Feature
Questionable Deal: HRA Not Paying Negotiated Taxes
By Robin Vinci at April 25, 2024 | 8:00 pm |
In July of 2006 the City of New Britain sold 180 Clinton St., formerly Benjamin Franklin School, to the Human Resources Agency (HRA) for $325,000. According to the deed of sale, HRA agreed to pay for 25 years of taxes after owning the property for three years. As of April 16, 2024 HRA owes over $220,000 in back taxes to the City. “They were leasing that building more...
Mayor Apologizes for Defaming Zherka
By Robin Vinci at April 25, 2024 | 7:55 pm |
Former Yonkers New York Mayor Phil Amicone made a public apology to New Britain businessman Sam Zherka Wednesday for making false allegations about him including calling him a “gangster”. Zherka was also awarded $100,000 by the courts. Amicone said his statements falsely accused Zherka of criminality and wrongdoing. “I sincerely and deeply apologize on my more...
Another FOI Complaint Filed
By Staff Report at April 25, 2024 | 7:53 pm |
The New Britain City Journal has filed another Freedom of Information complaint this week with the state against the City and Mayor Tim O’Brien after it failed to give the paper documents on where the $100,000 used by Global Strategies Group (GSG) went. On April 15 the City Journal sent an FOI to O’Brien asking for several pieces of information. The first was any more...
Aldermen Debating Proposed Budget
By David Huck | Correspondent at April 18, 2024 | 8:30 pm |
Mayor Tim O’Brien has proposed a budget that he says will maintain level services while not raising taxes, but some leaders are questioning the plan, saying it’s not the right time to borrow money and that the budget relies on lofty revenue expectations. The $239,557,539 budget for 2013-14 represents an increase of about $7 million over the current year’s more...
Councilman Questions Budget Transfers of $6 Million
By Robin Vinci at April 18, 2024 | 8:21 pm |
As we look into next year’s budget, questions concerning this year’s budget are still arising. During last week’s council meeting, Alderman Jamie Giantonio questioned a resolution that was approved by the full council. Last year the council approved revenue items for non owner occupied garbage collection $3.95 million, Anti-blight $425,000, police hot spots more...
Work of Fiction
By Nicholas Mercier | CPOA President at April 18, 2024 | 8:15 pm |
Proposed Budget Shows Impossible Increases Over the past few months Mayor Tim O’Brien has been making some pretty big promises to the community. He has claimed that he would increase funding to education, control municipal spending, spur economic development, and even in the face of a 17 percent reduction in the grand list, he was going to hold the line on taxes. It is more...
Details Released On Pudlin Hiring
By Robin Vinci at April 11, 2024 | 8:30 pm |
At press time the City informed New Britain City Journal that they have found 99 more pages of documents on Pudlin after the paper waited nearly a month to get the first batch. We will report on those documents when we receive it. After waiting nearly a month the City provided documents last week that identified David Pudlin of Pudlin Strategic Communications (PSC) more...
CTPOA Announces It Will Form a PAC
By Robin Vinci at April 11, 2024 | 8:15 pm |
When Robert DeCosmo, President of the Connecticut Property Owners Association, asked about 75 people in attendance at a landlord meeting Tuesday night at Whinstone Restaurant, if they would like to see a Political Action Committee (PAC) formed to fight the New Britain Mayor, almost every hand in the house went up. “We are going forward,” said DeCosmo. “I already more...
Bonding Money for Education
By David Huck | Correspondent at April 11, 2024 | 8:00 pm |
Mayor Timothy O’Brien is seeking to give the school system an infusion of more than $20 million that officials say would go towards reducing class sizes, replacing outdated textbooks, purchasing computers, and addressing facility needs. The majority of the $22.6 million in aid package would come through the issuance of bonds. Another portion would come from the more...
New Britain Wins Big Game in the 10th Inning
By Ken Lipshez | Sports Correspondent at April 11, 2024 | 3:25 pm |
Excitement pulsated through the New Britain High baseball team. After nearly three hours of exquisite defense and opportunistic baserunning, coach Roberto Mercado and his pesky Hurricanes earned the positive result that was so elusive last spring. Now they have a foundation for success. Danny Annear poked an RBI single to center field scoring Nick Rodriguez with one more...
