VICTORY!!! POSTCRIPT TO: WALLINGFORD (CT) HOUSING AUTHORITY BRINGS DOZENS OF DISABLED/ELDERLY TO COURT-OFFERS NO AID!!

Bluebelle The WonderCat and Angel [a.k.a. Angelpie] Orange

Sorry to say I'm beginning to run low

on tunes pertaining to greedsters.

Here's a quality little performance

of their "Money" by none other than

John Lennon and a backup band he called

The Beatles.

YES, IT'S TRUE! My loving family--Bluebelle the WonderCat, Angel [a.k.a. 'Angelpie'] Orange and I will not have to live in a tent for the duration of New England's currently brutal winter! YES WE CAN! We did a very good job in eviction court yesterday. :)

My own trusty steed has earned her own name.

This is the company vehicle transporting

me from Wallingford (a.k.a. Wallyworld)

to New Haven.

"Hi Ho Silver, AWAY!"

<3 b="" silver="">

The company vehicle that can't ride 

company (Wallingford Housing Authority)

tenants, only employees.

1 WHA

even has a vanity plate

paid for with YOUR tax dollars.

Tracy Blackwell,

ace Resident Manager

and self-described

Court Liaison

drove in this vehicle,

don't worry about him being

 subject to the 17 degree

weather at the bus stop

I waited at for 33 minutes.

In the courtroom itself, after his attorney plumped me down in a seat directly in front of the guy who refused me a ride to court, New Haven/Wallingford Housing Authority employee Tracy Blackwell, I leaned back and said to this dude sporting a 1980's style fade "I checked it out, Tracy, your company vehicle has a current retail value of over $21,000 even used!" 

Yes, fades ARE apparently still possible,

34 years later,

with the proper barber shears!

In the same courtroom I asked him if it was really true that the vehicle can't ride residents, when I asked in whispered tones why the WHA has it at all, then, he was stifled. So I helped Mr. Blackwell out. "Then it can only ride employees, right, Tracy?" I queried. Tracy affirmed this. When I pointed out that the Dodge Ram Nitro company vehicle has 5 seats and the WHA only had 3 full time employees, Tracy was again stifled. Ever helpful, I asked Tracy if he didn't like what I was saying. Believe it or not this WALLINGFORD [OR IS IT NEW HAVEN--EVEN THE HOUSING COURT CHIEF MEDIATOR DIDN'T UNDERSTAND NEW HAVEN'S ROLE IN THE WALLINGFORD HOUSING AUTHORITY NOR DID SHE KNOW THEY WERE 'RUNNING' THINGS HERE, NOW] HOUSING STAFFER ACTUALLY HAD THE AUDACITY TO TELL ME THAT TO HIM "WHAT YOU SAY DOESN'T MATTER." Dejected and rejected, I quoted Tracy repeatedly in private and before the court that WHAT TENANTS HAVE TO SAY SHOULD MATTER TO HIM!"

After a one mile trek uphill with my trusty steed,

Hi Ho Silver,

we finally arrived at OUR destination.

The bus stop at Sylvan and S. Main

in Wallyworld.

17 degrees Fahrenheit, no less. :(

So, by 10am I was actually in the shadow

of this amazing structure:

THE NEW HAVEN COUNTY COURTHOUSE!

And by 10am I was in the courtroom, and nothing happened [oh, yes, the judge made 3 brief appearances, including one in which a heroic attendee actually briefly refused to rise for the robed white guy, like me--white guy, that is, I left my robe home] for me for two solid hours. A stiff wooden chair for that time, until Attorney Mike Burdo called me out of the courtroom--so rude and self-absorbed that he felt introducing himself was unnecessary [he knew who I was because he was there when I arrived and announced myself to the recorder--I stuck my hand out and said "My name is Steve. And you are???"] And then there we were in the hallway with the mighty Tracy Blackwell and his fade haircut.

The Halls of...

of...

um.. er..

The Halls of...

I forget--

What halls are these???

