Casting
Asparagus
Editor's Note: The reader asks reasonable questions and we respect his or her opinions.
We do visit Enfield regularly, and sometimes we leave even without a police escort. Some officials and others -- through the police -- have asked us not to visit or call them.
We do not shy away from eye contact or most other forms of contact.
As for attending meetings, well, that is not part of our mission at this time. Sometimes what happens out of public view is more important. You might want to read our accounts about the tax break issue.
When we are able to allocate time and resources, we will try to attend a meeting of interest. Facts noted in a post entitled "Enfield Malfeasance Saga Trail," HBJ Blows Lid Off Enfield Corruption Probe" and "Mayor Cocoa Puffs Goes Berserk" might also interest you.
As for the positions of public officials, those positions can be explained best by the officials themselves.
Keep those cards and letters coming. A.T.
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "1st Daily Stories":
If the reporting by the local papers is so terrible, and I generally wouldn't defend it, then why doesn't Cool Justice attend these meetings and give the people a full report endowed with context and background? At the very least, it would allow the authors of the Cool Justice Report to confront face-to-face the very town officials, perhaps even some bank officials, who they self-righteously accuse of these nefarious schemes.
So why don't the Cool Justice guys go to the meetings and stand up for the good people of Enfield in person? Here's my guess:
They don't have the stones to do it. It's much easier to lob bombs from a distance. They can label officials with witless nicknames like "Mayor Cocoa Puffs," knowing they'll never actually have to face the targets of their rantings in person.
Cool Justice makes no pretense about objectivity, so why not look these weasels in their beady eyes and tell them what awful scum they are?
But I imagine it would be difficult to look people in the eye and level charges of corruption knowing you possess not a single fact, beyond your own speculation and conspiracy theories, to support the allegations.
It's much easier to sit behind a computer screen in Litchfield and cast aspersions. It's easier. It's not exactly courageous.
Here's a question for the editor:
According to the stenography, Republican Ken Nelson supports the orignal tax abatement. If the corrupt Democrats, influenced by the vile and wicked Tallarita clan, are leading the charge to cut Enfield Federal a sweetheart deal, then why is Republican Ken Nelson, who seems like an earnest, honest fellow, supporting the original tax break agreement? Has Tallarita brainwashed him?
Posted by Anonymous to The Cool Justice Report at 4:31 PM
Thanks For
The Plugs
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "1st Daily Stories":
>>>You do realize that your above rant makes you look like a total hypocrite &pretty uncourageous. Didn't see you sign your name to your comments (posted anonymously) . At least Andy T stands tall, and backs his Cool Justice comments.
>>>Posted by Anonymous | 7:42 AM
RIGHT ON, Poster!!!!!! It always amazes me that the few bitchin' and complainin' about this blog are
quick to post anonymously too. They want to sound like big, tough guys, but yet don't sign their real names. Haven't they learned that Andy T isn't afraid of anything, or anyone!
Anyone who's read his book, "Law & Justice", realizes quickly that lil' ol' Enfield's troubles are merely a blip on his radar. He's got bigger fish to fry in Nutmeg state, but in the meantime, feels its important to shed light on local political bullies & their shenanigans.
Andy T, keep the information flowing!!!!
Posted by Anonymous to The Cool Justice Report at 9:35 AM
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Doubt Raised On Stones":
> Anyone who's read his book, "Law & Justice", realizes quickly that lil' ol' Enfield's troubles are merely a blip on his radar.
I'm about 1/2 way through "Law & Justice" and really wish this was required reading in CT high school social science class. It might inspire more high schoolers to learn about (or question) the legal system. Should be on every teachers' summer reading list. Its a quick but informative read.
Posted by Anonymous to The Cool Justice Report at 9:25 AM
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Law & Justice In Everyday Life by Andy Thibault at Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble
9 comments:
> We do visit Enfield regularly, and sometimes we leave even without a police escort. Some officials and others -- through the police -- have asked us not to visit or call them.
Yeah, do recall earlier blog posts about how some of Enfield's finest "asked" the Cool Justice staff if they knew the way out of Enfield. Now that's not very hospitable, is it?
