The end o’ October and headin’ into election time. Yup, ten more days, and we’ll have the state-wide elections hereabouts, and see jest whot is gonna happen in the Nutmeg State for the next two years as far as the legislature and the next four as to whom will occupy the Governor’s Mansion.
Around these parts, things have been fairly quiet. I remember a time when ripped up signs and vandalized offices were the order of the day here in the Asylum by the Sea. Usually about this time in the not-so-distant past there was a hue and cry from one campaign or t’other as to how their signs, office or something else concerning the campaign was desecrated. It made some interesting reading in the this or the other local papyrus for a while.
Things of that sort calmed down a while ago. It could be the usual suspecks fer setch dealings either entered the gates of Greater Life, or got too old to care about doing setch things again. There is still some time left, but with most of the competition being intra-mural as opposed to inter-mural, the incidents of vandalism and other setch nonsense has declined over the years.
It seems whilst the political realm is getting more and more confrontational elsewhere, here in our lit’le corner of the universe things are calming down. Who’d have thunk that?
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There was a big to-do here along the shore as the city got big Federal kopecks for the beach. And the senior senator of the state was in attendance to make the big announcement. Ole Sen. Blumenthal ain’t running for re-election this time around, he’s got another three years or more. Nope. Chris Murphy, who is always trying to get out from under the shadow of Blummy is on the ropes this time round.
Blumenthal, though, likes our fair community. I guess he’s treated with respect here – maybe more than he’s given in other places. I don’t know why? Jeesh. Now, there ain’t no love lost betwixt Cobina and Blummy. It ain’t cuz he lied about his service, it’s cuz he’s soooooo smarmy. The woid I guess Iyam lookin’ fer is “unctuous.” That means he’s oily and slippery. That about covers it.
There is talk around the Capitol in DC that effen there’s a camera, there is Blumenthal — kind of a take on an ole Latin aphorism: Ubi est camera, ibi est Blumenthal. Yeah, ole Cobina did conjugate a verb or two in her time. Tennyrate, Blumenthal ain’t know quite so much for having principles as being the proverbial “political hack.” Some use another noun when talking about his nibs, but this, after all, a family publication.
And needless to say, our favorite member of Congress (not) Rosa DeLauro Greenberg is up for reelection, and has been surprisingly quiet over the last several weeks. One would think that she would be splashed all over the news channels, particularly with what’s transpired over the last few weeks or months, but nary a word.
Could it be that the shenanigans of her party in the last little while have embarrassed even Rosa? One could only hope.
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Sammy Bluejay was in t’other afternoon and the talk centered around when and if the MARB – that’s the Municipal Accountability Review Board – is gonna put the city in Tier IV. This is the crunch time as far as some city politicos are concerned.
As we’ve discussed before, the MARB is made up of bureaucrats. They are used to telling someone, “Jump,” and the only question they want asked is “How high?” They ain’t used to the political process or the legislative process bogging things down. For weeks the city has been trying to craft together a five-year plan that is in conformity to what the MARB wants. To date, it’s still being worked on. Yew know that’s gotta be frustrating to a bunch that’s used to obedience.
The accepted consensus seems to be that the election in 12 days is gonna be the tipping pernt. The move to Tier IV will give the board as much or as little control over the city’s financial fortunes as it wants. The City Council, city contracts and even the mayor herself will be under the control of the board. The council can offer its advice, but that’s about it. Its power is only to rubber stamp what the board decides effen it comes to that.
It’s still up in the air as to what’s gonna happen, but Sammy told me that after the election and before the end o’ the year the decision will be made. After the first of the year, the new budget process begins, and effen MARB is gonna take control, it wants to be in place for that.
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Nelly Nuthatch stopped by and mentioned that last week’s little missive by Charter Revision Chairman Ed Granfield was just specific enuff and just general enuff to not answer too much. “Yeah,” sez I, “and the sun rises in the East.”
Y’see honeybunch, whilst Granfield wanted to give an update, he didn’t wanna be too specific to tip off what’s being discussed under the radar, and he wanted people to know they are making progress. The elephant in the room is that he don’t want the politicos, who’ve been out of the picture so far, Lord love ‘em, to get into the picture. As I’ve mentioned to you in the past, politicians have put the kibosh on changes that would have been good for the city cuz it upsets the apple cart that they roll around.
That could still happen, of course, cuz the City Council still can determine what recommendations go to the publick and what recommendations stay out. But, the commish could still force the isshew by means of a petition and referendum, overriding the council effen they think it’s in the city’s best interest.
We shall see what we shall see, but this process has been smooth as silk thus far, and one only hopes it stays that way as we git nearer and nearer to next summer’s drop dead date.
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The WHHS is having its 14th Fall Festival over the weekend, this year at Ken Strong Stadium. In past years it’s been in the school courtyard, but effen yew’ve been around those friendly confines over the last little while, yew will notice that the courtyard is no more. The superstructure of the new renovations is encroaching on it.
Tennyrate, this used to be the Homecoming Festival, but over the years – and probably with political carreckness being the rage, the idea of it being centered around football has probably been eschewed somewhat. Still, jest like the ole Homecoming Festival, the boys and girls from various clubs, organizations teams and ensembles will be on display, letting everyone know what’s happening at the local secondary school
Iva Lootey sez that school officials are expecting more than 1,000 people to attend the event, and that the bigger venue might offer much more in the way of “happenings.” Iyam sure we’ll have a photograph or three in next week’s papyrus, and effen the weather holds out, even Cobina might take the gassamobuggy out and see what is what.
With that bit o’ chatter, I’ll close this time till next, mitt luff und kizzez,