03/27/10 Heartless And Shortsighted Greenwich BET Budget Committee Is Creating Another Town Disaster

Jewish And Christian laws and traditions concerning treatment of the poor, widows, orphans, travelers, and others in need, grew directly from biblical commands.

The Torah teaches Jews Christian and all of mankind about the poor, social justice, and God's deep concern for both.

The Torah teaches:

"If there is a poor man among you, one of your brothers, in any of the towns of the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand to your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks." - Deut. 15:7

Now when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger. I am the LORD your God. - Lev. 19:19


What Would Jesus Do If He Sat On The Greenwich BET?

It's Not My Problem: Maybe The Well Off Members Of The Greenwich BET Should Look In The Mirror And Ask Themselves What Would Jesus Do About The Homeless, The hungry, The Unemployed, The Mentally Ill, The Financially Stressed Seniors, Disabled And Low Income Members Of Greenwich Society

Any Greenwich Church Pastor That Has A BET Member In His Congregation Should Delivers A Message Titled, "Don't Ask What Jesus Would Do - Do What Jesus Would Do"

Shame, Shame Shame On Any Greenwich BET Member Who Seeks To Limit Help To His Less Fortunate Neighbor

Instead Of Going After The Fraud Waste And Abuse In Greenwich Government The Cowardly Greenwich BET Members Are Going After The Town's Poor Children

The BET Should Cut Out The Free Food That Is Passed Out In The First Selectman's Office And Other Offices Before Taking The Food Out Of The Mouths Of Hungry Greenwich Children

Where Are The Priorities On The Greenwich BET?

Should Greenwich BET Members Save Money By Cutting Out The Social Services Food Closet For Unemployed Greenwich Families

Or Should Greenwich BET Members Cut The Free Food Passed Out Around Town Hall To Fully Employed Town Workers And Visitors?

The Town Budget Can Be Cut Without Hurting The Weakest Members Of Greenwich Society.

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Dear Greenwich Roundup,

The recent severe storms have caused loss of conveniences and even disastrous events in most of our lives over the past several days. Loss of a life and extensive property damage, injuries, blocked roads, loss of electricity and heat, cold showers, shortages in some basic needs and general overall discomfort.

Now consider this and worse as a way of living for yourself. Many of our fellow Greenwich Citizens live in the wake of a true disaster each and every day of the year!

Among us are the homeless, the hungry, the unemployed, the mentally ill, the financially stressed seniors, disabled and low income people. They make up more than 16% or well over 10,000 of our fellow citizens. The recent storm was only an inconvenience to most of us. The ongoing devastation is what our least fortunate citizens experience throughout the year.

Recently The BET Budget Committee reviewed and ratified next year’s town budget. Our Social Services Department budget was decreased

2 ½ times more than any other department’s. Can you visualize the additional devastation this will have on the lives of our less fortunate.

• More than 3,900 Greenwich residents are officially unemployed (more are not recorded)

• The local homeless shelter has experienced a 21% increase in demand and is either at or beyond capacity

• The local food pantry has seen an increase of 50% in demand for food

• The average non-profit in Greenwich has seen a 20% drop in their fundraising

Social Services is the Department that addresses the most urgent needs of this suffering population. It seems counterintuitive to slash their budget by 5.78% from last year’s funding, but that is exactly what has happened. (Note: Social Service makes up less than 1% of the Town’s overall Operating Budget.)

If that isn’t enough reason to fully fund Social Services, please consider the fact Social Services has seen a 21% increase in caseloads is forced to radically triage incoming clients and the new budget calls for a further 11% reduction in permanent staff. The Social Service Staff has already decreased by 25% over the past few years. As staff size has decreased — so has service and help for those most needing it.

The hardworking, dedicated Social Service Workers can truly be life savers. I know from personal experience. A few years ago, I went from being a well-paid corporate communications designer to an indigent alcoholic bipolar after neurosurgery to remove a brain tumor. I cycled between emergency rooms, psych wards or jail for suicidal thoughts, severe depression, trespassing, disturbing the peace/drunkenness and back due child support. A Greenwich Social Services Caseworker helped me find psychiatric services, addiction services, temporary shelter, permanent shelter, moral support and gave me wise counsel. If it wasn’t for them, I don’t believe I would be alive today. Now I am able to pay back to society instead of just being a burden. I volunteer for Hurricane Relief Work, Habitat for Humanity, City Harvest, Neighbor to Neighbor (Food Pantry) and am actively involved in the many community service projects through my church.

