From edubrule at sbcglobal.net Fri Jan 5 13:05:45 2007 From: edubrule at sbcglobal.net (edubrule) Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 13:05:45 -0500 Subject: {news} Ken Krayeske, Thornton campaign mgr, arrested after taking photo of Rell's inaugural parade Message-ID: <00d501c730f4$33869540$69884c0c@edgn2b574u14bi> ctnewsjunkie.com - Reporter Arrested for Political Activism 01/05/07 Reporter Arrested for Political Activism more... by Christine Stuart 11:51:52 am, Categories: State Capitol, Courts, Media Matters, 439 words [photo of Norman Pattis, a lawyer] Photo courtesy of the Norman A. Pattis Law Firm A freelance journalist, who has worked on political campaigns, was arrested by Hartford Police Wednesday as he took photos of Gov. M. Jodi Rell's inaugural parade in downtown Hartford. Ken Krayeske, who worked on Green Party candidate Cliff Thornton's campaign for governor against Rell, was near the corner of Ford and Pearl Street photographing Rell's inaugural parade when, according to the police report, he was identified as a "political activist" and a threat to the governor. Krayeske was arrested and charged with breach of peace and interfering with an officer. Norman A. Pattis (pictured), one of the state's best known criminal defense and civil rights attorney, called the charges "ridiculous." Pattis entered an appearance on Krayeske's behalf Friday in Hartford Community Court where Krayeske was arraigned and entered a "not guilty" plea. Now the case will automatically be transferred to Hartford Superior Court. Where "we expect it will be nollied or dismissed," Pattis said. [More:] "We're not admitting we did anything wrong," Pattis said Friday. But if the "governor's goons" take exception to that then he looks forward to a "vigorous and spirited fight in court," he said. According to the police report, plainclothes Hartford Police Officers recognized Krayeske from a photo they were given by the State Police Central Intelligence Unit that "briefed us on possible threats to Gov. Rell by a political activist." Krayeske was working as a freelance photojournalist at the time of the arrest Wednesday. He was previously arrested in 2003 for demonstrating against the war. In 2004 Krayeske worked on Ralph Nader's presidential campaign and in 2005 he traveled to Syria to report on the war. He has also contributed stories and photos to http://ctnewsjunkie.com. After he was in custody Wednesday, he was taken to police headquarters where he was put in an interrogation room. Hartford Police Sgt. Andrew Weaver read Krayeske his rights then attempted to interview him. "The accused refused to be interviewed and asked for his lawyer, so he was taken to booking and charged with breach of peace and interfering with an officer," the report states. Krayeske was given an eyebrow raising $75,000 bond and taken to state lockup on Lafayette Street. Krayeske didn't make bond, but nonetheless was released at 1 a.m. on a promise to appear in court Friday. Krayeske showed up at court Friday with Thornton, whose campaign platform for governor included free college education and the legalization of drugs. Krayeske fought hard, but failed during the campaign to get Rell and her Democratic opponent to include Thornton in the televised debates. ----- Original Message ----- From: ken krayeske To: [deleted] Sent: Friday, January 05, 2007 12:26 PM Subject: [CTGP-elections] [Fwd: Reporter Arrested] The fun never stops... __._,_.___ Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic Messages | Files | Photos | Links | Database | Polls | Members | Calendar Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to Traditional Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe Visit Your Group SPONSORED LINKS a.. Public record office b.. Audit committees c.. Safety committee d.. Connecticut e.. American politics Yahoo! News Sexual Health Get important sex health news Yahoo! TV The Apprentice Starts on Sunday, 1/7, 9:30 pm ET/PT. Yahoo! Groups Start a group in 3 easy steps. Connect with others. . __,_._,___ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From efficacy at msn.com Fri Jan 5 15:07:53 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 15:07:53 -0500 Subject: {news} Since When is Wetting Your Pants a Crime? Message-ID: This coupled with the arrest of Ken Krayeske is mind bogling. In the 'New America', a developmentally-disabled child can be charged with a crime for wetting her pants out of fear. Wake up and smell the shit, folks ... this is the Brave New World, this is fascism, this is the chickens come home to roost. http://www.breitbart.com/news/na/cp_K010408AU.xml.html Danville, Pennsylvania -- (AP) -- A 12-year-old special education student was charged with disorderly conduct after authorities said she deliberately wet her pants at school. The girl's mother said she urinated only because the principal frightened her. The mother said in Thursday's Press Enterprise that the incident occurred last month, after the girl, classmates and teachers ate a holiday lunch at Danville Middle School. The girl was told to go to the kitchen to wash some pots and pans, but refused, wet her pants after teachers summoned Principal Kevin Duckworth, the mother said. The newspaper withheld the names of the girl and her mother. Police Chief Eric Gill said school officials were at "wit's end" with the girl, and they believe her actions were deliberate. Duckworth did not return calls for comment. School Superintendent Steve Keifer said only that police are generally called in only after "all other alternatives are exhausted." Police told the girl's parents they could probably avoid a fine if they agree to have the girl do community service. <...> http://www.danvillepa.com/index.php http://www.danville.k12.pa.us http://www.danville.k12.pa.us/stusupp/articles/article1.htm Student Support Mission Statement: "We believe that all students can learn when given a strong foundation of educational excellence in cooperation with our surrounding community. We create safe and stimulating teaching and learning environments, which produces lifelong learners who are prepared for daily life in a constant changing society. We believe our future depends on the mutual cooperation of the school, family, and community while providing equal opportunities for all individuals regardless of their exceptional needs. We believe in working as equal teams members to encourage students to reach their fullest potential. Community Service for the Disabled in Lieu of Being Fined? "We, at the Danville Area School District, provide an extensive array of educational programs and services provided by highly trained and qualified special education teachers and paraprofessionals." Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From demac at galaxyinternet.net Fri Jan 5 16:30:26 2007 From: demac at galaxyinternet.net (demac) Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 16:30:26 -0500 Subject: {news} Proposal and Agenda Message-ID: <015601c73110$cd5dc1e0$ddb0d942@jean1oa1rgr0ov> I have a couple of things that we'd like to have on the Agenda of the January 9th meeting: Attached and below is a Proposal to make the formation of a By-Laws Committee "official". Also, By-Laws discussion needs to be on the Agenda every month for a while. 10 minutes at the minimum, to allow a very clear and open discussion of any changes we make. Thanks, Jean PROPOSAL PRESENTERS: Patricia Kane, Jean de Smet, Andy Derr, Caleb Kleppner, Chris Reilly. CONTACT: Patricia Kane: law_office_kane at yahoo.com 203 324-3316 203 351-0818 fax SUBJECT: Formation of a By-Laws Committee BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE : At the last meeting of the State Central Committee, a resolution was introduced and passed to establish a By-laws Committee to review the bylaws for language and reorganization. The By-Laws of the CT Green Party are difficult to follow. Some topics, like Voting, are dispersed into several other sections; other topics, such as how a chapter is formed and dissolved, are not addressed. By-Laws are the basic operating rules of an organization and unclear procedures and language undermine the organization's ability to achieve consensus and to proceed with transparency. This Proposal is an additional step to comply with the procedure previously adopted. PROPOSAL: We propose that the CT Green Party form a committee to review the current by-laws and follow a 2-step process for presenting changes for a vote in April 2007 and thereafter. 