Once in the hall, after Burdo tried to deny that I'd attempted to negotiate a 3 month deal through him to the housing authority [detailed in the prior article linked here: http://unabashedleft.blogspot.com/2014/02/wallingford-ct-housing-authority-brings.html ], and demeaned me in other ways--including demanding repeatedly that I tell him my medical expenses for this month [I finally told him I was seeing a psychiatrist for ADHD, I kid you not--I AM proud to be an UNABASHEDLY left wing fellow and to report that I said this solemnly to Mr's. Burdo and Blackwell]. LOL! We struck a cash deal during this lobbying, before appearing before New Haven's Chief Housing Arbitrator Cynthia Tiexear to sanctify it. I admit that I was rather harsh on Tracy during our hearing, but Attorney Burdo [whom I couldn't stop referring to as "Mike" in front of the arbitrator, rather than Mr. or Attorney Burdo because of his boyish looks and the fact that during the last year we had become VERY familiar by phone despite his attempts at denial of our near constant contact] had NO right to do what he did next. Wallingford Housing Authority Mike Burdo actually THREATENED me by saying that I'd better go easier on Tracy or he could "negate the agreement and have me removed in 5 days." Shame on you, Mike--I mean... MISTER Burdo! But also a some shame goes to you, Cynthia [who was actually nice otherwise, and showed some of the humor I was displaying as well--when I leaned over once to talk with an empty chair next to me pretending MY attorney was there, Cynthia pointed to a chair behind her and told us Mr. Murphy--of "Murphy's Law" fame--sat in that seat at all times] for not either recognizing or rebuking ATTORNEY Burdo for threatening me.

This is my plea to WHA Attorney Mike Burdo

and to the 

Wallingford--nay New Haven--Housing Authority.

Cynthia was given a copy of our previous article-- http://unabashedleft.blogspot.com/2014/02/wallingford-ct-housing-authority-brings.html -- but said the judge was unlikely to read it lest the purity of his objective mind be tainted. Cynthia and the New Haven Housing Court were clueless prior to my appearance yesterday that New Haven was running the WALLINGFORD Housing Authority. She was fascinated by the dollar amounts I was throwing out [Tracy actually said "You know more than I do"], but more by the shear volume of eviction cases that the WHA was bringing as I alleged that she began looking back to the caseload back to 2012 during our hearing. LOOK SOME MORE PLEASE, CYNTHIA AND I ASK THE COURT TO COMPELL THE WHA TO CEASE AND DESIST WITH THEIR ABUSE OF THE COURT AND TALK WITH, REASON WITH AND EVEN HELP TENANTS LONG BEFORE SERVING EVICTION NOTICES! I repeatedly reminded Tracy [in front of the court, his attorney and in private] that his and the Authority's primary job is caring for their elderly and handicapped tenants, not threatening, abusing and tossing them on the streets as I have been observing since New Haven took over WALLINGFORD'S Authority! But, most importantly, Angel, Bluebelle and your intrepid unabashed correspondent need not sleep in a Wal-Mart tent in 4 days as Mike Burdo threatened. WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE A HOME [unlike the poor lady neighbor of mine, mentally incapacitated and dependent upon her electric wheelchair for mobility and now housed in the New Haven homeless shelter]!

So after court, off I meandered off with my trusty steed,

Silver,

to the bus stop on New Haven's still

somewhat attractive [from a distance] green.

The second is a shot of a building I love 

much more than the courthouse:

New Haven Free Public Library!

As if to add an insult,

while waiting for the bus

with high winds and freezing cold

snowflakes began to fall under

the partly cloudy skies,

even as the sun shone.

But fortunately I am NOT homeless, nor

are my beloved pets.

It can happen to anyone.

Even YOU.

At any time. 

Please remember that

WE ARE OUR BROTHERS' AND SISTERS'

KEEPERS.

WE MOST CERTAINLY ARE,

TRACY.

THE NUMBER ONE REASON TO HATE WAL-MART: S. ROBSON WALTON-THE MOST HYPOCRITICAL SILVER SPOONER EVER!!!

