Senate Bill 364, An Act Concerning Traffic Stop Information, contains several provisions to augment legislation passed by the late Senator Alvin Penn from Bridgeport to compile and analyze data to determine racial bias in traffic stops and penalties. The Racial Profiling Act was passed in 1999 but has not been implemented consistently across Connecticut.

‘It’s about time we give this law the structure for proper state-wide implementation,” Rep. Charlie Stallworth said. “It is unfortunate it took this many years for proper legislative action, but I am very pleased to be a part of it.”

“With the recent documented and statistically significant proof that racial profiling exists in Connecticut, supporting this bill made sense.  The law needed strengthening and we have done that today,” Rep. Jack Hennessy said.

“This bill provides the language and framework that ensures these numbers need to be reported and that all Police departments are participating,” Rep. Andres Ayala said. “It has been thirteen years since the passage of the original legislation, so it appears this is the only avenue we had to ensure compliance.”

“This will finally allow Connecticut to systematically collect the information in the quantities needed for proper evaluation and policy decision making,” Rep. Auden Grogins said.

“The information gathered throughout the state will allow us to determine and address problem areas that would otherwise be allowed to continue with business as usual,” Rep. Don Clemons said. “I look forward to a more informed state and more honest and equitable enforcement of traffic laws.”

A recent analysis of more than 100,000 traffic stops by dozens of local police departments in 2011 found that black and Hispanic drivers are significantly more likely to receive a ticket or a court date than white drivers stopped for the same offense.

In order to address issues cited by law enforcement authorities across the state as a hindrance to data collection and submission, provisions of the bill include:

• Having the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) collect, compile and analyze data
• Creating a standard form across all police departments to make data collection easier and more consistent
• Training for police officers in the use and completion of the standard form
• Submitting an annual profiling report to the Governor, General Assembly and other pertinent parties
• Allows OPM to recommend an appropriate penalty, including the withholding of state funds, against a department that does not comply with the traffic stop provisions

“This extension helps the City of Bridgeport with another tool in the tool box to ensure we can make Steel Point happen.  Steel Point is an extremely important project for the city and as a delegation we want to make sure we give the administration the support they need to move forward,” Rep. Andres Ayala said.

“Steel point should be a major hub of maritime economic activity for Bridgeport,” Rep. Stallworth said. “We cannot avert our attention from the goal of making a developed waterfront part of our city’s landscape and this bill keeps the project alive.”

“I am pleased to support this critical funding for this project. Making Steel Point a reality is essential to Bridgeport's economic recovery,” Rep. Grogins said.

“It seems that everybody is waiting for the Steel Point Project to happen; all the traffic traveling on I95 through Bridgeport looks out to the empty expanse, year after the year, wondering when it'll be Bridgeport’s turn to turn around.  This bill helps keep the promise alive,” Rep. Hennessy said.

“For as long as I can remember, this parcel of prime harbor property has lain dormant. If Bridgeport is to enjoy a renaissance of economic prosperity, it cannot be without development and leveraging of the economic potential of this tract of land,” Rep. Clemons said.

“I truly believe that we will need no more extensions after this due to the progress that has been made to this point. We have resources in place such as the TIF and a commitment from the state to be an economic partner with the developer, Bridgeport Landing Development LLC, and the City of Bridgeport to make this project a reality. Permitting is moving forward and we are nearing the point where shovels meet the ground and a multi-million dollar mixed use development rises on prime waterfront property,” Rep. Santiago said.

“The developer has made major investments on the site and within the community and intends to see this project through. The Bridgeport Delegation is doing everything in its power to help facilitate a project we believe will jumpstart other proposed projects like the $500 million mixed use development on the Remington site. These projects have the potential to have huge positive impacts on the city’s tax rolls which is one of the best ways to provide relief to Bridgeport taxpayers while creating temporary and permanent jobs,” Rep. Santiago added.

The legislation extends, from June 30, 2012 to June 30, 2015, the deadline by which the Department of Economic and Community Development, Connecticut Development Authority and Connecticut Innovations, Inc. may provide up to $40 million in financial assistance from existing programs to the Steel Point project.

As under current law, the assistance must be used for developing and improving property in Bridgeport’s Steel Point.

From left to right: Scot X Esdaile, President, Connecticut State Conference of NAACP Branches, Mr. Alfred Mayo, Mongi Dhaouadi, Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Connecticut, State Representative Don Clemons, State Representative Ernest Hewett.

The investigation centers on the State Fire Training School policies and practices in hiring minorities. It was completed by the office of Reuben F. Bradford, commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.

“As a retired Bridgeport firefighter I can completely empathize with Mr. Mayo because of the discrimination I went through in Bridgeport,” Rep. Clemons said. “I was only after a lengthy lawsuit that I was able to be hired as a firefighter in Bridgeport. I stand behind Mr. Mayo and fully support this call for justice.”

The report, which was delivered to the New London mayor, summarizes findings and recommendations including decisions to graduate and certify fire recruits to be made solely by academy staff. It also notes that communications between the academy and the city of New London may have been inappropriate and contained adverse conclusions regarding Mr. Mayo that were not solidly based on evidence.

Senate Bill 364, An Act Concerning Traffic Stop Information, contains several provisions to effectuate legislation passed by the late Senator Alvin Penn from Bridgeport to compile and analyze data to determine racial bias in traffic stops and penalties. The Racial Profiling Act was passed in 2003 but has not been implemented consistently across Connecticut.

“I am glad to see the bill pass this first hurdle, as a delegation we will continue to work to ensure our constituents are not being stopped just because they are African American or Latino. As we have seen with the example of East Haven, profiling does occur. We must protect our citizens and this legislation helps us to do that,” Rep. Andres Ayala said.

