Voters to choose mayor, council Tuesday

Written by John Kovach
Friday, 30 October 2009 13:28

Mayor James Miron spent last week defending his record, as his challengers worked to convince voters they were better candidates by virtue of not being Jim Miron.

Voters will decide Tuesday who will occupy the mayor’s office in Town Hall for the next two years: Miron, the Democratic incumbent; Republican state Rep. John Harkins; or unaffiliated candidates Domenic Costello or George Mulligan.

All four shared the stage in debates last week, speaking to the Old Stratford Neighborhood Association; candidates night hosted by the Chamber of Commerce and League of Women Voters; in Oronoque Village, and on News12 Connecticut.

“The question to ask is, is Stratford better than it was four years ago?” Miron said.

He pointed toward budget surpluses, improved bond ratings, a tax reduction this year, the sale of Long Beach West, the pending sale of the Army Engine Plant, his refusal to sign the Town Council-approved contract on the Shakespeare Theatre and efforts to address pension costs as accomplishments during his four years.

During Wednesday’s forum at Stratford High School, Miron took the microphone after Harkins again raised the issue of the mayor’s confrontation with William Hanney, the developer chosen by the council, the night the contract was approved.

“Tonight’s the night I dispel the notion that I yelled at that meeting,” Miron said, adding that Harkins was not at the meeting.

“I was,” Town Council Chairman Michael Henrick shouted from the rear of the auditorium. “You’re lying.”

(While the mayor did angrily approach Hanney that night and say he hoped he won more terms so Hanney would not get any money from Stratford, his voice did not reach the level of yelling, in the opinion of this observer.)

Harkins told the Star Wednesday that he would not sign the current contract with Hanney, and he has previously said so as well.

“I’m on record as saying that,” Harkins said. “It’s actually the mayor’s contract that he negotiated and is trying to run away from.”

But comments and allegations revealed the emotion of the week’s worth of forums.

Harkins spoke of people being embarrassed to say they live in Stratford, and his being the person who can change that reputation and restore “honesty, integrity and civility.”

Costello said he has been running for mayor for five years, not just a matter of months, and in that time has carried forth a grassroots effort to visit residents and learn what matters to them.

He and Mulligan contend that political parties have paralyzed Stratford, and the time has come for elected officials beholden only to the public.

Harkins also came under fire for his 14 years in Hartford.

Miron and Mulligan both said that Stratford had been shortchanged $83 million in education cost sharing while Harkins was in Hartford.

Hartford blamed the Democratic majority in the General Assembly.

Miron responded that Harkins has touted his ability to reach across aisles, yet blames the Democratic majority if things don’t go his way.

Costello said the town should be run as a business, such as the one he operates, and that a good idea is a good idea regardless of who devised it. He's called for a review of operations, as has Harkins.

Each party blamed the other for a lack of economic development in Stratford.

Harkins said businesses have not been attracted to town since Miron dismissed the last economic development director and never filled the position.

Harkins also said he favored a director over the corporation being supported by the Economic Development Commission.

He also said the mayor should be the face of the town and work to attract commerce.

Miron said Republicans have stood in the way of redevelopment of the Army Engine Plant. In Hartford, he said, Harkins voted against the film industry tax credits.

In Stratford, the Town Council-controlled Water Pollution Control Authority attempted to intervene in a suit regarding Sikorsky Memorial Airport and a parcel adjacent to the engine plant, jeopardizing the sale of the plant to Hollywood East/Area 51.

Harkins and his supporters have alleged that Miron, who has written op-eds to the contrary, favors expansion of the airport.

“The last couple of questions have made me sure why I’m running as an independent,” Costello said. “Political bickering.”

The mayor said delivery of municipal services has improved over the past four years, then praised the four municipal unions that reached agreements on wage freezes for working with the administration to ease the burden on taxpayers.

The two unions that did not reach agreements — police and firefighters — showed their support for Harkins outside Stratford High School, holding picket signs stating “Honor Integrity Harkins” and “The Truth,” followed by the address for the Stratford Police Union Web site.

“It’s a free country,” Miron said of being greeted by the signs.

Both police and, in a rare move, firefighters unions endorsed Harkins.

Miron alleged that Harkins has cut a deal with the unions and would give concessions when negotiations for new contracts begin shortly after the election.

Harkins, during Candidates Night, said Miron has beaten down morale in both departments, and alleged that nepotism runs rampant, citing the attempt by Christian Miron to join the force, and the hiring of Justin LoSchiavo, who had a seizure and crashed a patrol car June 6.

Miron said he could not control the actions of his brother, and that he was not involved in the hiring of LoSchiavo.

The mayor also named firefighters and police who are related, including Joseph and David McNeil. McNeil is among the officers facing criminal charges and civil action for allegedly leaking personnel information about Christian Miron.

The root of the animosity with police and firefighters, Miron said, is his attempt to rein in their pensions by changing overtime rules.

Mulligan said pensions are the major issue facing Stratford, and could soon overwhelm taxpayers and the town budget. Other issues, he said, were a “shell game,” demonstrated by moving cups on the table in front of him.

Costello, a former Bridgeport Police officer, said he would get “thugs” off the streets by returning police to foot patrol. He said he could do that at no cost by having each of the eight officers on duty park their car for one hour each shift and walk the beat, talking to those they encounter.