Now is not the time to further weaken the safety net for our most vulnerable brothers and sisters. Greenwich Social Services Staff and its budget needs your advocacy. Our less fortunate and our vulnerable citizens can ill afford a further cut in services.

Please find the time to contact the Greenwich BET and ask them to reinstate the Social Services Funding and Staff to the full requested amount by the First Selectman and Social Services Department. Let’s make this a livable community for all our citizen including the less fortunate who suffer from a devastation you never want to experience.

Sincerely

Tim Bassford

Greenwich Citizen and Community Volunteer

COMMENT:

Dear Tim,

I was sorry to hear of your misfortune of being struck with a brain tumor.

You should be commended for turning your misfortune around and being brave enough to share this part of your private life in order to help save the funding for the poor of Greenwich.

I would like to thank you for truly being of service in to the less fortunate members of Greenwich society.

Greenwich BET Members could learn a great deal from your selfless service with Hurricane Relief Work, Habitat for Humanity, City Harvest, Neighbor to Neighbor and at your church.

Tim when you meet your maker you will probably hear ....

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me

Unfortunately Some Greenwich BET Members May hear .....

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity

Taking funds from the towns poor is an unfair wicked and immoral act that defines iniquity.

Some in town even describe the Greenwich BET as a den of iniquity.

Unfortunately, Greenwich BET Member's mainly "serve" for selfish political reasons.

That's why the Greenwich BET is rigged.

The town's two political parties choose which persons who will run unopposed for the BET, and preventing a caring person such as yourself from serving.

The BET Is basically a launching pad for a higher office in town and the State Of Connecticut.

No wonder fiscally irresponsible Greenwich BET did not have a rainy day fund for when the economy took a down turn.

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Greenwich Roundup Can't Stop Typing, Because He Is So Mad At The Heartless Greenwich BET Members Who Are Devoid Of Compassion Or Feeling For The Towns Less Fortunate Citizens

Everyone knows that Greenwich BET members have to answer to the two local political committees that select them.

But God isn't a Democrat or a Republican; he's a revolutionary. He not only takes the side of the poor; he puts himself in their place.

PLEASE SEE:

He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who is gracious to the needy honors Him. - Prov. 14:31

He who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, and He will repay him for his good deed - Prov. 19:17

The righteous is concerned for the rights of the poor; the wicked does not understand such concern. - Prov. 29:7

But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? - 1 John 3:17

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Money. - Mt. 6:24

In this very alarming passage Jesus speaks of salvation as depending on how we treat the poorest and the most afflicted.

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on His left.

Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.'

Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite you in, or naked, and clothe You? And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'

And the King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'

Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.' Then they themselves will also answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?'

Then He will answer them, saying, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." - Mt. 25:31-46

Greenwich Roundup Is Going To Go To Church At 5;30 PM Tonight And Pray That The Heartless BET Members Will Soften Their Hearts And Have Some Pity And Compassion For The Weakest Members Of Greenwich Society.

Please Join Greenwich Roundup In Praying That Greenwich Residents Nancy Barton, James Campbell, William Finger, Randall Huffman, William Kelly, Michael Mason, Arthur Norton, Joseph Pellegrino, Jeffrey Ramer, Laurence Simon, Leslie Tarkington and Stephen Walko Will Show Some Mercy On The Homeless, The Hungry, The Unemployed, The Mentally Ill, The Financially Stressed Seniors, The Disabled And Low Income Residents Of Greenwich.

GREENWICH BET BOARD MEMBERS CAN BE CONTACTED

AT THE FOLLOWING EMAIL ADDRESSES:

nebarton@optonline.net

im@summitdevelopment.net

wrfinger@aol.com

rav2055@yahoo.com

wkelly@goldbergsegalla.com

michaelmason02@yahoo.com

bafsi@aol.com

jpellegrino@psquareinvestments.com

ramer_ramer@verizon.net

bsimon@verizon.net

tarkington@attglobal.net

swalko@ibolaw.com

Corcerned Greenwich Residents Can Call Thier BET Members At The Following Phone Numbers:

Nancy E. Barton - 203-637-2343

James S. Campbell - 203-561-1184

William R. Finger - 203-629-9170

Randall Huffman - 203-869-6356

William G. Kelly - 203-698-2046

Michael S. Mason - 203-869-8052

Arthur D. Norton - 203-532-0513

Joseph L. Pellegrino - 203-661-1889

Jeffrey S. Ramer - 203-637-1666

Laurence B. Simon - 203-661-0633

Leslie L. Tarkington - 203-661-0535

Stephen G. Walko - 203-912-9699

Why Isn't Hearst Newspaper Editor David McCumber Covering What Is About To Happen To The Disadvantaged Of Greenwich?