1) Clarify the existing language. Without changing substance, the organization and language of the by-laws will be updated to improve access. These proposed changes will be sent to chapters for comment early in 2007, then those comments will be reviewed by the committee, sent to chapters again, discussed at SCC meetings as needed, and may be presented at the April Annual meeting for adoption by the membership. 2) Recommend and draft proposed changes to the by-laws. The committee will make changes to create a better working document and have input from members as to sections they recommend for change. The changes may place some issues into a policy and procedures manual, which may be changed more easily to reflect new knowledge or technology. The same process of distribution, review and discussion, followed by a vote will take place in 2007-2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: CTGP Proposal 1 9 07.doc Type: application/msword Size: 29696 bytes Desc: not available URL: From greenpartyct at yahoo.com Fri Jan 5 17:02:21 2007 From: greenpartyct at yahoo.com (Green Party-CT) Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 14:02:21 -0800 (PST) Subject: {news} Proposal and Agenda In-Reply-To: <015601c73110$cd5dc1e0$ddb0d942@jean1oa1rgr0ov> Message-ID: <936870.53404.qm@web81406.mail.mud.yahoo.com> has the place been set for the meeting> and time? demac wrote: Connecticut Green Party - Part of the GPUS http://www.ctgreens.org/ - http://www.greenpartyus.org/ to unsubscribe click here mailto:ctgp-news-unsubscribe at ml.greens.org I have a couple of things that we?d like to have on the Agenda of the January 9th meeting: Attached and below is a Proposal to make the formation of a By-Laws Committee ?official?. Also, By-Laws discussion needs to be on the Agenda every month for a while. 10 minutes at the minimum, to allow a very clear and open discussion of any changes we make. Thanks, Jean PROPOSAL PRESENTERS: Patricia Kane, Jean de Smet, Andy Derr, Caleb Kleppner, Chris Reilly. CONTACT: Patricia Kane: law_office_kane at yahoo.com 203 324-3316 203 351-0818 fax SUBJECT: Formation of a By-Laws Committee BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE : At the last meeting of the State Central Committee, a resolution was introduced and passed to establish a By-laws Committee to review the bylaws for language and reorganization. The By-Laws of the CT Green Party are difficult to follow. Some topics, like Voting, are dispersed into several other sections; other topics, such as how a chapter is formed and dissolved, are not addressed. By-Laws are the basic operating rules of an organization and unclear procedures and language undermine the organization?s ability to achieve consensus and to proceed with transparency. This Proposal is an additional step to comply with the procedure previously adopted. PROPOSAL: We propose that the CT Green Party form a committee to review the current by-laws and follow a 2-step process for presenting changes for a vote in April 2007 and thereafter. 1) Clarify the existing language. Without changing substance, the organization and language of the by-laws will be updated to improve access. These proposed changes will be sent to chapters for comment early in 2007, then those comments will be reviewed by the committee, sent to chapters again, discussed at SCC meetings as needed, and may be presented at the April Annual meeting for adoption by the membership. 2) Recommend and draft proposed changes to the by-laws. The committee will make changes to create a better working document and have input from members as to sections they recommend for change. The changes may place some issues into a policy and procedures manual, which may be changed more easily to reflect new knowledge or technology. The same process of distribution, review and discussion, followed by a vote will take place in 2007-2008. To be removed please mailto:ctgp-news-unsubscribe at ml.greens.org _______________________________________________ CTGP-news mailing list CTGP-news at ml.greens.org http://ml.greens.org/mailman/listinfo/ctgp-news ATTENTION! The information in this transmission is privileged and confidential and intended only for the recipient listed above. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify us immediately by email and delete the original message. The text of this email is similar to ordinary or face-to-face conversations and does not reflect the level of factual or legal inquiry or analysis which would be applied in the case of a formal legal opinion and does not constitute a representation of the opinions of the CT Green Party. The responsibility for any messages posted herein is solely that of the person who sent the message, and the CT Green Party hereby leaves this responsibility in the hands of it's members. NOTE: This is an inherently insecure forum, please do not post confidential messages and always realize that your address can be faked, and although a message may appear to be from a certain individual, it is always possible that it is fakemail. This is mail sent by a third party under an illegally assumed identity for purposes of coercion, misdirection, or general mischief. CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately notify the sender by e-mail at the address shown. This e-mail transmission may contain confidential information. This information is intended only for the use of the individual(s) or entity to whom it is intended even if addressed incorrectly. Please delete it from your files if you are not the intended recipient. Thank you for your compliance. To be removed please mailto://ctgp-news-unsubscribe at ml.greens.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tim McKee cell (860) 778-1304 or (860) 643-2282 National Committee Member of the Green Party(Connecticut) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From eaton at spazmo.com Fri Jan 5 17:59:11 2007 From: eaton at spazmo.com (Bob Eaton) Date: Fri, 05 Jan 2007 17:59:11 -0500 Subject: {news} Ralph Nader on Air America tonight at 8pm Message-ID: Ralph Nader on Air America tonight at 8pm You can listen online from here: http://www.airamerica.com/ Go to the listen tab and select listen live from the drop down menu. -- Bob Eaton / Head Spazmo http://www.spazmo.com Patriot ? Lemming From greenpartyct at yahoo.com Fri Jan 5 18:24:14 2007 From: greenpartyct at yahoo.com (Green Party-CT) Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 15:24:14 -0800 (PST) Subject: {news} Hear Attorney for Arrested Green on WTIC site- CT new enemies list!! Message-ID: <20070105232414.84255.qmail@web81403.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Norm Pattis on WTIC's Colin McEnroe http://wtic.com/pages/13976.php -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From smderosa at cox.net Sat Jan 6 01:11:29 2007 From: smderosa at cox.net (smderosa at cox.net) Date: Sat, 6 Jan 2007 01:11:29 -0500 Subject: {news} Hear Attorney for Arrested Green on WTIC site- CT new enemieslist!! References: <20070105232414.84255.qmail@web81403.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <005a01c73159$81c1a370$8201a8c0@userb649154f63> I think it is time for a lot of FOI requests about just what the "CT Intelligence Center" is and what Mr Wayne Sandford of "homeland security" means when he says to WTIC that "investigations were done" and "activists" became people "of interest" and their names "came up". Just what investigations were done? When? By whom? And who authorized these "activities". I intend to put some FOI's together this weekend and at least make the effort to find out more about why Ken was targeted and arrested. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Just who do these "officials" think they are? Sincerely, Mike DeRosa ----- Original Message ----- From: Green Party-CT To: NG GREENS ; ctgp-news at ml.greens.org ; VOTETHORNTONyahoo Sent: Friday, January 05, 2007 6:24 PM Subject: {news} Hear Attorney for Arrested Green on WTIC site- CT new enemieslist!! Connecticut Green Party - Part of the GPUS http://www.ctgreens.org/ - http://www.greenpartyus.org/ to unsubscribe click here mailto:ctgp-news-unsubscribe at ml.greens.org ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Norm Pattis on WTIC's Colin McEnroe http://wtic.com/pages/13976.php ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ To be removed please mailto:ctgp-news-unsubscribe at ml.greens.org _______________________________________________ CTGP-news mailing list CTGP-news at ml.greens.org http://ml.greens.org/mailman/listinfo/ctgp-news ATTENTION! The information in this transmission is privileged and confidential and intended only for the recipient listed above. