By: Fred Musante
09/13/2007

Newcomer Emma Brooks convincingly defeated maverick challenger Michael Singh Tuesday in the Democratic primary for the District 4 Town Council nomination.

Singh's strategy to campaign primarily against Mayor James Miron and the Democratic Town Committee leadership instead of Brooks was the first test in an election season that started on the premise, asserted by Republicans, that the election will be a referendum on the town's first mayor.

If so, that premise was rejected by Democrats in the 4th District, which stretches from the south end straddling Honeyspot Road, up to Barnum Avenue along the town line with Bridgeport.

Turnout in the rain-dampened contest was low at about 22 percent. Brooks won with 58.4 percent of the vote, 125-89.

However, Singh remains in the race for the council seat. He will appear on the ballot Nov. 6 as an independent petition candidate.

"I believe tonight is an indication that people are ready to move forward," said Brooks, 41, who is employed as a social worker for the state Department of Children and Families.

Singh somberly received the results at the Franklin School polling place, which came in 66-57 for Brooks. He needed to pull votes there to compensate for Brooks's strength at the other poll at Stratford Academy Johnson House in the south end.

He declined comment as he left Franklin School and did not respond to a telephoned request for an interview.

Voters at Johnson House decisively swung the primary for Brooks, 61-28. Singh received four absentee votes, Brooks two.

Democratic Party loyalists worked hard for Brooks over the past month, and probably outspent Singh significantly, though campaign finance figures aren't known yet.

There is no Republican candidate for the seat, but Singh has promised that, if he wins the seat in November, he will be a thorn in the mayor's side, siding with Republicans and blunting Miron's veto power.

Miron said Tuesday he "never bought the theory that this election is a referendum on the mayor, but if they insist, then it doesn't bode well for them."

Though turnout was higher than the District 4 primary in 2005, when Councilman Angelo Stavola, the then-incumbent, defeated Singh 103-70, it still appeared to be low, and many soggy campaign workers blamed the rain.

"I'd like to know the answer for voter apathy," said Democratic Town Committee Chairman Dennis Broedlin.

By: Richard Weizel
07/23/2007

STRATFORD — The Democrats struck back Monday night.

In renominating three of the party's four councilmen and naming seven new council candidates, Democratic leaders blasted the Republican Town Committee for taking shots at Mayor James R. Miron during the GOP nominating convention last week and making him the centerpiece of the council election in November.

Incumbent Council Minority Leader Alvin O'Neal, D-2, and incumbent council members Gavin Forrester, D-3, and Ray Barker, D-5, were unanimously renominated, along with a full slate of new candidates for the council, Board of Education and land use boards.

Incumbent Councilman Angelo Stavola, D-4, decided not to seek re-election to a third term.

Led by Miron, O'Neal, and Democratic Town Committee Chairman Dennis Broadlin, Democratic party leaders fired back at the GOP Monday night during its convention at the Baldwin Senior Center. Miron and O'Neal blasted Republican Town Committee Chairman Paul Joy for comments Joy made last week that November's council election is a midterm "report card and referendum on the mayor's job performance" during his first two years in office — even though he's not up for re-election.

Miron, the town's first mayor, is in the middle of a four-year term and is not up for re-election until 2009.

But Joy said last Thursday during his party's nominating convention that voters should not entrust the mayor with a Democratic council majority because "even with a [council] minority he has abused his authority over and over again. We must retain a Republican majority and even gain a super-majority to ensure checks and balances in our government and to keep the mayor from continuing to abuse his authority."

The Republicans hold a 6-4 majority on the council, and while the Democrats try to wrest away control the Republicans are hoping to pick up a seat and gain a super-majority that would allow them to veto many of the mayor's initiatives."

Miron said the Republicans are using that political strategy because "they have nothing else to run on.

"They have a council majority and came out with a 10-point plan when the current term began 20 months ago and haven't accomplished even one of their objectives," Miron told a gathering of about 75 enthusiastic town committee members Monday. "The Republican Town Committee is making me the target of their attacks and trying to divide the town because they have accomplished zero, nothing."

O'Neal accused Republicans on the council of "being obstructionists" in their quest to gain the mayor's seat in 2009.