Pink Floyd 

describes

Rob Walton's attitude

"Money? It's A Gas!"

S. Robson Walton, a.k.a. “Rob,” began his career running Wal-Mart the way he’s continued ever since. He heartlessly took over as Chairman of the already monstrously sized retail corporation within 48 hours of his father’s (Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton) death in April 1992. 

Whether you like corporate success or not, Sam Walton became Forbes Magazine’s unofficial ‘richest person in America’ (their list of wealthiest billionaires hadn’t yet been established before the time of Sam’s death) with a bit of scruples--a word Rob does not comprehend nor apparently ever learned from Daddy. Sam’s formula for massive success was simple. He discovered that if he could turn around sales quickly, say within 3 days of acquiring inventory, that would leave him with 27 days to pay off vendors--the interest of that 27 days all accruing to Wal-Mart. He became the master of getting stuff on and off the shelves.

Maybe the sickest of all 

multi-billionaires ever:

Silver Spooner

S. ROBSON WALTON

Rob’s plan was a bit more sinister. No. A LOT more sinister, damaging to the U.S. economy, harmful to the global economy and devastating to the environment. He implemented it quickly, using the cash he (he shared most of Sam’s inheritance with 3 siblings who let Rob run the show, and DO deserve our animosity in a big way for that alone) got from Daddy 2 days after he died, Rob began buying and renting real estate very, very close to competitors. Remember Caldor, Bradlees, KMart and other discount chains? He intentionally began to chase them out of the market by undercutting their prices. 

Competition?

Now officially dead.

Thanks to 'conservative capitalists'

such as

Dick Cheney, George W. Bush and 

S. ROBSON WALTON.

And just how was Robby able to lower his prices? Do you quality built hardwood furniture? He turned it into pressed wood boards made out of paper chips and packaged in puzzle pieces for the consumer to bring home in boxes and assemble themselves. He took the good jobs carpenters had in our great furniture shops across the land and shipped the manufacturing of his paper furniture overseas (with the able assistance and cooperation of favorable treatment by the Cheney/Bush Administration and their deregulation of everything allowing him to send U.S. jobs to Asia). Now, utilizing abused women and child laborers in the still Communist dictatorship of China primarily, but also in other nations, he was able to cut both the quality and price of furniture. But not just furniture as we all know. Everything from lamps, to tables, to underwear, bras and jeans were also in Rob’s plan. 

In the United States, quality union laborers who were making things like solid maple and oak furniture for example, were far too expensive for Rob. They earned way over minimum wage, worked full time and received benefits such as health care and time off. This was anathema to Robby. His slave labor in China (his pal Mitt Romney once visited such a manufacturing plant with media present and observing the tall fence topped with barbed wire surrounding it, commented that he thought it was intended to keep potential workers out--of course it was a slave labor camp and the fence kept brutally treated workers IN), cheap shoddy merchandise along with his occupation of storefronts in the shadow of competitors was Rob’s plan for success! 

The Greedster chiefly responsible

for the permanent loss of

American manufacturing jobs:

Wal-Mart Chairman

S. ROBSON WALTON!

Sam Walton had a bit of a different approach to his employees, by the way. Here is what the L.A. Times had to say about Sam’s attitude: “Walton used to work with American manufacturers, helping them to become more efficient in an effort to prevent them from manufacturing products overseas. Walton, in fact, was proud of the fact that he was actually increasing the number of products he carried in his stores that were made in the U.S. by American companies. Walton apparently understood the importance of having a domestic manufacturing sector, perhaps knowing that well-paid employees would actually help his own bottom line.”

WHAT ON EARTH HAPPENED TO YOU ROB WALTON? You are now the greediest, meanest, vicious employer on earth and farmed out all these jobs your father tried to protect!

So ya can't have slaves here in the U.S.A.?

What's a billionaire like

S. ROBSON WALTON TO DO?

Go to China.