“Connecticut has had a decade to implement a consistent plan of data collection and it is unfortunate that we are still struggling to make that happen,” Rep. Charlie Stallworth said. “Let’s us delay no longer and pass this legislation this session to contribute to a more fair and just system.”

“Having the Office of Policy and Management handle the data collection and analysis is key to generating useful reports,” Rep. Auden Grogins said. “I will support this legislation and hope to see it signed into law.”

“Being a member of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, I am pleased to see that my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee agreed there is inequity in the state with racial profiling and revisited Alvin Penn’s legislation that has been on the books so long,” Rep. Don Clemons said. “The new provisions will facilitate implementation and will bring our police departments into compliance by bringing in the Office of Policy and Management and the Criminal Justice Information System Governing Board to oversee and make sure police departments are doing their jobs.”

“I remember, more than one time, where in my opinion I have been a victim of racial profiling which left me feeling very vulnerable to racism. No one should be made to feel this way, nor should anyone be allowed to behave in this manner towards others based on racial bias. I applaud the Judiciary Committee for passing this legislation. I also hope it makes it through the remaining legislative process and is eventually signed into law by the Governor,” Rep. Ezequiel Santiago said.

“Profiling can exist in towns as well as the cities,” Rep. Jack Hennessy said. “This legislation protects everyone against bias in traffic stops and penalties.”

A recent published analysis of more than 100,000 traffic stops by dozens of local police departments in 2011 found that black and Hispanic drivers are significantly more likely to receive a ticket or a court date than white drivers stopped for the same offense.

In order to address issues cited by law enforcement authorities across the state as a hindrance to data collection and submission, provisions of the bill include:

• Having the Office of Policy and Management collect, compile and analyze data
• Creating a standard form across all police departments to make data collection easier and more consistent
• Training for police officers in the use and completion of the standard form
• Submitting an annual profiling report to the Governor, General Assembly and other pertinent parties

While city officials endeavor to rebuild public access to Pleasure Beach, a consultant group has unveiled a master plan outlining the city's vision for the peninsula's renaissance.

The vision is this: a community park and wildlife sanctuary where residents can swim, kayak, barbecue, bird watch and host family reunions.

"We all probably have some fond memory of Pleasure Beach when it was in its glory days," said state Rep. Charles "Don" Clemons, D-Bridgeport, at a community forum held at Jettie Tisdale School Tuesday night.

"Well, it's on its way back."

The master plan, presented to about 35 residents gathered at a public meeting hosted by Gary Sorge of Stantec Consulting, was created to show state and federal regulators charged with approving each step of the plan what the end result could look like.

The plan calls for the construction of food kiosks, public restrooms, sporting fields, a playground, adult fitness equipment, pavilions, walking paths and educational programming on the city-owned property that once was the site of an amusement park.

"You don't have to do much to make Pleasure Beach a place people will want to go," said Sorge, a principal of the Hamden-based company hired by the city to map out a plan for the peninsula's revival.

But, of course, the city must make it accessible. Officials have pledged to reopen the summertime oasis to the public by the end of 2012.

The public currently has no easy way to access Pleasure Beach. The only access by land requires making a nearly 2-mile trek by bike or foot through Stratford's Long Beach West. But because of the danger of harming the endangered piping plovers and least terns, the state Department of Environmental Protection has restricted access to the area.

Sorge said the city is planning to establish a water taxi station at the base of Central Avenue that would transport residents to and from the property. The city has completed the permitting process to install a floating dock there for use by the water taxi. The city has not yet decided how much a round trip on the boat would cost.

There are five structures still standing on the peninsula. Little by little, Sorge said the city hopes to rebuild and preserve them. The bathhouse, he said, will likely function as the future gate house to the peninsula. He said the city plans to reopen the bathhouse to the public by autumn of 2012.

Officials must also figure out how to remove waste and respond to emergency situations at this remote location. The city is considering staffing an Emergency Medical Services station on the peninsula.

Another challenge facing officials is figuring out how to revitalize Pleasure Beach without damaging its ecosystem.

There are five threatened or endangered plant species and three threatened or endangered animal species along the peninsula's perimeter.

In October 2008, Pleasure Beach was listed as an Important Birding Area by the Audubon Society, one of 12 along Connecticut's shoreline. It also protects the state's largest salt marsh in the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge.

"We can't ignore this, but we can work with it," Sorge said. "It doesn't mean that we have to avoid areas where these species are. We just have to manage the site so we can co-exist."

All attractions, amenities and services would be focused at the center of the peninsula, thereby keeping the perimeter of the property untouched aside from paths providing beach access, Sorge said.

"The way this is laid out, you could have 250 people a day or 900 a day and there's a big enough buffer zone that the wildlife will be equally protected," he said.

Stratford resident Morgan Kaolian, founding director of Long Island Sound America and a proponent of revitalizing Pleasure Beach, urged Sorge and city officials to work hand-in-hand with the Town of Stratford.

"There's gotta be some sort of association between Pleasure Beach and Stratford's Long Beach West because they're both one in the same," he said.

Senate Bill 364, An Act Concerning Traffic Stop Information, contains several provisions to effectuate legislation passed by the late Senator Alvin Penn from Bridgeport to compile and analyze data to determine racial bias in traffic stops and penalties. The Racial Profiling Act was passed in 2003 but has not been implemented consistently across Connecticut.

“I am glad to see the bill pass this first hurdle, as a delegation we will continue to work to ensure our constituents are not being stopped just because they are African American or Latino. As we have seen with the example of East Haven, profiling does occur. We must protect our citizens and this legislation helps us to do that,” Rep. Andres Ayala said.

