold over his personal life, there is NO disputing his professional record. Furthermore, you should re-direct your contempt for AFSCME local 1029 toward your fellow attorneys who chose to take his case (thank GOD they did, since we are ALL innocent until proven guilty....and wrongful termination is wrongful termination no matter which way you slice it)
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