:'(

Wal-Mart is now unfortunately earth’s largest corporation and its largest employer--if you can call his workers ‘employees’ rather than what they actually are, slave laborers. Walton’s own employees in American stores are so grossly underpaid, averaging $8.50 an hour or so, that a huge percentage are food stamp and other forms of welfare recipients, each store estimated to cost taxpayers approximately $1 million a year in such sickening subsidies as milk money for kids of hard working Wal-Mart ‘associates’ who cannot afford to feed themselves, their kids or even purchase clothing at the store employing them--instead having to buy used clothing at their local Goodwill or Salvation Army outlet. :(

The RepbubliCON Party

has the audacity to call Barack Obama

the "Food Stamp President"

when the truest of "Food Stamp Presidents"

was George W. Bush

creating a deregulatory environment

enabling greedster

S. ROBSON WALTON

to pay slave labor wages to his own

employees now dependent

on the tax dollar.

YOUR MONEY SUBSIDIZES WAL-MART!

As for Rob? His own worth stands at $33 billion and rising at last count. Along with his three silver-spooning siblings, the family is now worth more than any single American government department than the Defense Department ($150 billion and climbing). ALL WHILE HIS OWN EMPLOYEES REQUIRE FOOD STAMPS!!! 

Sorry if these photos nauseate you.

That's

S. ROBSON WALTON'S

stores forya.

WAL-MART IS NAUSEATING.

I have been doing a series of articles here and at Examiner.com headlining my local store-entitled Wallingford Walmart. I began the series because around Easter time a few years ago now I went to a public men’s room at this store, and the conditions in there were so despicably filthy that a poor 5 year old whose Mom was waiting outside the restroom kicked a piece of feces out of the way in order to enter a toilet stall. I began to photograph conditions at the store. I had the Health Department inspect repeatedly. The then Store Manager was compelled to have the regional cleaning crew come in and sanitize the store, especially those restrooms within sight of their produce department.

Great Value, huh?

Sorry to nauseate you again,

but there are actually three moldy 

packages in this photo

and dozens of outdated

cheese as much as 6 months out of date

from my local store.

WELCOME TO WAL-MART!

I documented outdated food, including some REALLY moldy cheeses I discovered on their shelves. I was so outraged that I actually showed the Mayor in addition to the Health Director. That Store Manager (who was always being stifled by the Wal-Mart corporate headquarters in Arkansas from speaking to the press--not allowed they’d say, but the Manager would always slip up and talk to me) had to fire the manager responsible that very day and pull all the refrigerated items he had off the shelf. 

Employees of Rob’s at the Wallingford store became acutely aware of my publications and loved it. I acquired countless secret supporters and even received a military salute from one of their ‘greeters’ each time they arrived. Oh, and about those ‘greeters’ who are a Wal-Mart trade mark? I’ve been reliably informed that their primary assignment is keeping an eye on shoplifters until police can arrive, and other such security tasks, rather than merely saying “Hello, welcome to Wal-Mart.” What a risky business, indeed, for $8.50 part time and no benefits, huh Rob?

Yes. He's the fool responsible for all of this.

S. ROBSON WALTON.

BOYCOTT WAL-MART!!!

I was once taken in the back warehouse portion of the store by a “Co-Manager” of that store, surrounded by half a dozen warehouse workers, and reamed out by that manager for my publication exploits. He tried to intimidate me and the entire crew surrounded me as though forcing me out of the store. I had a basket of merchandise and as I approached the front of the store, with witnesses now present, I was able to tell his goon squad to leave me so that I didn’t have to shoplift my stuff myself, and rather bring my cart through the register. This Manager didn’t call the police on me, because I had violated no laws whatsoever. I merely published the entire story with the guy’s name attached, forwarded it to the Store Manager and his job was now history.

More than one female employee has told me that they do occasionally have difficulty with male customers stalking, especially into the parking lot. An evening employee told me the stalking of one customer became so bad the police became involved and an arrest ensued. That Wal-Mart store REFUSED to allow a single male staff member to accompany her into the dark parking lot as she would leave her shift around midnight. At least she and one other employee has had to resort to suing the store for such a sick attitude and behavior!!! Sexual harassment in the extreme is what I call that, Rob!