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify us immediately by email and delete the original message. The text of this email is similar to ordinary or face-to-face conversations and does not reflect the level of factual or legal inquiry or analysis which would be applied in the case of a formal legal opinion and does not constitute a representation of the opinions of the CT Green Party. The responsibility for any messages posted herein is solely that of the person who sent the message, and the CT Green Party hereby leaves this responsibility in the hands of it's members. NOTE: This is an inherently insecure forum, please do not post confidential messages and always realize that your address can be faked, and although a message may appear to be from a certain individual, it is always possible that it is fakemail. This is mail sent by a third party under an illegally assumed identity for purposes of coercion, misdirection, or general mischief. CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately notify the sender by e-mail at the address shown. This e-mail transmission may contain confidential information. This information is intended only for the use of the individual(s) or entity to whom it is intended even if addressed incorrectly. Please delete it from your files if you are not the intended recipient. Thank you for your compliance. To be removed please mailto://ctgp-news-unsubscribe at ml.greens.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From roseberry3 at cox.net Sat Jan 6 14:59:36 2007 From: roseberry3 at cox.net (B Barry) Date: Sat, 6 Jan 2007 14:59:36 -0500 Subject: {news} proposed agenda for the 1-9-07 SCC CTGP meeting at Middletown's Russell Public Library at **** 6:30PM Message-ID: <20070106195933.MMSI25837.centrmmtao02.cox.net@eastrmimpo02.cox.net> Russell Public Library, Reading Room #3, (top floor and left of front door), 123 Broad Street, Middletown, CT. 06457 P: 860-347-2528 Time: 6:30PM to 8:30PM (closing) Facilitator: to be determined. A. Preliminaries: 1. (1 minute): Introductions of voting attendees; non-voting attendees; chapters; if quorum was met; timekeeper; ground rules. 2. (2-4 minutes): Approval of tonights proposed agenda, any deletions or additions. 3. (2-4 minutes): Review and approval of minutes of 11-28-06 SCC meeting. 4. (2-4 minutes): Review and approval of minutes of 1-2-07 EC meeting. 5. (2-4 minutes): Treasurer?s report by Christopher Reilly. B. PROPOSAL PRESENTERS: Patricia Kane, Jean de Smet, Andy Derr, Caleb Kleppner, Chris Reilly, Barbara Barry, Michael DeRosa. SUBJECT: Formation of a By-Laws Committee (for 2 years) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE : At the last meeting of the State Central Committee, a resolution was introduced and passed to establish a By-laws Committee to review the bylaws for language and reorganization. The By-Laws of the CT Green Party are difficult to follow. Some topics, like Voting, are dispersed into several other sections; other topics, such as how a chapter is formed and dissolved, are not addressed. By-Laws are the basic operating rules of an organization and unclear procedures and language undermine the organization?s ability to achieve consensus and to proceed with transparency and consensus. This Proposal is an additional step to comply with the procedure previously adopted. PROPOSAL: We propose that the CT Green Party form a committee to review the current by-laws and follow a 2-step process for presenting changes for a vote in April 2007 and thereafter. 1) Clarify/change the existing language. Without changing substance, the organization and language of the by-laws will be updated to improve access. These proposed changes will be sent to chapters for comment early in 2007, then those comments will be reviewed by the committee, sent to chapters again, discussed at SCC meetings as needed, and may be presented at the April Annual meeting for adoption by the membership. 2) Recommend and draft proposed changes to the by-laws, policy and procedures. The committee will make changes to create a better working document and have input from members as to sections they recommend for change. The changes may place some issues into a policy and procedures manual, which may be changed more easily to reflect new knowledge or technology. The same process of distribution, review and discussion, followed by a vote will take place in 2007-2008. C. Reports: 1. (5 minutes): CT Green Times: articles, publishing, likely date of availability, distribution; number of copies each chapter wants. 2. (2-4 minute): ACLU Lawsuit on ?Campaign Finance Reform?. 3. (2-4 minutes): GPUS updates and Report from CTGP representatives: Tim McKee and Charlie Pillsbury. 4. (2-4 minutes): CTGP Website. 5. (5 minutes): Political Issues the CTGP has and wants to address during the 2007 Legislative Session. 6. (2 minutes each chapter): Chapter reports. 7. (1-2 minutes): Date, place and time of next EC meeting in 2-07. 8. Date and place for next SCC meeting 2/27/07. 9. Any additions. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.6/617 - Release Date: 1/5/2007 11:11 AM -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dbedellgreen at hotmail.com Sun Jan 7 00:02:06 2007 From: dbedellgreen at hotmail.com (David Bedell) Date: Sun, 07 Jan 2007 05:02:06 +0000 Subject: {news} 1/10 Planning Meeting for Statewide Response to UI Rate Increase In-Reply-To: <20070106061142.2983D89C0FB@gandhi.greens.org> Message-ID: The CT Dept. of Public Utility Control (DPUC) recently approved a rate hike of 7.7% for CL&P customers and 38% for UI customers. This will give CT the highest electric rates in the continental US. A committee is meeting in New Haven on January 10 to respond to this. --- In newhavengreens at yahoogroups.com, "Frank Panzarella" wrote: Planning Meeting for Statewide Response to UI Rate Increase Where: New Haven City Hall, 165 Church St. Mtg. Rm. 1 (2nd Flr.) When: This coming Wednesday, January 10th Time: 6-8pm Come help us plan a strategy to put the heat on the legislature Gov. etc. Join us to discuss immediate change, clean sustainable energy, a state energy authority (with real community oversight), a moratorium on a rate increase until the legislature has a chance to correct the misguided policies of the past, no more nuclear or dirty plant boondoggles and a municipal power authority in New Haven. Call the DPUC and demand a moratorium on increases until after the new legislature meets: 1-800-382-4586 or Call the Executive Director of the DPUC: 1-860-827-2612 Call Attorney General Richard Blumenthal: 1-860-808-5318 Call UI and demand that they withdraw the request for a rate hike until the legislature addresses the issues and to stop threatening consumers with such an outrageous rate hike: 203-499-2000 For the Committee to Stop the UI Rate Increase: Mary Johnson - 203-387-7858 Frank Panzarella - 203-562-2798 --- End forwarded message --- _________________________________________________________________ Communicate instantly! Use your Hotmail address to sign into Windows Live Messenger now. http://get.live.com/messenger/overview From greenpartyct at yahoo.com Mon Jan 8 15:27:45 2007 From: greenpartyct at yahoo.com (Green Party-CT) Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2007 12:27:45 -0800 (PST) Subject: {news} Rell Question Arrest of Political Activist At Inauagural Parade Message-ID: <20070108202745.80735.qmail@web81403.mail.mud.yahoo.com> --------------------------------- http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-rel-active,0,7618314.story?track=rss Rell Questions Arrest Of Political Activist At Inaugural Parade ADVERTISERS --------------------------------- Advertise on ctnow -->Associated Press January 8 2007, 1:56 PM EST HARTFORD, Conn. -- Gov. M. Jodi Rell is questioning the arrest of a political activist who allegedly stepped toward her during her inaugural parade last week. The activist, Ken Krayeske, was on a list of people labeled political threats by police. Rell, in a letter to the state's public safety commissioner, said today that she was "disturbed" to learn of the existence of such a list. She called on Commissioner Leonard Boyle to review the circumstances of Krayeske's arrest and determine how he came to the attention of state police and how his name and photograph were provided to the Hartford Police Department. "In this environment of heightened security, the use of information must be balanced with the individual rights of our citizens," Rell said in the letter. "In