"They delayed passing senior tax relief this spring until it was so late hundreds of seniors will not benefit from the mayor's new program until next year," O'Neal said. "That's all the voters are going to get — a lot of do-nothing political nonsense - — if they re-elect the Republicans to control the council again.

Miron, O'Neal (who is black), and Broadlin also accused the GOP of nominating a slate of candidates lacking in minorities and women that is not representative of Stratford's diverse population.

"We have a very diverse ticket with numerous women and minority candidates, compared to just two women and no minorities running for the Republicans," Broadlin said. "We represent the real Stratford."

Miron urged the Democrats to pull together for the November election.

"Don't let the Republican naysayers spread their negativity," Miron urged the gathering. "We have accomplished a great deal during the past 20 months, but we can do so much more if we have a council majority that would work with, not always against, this mayor and council Democrats."

The slate of council Democrats includes former 4th District Councilman Robert Wannagot, who served from 2001-2003, now running for a seat in the 1st District; and newcomers Emma Brooks in the 4th District; Amy Wanamaker in the 6th district; Terry Masters in the 7th; Laura Dobosz in the 8th; Rick Marcone in the 9th, and Vincent Faggella in the 10th.

"I felt I had to run again because I was getting sick and tired of all the politics and criticism of the mayor and his administration by the Republicans," Wannagot said. "I can't wait to start the campaign."

School board members nominated include Ann Baker, Jean Collier and Anna Scalia. Zoning board members nominated are Dan Pato, Robert Galello, Judith Hampel, Ronald Hojdich. Planning Board nominees are Denise Nelson, Peter Carroll and Angelo Stavola. Zoning Board of Appeals candidates are Robert Bradley and Robert David.

© Connecticut Post 2007 Link

Democratic candidate for governor John DeStefano has been doing a good job of explaining why he is a better choice.

By: Tristram DeRoma, Editor
05/22/2006

Though feelings of confidence and invincibility were running high on the top floor of the Baldwin Center, if it were just a little quieter the GOP members could've probably caught the rumblings on the floor below, as local Democrats put forth their plans to put some more Democrats in the General Assembly this fall.

Downstairs, the Democrats were doing some cheering of their own, which included the overwhelming endorsement of State Representative Terry Backer, D-121, who has served his district since 1993.

Backer said Democrats about protecting the quality of people's lives through better healthcare and wage stabilization.

"Remember that Democrats as a rule have been about protecting people, and that's what this next session is going to be about," he said to the cheering crowd of supporters and delegates.

At their meeting, Shelton businessman Chris Jones announced early his intentions to run against the Republican Party endorsee for the 21st state Senate district.

"When I heard (Gunther's intentions not to run) I didn't hesitate, especially when I heard who Gunther was going to endorse. I know Dibicella, I know what he's about, and I know I can beat him."

The Democrats will be holding their endorsement meeting this Monday at the Baldwin Center.

The other big announcement was that they put up Stratford resident David Mooney to run against State Representative John Harkins, R-120.

Mooney did not mince words about Harkins, who has been serving Stratford since 1997 and is currently the Assistant Minority Leader in the General Assembly.

"Year after year, essential school funding is put on the chopping block because we're not getting the support we deserve from the state," he said.

"In the ten years our current representative has been in office, we have been shortchanged over $50 million in education funding, added Mooney.

Harkins noted that since he's been in office, he's worked to increase Stratford's share of the education funding pie by 92 percent. He also noted that he authored a bill with another Conn. Rep. that he said would have increased Stratford's share of state education funds. "But it was defeated by the Democrats," he said.

© Stratford Bard 2006 Link

Gomes won just under 50% of the vote in a six-way race, including five Democrats and one Republican.

From the Connecticut Post:

Less than a week after winning re-election to the City Council, Edwin A. Gomes parlayed the Democratic nomination and his reputation for integrity to victory in a special election Monday to succeed the disgraced Ernest E. Newton II as state senator from the 23rd District.

Gomes, an outspoken retired steelworker and labor negotiator, won just under 50 percent of the vote in the six-person field, according to official returns from Bridgeport and Stratford. But he outpolled his closest competitor, state Rep. Charles D. Clemons Jr., the 124th District Democrat running as a petition candidate, by better than a 2-1 margin. "I feel like I haven't felt in years," said an exultant Gomes, 69, accepting congratulations from well-wishers at his party's Main Street headquarters.