McCumber Drove His Previous Newspaper, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Into The Ground And Out Of The Newspaper Business, Because He Did Not Understand That ....

"The job of the newspaper is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable."

McCumber Can't Hear The Cries Of The Town's Poor As He Sits In The Greenwich Time Editor's Chair Over In Stamford.

The Seattle Times is a newspaper that kicked David McCumber's butt.

It is now the largest daily newspaper in the state of Washington. Since the 2009 demise of the printed version of rival Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

The Seattle Times is one of the few remaining major city dailies in the United States independently operated and owned by a local family named the Blethen.

That's right David McCumber had the unlimited resources of the all mighty Hearst Corporation and he could not beat the Blethens in the Newspaper game.

In 2009 the Hearst Corporation announced that it lost money every year since 2000 while Editor David McCumber was in charge.

One reason it the Seattle Times reporting has received seven Pulitzer Prizes is because it reports on the underbelly of Seattle.

It has an international reputation for its investigative journalism, in particular.

The Seattle Times is known for standing up and giving a voice to the disadvantaged and poor.

Frank Blethen would not have fired an investigative reporter, like Teri Buhl, just because Fox News reporter Charlie Gasparino made a buch of cry baby phone calls to the newspaper.

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Please send your comments, news tips and press releases to GreenwichRoundup@gmail.com

04/20/08 - Another late post, because I converted to Christianity at Harvest Time Church on King Street and I somehow forgot all about this blog.