While

S. ROBSON WALTON,

CHAIRMAN OF WAL-MART,

decides which Maserati he'll purchase next,

his cashier is wondering if

she can purchase food for the kids.

You SUCK Rob!

You just do.

And Robby is so unfeeling that he has the audacity to publicly display his material excess with a public “hobby.” He has a $16 million dollar race car collection (including his Maserati, Ferrari and Corvette) and races them publicly in California while his own store a mile away has workers slaving away, unable to afford food. WHAT A SICK DUDE!!!

While you are enjoying your

WAL-MART BOYCOTT,

please don't forget that 

Sam's Club

is really 

Wal-Mart in disguise.

So, for all these reasons and more, we hereby declare Wal-Mart Board Chairman Samuel Robson (Rob) Walton to be the number one reason to despise and BOYCOTT WAL-MART!!! Aside from employee abuse, creating permanent U.S. industrial unemployment, cooperating with the Communist regime in China to employ slave labor, shoddy merchandise, food you REALLY have to check before putting into your cart including moldy stuff, sexual harassment and abuse, and just plain GREED!!! We support all efforts to organize and unionize Wal-Mart associates here, and call on Congress and the President to investigate labor conditions of Walton employees overseas, re-regulate and pass legislation outlawing these sick practices!

If you thought you hated Wal-Mart and weren’t quite sure why, well here you go. The number one reason has to boycott has to be the guy running things since Daddy died. ROB WALTON is just number one. How about moldy cheese? Slave labor? Tax subsidies for stores because employees can’t afford food, clothing, shelter and health care? Shoddy merchandise? GREED?

BOYCOTT WAL-MART!!! SUPPORT WAL-MART LABORERS!! UNION NOW!!! BOYCOTT! BOYCOTT!!! BOYCOTT WAL-MART!!!

WALLINGFORD (CT) HOUSING AUTHORITY BRINGS DOZENS OF DISABLED/ELDERLY TO COURT-OFFERS NO AID!!

Me,

Taking my breathing treatment.

Shame on the Moon?

No Mr. Seger.

Shame on Michael Misiti 

and the

Wallingford Housing Authority

In December 2011 26 year Director Stephen Nere of the Wallingford Housing Authority (WHA), under the bizarre leadership of Board Chairman Michael Misiti, resigned under a cloud with a large deficit looming. Two weeks later his assistant resigned and by February 1st the entire staff of Wallingford civil servants had either resigned or replaced when DeMarco Property Management Corporation of Hartford was contracted to staff the office with a completely new staff under the even more bizarre leadership of Property Manager Maria DeMarco whose frustration with Misiti’s Board was famous. Within 8 months of taking over on February 1st 2012, Ms. DeMarco was quoted as saying to this Board  "I no longer feel we are effective here." 

                         I want to ask WHA Property Manager "Tracy,"

I take my showers sitting down, do you?

She resigned and the firm gave only 60 days notice and no specific reasons for severing their ties with the WHA on January 31st 2013. The Board promised an investigation which never happened. What was the WALLINGFORD Housing Authority Board’s solu

tion to DeMarco’s departure? They entered into an extremely bizarre relationship which gave the Authority to NEW HAVEN’s Housing Authority for a 90 day period, followed by a one year contract extension.

Ring number 1: Stephen Nere

Ring number 2: DeMarco Mismanagement

Ring number 3: New Haven Housing Authority

Have you been able to keep track of who’s in charge? Imagine what it has been like for the vulnerable disabled and elderly tenants the WHA is supposedly watching out for. But it gets worse.

Not quite a Dodge Nitro 4 x 4 "Company Vehicle,"

my personal transit system:

Two canes and a walker. 

