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Post by oldetowne on Aug 3, 2006 6:28:38 GMT -5
I don't know what Russ's background is, other than his public service. If it were impressive, I am sure we would have heard about it long before now.
Interestingly, many people have commented on here about taxes and problems that the state has visited upon us as taxpayers and Wethersfield as a town. Often, the blame is allocated to the governor - see Mr. Standish's comment about the income tax and the gas tax. While the governor is often at fault, the legislature - controlled by the Democrats for 18 of the past 20 years - has been the entity that enacts the laws and imposes the taxes and sets the tax rates. Electing the same person who has overseen a nearly 50% increase in our property taxes over the past four years is surely not the solution. This is even more important when you can rest assured that he will follow orders and support all of the state employee and union wishes, as do the vast majority of the Democrats in the legislature.
And assuming that Russ gets elected and leaves as mayor, look at who will be left in charge. It's a little complicated due to the unprecedented and absurdly childish power-sharing that is going on between our two deputy mayors (and similarly the revolving door for the chair and vice chair of the board), so I am not sure whether our new mayor would be Andy Adil or Christine Fortunato. (Although actually, it probably should be John Cascio who was the second highest vote getter.) Neither of those possibilities warms my heart.
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Post by SyZyGy on Aug 3, 2006 19:31:00 GMT -5
Frankly, voters,
I could care less
if the Democrat candidate for the CT 28th Assembly District - Russ Morin -
were:
an animal, plant, or pet-rock lover;
a beneficiary of a rock-solid home, or a survivor of a broken home, or had no home;
an accomplished knitter, fisher, stamp collector, bird watcher, or spud blaster;
a card-carrying member of the POS, SNAFU, FLAK, SOAS, CYA or even the FUBAR organizations;
an accomplished avocational hamberger flipper or deep-fat fried Twinky expert;
a decade-long coach to the baby-soccer or elder-Bongo players in town;
or, were
an enthusiastic bleecher bender for youth sports as gooseball or hickball!
I do worry, however,
that, to me,
he appears to be:
a card-carrying member of a bloated, state agency;
a former Republican turned Democrat trying to climb an easier political ladder;
able to stay awake for extended periods of time in long meetings and still breathe;
able to follow orders, parrot sound-bites, and believes in dictated political dogma;
able to tell the difference between 3, 3-1/2, 4, 4-1/2, 4-3/4, and 5 minutes on his wrist watch;
and, to be
able to read cues from cards in the back of the room or notes from his palm (not Pilot).
Maybe,
someone out there
can tell us about
his curriculum vitae,
his degree(s) from college(s),
his non-political qualification(s),
his state-issued business or professional licensure(s), and
his entrepreneurial experience(s).
Inquiring minds want to know!
Morin - Never Afraid
to Boost Taxes Again,
and Again and Again
He did it and does it HERE
and he would
Do it There! |
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Post by morganika on Aug 4, 2006 15:00:40 GMT -5
This is a hypothetical question right? If you were to uncover an impressive pedigree would you vote for him?
What matters to me is what I've seen as Mayor. The tax increases alone were enough to leave me cold, (literally) but the arrogance, lack of respect for his citizens, pushing through his little pet projects at the expense of anything and party switching lack of integrity, mmmmmmm....nothing left to think about.
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Post by SyZyGy on Aug 13, 2006 21:02:53 GMT -5
today aug 13 2006 morganika wrote: Morganika, dahlink!
What will it take?
It will take kicking some Dem's off of the Council and the BOE!
But in the meantime, it will mean keeping some of the unqualified and "guilty" (of tax-abuse!) Dem's (translated as "Russell Morin") out of the State Legislature!
If you and others are as PO'd as you sound on this board, you will devote your time and money supporting candidates such as Donna Hemmann.
Hemman is an original thinker. Morin is a puppet of party leaders.
No candidate is perfect. But there are some, like Morin, who are more imperfect than others!
So are you and the tax-oppressed of Wethersfield truly motivated to help Hemmann get elected and to work for Morin's defeat or do you just want to gripe, gripe, gripe?
Donna Hemmann, according to the Town Calendar of last year, may be reached at 563-1075. Call her; give her your time, money and dedication to getting Morin defeated!
Sincerely,
SyMorin - Helping Mom & Dad
to Relocate Elsewhere
by TAXING THEM OUT
out of Wethersfield! |
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Post by Dr.Ken Sokolowski on Sept 27, 2006 6:26:05 GMT -5
I thought that there was a "gentleman's agreement" between the two camps, Morin and Hemmann, that no local, political signs would be erected until October 1. I have come to learn that Morin has decided to not play by the rules by jumping the gun by a full week.
