City Balance Sheet Dilemma! Blake Proves Worse Than Richetelli

FACTS DO NOT LIE! Milford Republicans prove themselves as less irresponsible than Milford Democrats. The Graph below demonstrates that when it comes to eroding the city balance Sheet, Mayor Ben Blake has topped all previous records held by the previous kleptocrat Jim Richetelli. The city is not yet bankrupt because we still have more assets than liabilities, but we are well on our way with Blake "the snake." I predicted some years ago that under the present trends the city would be in big trouble around 2014 at the latest, because that is when (under the present trends) Milford would have depleted its entire asset base. Every good accountant will tell you that when you have more Liabilities than assets you have a negative net worth or in other words you are bankrupt. This makes borrowing more difficult and creditors grow concerned about a responsible plan whereby the city can balance not only its budget but its books. This often results in a massive spike in property taxes, credit downgrades and a decline in services. The future of Milford looks bleak with this administration we may want to think about a change come next election. 

To see the graph click the link:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/roccofrank.milfordindependents

The 2012 Enigma Why Should We Care?

Enigmatic as it may be the year 2012 certainly has been sensationalized. This has happened at the movie theater, on the History Channel, I have even heard of Mayan prophecies, and prophecies from Web Spiders, to the lost book of Nostradamus.

The conspiracies surrounding 2012 are everywhere, and they are more pervasive and disconcerting than the Y2k Computer bug could have ever dreamed. There is no shortage of paranoia when it comes to 2012, especially those wealthy elite who are creating an esoteric real estate market of under ground shelters. Companies like Bechtel are thriving with a shovel and a tunnel boring machine. The frenzy and paranoia is endless and the mad rush to be prepared for this epoch Mayan dooms day has become an industry on to itself.

Of all the theories none amuse me more than the Nibiru/ Planet X theory. This tall tale comes from the Ancient Sumerian texts that read more like an episode of Star Gate SG9 than a credible archaeological record. The mad rush to doomsday preparation is only exaggerated by the fact that no one can accurately predict the future, nor can we guarantee that there are undiscovered planetoids, comets, asteroids, or near earth objects that threaten Earth.

Looking back we must never forget the lesson of Schumaker Levy, the largest planetary impact of a space based asteroid. No real scientists disagrees that the potential for an asteroid or impact on the earth from a space object is impossible, as a matter of fact we are warned that the possibility is real and they have even named Apothis Earth's greatest future threat.

None of these, however are Nibiru, nor are any expected to arrive in the year 2012, so why all the hype? Personally I think there is much mis-information out there and those who have inordinate amounts of money are not inconvenienced by having the insurance policy of an underground shelter.

These people, perceived as eccentric by some are in-fact concerned about some real issues. Of all the 2012 conspiracies out there there are two that are very hard to dismiss. The one that I find most alarming is the current solar cycle that we are experiencing right now. The Sun, our Sun, is entering a period of intense activity and as many who study the Earth are aware, our planets magnetosphere is what protects life from harmful solar radiation.

The Earth's magnetosphere has been acting erratically and the magnetic poles have been moving erratically. These issues are particularly of concern to scientists because a weakening of the magnetosphere is very problematic when the sun is abnormally active. The CME's or coronal mass ejections have the ability to destroy satellites and wreak havoc on Earths ungrounded electrical grid. This is a real threat and one was recorded in the late 1,800's that destroyed the telegraph telephone system that existed then.

This threat combined with the decline of the Global economy, and the Austerity measures we see on T.V. make it increasingly evident that capitalism world wide has been compromised to rampant fraud and the induced indebtedness of every nation by the worlds largest criminal financiers.

Under current estimates, the U.S. and Europe will experience a currency collapse under the weight of these economic problems within the next few years. The solutions to the worlds debt may be the rebirth of the entire world economy, and end to the American economic customs and traditions we now hold dear.

The key decision makers have already amped up the rancour on the instability of global financial instruments, and the worlds middle and lower classes are en-masse letting their voices be heard during this transformation process that seems clearly underway.

While I personally cannot predict the future, I can see clearly and evidently that paper denominated assets, such Pension funds, dollars, 401k's etc. are in jeopardy of being fatally devalued. Americas protests are in large part over union issues, collective bargaining rights and balancing budgets all these are on the heels of the Federal government who itself is monetizing debt as the nations bond sales increasingly produce disappointment.

