Mullins rides with PD to show support
This past Saturday afternoon into the evening (C-Shift), I had the opportunity to participate in a ride along with a young West Haven police officer. Out of respect for the privacy of said officer, I’m not mentioning his or her name, nor the details of the calls that we participated in.
I feel that it is vitally important as a candidate for mayor and for our other city officials to know first hand about what our men and women in blue go through to protect and serve the 55,000 citizens that call West Haven home. As I have stated at City Council meetings in the past, City Councilors should take advantage of a ride-along opportunity, especially during the annual budgeting process. West Haven has the finest and best trained police department in the State of Connecticut. I’m not being bias. I have heard it from police personnel from all over. Chief Perno and staff, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!
Steven R. Mullins
Supports election of Cohen
I am taking this time to share my thoughts on Republican mayoral candidate for West Haven, Barry Lee Cohen. As a lifelong resident of West Haven, I have watched our city gradually go downhill. I also noticed that the common denominator has been the same politics over and over again: self-interest, lack of system, lack of structure, no true leader steering the ship. Nepotism ran rapid and spending was lacking oversight.
Barry Cohen gives me hope for a better future. He is no nonsense and takes the bull by the horns to get a task done. I find him goal driven and always having his eye on success. He is the first candidate that I feel optimistic about leading us into the new era of West Haven. My knowledge of Barry’s qualifications speaks for itself. He has a proven track record in the corporate world. He can and will bring business into West Haven because he has the insight into reaching out and making West Haven attractive, making West Haven a user-friendly city.
His opponent, Dorinda Borer, who I personally like and respect, has shown that she needs to stay in her present position in Hartford. Dorinda is an excellent legislator and she would be hard to replace, causing us to lose our competent representation in Hartford, which we need.
Arthur J Penna
Cohen policies better for city
With the West Haven Mayoral election quickly approaching on November 7, 2023 voters need to choose carefully between the opposing candidates.
Connecticut State Rep. Dorinda Borer, 115th District, is the Democratic endorsed candidate, while Barry Lee Cohen is the Republican candidate.
Analysis of Rep. Borer’s voting record during her approximately six years of serving as a state representative (since 2017), reveals a liberal Democrat who wants to legalize drugs, punish the police and force burdensome government oversight onto Connecticut’s citizens. Borer proudly voted with her liberal Democratic colleagues for Public Act 20-01, “An Act Concerning Police Accountability,” which effectively destroyed policing in Connecticut. Since passage of that ill-conceived and draconian legislation, police officers are afraid to do their jobs for fear of lawsuits, harsh disciplinary action and de-certification by the CT Police Officer Standards and Training Council (POST-C). Crime has predictably increased, and West Haven homeowners now encounter “Street Takeovers” in residential neighborhoods. In contrast, at a recent Mayoral debate, Mr. Cohen correctly opined that Borer’s vote “cost us safety and security.” “We have to honor our people in blue,” Mr. Cohen noted. Amen.
Rather than attempt to decrease costs for cash-strapped taxpayers, Representative Borer has consistently voted to add to their financial burdens. For example, Ms. Borer voted FOR House Bill HB-6688, “An Act Concerning a Highway Use Fee,” the new trucking tax that will result in increased costs at the grocery store; and voted AGAINST reducing the already exorbitant sales tax (LCO-6335) to provide relief to families being crushed by soaring inflation. Yet, Ms. Borer claims she is fighting for consumers. On the contrary, Rep. Borer is a “Tax and Spend” Democrat. For example, Ms. Borer hammered taxpayers with a $1,800,000,000 tax increase (HB-7424), voted to raise her own pay by 43% (HB-5406), and voted with Democrats 97% of the time. The list goes on.
Moreover, Borer recently resurrected the construction of the New England Brewing Company’s (NEBCO) taproom facility on city-owned land on Captain Thomas Boulevard. We almost dodged that bullet when, earlier this year, the City Council and the developer could not agree on the terms of the Lease Agreement. Unfortunately, the State Bond Commission provided a $900,000 grant to renovate the site, and the developer rushed back to the table. Moreover, the Bond Commission provided a $600,000 grant to NEBCO to expand their brewing capabilities, regardless of the company’s new home. Mr. Cohen correctly noted that the $600,000 grant received by NEBCO is outrageous, as there is ample manufacturing/operational space within the City of West Haven. Ms. Borer, who helped engineer this sweetheart deal for NEBCO, proclaimed, “The deal closed, and I was an instrumental part in getting that deal to close.” Now taxpayers in the First District can look forward to noise, increased traffic and other inherent problems of a large barroom facility.