“Connecticut has had a decade to implement a consistent plan of data collection and it is unfortunate that we are still struggling to make that happen,” Rep. Charlie Stallworth said. “Let’s us delay no longer and pass this legislation this session to contribute to a more fair and just system.”

“Having the Office of Policy and Management handle the data collection and analysis is key to generating useful reports,” Rep. Auden Grogins said. “I will support this legislation and hope to see it signed into law.”

“Being a member of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, I am pleased to see that my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee agreed there is inequity in the state with racial profiling and revisited Alvin Penn’s legislation that has been on the books so long,” Rep. Don Clemons said. “The new provisions will facilitate implementation and will bring our police departments into compliance by bringing in the Office of Policy and Management and the Criminal Justice Information System Governing Board to oversee and make sure police departments are doing their jobs.”

“I remember, more than one time, where in my opinion I have been a victim of racial profiling which left me feeling very vulnerable to racism. No one should be made to feel this way, nor should anyone be allowed to behave in this manner towards others based on racial bias. I applaud the Judiciary Committee for passing this legislation. I also hope it makes it through the remaining legislative process and is eventually signed into law by the Governor,” Rep. Ezequiel Santiago said.

“Profiling can exist in towns as well as the cities,” Rep. Jack Hennessy said. “This legislation protects everyone against bias in traffic stops and penalties.”

A recent published analysis of more than 100,000 traffic stops by dozens of local police departments in 2011 found that black and Hispanic drivers are significantly more likely to receive a ticket or a court date than white drivers stopped for the same offense.

In order to address issues cited by law enforcement authorities across the state as a hindrance to data collection and submission, provisions of the bill include:

• Having the Office of Policy and Management collect, compile and analyze data
• Creating a standard form across all police departments to make data collection easier and more consistent
• Training for police officers in the use and completion of the standard form
• Submitting an annual profiling report to the Governor, General Assembly and other pertinent parties

“The site of this second rail station will spur further economic development. Currently, the City of Bridgeport has numerous projects in this area which would be well served by the second station,” Rep. Ayala said. “This could be the spark which ignites further investment opportunities and better jobs and housing for our residents. As chairman of the Bonding Subcommittee on Transportation I am pleased to see this project move forward.”

“This project will address one of the barriers to economic activity which is lack of access to public transportation,” Rep. Clemons said. “This project encompasses blight, pollution and transportation with increased avenues for economic activity. This is money well-spent and I am eager to see the work begin.”

"The state’s investment in the revitalization of this significant brownfield property is essential to our future economic success. Giving additional access to our Bridgeport commuters to New York and other major Connecticut cities is key to making Bridgeport a destination city. It is also a key factor in drawing more businesses to our area and making Bridgeport more attractive as a residential community,” Rep. Grogins said. “With the prior attention having been given to Fairfield’s new train station, I am excited and hopeful that the prospect of a new train station in Bridgeport will shift the focus for future economic development in our city."

“It’s good to see that Bridgeport is getting its fair share of state dollars,” Rep. Hennessy said. “Brownfield remediation is long overdue. This project will spur economic development in a blighted area of this city.”

“Cleaning contaminated brownfield sites and putting them back into productive use will be a key factor in our efforts to increase the cities taxable grand list. This is an effective way to provide tax relief for our property and business owners,” Rep. Santiago said. “Adding to our public transportation infrastructure will help lower our carbon footprint, while the additional commuter traffic will provide opportunity for increased business at existing venues as well as a greater need for new businesses to be established.”

“This contaminated brownfield has been dormant for many years and it is great to see it finally getting some attention,” Rep. Stallworth said. “When you combine the remediation with a new train station, Bridgeport and residents are poised to reap many benefits from this project.”

The funds will support on site remediation efforts on the 7-acre parcel on Barnum Avenue and will help with the area’s revitalization initiatives. Bridgeport was the successful recipient of a Sustainable Communities Grant Award to explore the feasibility of a second station at this site. The planned station will serve to expand transportation options for commuters that have difficulties accessing the current downtown station.

We take great exception to the legislative Republican Congressional redistricting plan that moves the City of Bridgeport from the 4th to the 3rd Congressional District. The attempt – disguised as strengthening minority influence by increasing the number of minority residents in the 3rd District is nothing more than a political maneuver designed to create a Republican stronghold in the 4th.

One goal of redistricting is to strengthen minority influence in as many districts as possible. Currently, four of our five Congressional districts have significant minority influence. The Republican proposal runs counter to that philosophy, reducing minority influence in two districts.

Also, under their scheme, Republicans maintain that Bridgeport would join New Haven as a “community of interest.” In fact, for decades we have shared interests – economic, social, political – with the cities and towns of Fairfield County and the 4th Congressional District. Those ties are strong, and should remain so.

Finally, the 4th has been represented by Democrats and Republicans over the years. Until recently, it was dominated for decades by Republican representation. Republican efforts to configure this district as their own are transparent and unworthy of the process.

Bridgeport's own Robert DeForest represented Connecticut's 4th District in Southwest Connecticut over a hundred years ago. Bipartisan teams of redistricters have kept Bridgeport in the Fairfield County-based 4th District since the modern process began in 1965. We strongly urge the redistricting panel or judges, whoever may ultimately decide, to recognize Bridgeport’s central and historic role in Fairfield County and keep it in the 4th Congressional District. The issues facing Bridgeport and all of Fairfield County are too important to be lost in an unnecessary political shuffle.

