10:52pm–#Bridgeport Connecticut– A Hispanic female took a 1998 aqua blue Toyota Sienna at knife point in the 900 block of Kossuth Street. The minivan was last seen heading down Kossuth Street towards downtown. The van had Connecticut combo plate 3829CW.
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5:44pm–#Bridgeport Connecticut–Police attempted to pull over a stolen vehicle at Maplewood and Norman Street and the driver refused to pull over. As the driver ignored police lights and sirens he continued south/west on Maplewood Avenue when he crashed at the corner Howard and Maplewood Avenue taking out a number or parked cars. The driver of the stolen was apprehended and taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital for injuries he received in the crash
5:44pm–#Bridgeport Connecticut– La policía intento de parar un vehículo robado en Maplewood y Norman street pero el conductor se negó a detenerse. Como el conductor ignoró las luces y sirenas de policía continuó al sur\ oeste por la avenua de Maplewood cuando se estrelló en la esquina de Howard y Maplewood ave. El conductor del robo fue detenido y llevado al hospital St.Vincents de lesiones que sufrió en el accidente.
4:33pm–#Oxford Connecticut– Firefighters are on scene of a moderate brush fire on Rose Drive according to their radio reports.
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Av Harris, the City Of Bridgeport’s Communication or is it Strategist at $100,000 a year sent out this press release. The state’s largest city still has no spokesperson for the police department unlike all other small towns in the area>
Bridgeport, CT – Mayor Joe Ganim today announced that his administration expects that once a final audit is complete of Bridgeport’s fiscal year 2016 budget it will show that prudent actions and fiscal restraint erased the entire budget deficit of $20,000,000 the administration inherited once taking office on December 1, 2015. Specifically, the Mayor is reporting budget cuts amounting to total expenditure savings of $12.1 Million, while new revenues generated by the city and administrative decisions added another $8.5 Million to the Bridgeport treasury in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2016. Mayor Ganim is expecting the audit to show that the city ended FY 2016 in the black with a budget surplus of $600,000. A breakdown of expenditure savings and new revenues follows at the end of this news release.
“My administration took office halfway through the fiscal year and despite being told the budget was balanced, we discovered a real mess when we looked at the books,” said Mayor Ganim. “We made some very serious budget cuts, separated more than 100 city employees, fought hard to preserve our state municipal aid, and had to get creative about generating new revenue. And when the final audit is complete, we are expecting it to show that our measures worked! This was not easy to accomplish and we were really not sure we would balance the budget until a couple of land sales came through with substantial one-time revenue. I am grateful for the efforts of many people on my team and cooperation from many rank and file city employees who helped us save money where possible.”
Mayor Ganim continued, “The big picture is that within six months of taking office my administration not only erased a very substantial budget deficit of $20,000,000, but we actually ended the fiscal year in the black with a surplus of $600,000. This achievement is truly remarkable and combined with the new budget we adopted for the current fiscal year will go a long way towards stabilizing and strengthening Bridgeport’s finances. Difficult decisions had to be made but I am proud to say we are moving in the right direction financially.”
Overall, the city of Bridgeport in FY 2016 collected a total of $535,424,526 in revenue, while spending $534,527,763 therefore resulting in a final estimated budget surplus of $600,000
Some of the steps taken by the Ganim administration to increase revenue between December 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016 include the following items:
FY 2016 Major Revenue Generation:
Sale of City Properties $6,700,000
Real Estate Conveyance Tax Collections Above Target $500,000
Accelerated Delinquent Taxes Collected $1,300,000
TOTAL FY 2016 New Revenue $8,500,000
Some of the steps taken by the Ganim administration to reduce expenditures between December 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016 include the following items:
FY 2016 Major Expenditure Reductions:
Personnel reductions (employee separations) $2,700,000
Refinance of G.O. Bonds (debt service savings) $3,500,000
Fire Union negotiated deferral of leave benefit $900,000
Milder winter/lower cost for supplies, utilities $1,400,000
Health insurance claims cost under-budget $1,000,000
Non-personnel budget lines frozen savings $1,500,000
Reallocation of prior year unused debt earnings $1,100,000
TOTAL FY 2016 Expenditure Reductions $12,100,000
On the new revenue side, the Ganim administration pursued aggressive action to collect delinquent taxes and rents owed the city from various sources. Real estate conveyance tax collections were also higher than anticipated by $500,000 and the city sold parcels of land to Sacred Heart University and the Steelpointe development corporation to account for another $6.2 million in new revenue. On the expenditure side, the early refinancing of General Obligation bond debt to take advantage of lower interest rates saved millions for the current fiscal year. The city also instituted layoffs of more than 50 employees, froze spending in many areas of the budget, negotiated deferred leave benefits with the city fire union, and was also aided with a bit of luck, enduring a relatively mild winter and lower health insurance claims for city employees.
