Gomes bashes “machine,” criticizes Foster’s education stance

BRIDGEPORT — On Monday, Democrat Mary-Jane Foster announced her education platform, including a plan to pursue the creation of a local school board consisting of five appointed and four elected individuals.
On Tuesday, the Democratic Town Committee endorsed Mayor Bill Finch for another four-year term.
And, Democratic candidate for mayor John Gomes is taking issue with both announcements.

Here are excerpts from the two press releases Gomes has issued on the topics:

On Foster’s announcement: “I have four daughters in Bridgeport’s public school system and I can tell you that this plan misses the boat,” Gomes said in a release. “More layers of bureaucracy are the last thing we need. We need a complete and thorough financial audit and performance review. We need to get back to the basics of educating our children and put the money directly into the classrooms. She wants to take the control from the parents and give it to the politicians, and that is wrong.”

On the DTC’s endorsement:

“I’m certainly not surprised that the machine has endorsed Bill Finch,” Gomes said, again in a release. “After all, I’m the only candidate who has promised to break the suffocating hold the machine has on this city and to reign in real reform and progress. We’ll never lower taxes, fix our schools, or create jobs with the status quo. The machine IS the status quo and Bill Finch is their candidate for good reason. He’s does exactly what they tell him to do and Bridgeport continues to suffer. My campaign represents something completely different. I’ll clean house and return the power to the people. Tomorrow the petition drive to get on the Democratic ballot begins. Bill Finch is the candidate of the machine and of the powerful. I’m the candidate of the people.”

For more on Gomes and his candidacy visit www.johnmgomes.com.

Keila Torres Ocasio