Greenwich Time RSS News Feed

For Sunday April 19, 2008

Mary and Frank Hyson of Cos Cob will go to Yankee Stadium today.... (David Ames/For Greenwich Time) Local parishioners head to see the pope The last time the Hysons traveled to hear a pope address the masses was October 1979, when the late Pope John Paul II visited New York City. Back then, it was a simple matter of getting the family into the car and making their way to Shea Stadium. This time around, it won't be nearly as easy. The Hysons will be among a number of local Catholics who will journey in buses to Yankee Stadium today to hear Pope Benedict XVI celebrate Mass. There are strict security measures and Mary Hyson said that she expects it will take some time before the authorities check all of the buses and the 57,000 people who are expected to attend.... ...As part of today's events there will be a Concert of Hope from about noon to 2 p.m., and then Hyson said she will be looking out for the popemobile as it makes its way into the stadium. The Mass is expected to start at 2:30 p.m. Those attending the Mass are required to remain in the stadium for the entire event and have been given a list of items that... ...Of two other lucky recipients, Wissel said, "we thought (they) would faint if they saw the pope and when we told them about the tickets they almost fainted."Vincent DeMartis, a parishioner at St. Roch, is finally getting his chance to see a pope. One of the winners of the 10 tickets raffled off at the church for the Yankee Stadium Mass, DeMartis recalled Thursday that he missed his first chance. As a student at Cardinal Spellman High School in the Bronx, N.Y., DeMartis had hoped to see the late Pope John Paul II when he visited New York City but could not. Twenty years later, DeMartis said he was looking forward to seeing Benedict. "This is a chance of a lifetime," he said. "Instead of making a pilgrimage to Rome, it's less than 20 miles away." The 15-year resident of Greenwich said he thinks the day will be a way to show one's faith and share one's faith with fellow Catholics and Christians. "I'm just expecting to receive a powerful feeling. It looks to be an overwhelming experience of spirituality and peace and joy," he said. Full Story Spending weighs on legislators' minds Borrowing and spending tens of millions to upgrade schools and other buildings during an economic slowdown has some town legislators weighing voting down projects as extravagant or unnecessary. "With the economy slowing down and the price of food and oil just going out of sight any reasonable person takes a step back and decides to take a long look," Joan Caldwell, chairman of the District 10/Northwest delegation said. "We should see if things calm down before we commit to this spending.... ...At the RTM meeting last Monday, Edward Dadakis, a District 1/South Center delegate, said he questioned the cost of an upcoming $25 million project to overhaul the Greenwich High School auditorium and adjoining music-instruction facilities. In the proposed budget, the BET has appropriated $2.1 million for design of the project, which Dadakis said should be delayed. "The Board of Education wants a brand new edifice for administration and the high school wants a brand new Broadway-caliber performing arts center," Dadakis said. "I think we need to have a full understanding of what is needed rather than having the biggest or the best.... ...Board of Estimate and Taxation Chairman Stephen Walko said if a recession impacted tax revenues or other unexpected costs were imposed the town would postpone capital projects before increasing the tax rate. BET guidelines call for annual mill rate increases in the 2 to 4 percent range, sparing residents sudden spikes in their taxes. "I can't speak for a future BET but we would scale back the budget before we would be prepared to raise the mill rate," Walko said Full Story Warm weather lures fishermen out on opening day Standing in the middle of the Mianus River with his knees bent and his boots wedged between the rocks, Jeff Boyd threw out a fish line and then slowly began pulling on it, repeating the motion several times. "It takes a little bit of skill but anyone can do it," the 51-year-old Greenwich resident said of flyfishing, a sport he picked up from his father who fished along the Mianus.... ...Further down the line, Luis Turon, 27, of Greenwich, was having a harder time of getting fish to bite, which he attributed to it being opening day. "I saw other people and they didn't catch anything," he said. "I guess maybe the fish knew today was the first day." State law requires anyone who fishes in fresh water to first obtain a license, which is available at Town Hall, local tackle shops or from the Full Story Opulent open house As Ja-Wuan Butler sat in the driver seat of a polished Lamborghini inside a hangar at Westchester County Airport yesterday, his younger sister, Felicity, climbed onto a Harley Davidson motorcycle. "Ja-Wuan, check this out," the 8-year-old Bridgeport girl said as she tried to get her brother's attention. But Ja-Wuan, 11, was too busy posing for photographs his father was taking with a cell phone. When he finally climbed out of the $225,000 sports car, he said, "It's hard to get out of a Lamborghini."... ...The event, which was held to help mark Panorama's 50th anniversary, attracted a myriad of residents, such as Dominic Luciano, 43, of Greenwich and his 10-year-old son, who had never been inside a private hangar at Westchester before, let alone up close and personal to a plane. "Everything is new to us," Luciano said. When Panorama opened its doors in 1958... ..."There are lots of toys here for boys," said Dwight Brugo, 44, of Cos Cob, who was at the show with his 15-year-old son, Julian Brown Brugo. Even if many of the attendees couldn't afford to buy the planes and other luxury items, the show gave them a chance to touch the sleek fiberglass exterior of the planes, finger the pilot controls and sit back on the plush passenger leather seats. "I've been in all of them," Julian said. Full Story Police blotter Paris Andino, 25, of 12 Taff Ave., Stamford, was arrested Friday morning in connection with credit card fraud, according to a police report. Andino was at state Superior Court to answer to unrelated charges when Greenwich police served a warrant for his arrest, according to the report. He was charged with illegal use of credit card, receipt of credit card goods, criminal impersonation, fifth-degree larceny, credit card theft and third-degree identity theft. Andino was arraigned on those charges later in the day and transported to Bridgeport Correctional Center after failing to meet a $10,000 bond, according to police. ********************* Michael Cameron Omahony, 37, of 87 Iroquois Road, Stamford, was arrested early yesterday after failing to obey a stop sign, according to a police report. Omahony was initially observed talking on a cell phone and later failed to observe a stop sign at the intersection of Henry Street and Western Junior Highway, according to the report. He also later failed to pass field sobriety tests and was found to have a suspended license, according to the report. He was charged with failure to obey a stop sign, talking on a cell phone without a hands-free device, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license and driving under the influence. He was released on a $250 bond and scheduled to appear May 5 in state Superior Court in Stamford ****************** Omar R. Armstead, 28, of 2825 Griffin Ave., Richmond, Va., was arrested Wednesday night and charged with third-degree assault and disorderly conduct in connection with allegedly punching his stepfather, according to a police report. According to the report, the stepfather told police that Armstead punched him in the face after a verbal dispute. Armstead turned himself in at the Greenwich Police Department, the report said. He was released on $1,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Stamford on Thursday, according to the report. ****************** Jennifer Conway, 23, 3 Ely Road, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., turned herself in to police Friday morning after learning of a warrant issued for her arrest in connection with check fraud, according to a police report. She was charged with third-degree forgery, sixth-degree larceny and fifth-degree criminal attempt at larceny. Conway was released on a $500 bond and is scheduled to appear Friday in state Superior Court in Stamford. Full Story ============================================ Please send your comments, news tips and press releases to GreenwichRoundup@gmail.com