Rilling invites all to ‘State of the City’ address Monday

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7 responses to “Rilling invites all to ‘State of the City’ address Monday”

1. Don’t Panic

   February 27, 2014

   Date?

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   1. Mark Chapman

      February 27, 2014

      @Don’t Panic

      Monday was in the lead and the headline. We added March 3. Sorry for the ambiguity.

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2. the donut hole

   February 27, 2014

   “In the first 100 days, I have met with all the people I owe favors and promised them more I can not keep. In the next 100, I might have a minute or two to meet with some department heads, but you never know because it is election season and the Governor and DTC own me.”

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3. Bill

   February 28, 2014

   Taxes going up 3.5%, when private sector wages only go up 1-2%…Harry seems to not care about taxpayers

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4. Piberman

   February 28, 2014

   Let’s be positive. Norwalk mayoral campaigns traditionally have been devoid of substantive discussion of key issues that concern the majority of voters. Hence their low turnouts. A 100 day assessment is a useful innovation. Many of us have been wondering whether Mayor Rilling will announce plans to bring in a new team of more capable City managers and administrators and thereby frontally address the City’s long standing excess spending relative to our incomes. Hopefully Mayor Rilling understands that CEOs can only be as effective as the capabilities of their team of managers. Politicians by contrast believe that mere words and promises constitute effective action. Norwalk really does need an innovative and effective mayor addressing its long standing spending problems if it is to attract new homeowners and retain those living here.

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5. Norwalk Voter

   February 28, 2014

   @piberman you’ve been around long enough and are smart enough to know that there is no way that any Mayor in Norwalk can remove and replace the entire team that he inherited in City Hall. Some have contracts, some are in unions and frankly all must be treated fairly and within State labor laws whether they stay or leave.

   We all know that 100 days is not enough time to do all that is promised but let’s hear what he has to say about his first days in office. Mayor Rilling clearly is not just a man of words. His actions in this short period of time have been positive and very reassuring. We elected him, now we must give him a chance to govern.

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6. Piberman

   February 28, 2014

   NorwalkVoter:
   CT State laws didn’t preclude incoming Gov Malloy and other CT Governors from quickly putting in their own teams, especially their finance advisory team. Nor mayors in CT generally. So state laws are not a handicap in replacing key Dept Heads. Nor do they preclude asking Dept heads to submit flat budgets or even 5% smaller budgets. When incoming Stamford Mayor Malloy took office he and his advisors had a detailed plan with a thick binder on changing City administration. So far Mayor Rilling has kept the old team and proposed a conventional City budget without major initiatives.

   At this point we do not know what major administration changes if any lie ahead in Norwalk. During the campaign the Mayor didn’t put City finance, taxes and spending on the front burner. We do know that he eschewed using professional search firms in replacing two positions relying on ads. Those actions are not characteristic of seasoned managers or administrators. And we do know that none of the 3 appointments to the BET carried the senior level financial management experience surrounding towns would consider appropriate to their responsibilities. Indeed, one nomination, a former NEON Board Chair seems quite puzzling to be polite.

   Having said the above Norwalk mayors in recent decades have been content to let the Finance Head manage City finance affairs. Not the Common Council nor the BET. So far there are no hints of change from the Norwalk tradition. Whether Mayor Rilling or his close advisors fully appreciate the linkages between our City’s stagnant income, property and Grand List growth and the City’s spending – up 55% per capita over the past two decades remains unknown. Whether the Mayor and his close advisors appreciate Norwalk’s increasing attractiveness as a transient rental City also remains unknown. Whether Mayor Rilling and his close advisors fully appreciate that the City is loosing ground to other County towns , eg population growth, property values and new business, remains unknown. We can only be hopeful.

   Mayors coming into office in communities with major financial issues often put together advisory teams of seasoned financial professionals to provide guidance. And let the public know early on what changes are going to be implemented. So far the public available evidence 3 months on suggests finance remains on Norwalk’s back burner as it has for recent decades.
   Those expecting tax relief or improved prospects for property appreciation will likely be disappointed. Norwalk is just “special” – nice people unable to manage their fiscal affairs.

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