Connecticut Local Politics

A quick word: if you’re interested in Bristol politics, you desperately need to read Steve Collins’s Bristol News blog. Collins is a reporter for the Bristol Press and has done an incredible job covering the primary and Bristol politics in general over there.

Bristol politics have always been bare-knuckle (sometimes literally), and this year’s bitter Democratic mayoral primary is no exception. City Council members Art Ward and Ellen Zoppo have been trading blows in a battle that apparently goes back a long way. Zoppo has spent the last weekend of the campaign slamming Ward for missed council meetings and, weirdly, just trying to pad his pension:

Zoppo said that as a state veterans counselor, city Councilor Art Ward would “expand his state pension benefits substantially” by raking in a mayor’s salary of about $100,000 annually that would count toward the calculation of his state retirement pay.

“By serving as mayor for a term, Mr. Ward not only will more than double his take-home pay, but he also stands to increase his overall state retirement by almost 50 percent and receive medical benefits for life,” she said. “No wonder he will stop at nothing to get elected.”

“This election should be about the quality of life for the people of Bristol, not about the quality of life for Art Ward,” Zoppo said. (Collins)

See the full release here. Ward’s response:

“Wow,” Ward said. “Is this desperation? My goodness gracious.”

It may very well be. Zoppo herself was attacked for allegedly scripting city meetings and, more recently, for threatening the library director. It could be that Zoppo senses Ward getting close. It’s worth pointing out that if Zoppo wins, they’ll get to do this all over again. Ward will be on the ballot as an independent in November should he lose tomorrow. I have to say, this primary may be the most interesting one in CT, if only for how nasty it’s been getting.

Go check out the Bristol News blog for all the Bristol politics you can stand.

Source
Collins, Steve. “Zoppo: Ward trying to pad pension.” Bristol Press 10 September, 2007.