“I am very excited to support this Jobs bill which focuses on helping small businesses and reduces their tax burden. As a small business owner for the past 22 years, I can honestly say that this bill will help sustain and expand existing businesses, stimulate job growth and attract new business entrepreneurs to Connecticut,” Rep. Grogins said. “I also look forward to welcoming Jackson Labs to Connecticut. Their success will be our success. This state of the art facility for research and testing in genomic medicine will create thousands of job opportunities in the area of bio-science for Connecticut residents, and put our state on the world map in this rapidly growing field.”

“I am pleased to support this bill because many of my constituents have emphatically stressed to me the importance of jobs,” Rep. Ayala said. “The State of Connecticut is not just standing by any longer - we are providing leadership to create jobs to get through this rough economy and to prepare CT for a brighter future.”

"Although I am very pleased with the legislation to help create jobs and bring Jackson Labs to Ct, I believe we need to stimulate economic development in our urban centers, especially Bridgeport. I am glad we are moving forward to begin the process of cleaning up our Brownfield properties. We need to get these old industrial sites back and contributing to the future of CT,” Rep. Hennessy said.

“These bills were made into law in order to both make the necessary investments in infrastructure which allows CT to be the home of one of the most technologically advanced research facilities in the world and to incentivize training and job creation in the private sector,” Rep. Santiago said. “These are steps which are necessary to take advantage of the budding bioscience industry and to assure the private sector that CT is indeed open for business and that the Legislature is willing to work towards a friendlier business climate. I plan to work to ensure that the people and businesses in Bridgeport take full advantage the resources made available through this legislation.”

"I'm glad to see us take a strong act concerning an issue that is important to all of us -- jobs. Though this is not a perfect step, it is a giant step in a direction that is good for the citizens of Connecticut,” Rep. Stallworth said. “These two bills will have a great impact on employment in particular and the economy in general, as well as a great step in the area of medical research."

“These two pieces of legislation follow what the governor was committed to for economic development to attract business in the state, put people back to work, and jump start the economy,” Rep. Clemons said.

“Also, Jackson Labs will make the state competitive with others in the biomedical field. Hopefully, the research will lead to personalized treatment and more effective combating and curing of today’s and tomorrow’s diseases.”

The goal of the legislation is to jump-start job creation and foster long-term economic growth. Incentives for small business, cutting red tape, incentives for innovation, economic development tools and workforce development and training are all addressed in the bill.

One of the key components of the legislation is the Small Business Express Package which will make $50 million/year available to small businesses through incentives, grants and loans.

Another vital component is aligning programs at vo-tech schools, community colleges and universities with high demand job needs of employers, including the state’s manufacturing technology companies.

Other components of the jobs bill include:

• Consolidating and increasing the tax credit for new hires
• Incentivizing investments in emerging technology (Angel Investors)
• Building innovation centers in key cities and investing in innovative ventures
• A second “First Five” program
• Cutting the business entity tax
• Streamlining the business permitting process
• Remediating old industrial sites/brownfields
• Computer upgrades to foster seamless communication between business and the state
• Workforce development, education and training
• Allowing the Airport Authority to designate new Development Zones
• Investments in roads and bridges
• Replenishing the Manufacturing Assistance Act (MAA)
• Main Street commercial centers improvement initiative

In addition, the legislature signed off on Jackson Laboratory’s plan to build a $1.1 billion research facility at the UConn Health Center campus in Farmington. The State of Connecticut will invest $291 million and Jackson Laboratory will raise the balance of $860 million for the project.

According to the state Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), the project is expected to create over 660 positions at Jackson Laboratory in Farmington within 20 years. DECD estimates more than 4,600 bioscience jobs would be generated through spin-off companies, and another 2,000 would be added to local service and area retail stores. The project would yield more than 840 construction jobs as well.

“The Bridgeport port has always been an important tool for economic development for the City and will be the economic driver to spur further development. Housatonic Community College has always been an important partner with the City and, in these tough economic times, where our constituents are going back to school to further enhance their skills, it is important the school be able to continue expanding and enhancing their facility to meet student needs,” Rep. Ayala said.

“I would like for Bridgeport to regain its prominence as a major hub of maritime economic activity that its deep-water port afforded in its active years. Steel point harbor development has been a priority for some time as a jobs engine and to reduce congestion on our major thoroughfares,” Rep. Clemons said. “Housatonic community college is an excellent learning environment and integral part of the community that is steadily growing in enrollment from when I attended. I will continue to support investment in this school which is a key component of a viable community.”

“This important funding is critical to further Bridgeport’s economic development plan. These improvements will make Housatonic Community College a state of the art educational institution in our city. Investing in our deep water ports is valuable for Bridgeport’s future in making our city a key destination for tourism in Connecticut,” Rep. Grogins said.

“The funding for Housatonic will be to begin refurbishing the original tech building due to the anticipated continued increase in student enrollment. This school is important to the city as a gateway for Urban residents to access affordable higher education,” Rep. Hennessy said. “I am also pleased funding was allocated for a port study. This is long overdue as a port development goes hand-in-hand with the overall strategic plan to address and preserve the watershed and create good jobs.”

“There is a reason why enrollment at Housatonic Community College has increased dramatically in recent years. Affordable tuition, convenient location by the cities’ transportation hub and a great faculty are just some of them. Many people I know in the district I represent and abroad have used the education they have received at Housatonic to improve their quality of life. Working to help with the expansion and renovation will be necessary to accommodate the needs of the growing student body,” Rep. Santiago said. “It is important for us to keep the deep water port designation if the Bridgeport Harbor port is to remain a viable source of commerce and trade in our region. There are jobs that currently rely on the ports operation and we must take advantage of opportunities to create new jobs through economic development strategies that are vital to Bridgeport residents. Growing our local tax base through economic development is a way to decrease the current tax burden on our residential home owners.”