The managers brought in from New Haven have launched a bevy of eviction cases against dozens of WALLINGFORD’s own tenants! This correspondent followed a sheriff (Timothy Wall) as he served more than HALF A DOZEN eviction notices at the South Side Terrace elderly and handicapped complex which housed fewer than 35 people at the time. They have consistently refused tenant requests to settle back rent issues out of court in a reasonable manner, being obsessed with the budget deficit at the expense of their responsibility to ensure the safety and care of the severely handicapped and elderly people they have been entrusted with.

My Spine Medicine

No narcotics, thank you,

just pain.

Do you know about pain, 

 WHA Residential Manager 

Tracy Blackwell?"

This correspondent happens to be one of those served an eviction notice by Mr. Wall and the Housing Authority--I don’t know, at this point, whether to call it the WALLINGFORD Housing Authority with NEW HAVEN employees actually staffing the office. I personally approached the office months before being served for overdue rent, and a Resident Service Coordinator named Tracy Blackwell refused to discuss the matter or consider an offer of repayment. Since moving to this complex I have been beset by a series of medical tragedies. I was doing coursework, employed by and receiving scholarships and low interest loans from Hartford Seminary when a malpracticing surgeon in Hartford botched a fusion of my 4th and 5th lumbar disks causing me to ultimately leave my employment and lose the funds mentioned. I fell briefly behind on my rent then, made a payment arrangement with the Coordinator for my complex and paid it ahead of schedule without any sheriffs, courts or the related expenses and stress.

If you look real close you can see your

Unabashed correspondent

WEARING A TIE

for this Hartford Seminary ID.

In January 2013 I underwent the scalpel again, this time for corrective surgery to the botch-job performed a year earlier on my spine, and while in Yale New Haven Hospital my oxygen levels approached dangerous levels, and a series of radiology tests revealed a life-threatening pulmonary embolism. So once again I found myself under general anesthesia, this time for surgery to implant a filter in my heart to prevent the embolism from killing me, followed by blood-thinning treatment for 6 months. It was during this period I once again found myself behind on rent, and approaching WHA Residential "Service" Coordinator Tracy Blackwell regarding the matter. I made further attempts to make payment arrangements by phone throughout the year, but the WHA refused! Sheriff Wall served my eviction notice, which specifically indicates that any funds paid by me could and would be applied to my back rent, not my current rent, and if they did remove me from my home of 3 1/2 years that money would remain with them. They finally referred me to their attorney Mr. Michael Burdo, whom I promptly contacted. Mr. Burdo asked me to provide him with specific numbers and a payment arrangement as soon as possible, so within one business day I called Mr. Burdo back and offered to make a down payment and pay my balance at that time within three months. Attorney Burdo considered this a reasonable suggestion, and said he would present it to the WHA managers from New Haven. When contacted again Mr. Burdo said they had refused my offer, saying that they were going to bring me and other tenants to New Haven’s Housing Court for eviction instead! When I discussed with Mr. Burdo that notice and the fact that paying even my current rent under these circumstances would be foolish, he was nearly speechless and replied simply “I know you have to do what you have to do.” Burdo couldn’t offer a sane reason for the Authority’s refusal of a reasonable payment arrangement at the time.

Since then, one of my neighbors, a woman with severe psychiatric and medical disorders and dependent upon her electric wheelchair for mobility was not only served eviction notices, she was kicked out of the home she lived in for years and now resides in an out of town homeless shelter! This is their intent, apparently with others under their “care.” They employ a social worker part time, and a current full time residential staff of three and a shared director, but they have never once attempted to discuss or, God forbid, help disabled (and elderly) residents figure out how to pay their rent in a timely manner and to make good on any back rent. The only contact I’ve received regarding my debt has been two eviction notices and a statement that includes over $600 in COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY court expenses!

Taking a different treatment:

No tie in this one.

