Tuesday January 22 2008
Mayor/Senator Bill Finch finally admitted to Connecticut that he stayed too long at the fair. But it’s not as if he’s going anywhere.
Yes, he will devote himself to the more-than-full-time job as mayor of Bridgeport. But he needs that big-time state funding to keep the city’s head above water, so Capitol lawmakers will see more than enough of him to go around over the next few months and years.
It’s Tuesday night and the Senate just finished its homage sandwich: a farewell to Finch was the bread and the anti-crime legislation was the lunch meat. At about 11 a.m., Finch said some farewells to what they call “The Circle” of senators.
“It wasn’t a decision that was arrived upon easily because of the misguided efforts of some of the other politicians in my city,” Finch said of his waiting for months after the mayoral election before deciding to quit the Senate, where he’s served since 2001.
“It was a very difficult decision because the election results are still being held in a form of limbo,” he said, taking a unnamed swipe at Rep. Chris Caruso, D-Bridgeport, who still has a nominal challenge over the September Democratic primary alive before the state Supreme Court.
“I think it’s a danger to all of our elections and the stability of the smooth transition of power, if we are going to get involved in these kind of legal harangues that seemingly go on and on and hold the city of Bridgeport hostage,” Finch said. “I just think it’s unfortunate that certain members of the Legislature can try to hijack the system.”
Then the Senate did what they do best: recessed, ate lunch and gabbed for a while about the justice-reform legislation they were about to approve in the special, one-day session of the GeneralAssembly.
The debate finally started at 3:30. While waiting for them to get to the debate, I tracked down Caruso outside the House chamber. He said that since the Democratic voter registrar “violated more than 20 election laws and that’s the reason why the Supreme Court is reviewing the case and the State Elections Enforcement Commission has launched an investigation,” he thinks Finch’s criticism is wrong-headed.
“It’s unfortunate now he’s upset that people are holding him accountable for his own words,” Caruso said of Finch’s initial promise to drop the Senate seat, then his multi-week waffling, even after the court declined to overturn the November election.
Later, when the Senate finally finished its business, Sen. Ed Gomes, D-Bridgeport, a retired steel worker, recalled seeing Finch as a boy on a picket line where his father was with other union members. Gomes said he was proud of the man Finch grew into.
“Bill, you’re going to be the mayor of Bridgeport and you’re going to get some grief from me, because down there, there are some people I don’t like,” Gomes said.
Sen. Len Fasano, R-North Haven, stood and said he liked Finch, but he’s heard a little too much about the long-dead architect of Bridgeport’s Seaside Park. “If I don’t have to hear about Frederick Law Olmstead again,” he said of the famous 19th century landscaper who also planned New York’s Central Park, “I’m going to be a happy, happy individual,” Fasano said, half-jokingly.
Sen. Gayle Slossberg, D-Milford, said she was impressed at something Finch did years earlier, when she was still a member of her city’s Board of Aldermen and testified one day in front of a legislative committee Finch led.
“I was scared to death,” she recalled “He was very kind and listened to me and asked some tough questions and I went on my way.” Six months later, at the big, annual state Democratic fund-raising dinner, Finch remembered her and her issue. “I was absolutely floored,” she said. “That’s what Bill Finch is all about.”
About this time, as the clock was showing about 7:15 p.m., Finch was getting antsy. He had a plane to catch to Washington for his first meeting of the US Conference of Mayors.
“I know you’re in a hurry, so let me boil it down,” said Senate President Pro Tem Don Williams, D-Brooklyn, with a smile. “BeardsleyZoo, property-tax relief, Bridgeport, Bridgeport, Bridgeport.” Then he gave the Senate circle a fact check about Finch’s departure.
“It would be tough for us, if we didn’t know that we’ll still have you here,” Williams said.
“This is not going to be goodbye,” Finch confirmed. “I’ll miss youall, but I don’t want to miss my plane.”