The State Bond Commission approved $1,000,000 to study economic development strategies in several port cities including Bridgeport. Bridgeport officials have long worked on marina development due to its strategic waterfront location.

Another item on the agenda for Friday is funding in the amount of $4,669,770 for the implementation of phase III of the master plan for renovations and additions and renovations of the 183,000 square foot Lafayette Hall at Housatonic Community College. The project includes new and renovated science labs, an expanded the library, new computer labs and general purpose classrooms.

Some of the benefits include a solution to the pension plan, funds for the Ralphola Community Center and manufacturing grants.

“Bridgeport would be faced with pension obligation payments that could exceed $20 million without this legislation,” Rep. Ayala said. “That translates into cuts to municipal services as well as possible increases in local taxes.”

The proposed legislation provides a different framework within which the City must fund the pension plan so the pension plan can continue to pay the retirement benefits. The pension plan currently covers 866 retirees and 33 remaining active employees.

The legislation changes the funding ratio requirements under existing law and instead institutes an actuarially accepted methodology for payments into the pension plan. The city will be required to contribute a minimum of $7 million to the plan for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012 and to make future contributions at actuarially required levels under actuarially accepted methodology for subsequent fiscal years.

The current administration has made significant contributions over the last few years - $6.2 million in 2009, $4.7 million in 2010 and $7 million in 2011. However, a weak economy over the past 10 years has negatively affected the pension fund and the city's revenues have substantially declined.

The Ralphola Taylor Community Center YMCA has received a $300,000 state grant. The Community Center YMCA serves the entire community with educational and recreation programs for youth and adults, including computer classes high school equivalency classes (GED) and a violence prevention program.  It is a family resource center with a full service medical facility in conjunction with the Bridgeport Community Health Center.

“I am very happy that I was able to work with the House leadership to receive this funding,” Rep. Clemons said. “This will go a long way in providing much needed services in the district.

In addition, Bridgeport will receive $839,881 dollars that would have been lost due to changes in the Manufacturing Machinery & Equipment reimbursement to municipalities (MME) in the governor’s budget. Bridgeport and other cities with heavy industry and large manufacturing bases would have been disproportionately affected. A fund was created that combines retail sales, hotel stays, home sales, cabaret and car rental taxes.

“Changes to the MME reimbursement would have had the potential to greatly affect Bridgeport and other cities whose budgets rely on these state funds. Our municipal budget might have been affected by upwards of $800,000 in lost revenue,” Rep. Santiago said. “I am pleased my colleagues were able to unite against this proposed change to come up with alternate options.”

A bill that would allow the pretrial collection of DNA samples from suspects in serious felonies easily passed the Appropriation Committee on Monday despite concerns voiced by some lawmakers that it targets minorities and infringes on civil liberties.

The measure would allow law enforcement agencies to collect DNA samples from people accused of committing serious felonies such as murder, rape, or arson murder. The bill passed the committee with broad support on both sides of the aisle.

The samples collected would be put in a federal database and would be expunged if the suspect is found not guilty of the charges. As the bill currently reads, a person charged must make a request to have the samples destroyed. The bill’s proponent, Rep. Ernest Hewett, D-New London, said he is working on an amendment to the measure that would place that burden on the judicial system rather than the accused.

Hewett dismissed concerns that the measure would unfairly impact minority groups, saying it may actually help exonerate those falsely accused.

“If I walked out of this door right now and I was arrested for rape with an eyewitness and there was DNA found on the scene of that rape — God help me I wish they would take my DNA.

Because that eyewitness could put me behind bars for 18 years,” Hewett said. “…but that DNA can set me free. So I have to weigh the part where it’s invading privacy.”

Hewett said the measure could help put to rest a number of cold cases in the state. There are 3,800 pieces of untested evidence DNA in Connecticut, he said.

Rep. Don Clemons, D-Bridgeport, said it was the rape and murder of his son’s mother more than 30 years ago in Bridgeport that makes him inclined to support the bill. He said from 1978 to 1982 there were eight women abducted from Bridgeport and later found strangled and raped. To this day, those cases remain unsolved, he said.

“When I saw this piece of legislation Rep. Hewett produced, it brings back haunting memories,” he said, but he added that the measure could provide resolution for the families affected by those crimes.

Some conservative lawmakers lauded the measure as well, saying it could ultimately reduce the cost of investigating and prosecuting violent crimes.

But Rep. Peter Tercyak, D-New Britain, said that while the bill seems attractive at its face, it’s the job of legislators to make sure their bills are constitutional.

“Personally I’ve long argued that we won’t be robbed of our liberties at gun point. We will freely give them up one at a time to solve one problem at a time with our hearts being tugged by one truly horrible story at a time,” he said. “That’s why we’ve coded our liberties as we have.”

Tercyak said that as technology moves forward, the legislature reviews proposals claiming to save lives by the use of some new product, which companies claim doesn’t infringe on the rights of citizens. He said the country has reached a point he never thought it would, where everyone will be required to buy health insurance. Creating a database from the DNA of potentially innocent people is heading in the wrong direction, he said.

“Why would we also want to have a database like this available? Isn’t it just the beginning?” he asked.

It is not impossible to get a warrant for DNA collection for heinous crimes where DNA is left at the scene, Tercyak said.

As Tercyak continued, Appropriations Committee Vice Chairwoman Cathy Abercrombie, D-Meriden, asked him if he had a question about the measure for Hewett.

“Is it required? Or am I just allowed to say why I hate this bill and will be voting against it,” he asked.

She asked him to stick to the fiscal aspects of the measure and wait until the bill is raised on the floor to let his feelings be known.

The measure will now return to the House of Representatives.