There is a clear recipe for a rebirth of the entire global economic picture that we have come to know. Those who are aware, educated and prepared for this transformation will fare well while those who are sceptical disbelievers may soon realize the Apocalypse of 2012 was little more than a cruel financial joke played on the worlds working class.    

Recap In Politics Around Milford

The Snow still persists, having broken all records and for the first time in recent memory bull dozers are out doing snow removal. This year the kids missed Eight Days of School and as a result their April vacation is expected to be very short. This is provided that no more cancellations occur between now and then.

The snow also took its toll on Milford's crumbling schools, the Board of Education has been addressing these 100M repair costs on and off for years but last week the debate abruptly shifted when the East Shore Middle School Roof was is in danger of collapsing due to the weight of the heavy snow. The kids were all relocated to Foran H.S. where they are expected to remain until the safety of East Shore is guaranteed.

The Mayor, as usual, is proposing his Eighth Consecutive Tax Increase and using his traditional argument that it only amounts to a few hundred dollars more per home owner in Milford. Since the Mayor began using this argument eight years ago homeowners have seen their taxes incrementally rise to several thousands of dollars per year and over 2,500 homes have been foreclosed on or sold as a direct result of taxation and the cost associated with living in CT.

According to Trulia.com The housing situation in Milford continues to remain shaky as several new Foreclosures have entered the market this week further challenging the "Grand List" and driving up the towns Mill Rate. This rate is expected to change dramatically when the Assessor completes their re-evaluations (not done since the top of the market) and the new figures are entered next year.

The biggest property devaluators  continue to be the Middletown Power line project. There are apx. 1,000 homes impacted by those lines. The new towers replaced the shorter wooden towers that looked very similar to the telephone poles on the street. The new towers are a residential hardship,  they are solid steel towers barreling over 135 Feet in the Air. Those homes that once blended with nature and low lying utilities are now permanently marred with industrial high voltage lines and equipment. Many of these homeowners are already engaged in a class action lawsuit against those who built them.

In other news this week, The Town Planning and Zoning Department has erupted in controversy over a leadership crisis involving the selection of a chairman. This disruption inconvenienced and costs local businesses money in lost time over several days. The P&Z was abrubtly suspended when 5 members of the board walked out of the meeting while the public was waiting for permit approvals. However it did not stop them from issuing citations against every small business up and down the Post RD and New Haven Ave.

Complaints from businesses were mostly related to signage and the desire of those business owners to maintain marketing freedom to obtain customers in a challenged economy. The City of Milford insists that all funds and moneys due the city must be paid, proper permit paperwork must be filled out, and inspectors must be satisfied. This applies to all signs even if its a "weekly special," "flag" or "Temporary Promotion."

The City of Milford aggressively enforces its regulations against local small businesses and through its enforcement actions expresses its acrimony toward them.  Last year was a typical reminder,  that was the year a private collection agency was hired and deputized with authoritative power to collect business taxes the city tax collector and Mayor claimed were "under reported."

The national economy, inflation and the continuing growth of social programs has been especially beneficial to Milford as the Federal aid has increased in the last Three years to our city residents who are increasing becoming dependent on public aid or just leaving the city.

On a final word thus far there are no official announcements for any candidates running for Mayor in 2011.

Why State Spending Is Enigmatic

Many Conservatives have clamored that spending is excessive and problematic in the state of Connecticut. This is true, at least somewhat, but there are omissions that are being ignored for political pageantry. Conservatives would have us believe that there is too much wasteful spending, and certainly they are not entirely wrong. But, it is important to note that this is true of every governing body across the country, and the argument is nothing new.

We all are keenly aware that there is always a way to get things for less, perhaps privatize more of government, and certainly cut those social programs that have earned such a terrible record.

Well no one doubts that spending needs to be streamlined, especially during hard economic times when government and the deficit grows in tandem with poverty. Sadly what is being overlooked is the paradox of tax cuts during a Recession/Depression (depending on your view of the current economy.)