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Post by morganika on Sept 27, 2006 12:03:26 GMT -5
I cannot WAIT for the debate!
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Post by oldetowne on Sept 27, 2006 12:52:06 GMT -5
I thought that there was a "gentleman's agreement" between the two camps, Morin and Hemmann, that no local, political signs would be erected until October 1. I have come to learn that Morin has decided to not play by the rules by jumping the gun by a full week. If you have been driving around town anytime since Memorial Day, you would notice the Lamont signs and Distefano signs that never came down after the primary. There was a small number (6 or 8) Rell signs here and there. Then last weekend suddenly dozens of Doyle and Morin signs appeared, including a beautiful array of six or eight signs at the homes of a number of the Democratic Town Council members (including hizzoner the mayor) and Democratic Town Committee members. It's amusing to see how that party can violate the rules when it serves their purpose. It also shows you that they must be very afraid that their candidates are in tight races for a change. |
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Post by blockhead on Sept 27, 2006 13:34:37 GMT -5
There has been Hemmann signs posted at the corner of Ridge road and Maple Ave (Berlin Tnpk) for quite a few days now.
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Post by SyZyGy on Sept 27, 2006 19:28:10 GMT -5
The 2 signs are in Hartford!
Eddy put them there. ;D
Doyle's signs and Ralph's
like cancer have crept
from Rocky Hill north. 
Russ' numerous,
early signs are
self-gratifying,
exhibitionistic,
political self-pollution
and definitely
premature
erection. 
What a guy!
Great example
for the children! 
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Post by SyZyGy on Oct 12, 2006 17:55:32 GMT -5
morganika, dahlink!
I agree with your decision.
But more important than not voting for a candidate is the IMPORTANCE OF VOTING FOR A MUCH BETTER ALTERNATIVE -
Morin could care less that you and many other people will not be voting for him. He has a lot to worry about in you and them voting for Hemmann.
Please give Donna your vote and a donation too.
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Post by SyZyGy on Oct 20, 2006 14:43:18 GMT -5
CourantEmpty Seat Draws ChallengeBy ANN MARIE SOMMA
Courant Staff Writer
October 20 2006WETHERSFIELD -- Democrat Mayor Russ Morin is facing a challenge from Republican Donna Hemmann, a former town council [and BOE] member, for the 28th House District seat vacated by six-term Rep. Paul Doyle. Morin said he wants residents to look around town to see the accomplishments [?] he has made as mayor to understand why he's qualified [?] to occupy the seat. Roads are being paved. Leaky school roofs are being sealed. Groups flock to Cotton Field with its new artificial turf. Skateboarders skate at a new skateboard park in Mill Woods Park. Dogs run off-leash in a new dog park. And bocce is played on a new bocce court, he said. [NONE of the above claims are true; none of these were his ideas or initiatives; the citizens who spearheaded the skatepark, dogpark and bocce courts should be really P I S S E D OFF with Morin's attempt to co-opt them!]"I feel very strongly about what I've done," said Morin, 45, who works as a planner [?] with the state Department of Transportation. Hemmann, a former two-term member of the town council, said she's knowledgeable about issues the town faces. She is a positive voice, not an echo, she said.
"I'm an independent thinker, someone who is not going to be told what to do. I do my research. I'm a critical thinker and I care," said Hemmann, 52. Morin and Hemmann said property tax relief and more state funding for education are two of their top priorities . "Wethersfield receives only 64 percent of what it should receive from the state in education," Hemmann said.
Hemmann, a registered nurse [now working in the private sector] who also served eight years on the local school board, said property tax reform is what most residents want.
"They are frustrated with the level of tax increases," Hemmann said.Morin, who has served 10 [?really?] years on the council, the last 3½ as mayor, said homeowners fund the majority of the services the town provides. "What we don't get in state money we have to make it up on our homeowners," Morin said. "We don't have a large commercial base. It's forcing us to decide whether we can provide services or raise people's taxes." Morin said at the state level he'll fight for environmental issues such as the cleanup of the Wethersfield Cove. He'll also fight for affordable health care for all state residents. Hemmann said she supports Gov. M. Jodi Rell's initiative for smart growth to prevent further sprawl and farmland from being developed. Contact Ann Marie Somma at asomma@courant.com.
