Posted by Bob on April 27, 2009 under Daily Blogs | 
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The final debate of the May 2009 election season will be held tonight, Monday, April 27, 2009, at Naugatuck High School. Burgess candidates will make a presentation at 7:30 P.M., and the mayoral candidates will debate at 8:30 P.M. The debate is being co-sponsored by the Waterbury Republican-American and Citizen’s News.
Hope to see you there.
Posted by Bob on April 23, 2009 under Daily Blogs | Be the First to Comment
This morning’s Waterbury Republican-American article regarding the state’s acceptance of the Environmental Impact Evaluation (”EIE”) for Renaissance Place is another positive step toward seeing the project to fruition. While many of us working on the project were aware of the EIE’s progress, it is great that the press conveyed something to the public that those of us working on the project have known for some time: work continues to be done to make Renaissance Place a reality.
Fortunately during this election, Renaissance Place is not a political issue. As a result of the non-partisan structure of the Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation (NEDC), both the Mayor and I have been working as part of a large team of talented individuals to implement the project overwhelming approved by Naugatuck voters in 2007. As Vice-Chair of the NEDC, I am proud of the way people from all walks of life and all political persuasions have come together to work for such a fantastic opportunity to re-make Naugatuck’s Downtown. This is a significant departure from Naugatuck’s past when economic development efforts were subject to the whim of politicians every two years.
While work still remains for both the NEDC and the developer before ground breaks, completion of the EIE represents another goal achieved for the project. We all look forward to and expect continued success.
Posted by Bob on April 22, 2009 under Daily Blogs | Read the First Comment
Two of the three scheduled mayoral debates took place this week. The Naugatuck Chamber of Commerce held its annual debate Monday afternoon, and the Parent School Council held two separate forums for Board of Education candidates and the mayoral candidates on Tuesday night.
Throughout the two-plus centuries of our democracy, debates still remain the most fundamental way that voters can learn about the qualifications, records and plans of candidates running for public office. A third debate will be held on Monday, April 27, 2009, 7:00 PM, at Naugatuck High School, co-sponsored by the Waterbury Republican-American and Citizens News.
I applaud Mayor Bronko for honoring our pledge to make this campaign about our credentials and the issues facing the Borough. While we both passionately disagree on many issues, personal attacks and petty politics are absent from our debates and our respective campaigns.
One of our most heated discussions on Tuesday night involved my plan for structural reform of our local government. My opponent claimed that my only plan was to replicate an allegedly sixty thousand dollar study done by the Town of Darien in 1996.
For the record, I have never pledged any dollar amount to reforming our government and have no intention of replicating a thirteen year old study by an affluent town in Fairfield County. I do recommend professional assistance if we are unable to solve our government’s structural flaws on our own, but how such an analysis takes shape will require input from many individuals inside and outside of our government. One of my first acts if elected mayor would be to convene a Government Reform Council comprised of individuals from all cross-sections of our community. Together, we will decide on the best course of action on how to address the inefficiency and bloat that has existed in our government for years.
This isn’t the first time I have been criticized for discussing a “study”. Six years ago during the mayoral campaign I advocated that Naugatuck would benefit from an analysis of our government similar to the Mt. Auburn Associates study that resulted in structural changes to our economic development system and the creation of the Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation. My opponent at the time said the same thing that Mayor Bronko did Tuesday night – basically that we do not need any outside analysis of what is wrong with our government and that the mayor can fix everything on his or her own. This makes for great political rhetoric, but history tells us and has proven otherwise.
Six years later we have experienced six straight tax increases. Departments still operate like individual companies, failing to use the collective purchasing power of a ONE HUNDRED THREE MILLION DOLLAR corporation that is the Borough of Naugatuck. Relations between unions and management are at an all time low as contracts have been negotiated in the newspaper rather than at the bargaining table, at the expense of the taxpayer. Infrastructure continues to decay as basic maintenance is defrayed to future years because there is no money. Burgesses and residents alike feel that they are not being involved in the process and that the administration does not collaborate on important issues and seek consensus.
