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I gotta think if most Connecticut elections took place in early spring rather than the fall many more incumbents would be plowed under.

There’s the legend of Bridgeport’s Depression-era Mayor Jasper McLevy who claimed “God put the snow there…let him take it away.” Well, Jasper never actually said those words but the declaration stuck to the penny-pinching Socialist after some local scribes needled city Public Works Director Pete Brewster about his snow-removal efforts as he was tipping a few beers at a local pub. Let the guy who put it there take it away! he snapped. And from that day on he was known as Pete “Sunshine” Brewster who relied on sunny days to remove the snow. And McLevy received credit for something he never uttered.

In 1974 Governor Thomas Meskill committed the unpardonable act of vacationing in Vermont while a storm buried the state. Voters iced him come election time. Ella Grasso never forgot what voters did to her predecessor. Ella became the Snow Queen in charge of the Blizzard of 1978.

If we had elections in the spring you wouldn’t be hearing so much about out-of-control spending leading to budgets deficits. Everyone would be screaming I promise to plow your streets!

(Check out my daily webzine at www.onlyinbridgeport.com)

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Former Congressman Christopher Shays has sided with Maryland crabs over Blue Point oysters. (I’ll take Connecticut oysters any day.)

Shays, who moved to Maryland several months ago,  announced his decision Tuesday morning to friends in an email and www.ctcapitolreport.com that he’ll not be a candidate for governor.

Shays recently placed a deposit on a condo in Black Rock but said he would do that irrespective of a run for governor because he also wants a place in Connecticut.

(Check out my daily webzine at www.onlyinbridgeport.com.)

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The short answer is yes.

Former State Senator Ernie Newton is now a resident of a halfway house in Waterbury where he’ll serve out his sentence. Once that’s completed in August he’ll be turned over to U.S. Probation where he’ll serve a three-year period of supervised release that will require him to follow a set of conditions such as drug testing and filing monthly financial statements.

When Newton was sentenced in 2006 U.S. District Judge Alan Nevas did not set forth a special condition prohibiting him from seeking public office while under supervised release. Under Connecticut law (federal offenses revert to the states regarding voting privileges) felons are allowed to vote provided they’re not incarcerated and have satisfied all fines and restitution. Do you know who pushed for that law in 1998? Ernie Newton. Do you know who signed that into law? Yup. John Rowland.

Don’t ya just love the irony?

(Check out my daily webzine at www.onlyinbridgeport.com)

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Ned Lamont announced his candidacy for governor today and the best part of his speech is here:

I graduated from Harding and now teach at Central Connecticut State, where we reach out to businesses to see what they need. Why is insurance moving to Iowa? They need more accountants. So we need to start graduating more actuaries and accountants.

Can Bridgeport now adopt Ned as graduate of Harding High? He must of meant Harvard, right? Ah, but Ned did serve as a volunteer teacher at Harding sharing his busines skills with kids. For Ned’s full remarks http://tinyurl.com/LamontAnnouncement

(Check out my daily webzine at www.onlyinbridgeport.com)

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Having fun logging into your new People’s United Bank Online account? Having fun trying to get through to a human?

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Ask Congressman Jim Himes if he’d take a 13-point win today in the November general election and he’d say YES! That’s the statistical lead the Democrat has in a poll conducted by one of his Republican opponents Rob Russo.

Thirteen points would be a nice lead if Russo, a former state senator from Bridgeport, wasn’t so unknown throughout most of Connecticut’s Fourth Congressional District which takes in most of Fairfield County. As the ultimate Republican challenger to Himes (Russo and State Senator Dan Debicella are the leading candidates) build positive name recognition Himes will likely have a major battle on his hands due to the makeup of the district. Republicans occupied that seat for 40 years until Himes unseated Chris Shays in the Barack tsunami of 2008.

Himes is fighting Washington more than his actual job performance. Himes is bright, well educated and he has stepped up visibility in his district. But it takes a few terms in office for an incumbent to build enough prestige to overcome Washington inaction. The backlash that hit Republicans in 2008 has now reversed itself and the trend will continue unless the economy rebounds to soften voter anger.

The good news for Himes? He’ll have plenty of loot to make his case to voters that he deserves reelection as he trots out the goodies he’s secured for his peeps. Campaigns are all about MOM…money, organization and message. If the Republican candidate raises sufficient dough Himes will have a fight. If not Himes will be humming a sweet tune in November.

Speaking of Shays, he has placed a binder deposit on a condo in Black Rock. He told me, however, he has not made a final decision on seeking the Republican nomination for governor. After moving to Maryland a few months back, he says, it was always his intention to find a second home in Connecticut. The decision to run will come soon. He wants to make sure his personal finances are in order before making a leap back into politics. That same Russo poll that showed Himes 13 points ahead of Russo also shows that Himes would be toast if Shays sought his old seat. But Shays says his focus would be governor if he reenters the arena.

(Check out my daily webzine at www.onlyinbridgeport.com)

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When is the Board of Education going to bite the bullet and build a new Harding High School? (And a new Bassick High as well?)

It’s not just kids and teachers subjected to antiquated learning and working environment, it’s also the kids facing shock treatment as they segue from the modern technology of new middle schools into a hell hole. What is the price tag of a new high school, $150 million? The state pays for 80 percent of it. What does it cost the city in businesses that will not relocate here because of high schools out of the Stone Age? Of course, the BOE cannot do this without help. There must also be the will to push this by the city’s state legislative delegation. If it’s not a priority of local lawmakers to press the state for the dough it won’t get done.

The big issue, say supporters of a new school, is lack of land. Where to build a new Harding? Any suggestions? Maybe we should dust off some of those alternative sites for Jodi’s Jail. Or why not level Harding, build on existing land and relocate students temporarily. Maybe in some buildings at UB?

(Check out my daily webzine at www.onlyinbridgeport.com)

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If Sarah Palin, who’s on a fill-my-pockets tour of Tea Party events, ever makes it to Bridgeport I hope she gets this treatment courtesy of former City Councilman Cougar Rodgerson and Bob Adams, the man behind the camera:

(Check out my daily webzine at www.onlyinbridgeport.com)