Looking ahead to the current fiscal year 2017, Mayor Ganim’s administration is currently projecting a surplus of $2,500,000 – $3,000,000 if revenue forecasts hold. Mayor Ganim has committed to deposit any surplus generated into Bridgeport’s fund balance, all factors which could improve the city’s bond rating and reduce interest rates for future borrowing to fund major capital improvements.
10:52am–#Bridgeport Connecticut– Bridgeport Police have a suspect wanted for burglary of power tools in the East Side is in custody on Brooks Street. He has been breaking into garages the last couple of days allegedly taking power tools.
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10:52am–#Bridgeport Connecticut– La policía de Bridgeport tienen un sospechoso buscado por robo de herramientas eléctricas en la parte Este de Bridgeport por brooks street. El a entrado a garajes el último parde días supuestamente robando.
(Westport, CT) The Westport Police Department is advising residents of recent burglaries in the Greens Farms and Easton Road sections of town. While these burglaries remain under investigation, we have received additional reports from residents in these areas that suspicious people have knocked on their doors. When the resident answers the door, the individuals come up with a fabricated story about an internet posting or a broken down vehicle. These encounters end with the suspicious men leaving the area and police being notified. Police believe this is a tactic for the suspect(s) to identify an unoccupied residence.
Westport residents should also know that a burglary suspect has been identified and connected to recent burglaries that occurred in town. That suspect is in custody for crimes that occurred in other jurisdictions and has confessed to recent burglaries that occurred in Westport. Arrest warrants are pending and the investigation is ongoing. The Westport Police Detective Bureau is actively working with other local communities who are experiencing similar incidents in an attempt to identify and apprehend those responsible for the most recent burglaries.
We request all Westport residents to remain alert to their surroundings and call the Westport Police should anything seem out of place or suspicious. We are asking anyone who may have information pertaining to these recent incidents to contact the Westport Police Department Detective Bureau at (203)341-6080.
(Westport Police Press Release)
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#Bridgeport Connecticut–#WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and U.S. Representative Jim Himes (CT-4) on Wednesday announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded a three-year, $179,776 per year federal grant to the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport, Inc., to support the Janus Center for Youth in Crisis. With help from this grant, the Janus Center will provide shelter and homelessness prevention and intervention services to 1,200 male, female and transgender runaway, homeless and street youth under the age of 18 from Bridgeport, Stratford, Fairfield, Trumbull, Monroe and Easton. The Janus Center runs a 24-hour crisis hotline; provides youth and family counseling; conducts mental health, substance abuse, and trafficking assessments; provides up to three weeks of supportive shelter; and directly serves eight public middle and high schools to facilitate early behavioral and mental health interventions.
“For over 40 years, the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport’s Janus Center has been a lifeline for young people going through tough times. From the first moment of crisis to recovery, the Janus Center is there through it all to help kids and teens get back on their feet. We are proud to help secure this three-year grant, which will go a long way in ensuring that the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport can continue its service throughout our community,” said Murphy, Blumenthal, and Himes.
Rev. Cass Shaw, President and CEO of The Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport, said, “With the award of funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, The Janus Center will be able to increase the safety of marginalized and at-risk young people under 18 by providing safe shelter and gateway services in time of crisis; building and rebuilding fractured relationships with families, caring adults, schools and communities; stabilizing young people and promoting their ability to advocate effectively for themselves; and providing an alternative to entry into state child welfare, juvenile justice and mental health systems.”
Since 1975, Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport has operated a shelter and robust services program for over 12,000 young people in crisis. After referral to the center, over 95% of young people successfully returned home. The Janus Center is the only provider of shelter beds for youth in Greater Bridgeport.
(Senator Murphy Press Release)
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10:09pm–#Bridgeport Connecticut– Milford Police detectives are at Brooks and Putnam Street with a truck with stolen merchandise according to radio reports.
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10:09pm–#Bridgeport Connecticut– Detectives están en Brooks y Putnam con un camión con mercancía robada acuerdo con informes de radio.
9:40pm–#Bridgeport Connecticut– A fire on the side of the house at 140 Dewy Street is out on firefighters arrival, but now you know what all the noise was about.
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8:44pm–#Bridgeport Connecticut– A pursuit that started around East Main Street, then the wrong way on Boston Avenue to Route 8 northbound ended after police broke it off near exit 8. The car was a stolen vehicle.
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8:44pm–#Bridgeport Connecticut– Una búsqueda que comenzó alrededor de East Main street, y luego en WRONG WAY por la avenida Boston hasta ruta 8 en dirección Norte. Terminó cuando la policía lo paro en la salida 8. El auto era un vehículo robado.