One important item that the Mayor conveniently ignores is that the economic development successes for which he claims credit on campaign literature are a direct result of the Mt. Auburn Associates “study” that I fought to undertake as a Burgess ten years ago. For years Naugatuck waited for a “plan” to address the loss of business and decreased tax revenue. While there was much talk, little action and an immense amount of politics, our previous ways were weak on results.
Identifying the problem and seeing the need for a solution, I worked to create a bi-partisan coalition of individuals from the public, private and non-profit sectors to change the way Naugatuck did business. Mt. Auburn Associates from Massachusetts was selected to conduct a comprehensive review of our economic development efforts, and produced a detailed and intelligent document recommending change. The study cost approximately thirty five thousand dollars, and was paid for by a state grant.
Unlike most “studies” undertaken by the Borough, the Mt. Auburn report did not sit on a shelf in Town Hall. We acted on recommendations made in the document, the most significant of which resulted in the creation of the Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation (NEDC). The NEDC gave Naugatuck for the first time the capacity to respond to our business community, attract new businesses to the Borough, and address the structural changes required to make Naugatuck a more business friendly community. Without the NEDC, Naugatuck would never have been in a position to entertain the thought of implementing a project the size and complexity of Renaissance Place.
Since its creation, the NEDC has worked with numerous companies to expand their businesses, relocate to Naugatuck and purchase previously unsold lots in our industrial park. It also is the lead agency in charge of overseeing and implementing Renaissance Place. Hundreds of thousands of tax dollars have been generated by businesses who have worked with the NEDC. The original Mt. Auburn Associates “study”, which did not cost local taxpayers a dime, has paid for itself numerous times over in the form of business tax revenue throughout the years since its formation. In business terms, the return on investment was significant.
I would love to believe that we can structurally reform our local government in this manner without the assistance of qualified professionals skilled in devising strategies to make government operate more like a business. We certainly should involve all stakeholders and discuss this matter thoroughly. What I can say for sure, however, is that any professional assistance which we may require will be a fraction of the cost of the current administration’s plan. This is because, quite frankly, there is not and has never been a plan to make our local government operate more efficiently, and this has already cost taxpayers dearly over recent years and will cost even more in the future.
This year the Mayor has eagerly passed a pre-election, zero-based budget without firm knowledge of state aid and wage concessions from three of the four largest unions in the Borough. Naugatuck desperately needs a no tax increase budget after last years large tax increase, but one has to wonder why this year’s budget was passed so early and contains many assumptions and expectations that could damage the Borough’s financial health if they do not come to fruition. We all can only hope for the best that the state does not decide to cut aid to the Borough and that we are able to manage costs not budgeted and contracts not negotiated. Had we done the proper due diligence, it may have been possible to even reduce taxes this year. The administration’s eagerness to quickly pass a budget prior to the election provides no return on investment from a financial perspective, only a political one. This is bad business.
If we are able to manage this budget, the administration has compromised future budgets and financial sustainability. To obtain the one major union concession with the police department, the Borough will pay a wage increase of six (6%) percent two years from now, and provide officers with a dramatic increase in private duty rates, which will undoubtedly be passed on to taxpayers in one way or another. This concession was reached the Friday before the Republican primary, with the newspaper the first call after the ink was dried.
I recognize that the Mayor is in a difficult spot and that there are no easy answers to solve our problems. I understand that obtaining short-term headlines at the expense of long-term financial success is tempting during an election year. Naugatuck taxpayers, however, deserve better. We deserve leadership that brings people together to achieve long-lasting financial health for our community. We deserve to know all the options available to reform our government rather than rhetoric trying to convince us that the mayor has all the answers to solve our economic woes. We deserve an administration that values information, can identify problems, discover solutions, build coalitions and works to enact real change within our government.
On Monday, May 4, 2009, voters will have the opportunity to get the government they deserve.