The paradox in state spending today is accompanied by its rhetoric. Rhetoric that reminds voters that people are hurting, there are few good jobs out there and several other preventable conditions exist that are agitating poverty. With the spread of rich to poor now at at record 14.5% Connecticut, and many other states for that matter, has to factor this increase in poverty into its budget. We also have to consider the cost of Un-employment (at a record 99 weeks for some) , food aid, and a record level of need as requested by the Connecticut Department of Social Services. Lets also factor in the interest on our debt, accompanied by inflation and the associated cost of dealing with increases in crime and punishment, and then it becomes easy to understand how our state ran some record deficits.

Connecticut has the highest debt to person ration in America and a pension fund set to run out by 2019 because of negligent cuts that are threatening everyone. The disingenuous nature of economic repair men is dangerous and irresponsible. Once again we have a tax paradox in Connecticut, whereby we all overwhelmingly agree that the poor should be helped, children deserve health care, and that the tide of poverty must be reversed. But few dare offer a genuine solution by way of new jobs and economic opportunity.

There are several places where money can still be saved in government but those cuts will hardly match the money that is needed to solve the basic humanitarian issues we have incurred in our state. For this reason I question the MRTC produced graph as little more than a political ploy emblematic of a half truth. A half truth that will become self evident in time when all cuts that have been made get made. Then it will become clear that such a graph accompanied by more conservative tax rhetoric will amount to severe austerity losses. Austerity losses accompanied by the unwelcome sight of homeless people living on the street, children being left uninsured, and pension funds being denied to new employees while older employees receive less.

The answer is as I stated in previous articles, and that is Connecticut needs to challenge the monetary policy of the Federal Government, resist austerity measures, challenge the supremacy clause of the Federal Government, sue the Feds against all job killing treaties and consider rebuilding our state from the vantage point of the sovereign position of individual states rights. This may require us to pass new "xeno-tax" laws that specifically target the Federal Government and the glut of outside slave produced goods dumped on our markets. Lastly and most importantly we need to embrace the green economy and protect our remaining jobs from export. Connecticut cannot "fix the world," but Connecticut can independently work to fix its economy from within our own borders by not allowing "the world" to "drag us down."

When Government Does Not Work

The current administration has engaged in a "faux pas" style of leadership that dare not challenge the worst attributes of employee abuses. Starting with the mayor who last year took 28 days off from work without telling anyone.

It should be no surprise that when city employees go wild, the boss who set the standard is having a hard time holding people accountable. The policy to fixing our problems in government appears to be one where we expand it and then outsource it.

Last fall when the building department failed to deliver service on its five permits each day, the current administration hired a $100,000.00 per year customer service representative aka Land Use Czar. To add insult to injury he paid an expert 50,000.00 for a report (AKA The KRIT). No one was fired, the building department budget was increased double digits to nearly $900,000.00 per year all for the sake of rewarding the slovenly and outrageous behavior of a disgraceful department riddled with excuses for why they cannot perform.

When the tax collector failed to their job in collecting business taxes, the current administration again gave away the city's money to a private corporation to do the job of the tax collector. We pay that department, and its associated employees, to do the job of collecting taxes. Yet again, of the estimated $560,000.00 that is being collected by this corporation the city will be giving away $110,000.00 of it as a corporate commission.

When the school Superintendent gets arrested, no the Mayor cannot just demand he "resign," "quit," or "stop abusing the school board." He instead stays silent as he is offered $125,000.00 for allegedly sexually abusing his employees.

One must sit back in awe, and wonder why the current administration finds it easier to raise our taxes, oppose the Jonathan Law addition, and hold the taxpayers of this city accountable for the failures of the local bureacracy. Part of being the Mayor in this city, is holding city employees accountable and demanding that they not use the city as their personal "piggy bank."

While many are struggling, and having a hard time finding good work, the citizens of milford who are also to blame are enabling this very tyrannical behaviour by chosing to not get involved. The old addage of "oh my family does not discuss religion or politics" is getting old.

There is no greater Irony and comeuppance than watching those very people who believe such ignorance pack up their foreclosed house and then go cry on the shoulder of their child molesting priest.

You get the government you "pay attention to" not the one that is "advertising in your mailbox." The sooner you start to get involved in our community, the sooner you can get the thieves out of your checking accounts.