Another legislative accomplishment, according to Rep. Borer, was the 2019 Bill (“An Act Concerning the Use of Single-Use Plastic and Paper Bags”), to tax, then ban, the plastic grocery bags we all used. Single-use plastic bags were banned in Connecticut as of July 1, 2021. A fervent supporter of the legislation, Rep. Borer proudly proclaimed, “Bye, Bye plastic bags!”
The citizens of Connecticut were left without the convenience of free disposable grocery bags and were forced to purchase unsanitary and costly reusable bags.
Should Rep. Borer become the Mayor of West Haven, she and her slate of councilors will decide the fate of the city’s participation in the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s (DEEP) “Food Scrap Diversionary Pilot Program.” The $800,000 grant funding received by West Haven from DEEP is conditional upon the city making a commitment to the program by allowing for the program’s continued operation by ordinance. Currently, West Haven has a 20 percent participation rate, with 80 percent of its citizens choosing not to participate in the program. City officials must soon determine whether they will amend the ordinance regarding garbage and refuse to codify mandatory participation in the program.
According to an Aug. 30 article in the New Haven Register, “The issue has animated many residents in the city, many of whom have taken to social media groups to express dismay about government overreach in changing the waste collection process.” During the recent mayoral debate, Representative Borer said the city would need a compelling, data-based analysis of the program’s ability to reduce costs. “I just don’t think the program is ready for a mandate,” Rep. Borer said. However, given Ms. Borer’s penchant for environmental legislation, there appears to be little doubt that she would slowly, but surely, move to amend the applicable ordinance and mandate the separation of food waste from the rest of our trash. Doing so would be the supreme example of big-brother government overreach, dictating under penalty of law how you throw out your trash.
West Haven desperately needs Barry Lee Cohen, especially when the alternative is a liberal politician like Ms. Borer. Mr. Cohen will provide exemplary leadership, lower our taxes and keep city government appropriately constrained and working for us. Barry will support the police and allow them to do their jobs, which will ensure the safety of the citizens of West Haven.
Indeed, during the recent mayoral debate, Ms. Borer, in boasting about her “accomplishments” as a state representative, proclaimed, “Just imagine what I could do here in West Haven!” The trouble is, I can imagine, and that’s exactly what I am afraid of. And so should every voter and taxpayer in the City of West Haven. That’s why we need to elect Barry Lee Cohen the next Mayor of West Haven on November 7, 2023, and bring forth fresh leadership that serves the citizens, not imposes a political agenda and one-party rule on a very weary electorate.
John Grottole
Cohen can stop city’s decline
I hope the taxpayers of West Haven are not foolish enough to vote for Dorinda Borer. The lady is just another tax-and-spend, soft on crime, liberal Democrat, with the voting record to prove it.
The Democrats have had a stranglehold on West Haven for over 30 years and look at how bad things are here!
Mr. Barry Cohen is the only candidate that can turn things around. He should be the mayor already as he was the victim of a corrupt vote last time that gave the election to Nancy Rossi, while a judge looked the other way and refused to get involved.
West Haven is rapidly becoming like New Haven and Bridgeport in all the bad things, and pretty soon it will be too late to do anything about it.
William Shine
Gregorio endorses Cohen
Let me start by saying that I am voting for Barry Lee Cohen for Mayor of West Haven on November 7th.
And I will admit that although Barry and I have had disagreements over the last few years, and yes, sometimes he is a bit “over the top” and relentless, (which Cobina has pointed out in many columns), given his professional background, service to the public and his unabashed love for West Haven, he is the right person for the job.