Posted by Bob on under Daily Blogs | Read the First Comment
“I recognize the right and duty of this generation to develop and use our natural resources, but I do not recognize their right to waste them, or rob by wasteful use, the generations that come after us.“ —- President Theodore Roosevelt
As we celebrate Earth Day this April 22, 2009, let us remember these wise words by one of 
America’s first environmentalists. While we face large challenges to protect our planet, we all can make a difference by performing the simplest of acts. Disposing of trash appropriately, recycling when possible and conserving energy and water requires personal responsibility, but costs nothing. We celebrate Earth Day one day per year, but need to act upon the spirit of the day all year long.
Our campaign recently participated in an Earth Day Clean-Up of Breen/Rotary Field North and South. While most of our campaign events have been and continue to be a lot of fun, I have to say that the clean-up was quite difficult and sometimes disturbing.
Team Mezzo after a long afternoon.
Some of the trash removed from the bank behind the backstops and along the river appeared as if it had been there for years. Empty liquor bottles, styrofoam cups, plastic containers and bags and discarded signs were just a few of the items found. Pricker bushes made getting to some of the trash quite dangerous. Much of the trash was likely thrown over the years from passing cars entering Route 8 South. We even found a Christmas tree, several strings of lights attached, along the riverbank.
Many residents have commented to me regarding the amount of trash, debris and litter throughout the Borough, much of which is left at our gateways in and out of town. I realize that it is difficult to enforce our existing blight ordinances given our limited resources, but more effort needs to be made to deter irresponsible people from littering our community.
We need to work closely with our police officers to refine a system to catch and penalize people who leave or dump their trash throughout the Borough. There are several responsible ways to dispose of trash and debris, and there is no excuse for those who flagrantly ignore the law.
Unsightly garbage has economic consequences as well. Failure to keep our community clean reduces property values and decreases are ability to attract new business to the Borough.
Naugatuck is a great, beautiful community. After years of neglecting and/or abusing our natural resources, much has been accomplished to make Naugatuck a more environmentally-friendly place. We now need to work together to ensure that illegal dumping and littering will not be tolerated in the Borough.
Thank you to all individuals and groups that are doing their part to celebrate Earth Day by organizing and participating in clean-ups, plantings and educational endeavors.
Posted by Bob on April 15, 2009 under Daily Blogs | Be the First to Comment
The recent articles in the Waterbury Republican-American regarding irregularities in the Board of Education audit report are very concerning. At a time when millions of Americans and thousands of Naugatuck citizens are struggling to make ends meet, learning that local officials are not properly accounting for taxpayer dollars is simply unacceptable.
The Board of Education is a FIFTY SIX MILLION DOLLAR-plus corporation. State statutes give all Connecticut boards of education complete autonomy over how funds are spent. Such autonomy does not mean that taxpayers do not have the right to know how dollars are spent.
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) law requires government entities to disclose all matters of public record not specifically exempt by the act. Required disclosure includes the most basic right of taxpayers: the right to know how and why dollars are being used. The lack of transparency disclosed in the audit report will result in further suspicion by taxpayers concerned that the Board of Education is already bloated and not held to high standards of accountability.
Years ago the Borough spent hundreds of thousands of dollars defending a charter change which appointed the mayor as a full voting member of the Board of Education. The goal was to increase cooperation between Town Hall and education officials and provide for better accountability. While relations between the Board of Mayor and Burgesses and Board of Education have improved some over the years, administrators working at the Tuttle Building still are allowed to operate without the level of transparency necessary for effective government.
I realize that everyone’s job is difficult, and assigning blame without knowledge and further investigation is counterproductive to solving problems. The reality is, however, that Board of Education officials are being paid significant tax dollars to preserve the public trust. Educating students in the twenty-first century is a complicated and expensive business. When taxpayers believe that those in charge of this task are not managing finances in accordance with common business and accounting practices, this difficult job becomes even harder.
The time for making our local government fully transparent is long overdue. The ability to provide citizens with access to information has never been easier. There is no reason why taxpayers should not be able to see the “public checkbook”, and certainly no excuse for not referencing for what checks are being written.
Drafting budgets is a long and difficult task, but managing the FIFTY SIX MILLION DOLLARS-plus Board of Education budget and the almost FORTY SEVEN MILLION DOLLAR municipal budget is just as if not more important. It is time for those in charge to open the books and restore the public trust in local government.