If Enfield hasn't rolled out the welcome mat to Cool Justice, its little wonder they're not @ these meetings. Instead of criticizing them for not attending meetings, perhaps someone should be asking the Police Dept what they have against Cool Justice. Cool Justice isn't breaking any laws.
> Anyone who's read his book, "Law & Justice", realizes quickly that lil' ol' Enfield's troubles are merely a blip on his radar.
I'm about 1/2 way through "Law &
Justice" and really wish this was required reading in CT high school social science class. It might inspire more high schoolers to learn about (or question) the legal system. Should be on every teachers' summer reading list. Its a quick but informative read.
> NEW HAVEN - The case of a Lewis Mills High School senior who is suing Regional School District No. 10 officials who removed her from elective class office after she allegedly used a derogatory term to describe them in an e-mail is expected to move to U.S. District Court at an Aug. 22 hearing.
After reading about this student
taking a stand to protect her right to email, gotta wonder if she's read "Law & Justice". Isn't her mother also an attorney? Maybe this saga will make "Law & Justice", Vol II??
I know the disbarred lawyer visits Enfield from time to time. And I know he's had some difficult relationships with police in the past...
Anyway, I think it's significant that one of Tallarita's primary political rivals on the council supports a tax break for a local bank that thinly-sourced postings on this blog color as a corrupt sweatheart deal to repay the bank for Kathy Tallarita's job. (Tallarita abstained from the vote, by the way -- which was the ethical thing to do.) It supports the notion that the conspiracy theories about Enfield Federal are little more than hogwash dreamed up by people with way, way too much time on their hands. And I'm sure Councilman Nelson has a good reason for his vote. He probably believes that ana amended tax abatement would be good public policy.
HBJ BLOWS THE LID OFF OF ENFIELD CORRUPTION PROBE.
May I remind the previous blogger that not Cool Justice but a highly respected Hartford publication, HBJ broke with the news of an Enfield corruption probe.
"Anyway, I think it's significant that one of Tallarita's primary political rivals on the council supports a tax break for a local bank that thinly-sourced postings on this blog color as a corrupt sweatheart deal to repay the bank for Kathy Tallarita's job. (Tallarita abstained from the vote, by the way -- which was the ethical thing to do.) It supports the notion that the conspiracy theories about Enfield Federal are little more than hogwash dreamed up by people with way, way too much time on their hands. And I'm sure Councilman Nelson has a good reason for his vote. He probably believes that ana amended tax abatement would be good public policy."
There are rare times when adversaries will agree. This may just be one of those rare times. I stay resolved to the theory that there is more going on than meets the eye on this tax abatement matter and that the preponderance of supporters are being unduly influenced.
Consider this face: A significant number of financial institutions have opened new offices in the Town of Enfield over the past year or so. We have Bank of Western Mass, New Alliance, Rockville Bank, just to name a few. They have probably created more jobs than Enfield Fed. Were these institutions offered a tax abatement? No, No, No! What is so compelling or unique about the Enfield Fed situation that they are entitled to tax relief?
And as to the statement about "people with way, way too much time on their hands" ....but for these good folks who are taking their precious time to blog, the political figures in Enfield who have been the subject of numerous comments on this blog would really ...be having their way...in the Town of Enfield.
I believe that the Cool Justice Bloggers have been a major factor in reining in corruption in Enfield. I have a visual of Robert Dinero in Meet the Fockers giving Ben Stiller the double fingers, my eyes are on you!
Political shenanigan (to be kind with words) have been going on for some time in Enfield. But now the Cool Justice Blog has given us a medium to let these politicians know that we're on to them. Just look at what's been exposed over the past few months.
And you know what, these guys are not happy about this website at all! It has placed a big cramp on their style to act with flagrant disregard for Enfields Citizens and Taxpayers!
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, BLOGGERS!!!
> HBJ BLOWS THE LID OFF OF ENFIELD CORRUPTION PROBE.
> May I remind the previous blogger that not Cool Justice but a highly respected Hartford publication, HBJ broke with the news of an Enfield corruption probe.
So instead of Enfield's cronies blaming Cool Justice for "picking" on them, they should take aim at the highly respectable
Hartford Business Journal for spilling the beans on their antics?? Does that make them feel better about being caught? That it was HBJ, and not Cool Justice breaking the story.