Copyright 2006, Hartford Courant
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Post by morganika on Oct 20, 2006 18:22:18 GMT -5
Morin, who has served 10 [?really?] years on the council, the last 3½ as mayor, said homeowners fund the majority of the services the town provides.
What services? Really, please, I'd like to know what services I am getting that cost all that money they are lifting from my family.
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Post by SenatorBlutarsky on Oct 20, 2006 21:04:24 GMT -5
"WETHERSFIELD -- Democrat Mayor Russ Morin is facing a challenge from Republican Donna Hemmann, a former town council [and BOE] member, for the 28th House District seat vacated by six-term Rep. Paul Doyle".
Leave it to the Courant to imply in the first sentence that Russ is an incumbent facing a challenge.
After they cut Alan Schlesinger off at the knee's, they are now playing him up to siphon votes from Weather vane Joe Lieberman to promote deer in the headlights Ned Lamont.
Hopefully the Tribune Co. will spin the Courant off to the Rare Reminder so we can get some real reporting.
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Post by SyZyGy on Oct 21, 2006 13:35:58 GMT -5
Maybe, just maybe, I think I have figured Morin out. Before I expand on that, let me backup a little.
When asked how he got interested in politics, he said that his mommy worked for a politician or some bureaucrat at the State Capitol. And, he fell in love with the ambience of the building! (You know, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, or so they say.) Yep, it was just that simple; he fell in love with the building on the hill of power. He was imprinted at an early age. He could have become an architect, if he got into and through college and post-graduate school! But I digress.
Getting by in high school, he went into a trade school and learned how to cook. That's okay, the world needs cooks. We need to eat and not everyone is handy in the kitchen. But, a career such as that was apparently not meant to be. Somebody, it's not clear who, got him a more secure job - with the State, in the DOT. There must be an interesting story there, but he certainly has not shared it with anyone yet. Maybe if he becomes embedded at the Capitol (as suggested by oldtowne) for life. There I go again, getting off the track.
So where are we? He was born, he went to WHS (class of 79 he says), he went to a trade school, he cooked a little, he was given a safe job at the DOT/State, he coached a little, and beside that, not much more.
Then, here it is, some local politician or party leader, related or otherwise, divined his most important (political trait): he was a blank page, an empty whiteboard. He was available. He had no strong political opinions. He was impressionable. Since again proximity prevailed - it was easy, he became a Republican, not out of conviction, but out of convenience.
Then he caught the "bug" - the political bug. The times had changed and the Republicans were no longer the meal ticket this cook looked for. He became restless (or was he prodded?) and looked around for something to quell the itch of the bug which got under his skin. The GOP he sensed was not going to "do it" for him.
Unrequited by the Elephants, he became a jacka$$. (OK, that's too harsh; a donkey.)
He was led, inevitably, to the Democrat-as-a-second-language instructor of the WDTC. His teacher not only showed him the futility of his ways but held out the hope of a glittering future if he crossed over, to the "our" side. Plied with eventual visions of grandeur, wrapped in the cocoon of party conformity, the transition was complete.
For a little effort and a little time, the Dem's got what they wanted, blank-page, party loyalist (union member too!) who, though he admits to not being very well studied on important issues in the State, he is willing to learn - if he is elected. Wow, talk about chutzpah. "I don't know, but I can be taught (by the party leadership!).
What you see today is what you get, folks.
Though the allegiance has changed this politician has not, an unimpressive neonate who will echo the party line and follow the party's plans - few if any questions asked.
He can't hold a candle to Hemmann!
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Post by SyZyGy on Oct 31, 2006 7:05:06 GMT -5
In today's HC:
Accomplishments
Few (IF ANY!) for Morin I have to shake my head when I read that Wethersfield Mayor Russ Morin, candidate for the 28th House District seat, takes credit for town improvements that were initiated by, funded by, and constructed by citizen groups. The Wethersfield dog park, skate park and bocce courts are products of citizen action groups, not Mayor Morin's actions. In all fairness, Mr. Morin should be given credit for the financing of Cottone Field, arguably a violation of the town charter.
I have to ask my self what has Mayor Morin done for Wethersfield during his 3 1/2-year tenure as mayor. Economic development? Nope, don't see it unless you count three Dunking' Donuts on the Silas Deane Highway. Better schools? Nope, test scores are down. Financial stability? Nope, the town debt keeps increasing. Higher taxes? Yup, as much as 40 percent increase during his tenure.
It makes his Republican opponent very appealing.
Robert W. Osgood,
Wethersfield |
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