Real Hartford

Dear Sarah Barr,

Every time you submit something to the papers, I am amazed by your nerve.

Here is your latest work published today:

Let Grand Jury Take Its Course
In response to the Dec. 26 editorial “A Cloud Over City Hall”:

The Courant’s editorial board endorsed Hartford Mayor Eddie A. Perez on Oct. 28 [editorial, “Mr. Perez For Mayor”]: “His leadership has put Hartford on a more promising path than it’s followed in decades. He should be re-elected.”

Well, he was. Hartford is moving in the right direction. Public safety, education, homeownership, and neighborhood economic development are all paramount. Hartford has become safer, more vibrant and more of a destination of choice in the last six years (the years that Mayor Perez has been in office) than it has been in decades.

In fact, Mayor Perez has an ambitious agenda for the next four years. He was re-elected handily by the voters of Hartford who looked at the facts and put their trust in Mayor Perez.

So, why publish an editorial about the grand jury when the process should be allowed to take its course?

It is unfortunate that The Courant has selectively leaked certain portions of the secret proceedings of the grand jury and has done its best to create a circus atmosphere of the judicial process. Making improper comparisons to politicians who have been found guilty doesn’t help the matter. What is happening now should be compared to Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy, who was subject to a long public investigation and was cleared.

The people of Hartford and all the readers of this newspaper deserve better from The Courant.

Sarah Barr

Director of Communications City of Hartford

Allow me to break this nonsense down for you.

Perez’s homeownership initiatives, to start, are a joke. Most Hartford residents rent because, money aside, there are not enough ownership opportunities. There are apartment units. The city, as it is, unfortunately is not designed for much more homeownership than already exists. By claiming this as one of Perez’s feats, you are distracting the public with a sleight of hand.

As for the crime statistics, this was something used in the mayoral campaign that also proved to be less than truthful. Certain kinds of crime have decreased, and yet if we do something as simple as look at the Hartford Police Department’s 25 Year Crime chart, we can see for ourselves that crime ebbs and flows, not in line with any single person’s position in office.

You claim that Hartford has become a more vibrant city, a destination. This is still a stretch, but I’ll grant you this one. People who have any sense in them know that Hartford has more going on now than it has in decades. I’m not certain we can quite call it a destination city yet. But you neglect to mention that Hartford is also laughed at for a number of things, like the Convention Center, vacant Constitution Plaza, and the failed Patriots deal.

But it’s not your desire to portray Hartford in a positive light that has got me sitting here, writing to you. It’s what came afterwards.

If you had it your way, Sarah Barr, it seems that you would allow the censorship of any information that does not fit in with your rose-colored version of Eddie Perez. You ask why the Courant has to “leak” pieces of information about the criminal case to the public. Then you continue to assert that Perez should be compared to the politicians who have been found not guilty.

There should not even be a grand jury because the mayor of Hartford should not be doing anything remotely unethical, let alone illegal. When he involves himself in various sketchy activities, he needs to own up to that. As the public, as voters and tax payers, we absolutely have the right to know about what our representatives are being accused of. I know that cutting sweet deals for parking lots, trash hauling, and home remodeling is not as awful as killing orphans or waging war, but these are still crimes connected to greed (as opposed to crimes committed so a person can have a meal or place to sleep).

Toni Gold Nails It

Here’s some ink that tells it like it is– The Hartford’s Plan: So Last Century.

A few highlights from Gold who comments on The Hartford’s desire to acquire and destroy:

Many others will talk about the city’s disappearing heritage, the stupidity of tearing it down to save it, the thuggery of The Hartford’s threat to leave the city if its needs are not met, and the crassness of bribing city officials by offering a hard-to-find site for the poor beleaguered Pathways magnet school project.

and

Sure, The Hartford should buy the MassMutual site. But save much of the building, perhaps by putting the school in it, and institute — right now — the kind of 21st-century disincentives to driving that start with charging for parking and more heavily subsidizing transit for employees, and end with developing the site more densely as mixed-use walkable urbanism.