Why does the NEW HAVEN/WALLINGFORD Housing Authority insist on bringing every past-due tenant to court, making a mockery of the New Haven Housing Court, regardless of the amount? My neighbor and friend, also then subject to eviction harassment from the WHA, said he was told that “Over $90,000 in back rent is owed” and they need to balance their deficit, run up under Stephen Nere and DeMarco Mismanagement. They are clearly abusing the eviction process, running up incredible fees and costs--for both tenants and the Authority--as well as clogging up the New Haven Housing Court!

The primary job of the WALLINGFORD Housing Authority is to provide low-income elderly and those suffering from severe disabilities in OUR COMMUNITY WITH SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. Instead what these NEW HAVEN managers are doing is threatening those they are supposed to be helping and stressing out the entire WHA tenant community. Due to my own mobility problems (I use a cane or walker and should use oxygen for longer excursions) I have had difficulty finding transportation to a court date in New Haven at 9am on a Tuesday, so I swallowed my pride and called the WHA and spoke with the Property Manager assigned to my case, Ms. Leasley Negron, who seemed sympathetic to my plight but indicated that Resident "Service" Coordinator and self-described "Court Liason" Tracy Blackwell would be the staffer going to court that day, and she transferred me seemingly assuring that I would be transported. Astoundingly Mr. Blackwell actually had the audacity to say that driving a tenant in “the company vehicle” (a currently listed $21,000 Dodge Ram Nitro 4 x 4) would be a “CONFLICT OF INTEREST!” I have observed this vehicle riding about town carrying only Mr. Blackwell and ask the Court and the WHA if this vehicle is intended ONLY TO TRANSPORT A STAFF OF THREE, or does it ever transport a client. If not then HOW ON EARTH CAN THEY JUSTIFY THE EXPENSE OF THIS 5 FIGURE “COMPANY VEHICLE??”

THE COMPANY VEHICLE

THAT CAN'T GIVE RIDES TO TENANTS.

NICE, HUH?

4 X 4.

When Stephen Nere left his job under a cloud of suspicion in December 2011 he was handed $110,000 for mismanaging the Authority, just short of the total $180,000 publicly stated shortfall at the time. Over $98,000 (I hardly passed algebra, but Nere's cash award along with his cronies' adds up to $208,000 or $28,000 in excess of the entire WHA deficit at that time) was given to the others who resigned after Nere stepped down. The total budget of the WHA was reported at $1.6 million at a Board meeting last year. According to the Meriden Record Journal,  the “WHA will pay New Haven $485,814 annually for services, plus a 10 percent administrative fee.” The math is simple, $585,814 for three staffers from New Haven, one part-time Social Worker who does no effective Social work to help tenants with their finances, and a part time director. WOW!! That is over ONE THIRD OF THE ENTIRE BUDGET they are mismanaging in this way and doing such harm to their tenants! And remember, by the only figures available, tenant rent shortfalls only account for about 20% of the current deficit at WHA! And the WHA/New Haven Housing Authority staff get exclusive use of a lovely ‘company vehicle’ for their staff. OMG!!!

Lots of cash sure changed hands when

Stephen Nere

left the WHA.

Hmmm...

I wonder?

As I appear in court on my own behalf and seek, once again, a reasonable payment arrangement for a past-due rent which has climbed in amount due to huge medical matters and the passage of time since my first offer to Attorney Burdo, I also ask this Court to take a look at the sheer volume of eviction cases the New Haven managers of the WHA have brought and consider to please, at least discuss with them and/or COMPELLING THEM TO SEEK OUT-OF-COURT SOLUTIONS PRIOR TO THEIR POLICY OF AUTOMATICALLY BRINGING ALL TENANTS IN ARREARS TO COURT WITH THE THREAT OF EVICTION! I know that due to this eviction process my own stress is at a near all-time high, and has done severe harm to my chances of recovery from 2 lung collapses, two lung surgeries, and 2 hospitalizations for pneumonia in the last 3 months. I can only presume that it has done the same for all those being dragged unnecessarily into court, especially my poor neighbor with her electric wheelchair! I am happy in my home, love my neighbors, my pet is happy here, and I am beyond willing to pay my balance and desire strongly to continue living here.

