7 March 2008

Town Committee Elects Officers; Sets Meeting For Convention Delegates


Members of the 48-member New Britain Democratic Town Committee unanimously re-elected their leaders at a Thursday, March 6th, organizational meeting held at New Britain City Hall. The meeting marked the beginning of the 2008-2010 term for city Democrats.


Re-elected to an eighth term was Town Chair John McNamara, who has been a member of the Town Commitee since 1986 and was first elected Chair in 1993. Vice Chairman Robert Sanchez was re-elected to a second term to the leadership post. Other officers re-elected were Treasurer John Valengavich, Assistant Treasurer Jon Bryda and Corresponding Secretary Peter Spano. Rosemary Klotz, a member from District 10, was elected Recording Secretary.


McNamara said his immediate goals will be to help re-elect New Britain's state legislative delegation, including State Senator Don DeFronzo and State Reps. Betty Boukus, Tim O'Brien, John Geragosian and Peter Tercyak. "They have earned my support through their advocacy and votes for comprehensive property tax relief, increases in state aid to the city and its education system, universal health care and ethics reform." He emphasized the need to support U.S. Rep Chris Murphy to a second term to build on the 2006 election when the 24-year incumbency of Nancy Johnson was broken. "We need to build on 2006 and build a larger majority for Democrats in Congress. Rep. Murphy deserves our help and will get it."


The Town Committee will meet on Thursday, March 27th to continue organizing for the new term and to endorse delegates to the State, Congressional, 6th Senatorial, 22nd and 24th State Representative districts.



A Brief History of Delegates And Super Delegates


The origins of pledged delegates chosen in caucuses and primaries and "super delegates" are getting much more scrutiny with no resolution in the Clinton versus Obama race. That was the case at the Feb. 21st New Britain Democratic Town Committee meeting. DTC member Butch Wierbicki, a United Auto Workers retiree, asked with a tone of suspicion in his voice where and when did the super delegates come from? The earlier-than-ever Iowa and New Hampshire face offs and the front-loading of many primaries were supposed to make curiosity about delegates a moot point. Last December conventional wisdom held that New York Senator Hillary Clinton, who had already signed up a good share of the "super delegates", would be the inevitable nominee before one rank and file Democrat went to vote in a caucus or primary.


Butch Wierbicki is not alone in wondering about super delegates. Many Democrats and observers are asking and wondering about delegate selection because every delegate vote now matters. You've heard the numbers. The Democratic nominee will need 2,025 delegate votes out of more than 4,000 for the nomination at the national convention in Denver in August. As of March 1, both Clinton and Obama had amassed over 1,000 delegates each for the stretch run. Obama is holding an advantage after 11 straight primary and caucus victories and the early favorite Clinton is seeking a comeback on March 4th and the April 22nd primary in Pennsylvania.

READ more at http://nbpoliticus.blogspot.com/

Voter Registration Trends Upward For Dems

The number of registered voters in the city went over 30,000 largely as a result of interest in February 5th Presidential Primary, according to the latest data from the Registrar of Voters.

From February 1 through February 29th Democratic enrollment increased by 367 to 16,166. Republicans picked up 13 voters to 3,649. Departing from a prevailing trend in recent years the number of unaffiliated voters declined by 20 to 10,225. Poll workers during the Feb. 5th Democratic primary reported hundreds of unaffiliated and unregistered voters went to the polls but were turned away because of the February 4th walk-in deadline to register or change affiliation to Democrat. The New Britain Democratic Town Committee will step up voter registration efforts via a "neighborhood leader" program in the run up to the November 4th Presidential Election, according to Town Chair John McNamara.

DeFronzo For State Senate’s “Best of New Britain” Sunday, March 9

The DeFronzo for State Senate Committee invites Democrats and friends to the “Best of New Britain” kick-off on Sunday March 9th from 1-4 p.m. at Generale Ameglio Society, Joseph Bianca Ballroom, 13 Beaver Street. The event, will feature ethnic food, ice cream and family fun as State Senator Don DeFronzo, seeks re-election to a fourth two-year term from the 6th Senatorial District. The minimum contribution is $5 per individual and $100 maximum under new Citizen’s Election program. Children under 12 are free. A DeFronzo for State Senate event.

2 March 2008

In Memory of Father Augustine Giusani

The parishioners of St. Ann’s Church on North Street are somber this Sunday and so is the City of New Britain. Fr. Augustine Giusani, the retired pastor, died on Friday, February 29th, during Lenten services.

Though officially “retired” after more than 60 years in the priesthood, Fr.Giusani was still conducting masses and tending to his congregation with daily acts of kindness and spiritual support to the end. He passed away at age 85 in the same church where he had presided over thousands of masses, baptisms, weddings and funerals for generations of church goers of mostly Italian heritage. To say that he was beloved and irreplaceable to St. Ann’s and the larger community would be an understatement.