The Day After The Storm

Fortunately the snow storm in Milford did not drop the expected mass that is mostly on Washington D.C. Milford received about Four Inches of mostly wet snow that is melting in the mid day afternoon weather.

News 12 was spotted last evening in front of Autozone filming traffic and the weather conditions. Kids got their day off from school, and again today a opening delay as the city buses were clearing their windows and preparing their buses for transportation.

The city will return to business as usual this week, and several debates are still ongoing over over the Kimball Report Implementation Team (KRIT), the lack of transparency in that department and the enormous double digit increase in their budget.

The newly created land use Czar has just received a raise to Apx $100,000.00 per year from the original %95,000.00 per year. The Czars are not sitting well with some city board members who are complaining that they are marginalizing, and ignoring the authority of the city boards.

Meanwhile, a $300,000.00 elevator at Pumpkin Delight school awaits approval and two fire departments in the Woodmont section of Milford appear to be paying the price for the city's management mistakes. These mistakes are forcing them to cut costs by consolidating the two departments into a single unit.

This is an ongoing and controversial debate this week, along with several other key issues effecting the Board of Education whose budget proposal has already been approved and is awaiting final approval from the Board of Finance.

The Mayors proposed budget has a 3.95% increase this year and will mark a decade where our city doubled its spending from Apx.95 Million in 1999 to 190 Million in 2009, making the present mayor the most fiscally irresponsible in the city's history if not the entire state. Tom Byrne, a former Republican Town Committee member has become the city's most outspoken critic of the Republican Party and the Mayor's administration.

Milford school unions resist concessions

MILFORD -- Board of Education members have asked the school employee unions to agree to roll back their scheduled raises by 1 percent to avoid layoffs, but the unions likely won't agree.

Pending the unions' reaction, the board put off voting Tuesday night on budget cuts that could force layoffs of two teachers and five media aides, as well as eliminate four other positions to make up for nearly $935,000 cut from the 2009-10 education budget by the finance and aldermen boards. The education budget for new fiscal year now stands at $82.9 million.

Last month, the school board asked the six unions, which represent more than 1,100 school employees, to consider a 1 percent lower raise or a one-day unpaid furlough, but the 695-member teachers' union has stood firmly against concessions.

Board members said the arbitrated three-year Milford Education Association contract, which will expire in 2011, provides an average raise of about 4.9 percent when steps of seniority and education are combined.

In a letter to union leaders delivered Wednesday, board Chairman David Hourigan asked unions to respond to the proposed concession by June 4.

Before the board's Tuesday night meeting, MEA President Joan Mancini said there will be no concessions, even with layoffs looming.

"Our position is still that €¦ we went into binding arbitration and that contract needs to be respected," Mancini said.

Jim Whitaker, head of the 74-member custodians'

union, said his membership made concessions of about $160,000 in 2004-05 and probably won't make more this year. The average school custodian is paid about $40,000 and is scheduled for a 3 percent raise under the contract next year, he said.

Whitaker said he's suggested numerous cost-saving measures in building, maintenance and grounds operations, but nobody has listened. There's plenty of money available without employee concessions, it just needs to be spent wisely, he said.

"We do see where money is wasted every single day and we try to point it out, but the problem is you've got too many people with their own personal agendas that cost money," he said. "It's always the same story: 'The kids are going to suffer.' The problem is, nobody's watching how the money's being spent."

For example, Whitaker said, the school district bought a truck and plow about eight months ago for $35,000 and it sat in a parking lot so long the brakes froze. "Why should I give you more money out of my pocket so you can buy a truck to sit in the parking lot?" he wondered.

All of the city's employee unions -- except for police officers and police dispatchers -- have agreed to forgo raises next year in exchange for no layoffs.

"If the unions don't grant us concessions, then we will have to make cuts," Hourigan said. "It could mean that the proposed layoffs stand and maybe more."

Originally Printed at the CT Post online

Record Snowfalls Bust Budgets

Many cities in Connecticut were already hoping global warming was going to save them from the high costs of snow removal. Some cities budgeted for about 7-10 snow storms and with that number smashed to 12 this year funds are coming up short and creative accounting is taking place.

A large scale snow storm could cost as much as One Million dollars an inch to remove, and if the snow has to be cleared outside regular hours, meaning into the early morning pay rates for many city employees could rack up fast as they collect overtime, double time, and report lots of hours.