providing security and protection, we cannot permit the rights of individuals to be trampled." Krayeske, 33, of Hartford, was charged with breach of peach and interfering with an officer after he was detained during Wednesday's parade through downtown Hartford. Rell was sworn in that day to her first full term as governor. Krayeske's attorney said Krayeske was working as a freelance journalist and was trying to photograph Rell. According to a police report, officers at the parade recognized Krayeske from a picture provided by state police and the Connecticut Intelligence Center, a multi-agency entity under the umbrella of the state's homeland security programs. Officers said they recognized Krayeske when they saw him speed up on his mountain bike, dump it and jump off, then run up the street and step off the curb into the parade route. Krayeske was campaign manager for Cliff Thornton, the Green Party's candidate for governor. During the campaign, he took issue with Rell's refusal to debate Thornton, appearing at Rell's campaign headquarters and at least one event. Members of the state police provide security for the governor at such events. A group of state lawmakers planned a 2 p.m. news conference at the Legislative Office Building on today to react to Krayeske's arrest. Copyright 2006 Associated Press --------------------------------- =0)document.write(unescape('%3C')+'\!-'+'-') //--> -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From roseberry3 at cox.net Mon Jan 8 23:02:31 2007 From: roseberry3 at cox.net (B Barry) Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2007 23:02:31 -0500 Subject: {news} Agenda for the 1-9-07 SCC CTGP meeting at Middletown's Russell Public Library at **** 6:30PM Message-ID: <20070109040225.GBGP19510.eastrmmtao06.cox.net@eastrmimpo01.cox.net> Agenda for the 1-9-07 SCC CTGP meeting at Middletown's Russell Public Library at **** 6:30PM Russell Public Library, Reading Room #3, (top floor and left of front door), 123 Broad Street, Middletown, CT. 06457 P: 860-347-2528 Time: 6:30PM to 8:30PM (closing) Facilitator: to be determined. A. Preliminaries: 1. (1 minute): Introductions of voting attendees; non-voting attendees; chapters; if quorum was met; timekeeper; ground rules. 2. (2-4 minutes): Approval of tonight?s proposed agenda, any deletions or additions. 3. (2-4 minutes): Review and approval of minutes of 11-28-06 SCC meeting. 4. (2-4 minutes): Review and approval of minutes of 1-2-07 EC meeting. 5. (2-4 minutes): Treasurer?s report by Christopher Reilly. B. PROPOSAL PRESENTERS: Patricia Kane, Jean de Smet, Andy Derr, Caleb Kleppner, Chris Reilly, Barbara Barry, Michael DeRosa. SUBJECT: Formation of a By-Laws Committee (for 2 years) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE : At the last meeting of the State Central Committee, a resolution was introduced and passed to establish a By-laws Committee to review the bylaws for language and reorganization. The By-Laws of the CT Green Party are difficult to follow. Some topics, like Voting, are dispersed into several other sections; other topics, such as how a chapter is formed and dissolved, are not addressed. By-Laws are the basic operating rules of an organization and unclear procedures and language undermine the organization?s ability to achieve consensus and to proceed with transparency and consensus. This Proposal is an additional step to comply with the procedure previously adopted. PROPOSAL : We propose that the CT Green Party form a committee to review the current by-laws and follow a 2-step process for presenting changes for a vote in April 2007 and thereafter. 1) Clarify/change the existing language. Without changing substance, the organization and language of the by-laws will be updated to improve access. These proposed changes will be sent to chapters for comment early in 2007, then those comments will be reviewed by the committee, sent to chapters again, discussed at SCC meetings as needed, and may be presented at the April Annual meeting for adoption by the membership. 2) Recommend and draft proposed changes to the by-laws, policy and procedures. The committee will make changes to create a better working document and have input from members as to sections they recommend for change. The changes may place some issues into a policy and procedures manual, which may be changed more easily to reflect new knowledge or technology. The same process of distribution, review and discussion, followed by a vote will take place in 2007-2008. C. PROPOSAL PRESENTERS: David Bedell, Paul Bassler, Allan Brison, Nancy Burton, Ralph Nazareth. CONTACT: David Bedell, 12 Ardsley Rd, Stamford, CT 06906, 203-581-3193, dbedellgreen(at)hotmail.com SUBJECT: Appointment of Richard Duffee to GPUS International Committee BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Richard has a law degree with certificates in International and Environmental Law. He lived nine years in South Asia, has traveled widely, and is very knowledgeable on international economic policies, North-South issues, etc. He's a founding member of the American-Iranian Friendship Committee, was an editor at Pace International Law Journal, and did legal work on a lawsuit against Texaco by indigenous peoples of Ecuador. For a detailed bio and publications, see http://www.duffee.politicalgateway.com/cand.php?id=406&page=biography The International Committee is an area where we could bring Richard's broad knowledge into the service of the national Green Party. PROPOSAL: We propose that the CT Green Party appoint Richard Duffee as a voting member of the GPUS International Committee. As such, he will be expected to fulfill duties as described at http://gp.org/committees/intl : The International Committee (IC) is a standing national committee of the Green Party of the United States. Voting members of the IC are appointed by the state Green parties. The IC reports to the Green National Committee. Mission of the International Committee - Foster collaboration and exchange with Green parties around the world. - Network with organizations and movements working for global peace, social justice, human rights, and environmentally sustainable communities. - Develop and advise on international aspects of the National Platform. - Coordinate Green Party representation to the Federation of Green Parties of the Americas, Global Green Network, and other international federations, meetings and events. - Inform U.S. Greens about international issues. D. Reports: 1. (5 minutes): CT Green Times: articles, publishing, likely date of availability, distribution; number of copies each chapter wants. 2. (2-4 minute): ACLU Lawsuit on ?Campaign Finance Reform?. 3. (2-4 minutes): GPUS updates and Report from CTGP representatives: Tim McKee and Charlie Pillsbury. 4. (2-4 minutes): CTGP Website. 5. (5 minutes): Political Issues the CTGP has and wants to address during the 2007 Legislative Session. 6. (5-10minutes): Internal elections discussion about 4-07 convention: are more voluntees needed; proposed date of convention, lists of current CTGP members eligible to vote; deadlines for printing; is Eric DeVos still going to print the material? 7.(2 minutes each chapter): Chapter reports. 7. (1-2 minutes): Date, place and time of next EC meeting in 2-07. 8. Date and place for next SCC meeting 2/27/07. 