ANSONIA —
The recently passed American Rescue Plan Act (aka the Stimulus Bill) is a remarkable achievement. Not only has it provided direct payments to individuals and families, but it provides state, local and tribal governments $350 billion in emergency funding to revive and revitalize communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ansonia is estimated to receive $16.7M in aid, of which ~$11.2M is for our schools and ~$5.5M is for city aid. This much-needed fiscal lifeline will help our city government to support residents and build a stronger future for all.
However, we are genuinely concerned that our local Republican leaders, having control of both the mayoralty and the Board of Alders, have been less than transparent in the way these funds will be spent. To give perspective, $16.7M represents about 28% of Ansonia’s 2020 – 2021 budget. Make no mistake, this is a lot of money — a windfall.
There is ample guidance on how the funds can be spent and support from both our Congressional delegation and organizations like the Connecticut Council of Municipalities to help guide and support cities and towns through the process. However, the broad categories could easily be manipulated and exploited to fit into line items for which the funds are not intended. There is both a huge opportunity to help our community, and a danger of the funds being inappropriately spent. Without proper oversight and clear communication by our Alders, it is a deep concern that these funds will not be well spent on our residents. We look at a pattern of issues such as Ansonia’s annual budgets being overspent each year, as evidenced in annual city audits; the police station project running $3M over budget; and the Alders’ decision to illegally withhold state-sent education funds, and are concerned that the current sitting Alders simply are not the watchdogs we need when it comes to carefully managing our money and spending it well on the needs of residents.
Ansonians have the right to know what the plans are for spending this windfall and deserve accountability for how it is ultimately spent. While other towns have held community forums for residents to provide feedback, conducted surveys, and presented proposals to the residents for their plan, the current Alders have been silent.
Careful fiscal management to ensure the funds are spent responsibly for the wellbeing of our residents and betterment of our community is critical. Transparency is also sorely needed and to date, has been missing from this process. The need for an independent, bi-partisan COVID Funding Oversight Board could not be clearer. We recommend a variety of local officials as well as community social service agencies and nonprofits be added to the Board. We call upon the Board of Alders for its immediate creation.
Ansonia should expect better from our current Republican-majority Board of Alders. We, the Democratic Alder candidates, will do better if chosen to serve to represent the residents in each ward across this great city.
Signed: The Ansonia Democratic Slate of Alder Candidates for the 2021 Municipal Election
John Feddern, 1st Ward
Gary Farrar, 1st Ward
Bill Phipps, 2nd Ward
Joe Jeanette, 3rd Ward
Diane Stroman, 4th Ward
Rohan Brown, 4th Ward
Brian Perkins, 5th Ward
David Rhodes, 5th Ward
Chris Grizzle, 6th Ward
Jonathan Vining, 6th Ward
Len Duffus, 7th Ward
Steve Erlingheuser, 7th Ward