The toll on local budgets is still being added and some cities are issuing municipal bonds. We know that Milford will be impacted somewhere in its bottom line and the final figures will be posted when those numbers are made available.

A Novel Solution To The State Deficit

Some time ago about a year ago today to be precise I said that the economy and local businesses would falter. As our clueless leaders balk at the balanced budged amendment to the state constitution, they shutter at the thought of eliminating yet another 3 billion dollars from our state economy.

The impossible mission is to balance the budget and still have friends show up to your party at the local club. With the new legislature expected to arrive into session in the coming weeks, baptism by fire is apropos in lieu of the burgeoning budget catastrophe. But perhaps there is hope, and in times of turmoil it is always good to think "outside the box" something I think I may be good at.

But here is the big idea, and this idea is based on all the technology that I find so annoying. These include texting on your cell phone, X-Box, and like gaming consoles, dollar menu garbage food, game shows, Facebook, Myspace and of course the I-Pod and all those annoying musical devices that cloak people into the matrix of technology.

Safe to say that these technologies have become, in my opinion, as irritating as people who smoke near others, and drink until they have no friends and a reputation for drunkenness. This brings me to the point, how many people would object to being ejected or "taxed out" of the technology matrix.

The countless hours people and kids spend disconnecting from reality is really a disgrace, and on occasion I could personally say that I have witnessed the "looneyness" of texting friends and relatives in the same house. The cellular companies are getting wealthy with this trend alone, and the music industry is cashing in a good sum by selling 99 cent songs, the video game industry is already in "hot water" and is being forced to label their games, and even have recalled some like "San Andreas" a version of a killer road rage game called "Grand Theft Auto."

With our state leaders calling for a "balanced budged" i.e. Gov. Rell and Cafero, who wish to achieve this without raising taxes, should at least consider implementing a win/win tax approach to the financial malaise now at hand.

Nothing would give me more pleasure than to see a new tax implemented against the digital matrix of society. This in my opinion would be a blessing, a tax that makes gizmo's more of a luxury than a commodity. This of course could be thinly disguised as the lifeline our state so desperately needs. Why not tax it into the abyss? And as a last note stop sending "weed" smokers to prison for years and years shorten their sentence these people are "stoned" and the punishment does not fit the crime 3-6 months is plenty. Lots of savings there at $55,000.00 P/Y per prisoner.

Rocco Frank

Milford Faring Well Amid Tepid Times

The paper was a pleasure to read this week as the schools recieved a partial victory with one million dollars restored to the school budget. The yearly address by our town mayor indicated the city is doing well despite the difficult economy, but warned that if things did not improve there remained a chance that those problems could catch up with us.

It is always good to read great news, or as some of my friends put it news that appears to be a compromise in which the needs of the taxpayers are balanced with that of the schools system.

Schools are very important to many here in Milford and Connecticut, and funding is the "grease" that makes it all work. This victory, although it had what appears to be a positive outcome may be a pyrric victory as some local disenfranchised taxpayers feel betrayed by by the very alderman they voted to elect.

One such taxpayer indicated that "they were elected to do one thing, and now they did the opposite. I really feel bad for the teachers but I have to chose between food and medicine, I could barely pay my taxes now what do they expect me to do? Does anyone feel bad for me?"

The budget may be in order for 2008 but the reality of this situation is that absent some real economic improvement Milford only managed to "dodge the bullet."

180 Milford School Teachers May Get Fired

Today and yesterday reports have been arriving to us that Milford school teachers have been receiving letters that they are to end the year with no prospect of employment into the next. While all the details are murky at the moment the story is still developing.

The principal cause of the layoff, is legal procedure, and has also been to close a 2.1 million dollar budget gap that has been the focus of an incredible debate. Some feel that this is just a trivial formality, while others are upset over the lack of guaranteed stable employment and the possibility that they may not be rehired. Teachers with tenure are fortunate enough to be exempt from the insecurity posed by the town budget.

The superintendent indicated that in the end all 180 teachers may not be let go The Superintendent is optimistic and hopes money in the budget will be found in order, for many, if not all of them to be re-hired next year but at the moment there is nothing "written in stone." Check back more news to follow.