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Last night, School Superintendent Sal Pascarella and members of the board responded to the recent Freedom of Information request from City Council Minority Leader Tom Saadi as well as address allegations of retribution against teachers who who spoke out during the education budget debates.
Cross post from HatCityBLOG
Responding to concerns from teachers who feared retaliation from school administrators due to criticisms made towards school officials during the recent education budget debates, City Council Minority Leader Tom Saadi filed an Freedom of Information (FOI) request with School Superintendent Sal Pascarella. At issue is whether or not Pascarella requested the school’s IT department to provide him any emails transmissions between teachers and Councilman Saadi.
Here’s a copy of Saadi’s FOI request to Pascarella.
Earlier today, I had a chance to interview Saadi and talk to him about the allegations raised in his FOI request.
UPDATE: Pascarella responds to the allegations.
Pascarella said Wednesday he had already received the letter and emphatically denies the allegations.
“I am very careful of people’s rights and their ability to articulate their opinions and I respect that,” he said. “That’s just not the way we operate.”
[…]
Pascarella said that while he can’t speak for others, nobody has been asked to “investigate those in my employment for dealing with the council or making comments about the budget.”
Frankly, he added, such allegations are “deplorable” and repugnant.
“That’s not what I stand for,” he said.[…]
Pascarella said he will comply with the request [from Saadi].
UPDATE 2: Due to today’s story, I will be providing a LIVE VIDEO STREAM of tonight’s Board of Education meeting in which Pascarella might comment on the FOI request.
Cross post from HatCityBLOG
Before Monday’s convention, I had an opportunity to interview to 24th State Senate candidate Alice Hutchinson and talk to her about why she’s running for state office.
Cross post from HatCityBLOG
Former Bethel Selectwoman Alice Hutchinson delivers her acceptance Speech at the 24th Democratic State Senate convention.
City Hall 05.24.10
Yesterday, by a vote of 25 to 12, delegates from the 24th state senatorial district elected former Bethel Selectwoman Alice Hutchinson as their Democratic nominee for the state senate. Also seeking the party’s endorsement last night was Danbury City Councilman Paul Rotello who received enough votes to force an August primary.
From last night, here’s video of Hutchinson’s acceptance speech:
After the convention, I had an opportunity to talk to Hutchinson and Rotello…
NOTE: Tonight, I will be broadcasting a LIVE VIDEO STREAM of the 2nd district State Rep convention from Terrywile Park in Danbury.
RELATED POST:
Cross post from HatCityBLOG
Today, Democrats in the 24th State Senate district will be choosing their candidate to face Mike McLachlan in November.
There are two Democrats who are seeking their party’s nomination tonight, Danbury City Councilman Paul Rotello and former Bethel First Selectwoman Alice Hutchinson.
You can watch tonight’s proceedings LIVE starting at 7:30.
UPDATE: The convention is over and Hutchinson is the nominee with Rotello receiving enough delegate votes to force a primary. I’ll post the recorded video footage from the convention later.
Cross post from HatCityBLOG
On Wednesday, Danbury City Councilman Paul Rotello announced that he’s throwing his hat into the race for the state’s 24th district senate seat.
Via Rotello’s press release:
It’s been a real honor to represent my neighbors in Danbury over the last decade, and I hope to continue doing so in Hartford for all the residents of the 24th,” the four term councilman said, adding, “Many of the larger issues facing the four towns, from ill advised court rulings preventing local zoning control, to management of water resources, continuing job losses, sky-high electrical rates and the ongoing uncertainties surrounding Candlewood lake, need to be addressed at the state level if they are ever to be resolved. I intend to focus on them immediately and begin bringing the residents of Northern Fairfield county relief.
Earlier this week, I had an opportunity to interview Rotello and talk to him about his desire to give current state senator Mike McLachlan his pink slip.
Rotello isn’t the only Democrat that expressed interest in representing the state’s 24th senatorial district as Bethel Former First Selectwoman Alice Hutchinson formed an exploratory committee some time ago.
If 2008 is any indication of things to come, then expect these two Democrats to face each other in an August primary.
Cross post from HatCityBLOG
Kevin Rennie explains why Tom Foley’s acceptance of Danbury’s last honest man as Lt. Gov now is a smart political move that could hurt Mike Fedele at the convention.
Republican gubernatorial hopeful Tom Foley will not name a running mate. The former ambassador to Ireland will go into the Republican convention on his own and accept the choice of Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton to run with him after the party’s summer primary. The move will deny the Fedele/Boughton campaign $375,000 in campaign cash that would have gone to Boughton in an August primary contest for the nomination.
The move may also keep Boughton supporters from rallying to Lieutenant Governor Michael Fedele in his race against Foley. With either candidate, they get Boughton on the ticket, which may be enough for them.
Cross post from HatCityBLOG
Seems like Danbury’s last honest man has decided to call it quits. Kevin Rennie has the details:
Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton is expected to drop his campaign for governor on Monday to become Lieutenant Governor Michael Fedele’s running mate. With balloting for the Republican nomination for governor to take place on Saturday, May 22nd, the flagging Fedele campaign needs a boost to remain competitive with former Ambassador Tom Foley, the frontrunner in the race. Boughton could provide it.
The selection of Boughton, who has attracted the enthusiastic support of at least 15% of the delegates to the convention, ought to help Fedele avoid a humiliating result at the convention–if Boughton’s delegates move with him. Danbury has 28 delegates. There are 1462 delegates to the convention, which will take place in Hartford at the Connecticut Convention Center.
Boughton’s move shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who understands the extreme obstacles candidates face in qualifying for the state’s public finance program (hint: Dan Malloy is the only candidate that’s raised the 250,000 dollars in contributions of 100 dollars or less needed to qualify for the program…and he’s been campaigning for governor for well over a year).
Taking into consideration the amount of time it took Malloy to qualify for public financing, Boughton’s late entrance into the race, as well as his less than impressive first quarter campaign finance report, it’s no surprise that Mark decided to call it quits. Whether Boughton’s delegates will decide to shift to Fedele’s camp at this week’s convention remains to be seen…
UPDATE: Here’s WTNH’s report on the Fedele/Boughton press conference
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