“I have been involved with HNH for many years and know first-hand about the indispensable services offered to the community,” Rep. Clemons said. “This is a prudent investment at time when we are doing all we can to make sure state dollars are allocated wisely.”

“Many lives have been enriched through the support HNH gives the community,” Rep. Santiago said. “With a proven track record of many years, we will get many times a return on this investment.”

The funds will allow Hall Neighborhood House to finance infrastructure improvements to its facilities at 52 George Pipkin's Way and 500 State Street in Bridgeport.

Hall Neighborhood House was organized in 1886 to help young migrant families adjust to life in Bridgeport and now offers programs in day-care, preschool and social services as well as youth and senior citizen programs, affordable housing, job training, performing arts and recreation.

Don Clemons represents the 124th district in Bridgeport. In addition to serving as Deputy Majority Whip at Large, he serves on the Appropriations, Judiciary and Public Safety and Security committees

Ezequiel Santiago represents the 130th district in Bridgeport. In addition to serving as Vice Chair of Labor, he serves on the Commerce and Transportation Committees in this upcoming legislative session.

BRIDGEPORT — Nearly two years ago, the city was awarded a $1.9 million federal grant to establish a water taxi service to Pleasure Beach, a favorite summertime destination for city residents, to replace the bridge destroyed by a fire on Father's Day 1996.

vintage postcard - Amusements at Pleasure Beach, Bridgeport, Conn.
Photo: Contributed Photo / Connecticut Post Contributed

Yet, city officials are still waiting for permits for work on docks and have yet to decide whether to purchase or lease the water taxis, valued at roughly $300,000 each.

Access by water taxi will be available "depending on how far things go," said Ted Grabarz, the city's sustainability director, but even then only supervised tours may be permitted, owing to the lack of bathrooms and other facilities.

Further restricting public access to the peninsula is the endangered wildlife that now reside on Pleasure Beach, which, together with Long Beach West in Stratford, constitute one the state's longest barrier beaches.

In October 2008, Pleasure Beach was listed as an Important Birding Area by the Audubon Society, one of 12 along Connecticut's shoreline. It also protects the state's largest salt marsh, the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge.

"Bridgeport has within a stone's throw of the East End, one of the most amazing wildlife resources in the whole country," said Sandy Breslin, director of governmental affairs for Audubon Connecticut.

City officials have yet to decide whether to operate the water taxis itself or put the job out to bid, which means it could be months before an operator is chosen.

In the meantime, the city is hoping to complete the permitting process to begin installation of a floating dock at the foot of Central and Seaview avenues this summer for use by the water taxi. A mere 250 feet away, the wooden T-shaped dock at Pleasure Beach would also be repaired with the federal funds.

The city is also looking at possible sites to use as parking for water taxi customers.

The new ferry service wouldn't be a first for Pleasure Beach. Before the bridge was installed in 1927, a ferry costing a dime per person was used to get people out to the peninsula, then known as Steeplechase Island. It has not yet been determined how much the city will charge for rides in the water taxi.

No easy way to get there

Without a water taxi, the public has no easy way to access Pleasure Beach. The only access by land requires making a nearly two-mile trek by bike or foot through Stratford's Long Beach West. But because of the danger of harming the endangered piping plovers and least terns, the state Department of Environmental Protection has restricted access to the area.

The unique environment on the peninsula also means each decision made about its future involves a number of state and federal agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

A $909,000 grant from the wildlife service provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act paid for the removal of about 45 cottages on Long Beach West that for decades provided a summertime getaway for their owners. The cottages had to be abandoned after the bridge fire because there was no longer a practical way to get to them.

Without any roads to Pleasure Beach, finding a way to get public safety and maintenance vehicles onto the site will take time. Even with the bridge in place, best remembered by the clattering sound of its wooden deck when driven over, it was difficult getting fire apparatus there quickly.

"It would probably be irresponsible to open it to the public this summer," said Adam Wood, chief of staff for Mayor Bill Finch. "We have to make sure when people go out there that they are going to be safe."

Still, state Rep. Charles "Don" Clemons, D-124, said even limited exposure is a significant success.

"It will give people an opportunity, like myself, who remembers the folklore days of Pleasure Beach," Clemons said, "to revisit and reminisce and will give people who didn't know about Pleasure Beach the opportunity to see what can happen there."

Future plans for Pleasure Beach

Several years ago, Clemons, chair of the Pleasure Beach Committee, secured a $150,000 grant from the state DEP to fund a study about what activities and improvements are feasible at Pleasure Beach.

That study, called the Master Plan for Pleasure Beach, was kicked off last week by Stantec, a Hamden-based company. Completion of the study could take as long as four months. Several public hearings will be held throughout the process. The next will take place in May.

In the meantime, Stantec is collecting data on conditions at Pleasure Beach.

Clemons, who would like to see tennis and basketball courts, a miniature golf course and kiosks there, said opening the peninsula to area residents could produce seasonal jobs and educational and recreational opportunities for the city's youth.

Bishop Richardo Griffith, an East End resident, said reopening the peninsula to the public will bring much needed traffic to the East End. Cars exiting Interstate 95 in Bridgeport would have to travel up Seaview Avenue to access the water taxi.

"It will bring life to that area again," Griffith said.

Lou Trapasso, of Stratford, remembers the days when there was activity in the East End.

"I lived in the East End, and that was Pleasure Beach territory," said Trapasso. "Just before you got to the bridge, on the mainland side, was a place where you could buy a hot dog for five cents. I usually didn't have the five cents."

On summer days, he said that his mom left him to his own devices, which meant that he'd usually wind up on Pleasure Beach. "It was a wonderful place. At night you'd see the lights from the mainland and hear the music wafting over the water."