Okay, stop wasting time here and read Gold’s entire article.

Peace Out

Peace Out

Tonight was the final Hope Out Loud Coffeehouse at La Paloma Sabanera. There was a ton of reminiscing and the mood was pretty solemn for awhile because of the news that La Paloma Sabanera would be closing at the end of the evening. Musicians, performers, and audience members were heard discussing how vital the bookstore and coffee shop was to the community. You can see more photos and walk down memory lane at my flickr page.

Working Families Party Inauguration Party

If by January 7th you still have some party left in you, know that there’s going to be a gathering a Kenny’s Red Rock from 8-10pm. It’s technically a fundraiser for the WFP, but this might be a good chance for Hartford residents to come out and let your new council folk (Cotto and Deutsch) know what issues you are concerned with.

How Does Hartford Get So Filthy?

A look at some mugshots of recently arrested “vandals” (whether spray painting is vandalism is something that I think is determined by what is being painting and what the message is) sheds some light into how graffiti ends up around downtown. While it’s lovely to think that all of the tagging that we see is done by Hartford residents, the reality is that, like dogs, not everyone wants to shit where they eat, so to speak. These two “criminals” are from Unionville and Simsbury.

Holiday Greetings from the Cesspool: Another Hartford Public Service Announcement

Notice the lack of blood flowing in the street. Also notice the absence of prostitutes and gang members.

See how there are few cars parked in the street? People are probably working, not sitting on their asses collecting welfare.

All I Want for Christmas is One Giant Parking Lot

Why stop at tearing down the former MassMutual Building? There are many other buildings around that can be torn down and made into parking lots! For instance, there’s the Twain and Beecher Stowe homes. Those aren’t really being used anymore, and they certainly are not bringing in tons of revenue. To hell with them! Rather, to asphalt with them! Also, I heard that the Wadsworth Atheneum was becoming obsolete. I think I read that in the Hartford Advocate a few months ago. Next, there are a number of old factories. They could be converted into something meaningful, like affordable housing, but I think it’d be better to pave.

See, it’s not like any of this matters. Not the history, the architecture, the art or culture. Hartford is perceived as a dangerous insurance capitol. If it does not pertain to making money off of people’s fears (accidents, fires, rape, robbery, or murder), then it has no place in the city.

My only objection is that they are not planning to call it the Traveler’s Phoenix Parking Lot Supreme.

Hartford Bookstore Closing

La Paloma Sabanera, one of the best places for coffee and organizing, will be closing on December 28th.  Luis writes that the closing is due to several reasons, including financial.

Is it too much to hope that some retired hippies with money buy the place out and preserve the community that La Paloma has helped build?

The Coca Cola Aetna Subaru Victoria’s Secret Camels Hanes Center

The Hartford Civic Center is changing its name, as is the case with many entertainment venues today. Rather than have it reflect the city or its purpose, the building will bear the name of an insurance company. As if the advertisements on the boards, floor, and zamboni were not enough…as if the penalties sponsored by such and such were not enough, now Hartford has another way that advertisement is being shoved down our throats.

So, sorry, that won’t happen here. “The Meadows” remains “The Meadows,” and the Hartford Civic Center will be referred to as such. Branding only works if people go along with it.

HPL Grand Opening

I’d been avoiding the Hartford Public Library in recent months. Some people have to dodge loan officers– I have to avoid basically every library I’ve ever stepped foot in. Yesterday, missing the whole “free book” thing too much, I went back to the library to find $14 in fines on my card, but also something neat.

The books are back!

Since the library has been undergoing renovations, most of their books have been in hiding. The main floor of the library has been reopened. Now, it’s very bright inside because of all the windows. It’s much more open, and not claustrophobia inducing as it was during the renovations.

The Hartford Public Library will be officially celebrating their reopening for five days beginning on New Year’s Eve. There will be reggae, drumming, dancing, banner making, and the chance to add to a book about what Hartford means to you.