Posted by Bob on April 9, 2009 under Daily Blogs | Be the First to Comment
CT Local Politics reported that the approximately two hundred representatives from Connecticut municipalities were in Hartford on Wednesday to discuss the difficult choices facing local leaders. Faced with either raising property taxes, laying-off municipal workers or some combination of the two, local leaders discussed possible alternatives.
One such proposal, the ability to enact a local “sales tax”, is a bad idea. Not only is a sales tax one of the most regressive forms of taxation, but the last thing overburdened taxpayers need is another form of taxation on the local level. Such a tax would be unfair not only to local consumers, but would put local businesses at a competitive disadvantage if neighboring municipalities have different tax rates or no tax at all. The current property tax system is already unfair enough as one hundred sixty nine towns tax commercial property one hundred sixty nine different ways.
Voluntary cooperation on a regional level is a better idea. Connecticut is the third smallest state in the union yet provides the overwhelming majority of municipal services within one hundred sixty nine boundaries that were established hundreds of years ago. Most businesses are not restrained by town boundaries. Municipalities should have the option to work collectively to reduce costs to taxpayers.
Posted by Bob on April 7, 2009 under Daily Blogs | Be the First to Comment
Congratulations to the University of Connecticut Huskies – the 2008-2009 NCAA Women’s Champions.
Hail to Connecticut.
Posted by Bob on under Events | Be the First to Comment
“We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” - Native American Proverb
In recognition of Earth Day, which falls on Wednesday, April 22, 2009, Mezzo2009 will be organizing a clean-up on Sunday, April 19, 2009, from 2:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. at Breen/Rotary Field. We are actively recruiting volunteers to assist with cleaning debris from the hill behind the backstops and along the riverbank.
We encourage people of all ages to share a few hours of their weekend supporting a good cause. The event should be a great opportunity for children to learn the importance of protecting our parks and natural resources, and the damage caused by not properly disposing of trash. Supervision will be provided to ensure that any children joining us will be safe and out of harm’s way.
Jim and Sue Goggin have graciously offered their home (87 Moonlight Circle, Naugatuck, CT) for a cookout after the clean-up. Hot dogs and hamburgers will be served.
Bags and gloves will be provided to all those who attend. Special thanks to Recycling Coordinator Sheila Baummer for her assistance in organizing.
Anyone interested in volunteering, please email our campaign at bob@bobmezzo.com, or call 203-729-6271.
Posted by Bob on under Daily Blogs | Be the First to Comment
Please view the 2009-2010 adopted budget, with year-to-date expenditures through April 2, 2009. Naugatuck’s fiscal year starts on July 1st and ends on June 30th of each year. Unless petitions are filed for a referendum, this will be the Borough’s budget for the 2009-2010 fiscal year.
Please read my previous post regarding some of the concerns raised by this budget.
Special thanks to Borough Comptroller Wayne McAllister for promptly replying to all my numerous requests for information about the budget.
Posted by Bob on April 6, 2009 under Daily Blogs | Be the First to Comment
Millions of Americans are experiencing the tragedy of losing their homes to foreclosure. The collapse of the financial industry, declining real estate prices, irresponsible borrowing, job loss and predatory loans are just a few of the reasons why homeowners are facing difficulty making their monthly payments. Many families in Naugatuck have been affected.
In my own business, I have heard horror stories from clients simply trying to contact their lenders. Often phone calls to national lenders, some taking a half hour or longer, result in very little direction or resolve. Many large financial institutions are unable or unwilling to process requests for assistance, modifications or short sales in a timely manner.
Local government’s direct role in helping homeowners avoid foreclosure is limited to controlling taxes, which are usually collected by lenders as part of monthly payments and held in escrow until due. The Borough can and should, however, provide struggling homeowners with information and access to resources that can assist homeowners avoid foreclosure and/or minimize damage.
Programs and options do exist before and after legal action has commenced. The Borough can not and should not provide legal advice, but it would be prudent for those in the administration to be versed in directing citizens to appropriate contacts and resources that may be of assistance. In addition, I would work with state and federal officials to ensure that lenders be more responsive to their clients.
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