Deborah Brown, of the federal EPA, said she had never been to Pleasure Beach, but a visit several years ago convinced her that something had to be done to reopen the beach to the public. "My jaw dropped and I was like, people have to see this," she said.

Because of the number of federal and state agencies involved, Brown said any planned improvements to Pleasure Beach would need to be kept simple, work within the peninsula's current blueprint and conserve wildlife in order to avoid lawsuits.

"The more complicated you make the restoration, not only the more expensive but the more time consuming," she said.

"We aren't going to have this thing finished in a year," Finch said. "It will probably take 10 years to get it the way we want. It's been neglected for 40 years or more."

What Remains

Five buildings are still standing on Pleasure Beach and Long Beach West, all of which have been gutted by vandals. The largest is the bathing pavilion, which is easily visible from the mainland and is now the home of a barn owl. It had only one year of use before the blaze closed off access.

The former home of the Polka Dot Playhouse, a smaller building that used to house a bait shop and a ramshackle comfort station, the WICC transmitter shack and the station's two 300-foot, free-standing transmission towers are still there, too.

The flattened remains of the carousel and bumper car structures have been left untouched. The buildings, where thousands of children spent their summer afternoons, were knocked down in August 2009 after the fire department determined they were in danger of collapsing.

The fire that burned the swing bridge on June 16, 1996 was just one of many blazes that punctuated the history of Pleasure Beach and Long Beach West. The bridge had burned twice before, in 1957 and 1965.

For many, the end of an era occurred on May 4, 1973, when a spectacular blaze destroyed the Pleasure Beach Ballroom, which in its 53-year history entertained thousands in the region with some of the nation's top big bands, such as Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians.

Former State Sen. Dal DiPiano, of Bridgeport, used to play the bass with some of the big bands that played in the ballroom. "It was always very safe, just a wonderful place to go for an afternoon or an evening. The ballroom was fantastic. Elevated stage. It was quite an experience, one you got over that creaking bridge," he said.

"As kids, we used to go there a lot," said Bill Schwartz, a Pierce Avenue resident in his 80s. "It was just a wonderful joy to go out there. I think we're losing a tremendous treasure by not having that bridge open."

The long ago midway

Pleasure Beach has been owned by the city since 1919 when it was purchased in a $200,000 bond issue. It was formerly owned by George C. Tilyou. The midway operations were managed by several commercial operators on a contract basis through 1960.

It was always difficult to turn a profit, owing to the costs of utilities, insurance and upkeep, and competition from places like Rye Playland and Lake Compounce. A few rainy weekends in July and August could mean financial ruin. To keep it running, the city poured thousands into the amusement park operation during the administration of Jasper McLevy, a mayor who was otherwise famous for being a cheapskate.

By the mid-1950s, city officials were talking about turning Pleasure Beach into a place more like Seaside Park, where bathing, barbecues and walks along the shore are the main activities. In 1959, ideas were also floated to turn the Pleasure Beach into an "Island of Pleasure" with a landing strip, a casino, a luxury hotel and an indoor pool.

In November 1960, the Pleasure Beach Operating Co. declared bankruptcy with debts of $284,906 and assets of $920. The rides were auctioned off the following April to settle part of the debt.

The carousel remained, however, and its wooden horses, now coveted antiques, can be seen on display in Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo.

But the loss of the amusement park still pains many in and around Bridgeport, who still long for the days of the pint-size train that used to run along the beach, the bumper cars, the fun house, the airplane ride, the Tumble Bug, the roller coaster and the many games of chance.

"You don't have anywhere to go for a good time," said Barry Jackson, a Sylvan Avenue resident who grew up on the East End. "I lived on Clifford Street and all I had to do was walk three and a half blocks and I was at Pleasure Beach. I spent hours out there. Once that left, it changed everything."

It is not supposed to happen, but it did. Bridgeport ran out of ballots during the mid-term elections last November.

To make sure it doesn’t happen again, state Rep. Charles “Don” Clemons, D-124th, has submitted a bill that would require registrars in all of Connecticut’s 169 municipalities to provide a ballot for every registered voter.

“One vote, one ballot,” Clemons said. “It would be as if every voter had a ballot with his or her name on it.”

Although Bridgeport has 69,000 registered voters, the city’s registrars ordered 21,000 ballots for the mid-terms, and many polling places ran out of ballots. In response, emergency ballots were photocopied per order of the secretary of the state’s office and distributed to the polling places by police officers in batches.

Additionally, a Superior Court judge permitted certain Bridgeport precincts to remain open an extra two hours so citizens could vote.

“They really underestimated voter turn-out,” Clemons said. “With President Obama having come a few days before the elections, that should’ve raised a flag and made them figure that more people may come out to vote.”

And votes are crucial, he said, noting that a colleague of his and a member of the House of Representatives for 15 years initially won in Hartford by three votes and lost by two in a recount.

“Every vote does count,” Clemons said. “Not only is it every person’s constitutional right to vote, but we should provide ballots for them to be able to vote.”

Paying for the ballots

To pay for all those ballots, he has suggested in his bill that the money come from the Citizens Election Fund, which is typically reserved to help candidates cover the expenses of running a viable campaign. Clemons estimated it would cost 20 to 45 cents to print each ballot, leaving plenty of the millions of dollars in the fund for campaigns.

“It’s a minimal cost in regard to the problems we saw in Bridgeport,” he said. “And it’s a minimal cost for making sure every vote is counted.”

Plus, Clemons believes that having a ballot for every registered voter could increase voter participation.

“It’s my conventional wisdom that if people have a personal stake in any given election,” he said. “If they’re registered to vote and have a ballot, they will exercise their constitutional right as such.”

