ANSONIA — Lori Vaccaro’s May 31 letter continues to follow the Republication strategy of bedazzle, deflect and attack since Ansonia Democrats have exposed massive Financial Mismanagement by the Cassetti team. Most of Mr. Vaccaro’s letter is a rinse and repeat to discredit any view from the Democratic party. The Budget and mill rate has been approved, he tries to deface Democrats, and taxpayers and spin more half truths.
Coming out of retirement to attack the Democrats seams unusual. Is this another John Marini letter/article that he sends to party members to publish under their names. (i.e., Mammone, Miller, Monaco, Levinsky, Vaccaro etc.)? I think so.
Ansonia Democrats are Not Rooting for Failure. The Republication have built a House of Cards based on promises, spinning half truths, photo ops and complete lack of real tax revenue growth.
Mr. Vaccaro states Ansonia Democrats do not provide solutions. He does not address that the Republican party has harassed, threatened, ridiculed, bullied every Democrat over the past 10 years to ensure they control almost every seat on every board. That is not partisan politics. All of my letters have focused on financial discrepancies of overspending, waste and mismanagement. Now that the Republicans have a professional challenge, they try to crush anyone who can voice and expose their smoke and mirror games.
Mr. Vaccaro twists my comments that I am hoping for Ansonia to be the #1 rank of most distressed cities. Nothing can be farther from the truth. After spending $50 – 60 million of taxpayer dollars and increasing debt the past 10 years what has the Cassetti team done to move Ansonia from #2 down to #10, #11 or #12? Absolutely Nothing. I ask taxpayers, has Ansonia has become number #2 most corrupted city in New England?
The Commercial/Industrial tax base has ZERO GROWTH in 10 years including the $20 million of Tax Abatements. Where is the tax revenue growth that Mayor Cassetti photo ops on Face Book? The new mill rate gives them a bigger tax break on the backs of multi family and economically challenged renters. How is that progress?
Team Cassetti has yet to explain to taxpayers how they are going to pay for more than $60 million of debt, pension and medical liabilities in addition to a new middle school and additional inflation. This equates $10,000 tax liability per homeowner. Your taxes will go up.
The Cassetti Team has:
- Failed to control costs for new Police facility/Senior Center, $10 million over budget and counting.
- Failed Democracy by ignoring city charter rules for sale of Olsen Drive property.
- Failed to address yearly audit and budget concerns brought before them.
- Failed to explain the $11 million bonding under special covid exemptions. The reality is the $11 million was never authorized by taxpayers.
- Failed in the last ten years to convert the Farrell/Ansonia Copper Brass to real tax generating properties.
- Failed to implement transparent bidding practices to ensure taxpayers pay a completive price for tens of millions of expenses and capital purchases.
CFO Miller stated in a Valley Indy interview that he will personally be tracking the ACTUAL performance of Revenues-Expenses for the 2024 fiscal budget. I offer my time to assist and present quarterly updates and performance to the Ansonia taxpayers. It appears he is overwhelmed.
Richard Tylinski
ANSONIA
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