9. Any additions. HYPERLINK "http://www.google.com/"www.google.com or HYPERLINK "http://www.mapquest.com/"www.mapquest.com -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.7/620 - Release Date: 1/8/2007 4:12 PM -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From efficacy at msn.com Tue Jan 9 04:28:34 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2007 04:28:34 -0500 Subject: {news} EDITORIALS--A Lack Of Intelligence, January 9, 2007 Message-ID: http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-krayeske.artjan09,0,439648.story?coll=hc-headlines-editorials Ken Krayeske, a free-lance and Web journalist, law student and political activist, suggested on a website that there be a protest at Gov. M. Jodi Rell's inaugural ball last week. Though both the suggestion and the act are perfectly lawful, this and another innocuous posting apparently landed Mr. Krayeske on a list of people viewed as "possible threats" to the governor. Being on the list got him arrested and tossed in the lockup when he attended Mrs. Rell's Wednesday inaugural parade to take pictures. Even in an atmosphere of heightened security, the First Amendment is still in effect. The arrest was outrageous. Mr. Krayeske rode his bike close to a section of the parade route and began taking photos for stories. He was arrested and charged with breach of peace and interfering with police. He was held for more than 12 hours, initially on $75,000 bail, and then released on a promise to appear. The incident raises a host of issues, the first having to do with intelligence. The police report said Hartford police were briefed by state police and the Connecticut Intelligence Center, a clearinghouse involving state and federal law enforcement agencies, about "possible threats to Governor Rell by political activist(s)," including photos. Mr. Krayeske was listed as one of these possible threats. It's hard to understand why. He is a pacifist and antiwar activist whose only brushes with the law have been a few civil disobedience incidents. He once directed Metro Bridge, a former Courant program for Hartford high school journalists. He did confront and criticize Mrs. Rell during the fall campaign for her refusal to debate the Green Party candidate, Clifford Thornton. But not a scintilla of evidence has been brought forward that Mr. Krayeske threatened the governor in any way. So the intelligence wasn't very thorough. If he was viewed as a possible threat, what were the criteria? Who made the decision? Who else is on the list? Mr. Krayeske went to the parade to shoot pictures, and was carrying professional camera equipment. He was in a public place, at a public event, to which the public had been invited. The police report makes no case for arresting him. The report says Mr. Krayeske was nabbed as he was stepping into the parade route "toward the Governor," giving the impression he was somehow charging at Mrs. Rell. But at least one eyewitness quoted by The Courant said Mr. Krayeske was already there taking pictures. Indeed, some of the photos he took - see his website, www.the40yearplan.com - indicate he was there before the governor arrived. So arresting and charging him and holding him for 12 hours was beyond the pale. Mrs. Rell, to her credit, sent a letter Monday to Public Safety Commissioner Leonard Boyle asking that he review the incident and re-evaluate intelligence gathering and distribution procedures. A half-dozen legislators held a press conference Monday decrying the incident and promising hearings. Hearings should be held. The charges should be dropped. An apology is in order. Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From efficacy at msn.com Tue Jan 9 04:40:35 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2007 04:40:35 -0500 Subject: {news} Probe Urged After Arrest Of Activist At Rell Parade Message-ID: http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-krayeske0109.artjan09,0,3834577.story?page=2&coll=hc-headlines-home CONNECTICUT NEWS Probe Urged After Arrest Of Activist At Rell Parade State Police Say They Keep Files, But No Enemies List January 9, 2007 By CHRISTOPHER KEATING, Capitol Bureau Chief Gov. M. Jodi Rell and top lawmakers on Monday called for inquiries into the arrest of a political activist and free-lance journalist during Rell's inaugural parade last week and the filing of criminal charges against him. In a letter to the state commissioner of public safety, Rell said she was concerned after reading reports that the state police maintain a "list" of individuals who could be viewed as potential threats to the governor. In asking Commissioner Leonard Boyle to investigate the arrest of Kenneth Krayeske, the governor said that even in an era of heightened security, "we cannot permit the rights of individuals to be trampled." Krayeske, a law school student and vocal critic of Rell, had been identified by state police as a possible threat to the governor, according to a Hartford police report. He had been taking photos along the parade route Wednesday before he was arrested. Several lawmakers said they were outraged, calling for legislative hearings and saying the incident reeks of a secret police force and should not be tolerated in Connecticut. Boyle Monday denied the state police keep a list of political enemies, saying that the notion is "completely incorrect." "We do not maintain such lists," he said. Boyle said his department maintains "intelligence files" on individuals "who meet criteria set out in federal regulations." Boyle would not comment on whether Krayeske met those criteria or whether the state police had a file on him before the inaugural parade. Rep. Michael Lawlor, co-chairman of the legislature's judiciary committee, said the incident reminded him of his own arrest in March 1980 while he was taking photographs, much as Krayeske was. The difference, Lawlor said, is that he was in Gdansk, Poland, which was under martial law. A former state prosecutor, Lawlor said misdemeanor charges against Krayeske for breach of peace and interfering with police should be dropped. "Ken Krayeske did not commit a crime," Lawlor said. "He wasn't protesting. He had done nothing to interfere with the parade. He was taking photos as a journalist for a blog." The exact circumstances of the incident remain in dispute. Legislators said Krayeske did nothing that could be perceived as a threat, but the investigating officer said he saw Krayeske "suddenly ride a mountain bike at a high rate of speed directly up the parade route, dump the bicycle, jumping off of it, and then running up to the parade procession directly in front of where the governor was passing by in the procession." Krayeske is well known among political insiders as a passionate activist who served as the outspoken campaign manager for Clifford W. Thornton, the Green Party's candidate for governor, last fall. Krayeske was heavily involved in the unsuccessful negotiations to have Thornton appear in debates last fall between Rell and Democratic challenger John DeStefano. When Thornton was blocked from the debates, Krayeske stormed to Rell's campaign headquarters with Thornton to confront Rell's campaign manager, Kevin Deneen. Another supporter with a video camera filmed the confrontation with Deneen, a high-pitched incident that a witness said involved screaming. "I don't believe Kevin Deneen expected to see our faces today," Krayeske said at the time. "Perhaps we were too confrontational." After a news conference by legislators Monday, Thornton said he could point directly to the reason for Krayeske's arrest. He said it dates to Rell's appearance at an Oct. 14 harvest festival in Glastonbury. Krayeske approached Rell and was "right in her face" about allowing Thornton into the debates, Thornton said. "Gov. Rell's state trooper told me, point-blank, to keep Ken Krayeske away from the governor because he was a threat to the governor," Thornton said. "It's not a threat. It's in-your-face politics. I knew then that this was going to come back and haunt us in some way. [The trooper] said, `I don't want Ken Krayeske next to the governor again.'" Before the parade on Wednesday, state police distributed Krayeske's photograph to Hartford police officers, according to a report written by Hartford Det. Jeff Antuna. Boyle said that when state police are providing security for any dignitary, its intelligence unit does research to identify "persons who through their prior actions or statements show an intention or propensity to disrupt that event." The determination to include Krayeske on the briefing list prior to the parade was based on the content of his website and his previous actions, Boyle said. The officers are not told to arrest the person on site, nor to detain, question them or otherwise approach them," Boyle said. "That information is provided to officers working at the event so that they might simply give closer scrutiny to that person." Boyle said he did not know why the Hartford police officer decided to detain Krayeske. Whether Krayeske did anything wrong "is really something that is going to have to be decided through the court process," Boyle said. Hartford police spokeswoman Nancy Mulroy defended the department's actions and said the arresting officer felt he had probable cause to make an arrest. "We stand by our actions. We stand by the arrest. We did our job," Mulroy said Monday. "Now it's up to the courts to adjudicate." Krayeske was arrested in front of 1 Pearl St. at 1:20 p.m. "We observed the accused suddenly ride his mountain bike at a high rate of speed to the parade route," Mulroy said. "It's our job to provide security. It's unfortunate, but in today's world, post 9/11, security is a very serious matter and we err on the side of caution. If someone is behaving in an erratic fashion, they