Regardless of "who" is breaking the stories, these stories need to
be passed along to the masses. And if the Courant and JI aren't doing it, thank goodness others are.
And what about this so-called "corruption probe?" If you read the HBJ article, you'll discover that it amounted to somebody in the state's attorney's office sending out a couple of e-mails in response to some formal complaints that were lodged against town officials. Honestly, nobody outside the state's attorney's office really knows whether its a "corruption probe" or simply a routine response to a complaint. I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens.
The building where Enfield Federal located its offices was a significant improvement to that intersection. It's not unreasonable for the bank to request a tax abatement for its investment in improving a previously shabby property. Maybe they didn't deserve the tax break, but it's not wrong for them to ask for it.
My objection to Cool Justice isn't that they want to expose corruption. I think that's a noble cause. My problem is they do it irresponsibly. They tend to take a nugget of info, Kathy Tallarita got a job with the bank or Pat Tallarita's wife developed property nearby the Montessori School, and amplify it into a full blown scandal without nailing down loose ends. They use scathing language that isn't often justified by the facts but plays well to the crowd. Their dispatches rely too heavily on speculation and hastily drawn conclusions. They start with the premise that corruption exists and then proceed from there instead of starting with a blank slate and seeing what they can uncover. I believe this is irresponsible when people's reputations are smeared as a result.
In the Felician Sisters matter, Cool Justice espoused the Frederick-Tallarita-Troiano land grab theory without ever mentioning that the Frederick and Tallarita agreed to a convservation easement that would make it terribly difficult, if not impossible, to further develop that land. This was an important and easily attainable fact that somehow wasn't mentioned in the Cool Justice report. It was also significant to note that the Felician Sisters are trying to buy the property behind the school.
They raised a fuss about Tallarita getting a deal at Bernie's without presenting solid evidence outside of quotes from some anonymous people who obviously hate Tallarita and a rather confounding quote from Bernie's owner -- honestly, it didn't seem like the guy had a clue what he was talking about. At the very least, his quote deserved better explanation an context.
I don't object to Cool Justice because I believe Enfield is a well-run town. I object because it's wrong to attack people without rock solid evidence that they are, indeed, corrupt. Why would anybody want to hold publ;ic office if they could be so easily smeared?
I agree with the concept that
"it's wrong to attack people without rock solid evidence that they are, indeed, corrupt". I do not agree that Enfield is a well-run Town. It is anything but a well run Town.
The previous blogger is either a politician or "other person of interest" being written about in the various blogs.
And I believe that it is out of frustration that the kinds of accusations are appearing on this blog. The shenanigans going on in Enfield are real. It is bad for the Town and the majority of its citizens on the one hand and has benefited a "select" few in Town on the other hand. This is wrong.
Just take the Enfield Fed land deal along. A previous developer was denied from building on this land. Wetlands issues, etc. The Troiano's come along and now we have not only a bank building but a 30,000sf office building. I'm sure this is a money making deal for the Troiano's, which it should be. That's what capitalism is about. And the location is prime. Tearing the buildings down is just part of the cost of construction. No one did it with the motive of improving the appearance of the intersection (although it has). It was done for profit. For the Troiano's to make money off their lease. That's fine. For the Bank to make money by having a location with much better visability and more space.
My problem is 1)why was another developer denied and the Troiano's approved to build not one but two building on that parcel and 2)why should the Bank that is making money be given a tax break when they benefited by the move to the new location.
So when these kinds of things happen, they do not happen just coincidently. Things are going on behind the scenes. And they keep on going on for the same players and are being orchestrated by the same players.
The people of the Town of Enfield are not stupid. They are frustrated and want to have a fair playing field for all, not just a "select" few.
*About the tax abatement. I'm a bit confused, new at this and just learning. Looking for answers, hoping someone can clear these questions up for me. Who benefits from the tax break? Who is eligable for such a break? Is it the land owner or the business? I thought that Enfield Fed. just rents the building. Without the tax break, what kind of taxes would the bank be liable for? Are tax abatements for property tax relief or for a tax that businesses pay for doing business in town? idk thanks for the help.
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