His opponent, Dorinda Borer and her fellow Democrats are quick to point out how he walked out of a meeting (negating a quorum over a proposal that was bad for the city), voted (along with his fellow council members) to place Michael DiMassa in a position of power over the COVID funds (and let’s not rehash how painfully that turned out), voted for the 5 year plan that increases taxes (with more spinning from Mrs. Borer there since a plan is malleable and not set in stone), took the city to court over fraudulent absentee ballots (considering that the court did not absolve the parties of their wrong doing and yes ! voting is a precious right), it is apparent that is all Mrs. Borer and the Democrats have. The shame of it all! Yet, I have not heard one person, except for Barry, bring up questionable judgements made by Mrs. Borer on her record and decisions.
The Democratic controlled Connecticut legislature has unabashedly increased all forms of taxes on citizens, made the police eunuchs with the Police Accountability Act, and then praise themselves for bringing money (our tax money, whether state or funds infused by the Feds), to West Haven. Bad decisions all the way around when one looks at the big picture and wonders if someone has a non-stoppable printing press spewing out dollars and thinks social working and punitive actions can replace the hard work and efforts of law enforcement. Yes, there are a few bad seeds in any profession, but reacting emotionally to the national fever and the detrimental effects of disabling the good ones is just plain wrong. And who voted for all this bad legislation, that’s right, Mrs. Borer.
The Democrats might try to convince the public that Mrs. Borer and her slate are new to the scene, but I challenge all of you to look up the names and you will find most are familiar to politics and it’s the same damning play that we have experienced over 30 years with recycled actors.
And let’s not forget that part of the playbook is the 11th hour shining knight riding in on his horse, Governor Lamont, who toured the city with Mrs. Borer and offered the state’s help. It is just like the staged shenanigans of the Democrats in years past, appealing to the worn out, overtaxed citizens who are desperate for economic development and a clean and safe community. The argument made is that the money would go to other municipalities if not us. Sounds like desperation and politics as usual. We get nothing for nothing, and I truly hope there was no quid pro quo attached to all these millions coming in. After all, the same Mrs. Borer voted for a special taxation district for the Havens developers when everyone knew it wasn’t happening. To announce it two years later when it was dead in the water well before it was finally admitted was just another political ploy that was held in the bag of tricks.
So yes, my vote will be for Barry because I believe he can get the job done and his judgement isn’t tied to long-term political relationships that have only ruined our city.
Please join me on Nov. 7, vote Line B and let’s refresh our city in the way it deserves. As he says, this is a referendum for the survival of West Haven.
Michele Gregorio
2019 Republican Mayoral Candidate
Cohen has accountability
Barry has my vote for West Haven mayor because he is a proven, experienced leader. I have come to know Barry from when he was my councilman. When I have needed help, whether it be an issue with blight, safety, or a question about anything here in town, Barry always responded quickly and offered to help. Not only does he answer his phone he shows up to help. He is very accessible, polite and he does what he says he is going to do. Barry solves problems quickly, he doesn’t wait around. He has great attention to immediacy and transparency. I’m sure he got this way from being a business executive, you can see he has the skills to negotiate and make stuff happen. I think it’s very important to have a leader who is local and very accessible to the people. If elected Barry’s sole focus will be his job as mayor. We need someone who has a lot of time and energy because our town has a lot to improve. I’m voting for Barry because to me he is a proven honest, hardworking, accountable Westie!
Britni Cotter
Endorsement for Borer
I fully endorse Dorinda Borer’s candidacy for Mayor of West Haven. As a current state representative, Dorinda has demonstrated her dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to our community. It’s time for her to bring her exceptional leadership skills back home to West Haven.
What sets Dorinda apart is her approachability and ability to connect with people from all walks of life. She listens to our concerns, understands our needs, and diligently addresses them. Dorinda has been our voice in Hartford, ensuring that West Haven’s interests are always represented.
As Mayor, we can have her undivided attention right here in our beloved city.
Dorinda Borer is not just a politician; she is a committed member of our community who has always gone above and beyond for the betterment of West Haven. Her experience, passion, and dedication make her the perfect candidate to lead our city into a brighter future.
Remember, a strong community starts with a strong leader. Dorinda Borer has repeatedly demonstrated she is the leader we need to guide West Haven forward. I urge you to join me in supporting her mayoral campaign and voting for her on November 7th.
Dorinda Borer is not just a candidate; she is a beacon of hope for West Haven’s future. Let’s rally behind her and ensure that our city continues to thrive under her capable leadership.
Diana McManus