In what was his third try for the seat comprising much of eastern Bridgeport and a small slice of Stratford, Gomes won a total of 2,273 votes to Clemons' 951.

Gomes also vanquished three other Democrats running as petition candidates. They included former state Rep. Edna Garcia, who received 566 votes; state Rep. Lydia Martinez, D-128, who received 409; and former Stratford Town Council member Michael Singh, who received 123. The sole Republican in the race was Joseph Borges, who received 274 votes.

In Stratford, the three “Land Use Boards” are the Planning Commission, Zoning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals. Each body has five members, each representing two districts, for a total of 15 seats. Nine of the 15 seats were up for grabs in 2005 and the other six will go up in 2007. Officials hold four-year terms. Prior to the 2005 municipal elections, Republicans held 12 of the 15 seats, including a 5-0 monopoly on the Planning Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals! Democrats only representation was the three Democrats who held a slight majority on the Zoning Commission.

This year, Democrats made notable gains on Land Use by holding the one and only Democratic open seat, and by winning three Republican open seats. The Democrats retained a 3-2 majority on Zoning, and now hold a 2-3 minority position on Zoning Board of Appeals and a 1-4 minority position on Planning. The overall make-up is now nine Republicans, and six Democrats.

Democrats also gained a seat on the long-time Republican dominated Board of Ed. For years, Republicans have held five seats over the Democrats two seats. Republicans only fielded three candidates for four seats, which guaranteed the Democrats would retain their one open seat. However, Democrats also were able to gain a seat, reducing the Republican majority from 5-2 to 4-3.

Town-wide, there are 40 elective offices: the Mayor, 10 Town Council Seats, 15 Land Use and 7 Board of Ed seats and 7 Constables. Democrats previously only held 12 of the 40 to the Republicans 28. In 2005, Democrats gained five seats, including the Mayor’s office, narrowing the gap to 17-23.

*Updated* Official results:

Democatic Winners for the Council, Boards and Constables

Town Council

• District 2: Alvin L. O'Neal*
• District 3: Gavin B. Forrester III*
• District 4: Angelo Stavola*
• District 5: Raymond J. Barker Sr.

* denotes incumbant

Board of Education

• Robert O. Cody
• Janice M. Wood

Land Use

• Zoning Board of Appeals, Seat I (1 & 2): Stephanie O. Philips**
• Planning Commission, Seat III (5 & 6): Paula Gabriele**
• Zoning Commission, Seat III (5 & 6): Edward F. McDonald***
• Zoning Board of Appeals, Seat III (5 & 6): Gregory Wanamaker**

** denotes Republican open seat, *** denotes Democratic open seat

Constables

• Anna Marie Buehler
• Richard P. Brown
• Tracy S. Chavis

Complete Election Results

Wednesday, November 2nd

10:00am channel 79

4:00pm channel 79

9:30pm channel 77 Jim's Video Interview

10:00pm channel 79

Thursday, November 3rd

12:00pm channel 79

12:30pm channel 77 Jim's Video Interview

4:00pm channel 79

9:00pm channel 79

Friday, November 4th

10:00am channel 79

4:00pm channel 79

6:00pm channel 77 Jim's Video Interview

10:00pm channel 79

Saturday, November 5th

12:30pm channel 79

6:00pm channel 77 Jim's Video Interview

7:30pm channel 79

11:30pm channel 79

Sunday, November 6th

11:00am channel 79

7:30pm channel 79

Monday, November 7th

1:30pm channel 77 Jim's Video Interview

Today I received the great news that Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro will be joining me this Sunday, October 30th at my mayoral campaign fundraiser at Johnny's Restaurant on Honeyspot Road in Stratford.

Rosa will be at Johnny's early - around 4:15 so PLEASE if you want to meet, speak with and/or get a photo taken with Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro be at Johnny's Restaurant at 4:00 p.m.!

FYI: Senator Liberman is still coming but will arrive after Rosa due to scheduling conflicts.

Lets show our United States Congressional Delegation that that we appreciate their hard work on our behalf!!!!

See you Sunday!!!

Jim