Check out this Government Accountability Office (GAO) video summary of the economy. This is before the latest meltdown and bailouts. Did you know you owe the US Govt $350,000?
http://www.gao.gov/media/video/fiscal/windows/amfiscal.wmv
Although this letter from the Mayor focuses on the national financial mess, New Haven’s financial problems have been years in the making. This was coming to a head without the latest national pressures. What is happening, is now, these issues can no longer be managed with one time revenue infusions from selling City assets, or other financial engineering. We have written elsewhere, and provided testimony, that the budget is mostly personnel related. That is why the Mayor’s letter focuses on union renegotiations. Tweed, Shubert, the trolley to nowhere, and other major ticket items still pale in comparison to the major driver - personnel cost. This is simply a fact of the city budget. The fact that the city employees and the citizens still do not understand this is a failure of leadership on this issue. We need transparent government, multi-year financial projections to make sound decisions, and accountability at all levels of city government and city spending if we want to start digging our way slowly out of this hole. I am hopeful that the current administration will take the necessary steps to greater transparency, community involvement, and encourage honest and rigorous discourse on the financial state of this City so we can begin coming together to right this ship. Have some ideas? Send them our way.
Transparency International seems like a good organization investigating corruption and working on transparency. Here are their definitions:
How do you define corruption?
Transparency International (TI) has chosen a clear and focused definition of the term: Corruption is operationally defined as the misuse of entrusted power for private gain. TI further differentiates between “according to rule” corruption and “against the rule” corruption. Facilitation payments, where a bribe is paid to receive preferential treatment for something that the bribe receiver is required to do by law, constitute the former. The latter, on the other hand, is a bribe paid to obtain services the bribe receiver is prohibited from providing.
What is “transparency”?
“Transparency” can be defined as a principle that allows those affected by administrative decisions, business transactions or charitable work to know not only the basic facts and figures but also the mechanisms and processes. It is the duty of civil servants, managers and trustees to act visibly, predictably and understandably.
Know about local corruption or have ideas for increasing local transparency? Contact us!
Shah and DePino disclosure forms now in. Thanks! Two more to go:
Your Disclosure Forms!
Ward 2 - Calder
Ward 12 - Antunes
These disclosures came in over the weekend:
This still leaves the following:
Your Disclosure Forms!
Ward 2 - Calder
Ward 12 - Antunes
Ward 18 - DePino
Ward 23 - Shah
Thanks to the NHI link to our posting, I believe, we got a quick response from Brison and Blango. Six more to go….
Ward 1 - Plattus
Ward 2 - Calder
Ward 12 - Antunes
Ward 18 - DePino
Ward 22 - Morehead
Ward 23 - Shah
A month ago, we asked where the disclosure forms are for our alders. Some new ones were finally turned in but several still have not done so which were due MARCH 2008
Here’s the list:
Turned them in. Thanks
Ward 3 - James
Ward 4 - Jackson Brooks
Ward 5 - Perez
Ward 6 - Colon
Ward 7 - Clark
Ward 8 - Smart
Ward 9 - Lemar
Ward 11 - Lee
Ward 13 - Rhodeen
Ward 14 - Sturgis-Pascale
Ward 15 - J. Rodriguez
Ward 16 - Castro
Ward 17 - Paolillo
Ward 19 - Edwards
Ward 21 - Jones
Ward 24 - McCormack
Ward 25 - Silverman
Ward 27 - Lehtonen
Ward 28 - Sandman
Ward 29 - Goldfield
Where’s your form???? 3 1/2 months overdue and counting
Ward 1 - Plattus
Ward 2 - Calder
Ward 10 - Brison
Ward 12 - Antunes
Ward 18 - DePino
Ward 20 - Blango
Ward 22 - Morehead
Ward 23 - Shah
See the disclosure forms turned in.
Most of the BOA have yet to turn in there disclosure forms which are due back in March 2008. Here is the list of who did and didn’t turn them in yet 2 1/2 months later.
Here are the 2008 BOA Ethics/Disclosure Forms that have been turned in.
Turned them in. Thanks
Ward 3 - James
Ward 4 - Jackson Brooks
Ward 5 - Perez
Ward 6 - Colon
Ward 8 - Smart
Ward 9 - Lemar
Ward 14 - Sturgis-Pascale
Ward 15 - J. Rodriguez
Ward 16 - Castro
Ward 24 - McCormack
Ward 25 - Silverman
Ward 27 - Lehtonen
Ward 28 - Sandman
Ward 29 - Goldfield
Where’s your form????
Ward 1 - Plattus
Ward 2 - Calder
Ward 7 - Clark
Ward 10 - Brison
Ward 11 - Lee
Ward 12 - Antunes
Ward 13 - Rhodeen
Ward 17 - Paolillo
Ward 18 - DePino
Ward 19 - Edwards
Ward 20 - Blango
Ward 21 - Jones
Ward 22 - Morehead
Ward 23 - Shah
Thanks to Andy Bromage, Editor of the New Haven Advocate for selecting us for one of their “Best Of” Awards.
He writes:
Don’t you hate those people that complain about city government but offer nothing in terms of real solutions? New Haven Citizens’ Action Network (known by the uplifting acronym NHCAN) are not those people. The group’s a loose collection of self-appointed citizen watchdogs (including Jeffrey Kerekes and Mona Berman, pictured) that offers alternatives to the city’s budget, with line-item-specific recommendations for how New Haven can cut costs, while still keeping intact all the services we rely on city government for. See nhcan.org.
—Andy Bromage
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2008-9 Budget Recommendations
5 Year City Financial Projections