can expect the attention of law enforcement." Mulroy said the department's intelligence division recommended Krayeske's bail to be set at $75,000 based on Krayeske's prior arrest record. Krayeske has three prior arrests involving acts of civil disobedience, including protesting the launch of a nuclear submarine in Groton. In March 2003, he was arrested near a federal building on High Street in Hartford and charged with first-degree criminal trespass, disorderly conduct and interfering with police, Mulroy said. Legislators and Krayeske's attorney questioned why Krayeske was held on misdemeanor charges for about 12 hours - until after the governor's inaugural ball that evening had concluded - before being released. His bail was reduced to a written promise to appear in court by a bail commissioner who came to police headquarters later in the day. But Krayeske was not released until after 1 a.m., officials said. Mulroy said that if Krayeske feels he was treated unfairly, he is welcome to file a civilian complaint, which would be investigated by the department's internal affairs division. Krayeske's lawyer, Norman Pattis, said police had no reason to detain Krayeske on a high bail, and then release him without bail once the governor's inaugural ball had ended. "The courts say bond is intended only to ensure appearance at trial. They don't say you can use it to ice someone out of the governor's ball," Pattis said. "That to me is far more troubling than the arrest itself." Contact Christopher Keating at ckeating at courant.com. Courant Staff Writers Colin Poitras, Tracy Gordon Fox, Tina Brown and Mark Pazniokas contributed to this story. Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: blackpix.gif Type: image/gif Size: 35 bytes Desc: not available URL: From efficacy at msn.com Tue Jan 9 04:45:59 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2007 04:45:59 -0500 Subject: {news} Arrest exposes state's threat list Message-ID: Arrest exposes state's threat list Gregory B. Hladky, Capitol Bureau Chief 01/09/2007 Email to a friendPrinter-friendly -HARTFORD - Key Democratic lawmakers and Gov. M. Jodi Rell want explanations about the arrest of an activist-blogger at Rell's inaugural parade and about a law enforcement list of allegedly dangerous individuals. Ken Krayeske, a Green Party supporter, campaign worker and Internet blogger, was arrested last week by Hartford police after taking photos of Rell during her inaugural parade. Police said Krayeske's name was on a list of "potential threats" put together by the FBI, state and local police. "There was nothing about his (Krayeske's) history that indicates he was a danger to anyone," said state Rep. Michael P. Lawlor, D-East Haven, co-chairman of the legislature's Judiciary Committee. He and other legislators Monday blasted the arrest as unnecessary and a violation of constitutional rights, and said they plan to hold public hearings on the issue. Rell wrote to state Public Safety Commissioner Leonard Boyle, asking him to review the incident and find out why Krayeske's name and photograph were given to police before the parade. "In providing security and protection, we cannot permit the rights of individuals to be trampled," Rell's letter says. State Rep. Christopher Caruso, D-Bridgeport, said the secret list of allegedly dangerous individuals "reeks of secret police." "Political activism is not a crime," said Caruso, co-chairman of the legislature's Government Administration and Elections Committee. Lawlor questioned whether holding Krayeske for 13 hours before releasing him on $75,000 bail was an attempt to prevent him from protesting at Rell's inaugural ball that evening. On his blog, Krayeske invited other activists to join him at the ball for a demonstration. State Rep. Denise Merrill, D-Mansfield, co-chairwoman of the legislature's Appropriations Committee, called existence of the secret list put together by law enforcement officials "shocking." A police report on Krayeske's arrest says information on him was provided by the FBI through the Connecticut Intelligence Center. Connecticut's Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security's Web site says the intelligence center is in the FBI's state office. "The center includes federal, state and local law enforcement personnel working side by side to develop leads and solve cases," according to the Web site. FBI spokeswoman Vicki Woods referred questions about the alleged list to state police. Spokesmen for the state police and Connecticut's Homeland Security agency failed to respond to requests for comment Monday. Krayeske was a spokesman for Green Party gubernatorial candidate Cliff Thornton during the 2006 campaign and several times confronted Rell or her campaign aides over major party candidates' refusal to include Thornton in televised debates. The police report says Krayeske went to the parade route on a mountain bike, jumped off and ran into the road in front of Rell. The report says an officer recognized him from a photo provided by the FBI. Krayeske allegedly pulled away from the officer, then was arrested on breach of peace and interfering with an officer charges. Krayeske insisted he had taken photos of Rell from a median in the parade route for several minutes and was returning to the curb when he was arrested. "These charges are garbage," said Norman A. Pattis, a New Haven lawyer representing Krayeske. ?New Haven Register 2007 Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: email_this_article.gif Type: image/gif Size: 101 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: printversion.gif Type: image/gif Size: 101 bytes Desc: not available URL: From efficacy at msn.com Tue Jan 9 14:11:46 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2007 14:11:46 -0500 Subject: {news} test Message-ID: Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From greenpartyct at yahoo.com Tue Jan 9 15:23:12 2007 From: greenpartyct at yahoo.com (Green Party-CT) Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2007 12:23:12 -0800 (PST) Subject: {news} (Courant) Probe urged After Arrest of Activisit at Rell Parade(Greens on enemies list??) Message-ID: <388601.65801.qm@web81414.mail.mud.yahoo.com> --------------------------------- http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-krayeske0109.artjan09,0,3834577.story?coll=hc-headlines-home Probe Urged After Arrest Of Activist At Rell Parade State Police Say They Keep Files, But No Enemies List ADVERTISERS --------------------------------- Advertise on ctnow -->By CHRISTOPHER KEATING Capitol Bureau Chief January 9 2007 Gov. M. Jodi Rell and top lawmakers on Monday called for inquiries into the arrest of a political activist and free-lance journalist during Rell's inaugural parade last week and the filing of criminal charges against him. In a letter to the state commissioner of public safety, Rell said she was concerned after reading reports that the state police maintain a "list" of individuals who could be viewed as potential threats to the governor. In asking Commissioner Leonard Boyle to investigate the arrest of Kenneth Krayeske, the governor said that even in an era of heightened security, "we cannot permit the rights of individuals to be trampled." Krayeske, a law school student and vocal critic of Rell, had been identified by state police as a possible threat to the governor, according to a Hartford police report. He had been taking photos along the parade route Wednesday before he was arrested. Several lawmakers said they were outraged, calling for legislative hearings and saying the incident reeks of a secret police force and should not be tolerated in Connecticut. Boyle Monday denied the state police keep a list of political enemies, saying that the notion is "completely incorrect." "We do not maintain such lists," he said. Boyle said his department maintains "intelligence files" on individuals "who meet criteria set out in federal regulations." Boyle would not comment on whether Krayeske met those criteria or whether the state police had a file on him before the inaugural parade. Rep. Michael Lawlor, co-chairman of the legislature's judiciary committee, said the incident reminded him of his own arrest in March 1980 while he was taking photographs, much as Krayeske was. The difference, Lawlor said, is that he was in Gdansk, Poland, which was under martial law. A former state prosecutor, Lawlor said misdemeanor charges against Krayeske for breach of peace and interfering with police should be dropped. "Ken Krayeske did not commit a crime," Lawlor said. "He