Detroit vs Hiroshima to show how democrats bomb cities.
This shows how the democrats hold back progress
Posted on 05/11/2017 4:12:00 AM PDT by MarchonDC09122009
Hartford Moves Closer to Bankruptcy, Soliciting Proposals From Law Firms - Courant Community
http://www.courant.com/community/hartford/hc-hartford-bankruptcy-lawyer-20170509-story.html
Courant Community Hartford Hartford Moves Closer to Bankruptcy, Soliciting Proposals From Law Firms
Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin answers questions from the public about the 2017-18 city budget. Bronin stood his ground with different agencies trying to keep funding for their interests.
City leaders have taken a step toward bankruptcy, soliciting proposals from law firms that specialize in Chapter 9, which protects financially strapped municipalities.
The city is reviewing several firms and could hire an attorney as early as this week, sources with knowledge of the plans said.
Mayor Luke Bronin has hinted for months that Hartford could file for bankruptcy, and said during his budget release in April that he was "not in a position to rule anything out."
He confirmed Tuesday that the city was looking at firms.
"We have not engaged bankruptcy counsel, but we have had initial conversations with firms that have experience in Chapter 9 and municipal restructuring," Bronin said. "Given the uncertainty of the state budget process and the depth of the state budget crisis, it shouldn't surprise anyone that we might engage counsel in the near future."
Hartford faces a $65 million deficit next year and a $14 million shortfall this year. Bronin has proposed cuts and concessions from the unions, but is still seeking $40 million in additional state aid to close next year's budget gap. The city resorted to short-term borrowing to cover costs such as payroll payments this year.
Council President Thomas "TJ" Clarke II, who was briefed by Bronin on the prospect of hiring a bankruptcy lawyer, called the move premature.
"I was told it was possible that a decision would be made before the end of this week," Clarke said Tuesday. "It's premature. We haven't exhausted every option and every avenue for us to go down this road."
Bronin has stressed that the state must be a partner in pulling Hartford from the brink of financial ruin, noting that more than half of the city's properties are tax-exempt and that Hartford has limited options for revenue. But the state has its own problems, with a more than $2 billion budget gap estimated for next year. It is unclear whether there is support in the General Assembly for bailing out Hartford.
"We've made clear for more than a year that Hartford's fiscal challenge cannot be responsibly solved at the local level alone with the tools that we have," Bronin said, "and we continue to push hard to build a new partnership with the state of Connecticut to put our capital city on a path to solvency, stability and growth."
Talk of bankruptcy has fanned tensions between the mayor and city council. Several council members said they are against the approach, and have advocated for alternatives, such as taxes on nonprofits or the consolidation of services with Hartford's board of education. Clarke on Monday suggested a citywide hiring freeze, though new police officers and firefighters would be exempt.
Lawmakers from Hartford met with council members at the state's Legislative Office Building Tuesday to discuss the city's dire outlook.
Councilwoman Cynthia Jennings asked for a review of how bankruptcy would affect the region.
"We don't need a summary or a study," House Majority Leader Matthew Ritter, D-Hartford, replied. "Hartford going bankrupt would be the most catastrophic financial thing that ever happened in the state of Connecticut."
Ritter said legislators are trying to rally support for Hartford.
"We will try everything in our power to hit the $40 million target," he said. "It keeps us up at night as much as it keeps you up at night and going bankrupt … would be terrible for the city. It would be terrible for the state. It's not something that any of us want to see and we're going to work very hard to make sure it doesn't happen."
Asked about the bankruptcy attorney, Ritter said: "Our goal is to make sure these lawyers never come to Hartford or bill an hour on behalf of the city of Hartford, and that the services they provide would be unnecessary."
Clarke said that if the city proceeds with legal representation, the council will look to hire its own lawyer. A key question members want answered is whether the mayor must get the council's approval to file for bankruptcy.
The state statute covering municipal bankruptcy says that a city or town must receive consent from the governor, and that the governor "shall submit a report to the treasurer and the joint standing committee of the general assembly." It doesn't specify whether a mayor needs the council's approval.
Hartford wouldn't be the first city in Connecticut to seek Chapter 9 protection. Bridgeport filed for bankruptcy in 1991, but a federal judge dismissed the petition, saying the city was capable of paying its bills.
Other cities that have filed include Detroit, Stockton and San Bernardino, Calif., and nearby Central Falls, R.I. Privacy Policy Copyright © 2017, Courant Community
I don’t know where I first was that graphic, but I thought it provided a very clear picture of how governments tend to grow.
Actually, many of the rich job creators voted for Clinton, Gore, Obama, and Cankles, and every other democrat on the ticket from the top down. They got exactly what they voted for, and its only a matter of time before they destroy their new adopted state.
“Kind of sad when MA is a step up economically. “
Why ?
.
“Kind of sad when MA is a step up economically. “
Why ?
Because MA is not exactly thought of as a bastion of free enterprise. So if going there instead of staying in CT is a step-up, then what does it say about the state of business economics in CT?
How sad is the business climate in CT. So sad that moving to MA is an improvement.
VERY Effective graphics!
Thanks for posting the left’s warzone attro-cities.
Yard goats?
This is a joke?
OMG! it is not a joke!
It sounds like a Peace Corp project.
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