I grew up in North Haven, CT - a town of about 25,000 residents just north of New Haven, Ct. And to be specific, it's not a race for "Mayor" but for "First Selectman." It's a rather arcane system that no one outside of town hall really understands.
In any case the incumbent is a man named Kevin Kopetz, a Republican. He's being challenged by a Democrat named Janet McCarty. The last Democrat to hold the First Selectman's chair was 36 years ago.
The New Haven Register describes things this way:
North Haven doesn't need just a new first selectman, Town Hall needs a thorough house cleaning. After 36 years of Republican rule, town government has become a closed affair where party leaders held town jobs, the charter's bid requirements were systematically ignored and corruption allegedly flourished.
Last week's arrest of the suspended finance director, Vincent Palmeri, emphasizes the depth of the municipal rot. He had first been charged in April with covering up theft of town money by Joseph Ierardi, the town's recreation and community services director and former Republican town chairman.
Ierardi and his wife, Patricia, who was assistant community services director, are charged with filing bogus overtime, fake expenses and pocketing charitable contributions to the town.
Palmeri's second arrest was for buying himself three pistols with town money during the 1990s.
I'm not kidding. Here's more:
Kopetz went along with Joseph Ierardi's handing out work without seeking bids, a costly practice that extended throughout town government. The school bus contract was not put out to bid in 20 years. When bids were finally sought for the town's insurance, North Haven saved $1.4 million on its premium.
Until this year, a state law was circumvented that requires town meeting approval of budget transfers of more than $20,000. In the fiscal year that ended in 2006, there were 37 budget transfers of $19,999.
So you think we got it bad here in Pittsburgh? With just a once-handcuffed (though not arrested) Tiger Woods stalker named Luke Ravenstahl partying at a Toby Keith concert in a DHS security vehicle?
Y'inz guys got nottin' on North Haven!
3 comments:
One-party rule for decades ... whether it be 36 yrs or 70 .... whether it be Republican or Democrat .... always produces rot.
The reason Luke's BS seems minor league is because he's a neophyte at the corruption game. He's just getting started. We need to "give the boy a chance" to hone his Machine skills. The boy just can't "wake up as Mayor one day" and be expected to run with the big dogs the next ....
There is some really shady crap that can go on in Pittsburgh...not saying there's proof of the Ravenstahl administration doing it...yet. Char is right.
John K. says: Interersting how you comapre a town of 25,000 to the 25th largest city in Pittsburgh. You need a Republican scandal to somehow minimize the Democrat scandal in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. There ain't no moral equivalent here. This City is bankrupt and sinking into debt. What I don't understand is why you lefties don't take pride in that fact. You're close to setting up a liberal paradise. You folks worked for 72 years to attain this goal. LMAO a city of 25,000 to Pittsburgh LOL LOL
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