wasn't protesting. He had done nothing to interfere with the parade. He was taking photos as a journalist for a blog." The exact circumstances of the incident remain in dispute. Legislators said Krayeske did nothing that could be perceived as a threat, but the investigating officer said he saw Krayeske "suddenly ride a mountain bike at a high rate of speed directly up the parade route, dump the bicycle, jumping off of it, and then running up to the parade procession directly in front of where the governor was passing by in the procession." Krayeske is well known among political insiders as a passionate activist who served as the outspoken campaign manager for Clifford W. Thornton, the Green Party's candidate for governor, last fall. Krayeske was heavily involved in the unsuccessful negotiations to have Thornton appear in debates last fall between Rell and Democratic challenger John DeStefano. When Thornton was blocked from the debates, Krayeske stormed to Rell's campaign headquarters with Thornton to confront Rell's campaign manager, Kevin Deneen. Another supporter with a video camera filmed the confrontation with Deneen, a high-pitched incident that a witness said involved screaming. "I don't believe Kevin Deneen expected to see our faces today," Krayeske said at the time. "Perhaps we were too confrontational." After a news conference by legislators Monday, Thornton said he could point directly to the reason for Krayeske's arrest. He said it dates to Rell's appearance at an Oct. 14 harvest festival in Glastonbury. Krayeske approached Rell and was "right in her face" about allowing Thornton into the debates, Thornton said. "Gov. Rell's state trooper told me, point-blank, to keep Ken Krayeske away from the governor because he was a threat to the governor," Thornton said. "It's not a threat. It's in-your-face politics. I knew then that this was going to come back and haunt us in some way. [The trooper] said, `I don't want Ken Krayeske next to the governor again.'" Before the parade on Wednesday, state police distributed Krayeske's photograph to Hartford police officers, according to a report written by Hartford Det. Jeff Antuna. Boyle said that when state police are providing security for any dignitary, its intelligence unit does research to identify "persons who through their prior actions or statements show an intention or propensity to disrupt that event." The determination to include Krayeske on the briefing list prior to the parade was based on the content of his website and his previous actions, Boyle said. "The officers are not told to arrest the person on site, nor to detain, question them or otherwise approach them," Boyle said. "That information is provided to officers working at the event so that they might simply give closer scrutiny to that person." Boyle said he did not know why the Hartford police officer decided to detain Krayeske. Whether Krayeske did anything wrong "is really something that is going to have to be decided through the court process," Boyle said. Hartford police spokeswoman Nancy Mulroy defended the department's actions and said the arresting officer felt he had probable cause to make an arrest. "We stand by our actions. We stand by the arrest. We did our job," Mulroy said Monday. "Now it's up to the courts to adjudicate." Krayeske was arrested in front of 1 Pearl St. at 1:20 p.m. "We observed the accused suddenly ride his mountain bike at a high rate of speed to the parade route," Mulroy said. "It's our job to provide security. It's unfortunate, but in today's world, post 9/11, security is a very serious matter and we err on the side of caution. If someone is behaving in an erratic fashion, they can expect the attention of law enforcement." Mulroy said the department's intelligence division recommended Krayeske's bail to be set at $75,000 based on Krayeske's prior arrest record. Krayeske has three prior arrests involving acts of civil disobedience, including protesting the launch of a nuclear submarine in Groton. In March 2003, he was arrested near a federal building on High Street in Hartford and charged with first-degree criminal trespass, disorderly conduct and interfering with police, Mulroy said. Legislators and Krayeske's attorney questioned why Krayeske was held on misdemeanor charges for about 12 hours - until after the governor's inaugural ball that evening had concluded - before being released. His bail was reduced to a written promise to appear in court by a bail commissioner who came to police headquarters later in the day. But Krayeske was not released until after 1 a.m., officials said. Mulroy said that if Krayeske feels he was treated unfairly, he is welcome to file a civilian complaint, which would be investigated by the department's internal affairs division. Krayeske's lawyer, Norman Pattis, said police had no reason to detain Krayeske on a high bail, and then release him without bail once the governor's inaugural ball had ended. "The courts say bond is intended only to ensure appearance at trial. They don't say you can use it to ice someone out of the governor's ball," Pattis said. "That to me is far more troubling than the arrest itself." Contact Christopher Keating at ckeating at courant.com. Courant Staff Writers Colin Poitras, Tracy Gordon Fox, Tina Brown and Mark Pazniokas contributed to this story. Copyright 2007, Hartford Courant --------------------------------- =0)document.write(unescape('%3C')+'\!-'+'-') //--> -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From justinemccabe at earthlink.net Tue Jan 9 18:38:10 2007 From: justinemccabe at earthlink.net (Justine McCabe) Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2007 18:38:10 -0500 Subject: {news} Green MEP arrested at anti-nuclear demo Message-ID: <0c0f01c73447$3981f8d0$0402a8c0@JUSTINE> > NEWS RELEASE > >From the office of the South-East England?s Green MEP Caroline Lucas > January 8th, 2007 > LEADING MEP IN POLICE CUSTODY AFTER ARREST AT ANTI-NUCLEAR DEMO > > GREEN Party Euro-MP Caroline Lucas is in police custody today after she > was > arrested this morning during a peaceful demonstration against the UK?s > Trident nuclear weapons arsenal. > > She was arrested and charged shortly after 10am this morning for breaching > the peace when she was sitting in the road blocking the entrance to the > Trident nuclear submarine base at Faslane, Scotland. > > ?The irony is extraordinary,? she said shortly after her arrest. ?I have > been arrested for breaching the peace when I am peacefully trying to draw > attention to the immoral, illegal and counterproductive breach of the > peace > which is Britain?s Trident nuclear weapons system. > > ?What?s more likely to cause a breach of the peace ? sitting down in a > road > or stockpiling 200 nuclear warheads, each which a destructive capacity 18 > times greater than the bomb which killed 200,000 in Hiroshima?? > > Dr Lucas was taking part in a day of action alongside some 60 MPs, MEPs > and > councillors ? from a range of green and left-leading political parties ? > as > part of Faslane 365, a one year continuous peaceful demonstration against > Britain?s arsenal of nuclear weapons of mass destruction. > > Dr Lucas, who is a co-founder and Co-President of the European Parliament?s > cross-party peace initiatives group of MEPs and a member of the Campaign > for > Nuclear Disarmament?s decision-making National Council, said: > > ?Britain?s Trident nuclear warheads are deadly weapons of mass destruction > which cost billions and are completely irrelevant to global geo-politics > today.? > > ?Elected politicians from a wide range of parties joined hands today to > blockade the Trident nuclear submarine base to show our collective > opposition to this nuclear folly - and the Labour Government?s unlawful > plans to replace and upgrade it,? she added. > > Dr Lucas has been arrested at Faslane before: following a peaceful > sit-down > outside the base in 2001 she was also charged with breaching the peace. > Despite arguing that she intended exactly the opposite ? to prevent a > breach > of the peace and a greater crime taking place ? she was convicted. An > eventual appeal to the European Court of Human Rights was declared > inadmissible in 2003. > > ?Last month Tony Blair said he wanted to replace Britain?s nuclear arsenal > but, in the face of strong parliamentary and public opposition, reduce it > from 200 warheads to about 160: 1,280 times as much destructive power as > the > bomb dropped on Hiroshima rather than 1,600. This symbolic gesture will, > of > course, make little practical