U.S. Rep. Jim Himes visited the kids in the summer programming at the Greenwich Boys and Girls Club this morning. While explaining the national government, he asked the 27 mid-teens the names of their U.S. senators. They drew blanks. ”Anybody know who our two senators are? Joe Lieberman. Anybody know who the second one is? He’s a new one, he just got elected in the last election. He’s actually from Greenwich. Dick Blumenthal?….”
Ken Dixon's Blog-O-Rama
Connecticut politics is a contact sport
Archive for July, 2012
Stamford Mayor Mike Pavia: should he stay or go, from the GOP?
Stamford Mayor Michael Pavia, caught in the Government Center this afternoon following an event for GOP 4th Congressional District candidate Steve Obsitnik, seemed to be hedging on whether he’ll leave the GOP: “I made a statement, I guess it was about a month ago that I’m thinking about leaving the GOP and without getting into all of the details, it just had to do with more of party politics than anything else and not necessarily a dissemination of the issues, a dissemination of the work load that had to be dealt with. It was more ‘we need to do this in this regard in order to make the Republican Party look good’ and it’s because it’s what the Republican Party wants. When you’re in a job like mine, you can’t subscribe to that. You have to be able to have the flexibility and the ability to deal with the issues as best as you possibly can and you can’t do that with one arm tied behind your back.”
Gomes, Cafero, Backer, Williams, win state campaign grants
Veteran state Sen. Ed Gomes, D-Bridgeport, fighting a three-way primary to retain his seat, is among those Friday who met fund-raising thresholds to receive public funding. His opponents, Rep. Andres Ayala and convicted felon Ernie Newton, previously met the thresholds, setting the scene for the August 14 winner-take-all showdown for the seat representing the eastern half of Bridgeport and part of Stratford’s South End. Rep. Terry Backer, D-Stratford, was also in Friday’s list, along with House Minority Leader Larry Cafero and Senate President Pro Tempore Don Williams. Here is the news release:
“HARTFORD, CT – July 12, 2012 – The State Elections Enforcement Commission (the “Commission”) today
awarded thirteen more public grant payments under the Citizens’ Election Program (the “Program” or “CEP”)
for the upcoming August primaries and November election. The Commission determined that state
representative candidates David Alexander (D – 58th District), Terry Backer (D – 121st District), Lawerence
Cafero, Jr. (R – 142nd District), Marilyn Giuliano (R – 23rd District), Minnie Gonzalez (D – 3rd District), Daniel
Rovero (D –51st District), Stephen Rubin (R – 136th District), Kathy Tallarita (D – 58th District), Kate Tepper
(D – 142nd District), and Edwin Vargas (D – 6th District) were eligible to receive Program grants. State senate
candidates Edwin Gomes (D – 23rd District), Edward Meyer (D – 12th District), and Donald Williams
(D – 29th District) were also determined to be eligible to receive Program grants.
The final deadline for primary grant applications is fast approaching. Friday, July 20 at 5:00 p.m. is the final
deadline for candidates to apply for primary grants. The Program has also entered what is termed the
“primary blackout period” for general election grant application reviews. For the next deadline (July 18), only
applications from candidates facing a primary will be subject to the five day turnaround time by the
Commission. General election grant applications will be accepted during this time, but will not be acted upon
by the Commission until its August 1 meeting.
The Citizens’ Election Program is a revolutionary program that allows qualifying candidates for the General
Assembly to receive full public financing. To qualify for public financing, candidates must demonstrate they
have sufficient support from their constituents. Participating candidates may only accept small dollar
contributions from individual human beings—the maximum contribution is $100—and no contributions from
state contractors, PACs, unions or corporations. The CEP was designed, in part, to reduce the influence of
special interests in state politics, and it has done so to a remarkable degree in just two full election cycles. As
the SEEC, struggling with staff reductions, begins its third cycle of administering the voluntary Program, the
CEP continues to provide a seawall against the rising tide of special interest money in today’s elections.
Grant amounts vary. Typically, primary grant amounts are $10,740 for state representative candidates and
$37,590 for state senate candidates, but amounts are higher if the candidates run in districts where one major
party has a large advantage in the number of electors registered with that party. In most races, general
election grant amounts are $26,850 for state representative candidates and $91,290 for state senate
candidates.”
Could Rep. Sean Williams, in another life, been among the Parisians who set up the Second Empire and Emperor Napoleon III?
Under massive public pressure, King Louis-Philippe abdicated in 1848, setting the scene for the Second Empire.. Who knows what the cocktail conversation will be next week in the Old State House, with Rep. Williams, R-Watertown? Just saying….
Ex-UConn President Phil Austin approved $2.5 million in construction work without permission
The Auditors of Public Accounts just released a report on UConn, indicating that former President Phil Austin approved an extra $2.5 million in code improvements without permission.
“9. University administrators should obtain and document the required approvals for changes in the scope of exigent projects that affect the cost of the project.
In August 2007, President Austin approved an exigent project for code remediation work projected to cost $492,869. Subsequent changes in scope increased the projected cost to $2,558,060. We were unable to locate documentary evidence that the changes in scope were approved by an individual with the requisite degree of authority.”
Criteria:
At its March 23, 2004 meeting, the Board of Trustees established a category of projects, titled exigent projects, requiring immediate action. The Board of Trustees authorized the University administration to negotiate with any qualified contractor currently under contract and working at the University on other, unrelated projects, to work on exigent projects.Exigent projects were to be approved by the vice president for operations, who also had the authority to approve changes in scope that affect the cost of the project. The vice president for operations reported to the vice president and chief operating officer. Effective November 2004, the position of vice president for operations was eliminated.
Condition:
In August 2007, President Austin approved an exigent project for code remediation work projected to cost $492,869. Subsequent changes in scope increased the projected cost to $2,558,060. We were unable to locate documentary evidence that the changes in scope were approved by an individual with the requisite degree of authority..
Effect:
It does not appear that the changes in scope were properly approved.
Auditors of Public Accounts University of Connecticut 2008 and 2009 26 Cause:
We were unable to readily determine why the required authorizations were not obtained.
Recommendation:
University administrators should obtain and document the required approvals for changes in the scope of exigent projects that affect the cost of the project. (See Recommendation 9.)
Agency Response:
“The University agrees with this finding. Going forward, the University will endeavor to make sure that the individual with requisite degree of authority signs off on all exigent requests.”
The report also finds that three subcontracts were completed without competitive bidding.
The report also finds that three subcontracts were completed without competitive bidding.
The report also finds that three subcontracts were completed without competitive bidding.
