Fiscal responsibility has been a priority of the Cassetti administration since day one. That’s why reading the acceptance speech of the Mayor’s Democrat challenger took me by surprise. I momentarily thought I stumbled on a screenplay for some forgotten episode of “The Outer Limits.”
I was mistaken. It just happens that the Ansonia Democrat’s 2015 platform is pure, unadulterated science fiction.
Mayor Cassetti’s opponents are basing their campaign on the idea that they are fiscally responsible stewards of taxpayer money. Unfortunately, that argument has more holes than the plot of “Jurassic World.” Consider the following:
- Mayor Cassetti fought to achieve two consecutive tax decreases to help residents and business owners being crushed under the burden of the ninth highest tax rate in Connecticut. This is a departure from past practice in Ansonia and, perhaps predictably, it’s the Democrats’ biggest gripe with the Mayor.
- The Cassetti administration’s legal team negotiated an approximately $800,000 savings on the police union contract, again a departure from the practice of the past administration. Mayor Cassetti’s opponents have responded by taking shots at the legal team. Is there a hidden agenda here?
- For the first time in over a decade Ansonia made contributions to the City’s underfunded pension plan and established savings accounts for Worker’s Compensation and retirement expenses. Mayor Cassetti has also been working to create a 5‑year capital plan to budget for needed improvements.
So what is the Ansonia Democrats’ legacy on financial responsibility? They left the City with the ninth highest tax rate in Connecticut. They ignored pension obligations while amassing a gargantuan slush fund that accounted for 19 percent of the budget. They negotiated costly union contracts, neglected infrastructure improvements and dolled out unauthorized “golden handshake agreements” to reward favored employees upon retirement. They pushed the City on the verge of expensive litigation over the future of Olson Drive and failed, after 14 years, to stimulate economic development downtown.
Ansonia Democrats are expecting residents to believe they are the Party of financial responsibility. I’m sorry, but anyone buying that argument is “Lost in Space.”
The writer is a Republican Alderman who represents Ansonia’s Second Ward. He is running for re-election.
— — — — — - — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
The Valley Indy welcomes your opinion on local issues.
During the political season (roughly July to November) we ask that you limit your guest columns to 500 words.
This is because of the large number of submissions we receive.
Guest columns longer than 500 words will be edited. We try to get guest columns on as soon as possible, but delays are sometimes unavoidable.
We ask that you keep the discussions civil and refrain from personal attacks.
Please realize that guest columns are not the opinion of the Valley Indy writers, nor should the guest columns be considered news stories.
Guest columns are a platform for people to express their opinions.