My Oxygen Machine.

PLEASE 

no smoking when I'm using it.

TY.

I also ask Wallingford’s Mayor William Dickinson and the Town Council to bring Chairman Misiti and his Board before them to explain their harassment and harm done to WALLINGFORD’s Housing Authority tenants by the NEW HAVEN managers, and to end their contract with them quickly and take responsibility for the WHA by once again hiring WALLINGFORD citizens to run its Housing Authority. Just because Stephen Nere and his cronies posed a problem is no reason to relinquish WALLINGFORD’s control of this essential feature of our town! DeMarco did NOT work, and now this crisis being created by these NEW HAVEN managers proves that outside management is not only a cop-out, but is costing tenants and the Authority large sums of money and the serenity of the WHA tenant community.

Thank you to the Housing Court for its time and please consider my request that the WHA no longer be allowed to abuse it. 

OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA: PLEASE GET THE TESTOSTERONE OUT OF YOUR MILITARY POLICY, SIR!

OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA

Dear Mr. President:

I’ve supported you in many ways since 2008 and continue to do so. Though I live  well below poverty level as a disabled American, I’ve given cash support to both of your campaigns; as an author and reporter I have enthusiastically endorsed you twice; and as an active member of your campaigns I have opened my home to others for recruitment and fund raising. THANK YOU for persevering and passing the Health Care Reform Act! Thank you for the TARP bill, preserving Social Security and Medicare. To borrow a phrase from Vice President Biden, your elections and Administration have been “a big f_____g deal” for all Americans! :)

I must reiterate a frequent criticism and perhaps state it a bit more clearly now that you’ve drawn yet another “line” threatening “consequences” against a government on another continent. We have no business threatening fools like the Basher of Syria-Assad--nor do we have any such business doing so in the Ukraine now! PLEASE GET THE TESTOSTERONE OUT OF YOUR MILITARY AND FOREIGN POLICY, SIR, AND STOP THREATENING AND AGGRESSING AGAINST SOVEREIGN NATIONS! VIOLENCE DOES NOT BEGET PEACE, MR. PRESIDENT! By threatening to intervene in the Ukraine you are inviting the idiotic leader of Russia which happens to be next door to that nation and shares a huge border with it, and has legitimate national security concerns there to take charge once again while you sit in Washington manipulating our bloated military. Vladimir Putin does not need you making him look good once again, as you did when you threatened Syria with a ‘thin red line’ and a potential bombing campaign while Putin resolved the matter of chemical weapons without firing a shot, sir!

What’s happening in the Ukraine is a tragedy and I also call upon the government and protesters to seek only peaceful options, but peaceful options will not come about as the result of threats from overseas. AND PLEASE STOP DRONING SOVEREIGN NATIONS AS WELL! I CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE HALT TO ALL DRONE STRIKES UNTIL WE CAN REVIEW THE IMPLICATAIONS OF THIS STILL BRAND NEW TECHNOLOGY! AND INTERNATIONAL LAW DICTATES THAT YOU REFRAIN FROM USING FORCE IN ANY OTHER SOVEREIGN NATION, PARTICULARLY WITHOUT THAT GOVERNMENT’S KNOWLEDGE OR APPROVAL! And for crying out loud, sir, let us finally LEAVE AFGHANISTAN TO THE AFGHANS! Sometimes, sir, I hate to say, that when I look at your abuses of force and misuse of violence and/or threats, I’m more reminded of the RepubliCON Cheney/Bush insanity rather than a reasonable and liberal Democratic foreign policy.

I support your Administration, and look forward to a Democratic victory, especially in the House, this November. However I will say it once again: PLEASE, MR. PRESIDENT, GET THE TESTOSTERONE OUT OF YOUR VEINS WHEN CONTEMPLATING MILITARY ACTION AND CONSIDERING MORE THREATS OR IMPLIED THREATS OF VIOLENCE ON OTHER CONTINENTS!

Sincerely,
Steve Alexander
aka Unabashed Left