Through the years the neighborhood around the church benefited from Fr. Giusani’s leadership on the North Oak Revitalization Zone committee, one of four grassroots citizen organizations recognized by the city. He hosted meetings of NRZ residents and city officials and was an effective community organizer who promoted improvements in a diverse and economically disadvantaged neighborhood. Through his service on the NRZ, Father Giusani took on the most vexing issues – public safety, dilapidated housing, jobs and hunger, always bringing candor and calm to the dialogue.

New Britain Democrats express sympathy to the family of Fr. Giusani and to all the parishioners of St. Ann’s; we honor the memory of a humble parish priest and good citizen.

City Council Eyes Revival of CAO Ordinance and Building Commission

Action on reviving a long-dormant city Building Commission and a Certificate of Occupancy ordinance for non-owner occupied rental housing (CAO) is expected by the New Britain Common Council in March. City Councilors expressed support for the proposals amid press reports of code violations at a 100 West Street property. Council Majority Leader Michael Trueworthy confirmed that the Council “has a desire to move forward and explore ways the city can do a better job at improving code enforcement of the cities blighted properties.”

A CAO ordinance, adopted by the Common Council in 2005, would have required that apartment buildings have mandatory inspections and that would have assured that apartments were safe, legal and habitable. When violations of the cities blight, health or building codes were to be found, fines would have been levied accordingly. The measure was vetoed by Mayor Stewart and the veto was sustain when there were not 10 votes to override the measure.

Commented Ward One Councilor Gregory Gerratana: "New Britain has serious issues with blighted properties, and it's very clear that the city is not enforcing the state law and city codes. Clearly things have to change and that time for change is now." Ward Four Councilor Phil Sherwood noted the state legislature granted municipalities greater powers to address blighted buildings in 2006 (Public Act 06-185) "It's important that the city take advantage of this anti-blight legislation." Sherwood added, "Aside from it being a major public health and safety issue, it's not in the cities interest to have an image of being soft on absentee landlords that own blighted properties. It's important that we act to hold absentee landlord abuses accountable and that's what this current council hopes to do."

DTC Chair John McNamara, a former Building Commission chairman, said a CAO ordinance is a necessary tool for the city to preserve and revitalize older housing stock. He said instituting a new building commission would help city officials to pinpoint problem streets and buildings without adding more expenses to the city budget. “Code violations need to be addressed with concentrated code enforcement by building, health and fire officials,” he stated. “The commission would ensure that problem areas are addressed comprehensively.” The City of New Britain has been without a Building Commission since passage of a new City Charter eliminated many board and commissions. The charter, however, allows the Council to institute new commissions without a further charter changes that need to be adopted by referendum.

Democratic Town Committee To Begin New Term Thursday, March 6

The Democratic Town Committee will begin a new two-year term on Thursday, March 6, at 7 p.m. at New Britain City Hall, 27 West Main Street. The organizational meeting includes the election of officers and district leaders. The Town Committee’s March schedule also includes:.

March 19: 5th Congressional District caucus for the election of National Convention delegates. As the result of the February 5th Primary, the 5th CD will send three delegates pledged to Barack Obama and three delegates for Hillary Clinton to the national convention to be held in August in Denver, CO. The 5th Congressional District sites for the Clinton and Obama caucuses will be announced by the Democratic State Central Committee.
March 25-April 1: Window for selection of delegates to conventions. This will include the selection of delegates for Congressional, State Senate and multi-town state representative districts, 22nd and 24th.

DeFronzo For State Senate’s “Best of New Britain” Sunday, March 9

The DeFronzo for State Senate Committee invites Democrats and friends to the “Best of New Britain” kick-off on Sunday March 9th from 1-4 p.m. at Generale Ameglio Society, Joseph Bianca Ballroom, 13 Beaver Street. The event, will feature ethnic food, ice cream and family fun as State Senator Don DeFronzo, seeks re-election to a fourth two-year term from the 6th Senatorial District. The minimum contribution is $5 per individual and $100 maximum under new Citizen’s Election program. Children under 12 are free. A DeFronzo for State Senate event.

END QUOTE

“And while both of our Party's remaining candidates are extremely talented and would make excellent commanders-in-chief, I am throwing my support to the candidate who I believe will open the most eyes to our shared Democratic vision. I'm deeply proud to be the first 2008 Democratic presidential candidate to endorse Barack Obama. He is ready to be President. And I am ready to support him - to work with him and for him and help elect him our 44th President.”

Senator Chris Dodd (C-CT) announcing his endorsement of Barack Obama for President.