Right now, the bill is making its way through various committees and will then go to the state Senate and House of Representatives to be voted on. During the process, Clemons said the bill could be changed completely or simply tweaked.

“I’m cautiously optimistic that if the bill doesn’t pass in written form as it is now, its intent will remain in tact,” he said. “I’m open to discussion and willing to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Partisan politics should not come into play when people’s interests are at heart.”

Clemons’ proposed bill has some advocates, including Mayor Bill Finch, who in an e-mail to The Bridgeport News said that he supports “any and all opportunities for voters to cast their vote and have their voice heard. In the democratic process, it is important for every voter to know they can exercise their right to vote and their vote counts and is counted. It is clear we need reform.”

Louis Bevilacqua, a fellow Democrat, sees problems with the proposed bill although he fully supports the goal to provide ample ballots to every voter.

He described Clemons’ efforts as “well-intentioned, but misguided.”

“He’s wrong on two fronts,” Bevilacqua said. “First, the Citizens Election Fund is not intended to pay for ballots, but for candidates to opt out of huge donor-based campaigns, Secondly, he is legislating to do what is already their job. It’s a given there’s supposed to be enough ballots.”

He said human error is to be blamed for the city’s Election Day debacle, and that Clemons’ proposal does not solve the problem. In fact, Bevilacqua said that taking money from the Citizens Election Fund and using it for unintended purposes creates a “slippery slope and sets a precedent you do not want to set.”

“It’s pure incompetence,” he said “Somebody dropped the ball, and now the legislators are looking for things to do to remedy the situation. The cure will become worse than the disease.”

More state control

Instead, he suggested giving the secretary of the state more control to regulate the voting at the local level. As of now, the secretary of the state sets the regulations, but the elections are completely implemented and run by the local registrar of voters.

“We gave more autonomy to the local folk, and this is what happens,” Bevilacqua said. “I think the focus should be on increasing the budget of the secretary of the state’s office to provide greater authority to make sure all local governments are prepared. It’s the only way to make sure the will of the people is achieved.”

Secretary of the State Denise Merrill agrees, saying the state needs “a little more oversight” of the elections. She said her office does not even have the authority to step in when a problem arises.

“There needs to be changes, we need to modernize these systems sooner rather than later,” Merrill said. “We have to look at the whole, bigger picture and make sure we have an emergency plan.”

A lack of emergency planning was Bridgeport’s issue, not a shortage of ballots. Merrill said six other towns ran out of ballots. But unlike those towns, which photocopied ballots ahead of time, Bridgeport waited until ballots ran out before making copies. As a result, many voters were sent away and asked to return later in the day.

“That was what bothered me most,” Merrill said. “That should never have happened. It is to be avoided at all costs.”

Still, she does not think printing a ballot for every registered voter is the answer and could be viewed as wasteful by legislators and constituents alike since no election ever gets full voter turn-out.

However, Merrill does recognize the need for a more efficient system in Connecticut. She noted that some states do not have a single Election Day. In Oregon, people mail in their votes, while other states employ a system allowing their residents to vote over the course of an entire week.

Merrill is looking into all her options, including requiring registrars to certify with her office the number of ballots they are ordering to ensure neither too many nor too few are purchased. Those numbers, she said, would be based on the average voter turn-out during the last four analogous elections. If the registrars choose not to do this, Merrill said they could simply order 100% of the ballots. Either way, the secretary of the state’s office would have 30 days to review and approve the request.

“Offering a middle ground recognizes every town,” she said. “If you start doing one size fits all, you can run still run into problems.”

While looking at ways to offer a more “professionalized” voting system, that she hopes would promote voter participation, Merrill is simultaneously considering a more cost-effective approach. One option is to provide a statewide contract for ballot printing that towns could “buy into” at a lower price, rather than having individual contracts, which is the current practice.

“The towns would still pay, but the ballots are not the most expensive part,” Merrill said. “It’s a small cost relative to what they pay the people to run them.”

Merrill has already discussed both her recommendation and Clemons’ proposal with Finch, Clemons’ and other city officials, and will present her plan to the Government Administrations and Elections Committee during a public hearing on Feb. 14.

“Voting is one of the most important things we do,” Merrill said. “What happened in Bridgeport made people feel they cannot trust the system. We don’t want that to happen. If we make changes so we’re handling things the same way in every town, voters will have the same opportunity to vote.”

“Every two years we present this bill in the legislature, but it doesn’t progress through the process,” Rep. Hennessy said. “Liability Insurance Rates should reflect the person, not the town. That is why we need to consider Uniform Automobile Liability Insurance Rates for this state.”

“With the current economic condition and the need to find relief, perhaps the time for a measure such as this has come and it will be given serious consideration this session,” Rep. Clemons said.

House Bill 5565, An Act Requiring Uniform Motor Vehicle Insurance Rates among the Towns in Connecticut seeks to even the costs across municipalities to lessen the burden among urban as compared to suburban drivers.

Rep. Hennessy added, “Now is the time to examine a more equitable way for determining insurance rates in this state. It is unfair for people living in urban areas to be charged a huge amount due to the territorial rating of the vicinity in which their vehicle is garaged.”

Speaker Donovan said, “Don’s experience and commitment to his constituency and his proven track record of reaching out to his colleagues to get the work of the people done will serve us all very well in his new capacity.”

“It will be an honor to work closely with Speaker Donovan and to be on the House Democrats’ leadership team,” Rep. Clemons said. “I look forward to the challenges of the upcoming session and the voice this position will allow for the benefit of the city.”

Representative Clemons was first elected to the General Assembly in 2003. He serves on the Appropriations, Judiciary and Public Safety and Security committees.