difference at all.? > > ?There is simply no legal, moral, military or economic case for the > Government to replace Trident. If the Government has billions to spend on > protecting security, it shouldn?t gamble it on chasing Cold War shadows > but > listen to its own advisors and instead use the cash to tackle the real > security threats we face today: terrorism and climate change.? > > ENDS > > Notes to Editors: > > 1. Further details of the Faslane 365 demo can be found at: > http://www.faslane365.org/ > 2. A full list of elected representatives taking part can be found > at:http://www.faslane365.org/elected_representatives > 3. For file pictures (including Dr Lucas?s 2001 arrest) and interviews > with Dr Lucas contact Ben on either number below. > > For more information please contact Ben on 01273 671946, 07973 823358 or > ben at greenmeps.org.uk > www.carolinelucasmep.org.uk > > Ben Duncan > Media Officer to Caroline Lucas MEP > benduncan at greenmeps.org.uk > 01273 671946 (office) > 07973 823358 (mobile) > > > _______________________________________________ > Peace mailing list > Peace at lists.gp-us.org > http://lists.gp-us.org/mailman/listinfo/peace From justinemccabe at earthlink.net Wed Jan 10 10:35:13 2007 From: justinemccabe at earthlink.net (Justine McCabe) Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2007 10:35:13 -0500 Subject: {news} 4 upcoming Connecticut events for peace and against torture Message-ID: <0d8201c734cc$ecece7b0$0402a8c0@JUSTINE> 4 upcoming Connecticut events for peace and against torture American Friends Service Committee Connecticut In This Issue: January 9 2007 . Jan 11 @ 5:00pm, Hamden, CT: RALLY AGAINST ESCALATION OF THE WAR IN IRAQ . Jan 13 @ 3:30 Public meeting with Connecticut Congressional Delegation on War in Iraq . Jan 11 @ 12:00 noon in New Haven : Access Denied: Guantanamo Prisoners Deserve their Day in Court . Jan 27: UFPJ Mobilization in Washington DC Against the War in Iraq: Bring the troops home now Jan 11 @ 5:00pm, Hamden, CT: RALLY AGAINST ESCALATION OF THE WAR IN IRAQ RALLY AGAINST ESCALATION OF THE WAR IN IRAQ THURSDAY, JANUARY 11th, 5 PM HAMDEN, CT HAMDEN MEMORIAL TOWN HALL DIXWELL AND WHITNEY AVENUE Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse in Iraq, on Wednesday President Bush is expected to call for an escalation in troops in Iraq by 20,000. Not 20,000 new servicemen and women, just the same troops, with shorter breaks and extended tours. On a mission that no one expects will result in anything but more needless casualties. Please come out to the front lawn of the old Hamden Town Hall on Thursday, January 11th at 5 PM to stand in protest of this proposed escalation and to call for our elected leaders to reject this waste of our servicepeople. Bring signs, flashlights, lanterns. This is the OLD Town Hall, located at the intersection of Dixwell and Whitney Avenues. It's Hamden's busiest intersection and we will be there at rush hour to show our opposition to expanding this war. For questions and to get more information contact John Shanley at johnshanley at sbcglobal.net or 203-288-5543 or 203-640-6743 Jan 11 @ 12:00 noon in New Haven : Access Denied: Guantanamo Prisoners Deserve their Day in Court Access Denied: Guantanamo Prisoners deserve their Day in Court Thursday, January 11, 2007 Noon-1:00 New Haven Federal Court House 141 Church Street, across from the Green Thursday, January 11th marks the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. This day will be marked by protest and demonstrations in more than 40 cities throughout the world. Reclaiming the Prophetic Voice will lead a public witness, with street theater and a press conference at the federal courthouse at 141 Church Street in New Haven at 12 noon. All are encouraged to attend as we continue to bear witness to the illegal and immoral war and occupation, as well as the related war crimes of torture and abuse of prisoners. Plans for Thursday's public witness in New Haven are coming together nicely. We still have a few orange jumpsuits to be filled with volunteers. These folks will be positioned behind a portable section of chainlink fence and read the names of prisoners still being held at Guantanamo. If you would like to participate in this part of the action, please contact John Shanley: johnshanley at sbcglobal.net. or 203-288-5543 or 203-640-6743 (Cell). Speakers at the press conference will likely include an attorney representing one of the prisoners and a professor from Yale Law School. We will also have written statements from Sen Christopher Dodd and Rep. Rosa DeLauro. Two of members of the Catholic Worker from Connecticut will be participating in the Washington DC actions Peace and Resistance, John Humphries Hartford Friends Meeting Reclaiming the Prophetic Voice 860/236-5175; jhumphries at igc.org www.witnesstorture.org. Jan 27: UFPJ Mobilization in Washington DC Against the War in Iraq: Bring the troops home now Jan 27: Go to Washington to tell Congress to end the war in Iraq and bring the troops home now. Space is still available on buses leaving Connecticut to Washington D.C. On New Years Day we marked the sad milestone of the 3000th U.S. military death in Iraq. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have also been killed since the war started nearly 4 years ago. President Bush now plans to send 20,000 more troops in surge like deployment to Iraq. No new troops will be sent, however, just troops currently deployed staying longer and troops scheduled to be deployed being sent early. We must raise our voices and say No to war, no to occupation and bring the troops home now! Sponsored nationally by United For Peace & Justice PeaceBus Connecticut To Washington $55 Round Trip, $30 for seniors, students, unemployed (for a limited number of reduced-rate seats). Scholarships also may be available: Call. Buses leave (and return 24 hours later): 11:00 pm, Friday, 26 January, W. Hartford - Conard High School, 110 Beechwood Rd. 11:45 pm, Friday, 26 January, New Haven - Long Wharf Theater parking lot, 222 Sargent Drive. A bus is also being organizing to leave from Willimantic. Please contact John Shanley for more information: johnshanley at sbcglobal.net or 203-288-5543 or 203-640-6743 To purchase tickets: Tickets ONLINE: http://www.stepfour.com/peacetrain/ Get receipt and immediate confirmation. Or by mail: Greater New Haven Peace Council PO Box 3105 New Haven, CT 06515-0205 Print and send. _____ Seats from New Haven $55; _____ Reduced-rate Seats $30 _____ Seats from W. Hartford $55; _____ Reduced-rate Seats $30 Contact Name: Address: Phone: Email: For information contact: David Amdur at damdur at afsc.org or 860-523-1534 Henry Lowendorf at grnhpeacecouncil at sbcglobal.net or 203-389-9547 http://unitedforpeace.org/ Jan 13 @ 3:30 Public meeting with Connecticut Congressional Delegation on War in Iraq You are Invited to Meet with Connecticut Congressional Representatives about the War this Saturday. Connectict Opposes the War (COW), including prominent unions leaders, State Representatives and Senators, leaders from the faith community, and a host of community and peace organizations, will meet with at least Representatives John larson and Chris Murphy of the Connecticut Congressional Delegation this Saturday, January 13, at 3:30 PM in the Legislative Office Building. The meeting is still being organized and other members of Congress may attend. One additional member has agreed to meet the following weekend, so we are assured of meeting with at least three of our seven members of Congress in the next two weeks, and we believe this number may be boosted to four to six. You are cordially invited to attend this Saturday's crucial meeting and lend your support for a rapid withdrawal from Iraq and a solid NO to any plans for escalation. We will urge our Congressional Delegation to take a much stronger leadership role in organizing other members of Congress to end the war. It is important that you come to help our Congresspeople understand that Connecticut Opposes the War. Attend this meeting and bring your kids, friends, neighbors and co-workers. We are looking for speakers as well. If you would like to speak at this meeting, please reply and let me know and include your telephone number. We especially need clergy, seniors, and military families, members and vets. For More information: Gregory Spear Connecticut Opposes the War 860 655-4179 gspear at spearreport.com American Friends Service Committee Connecticut Area Office 56 Arbor Street, Suite 213 Hartford, CT 06106 Phone: 860.523.1534 Fax: 860.523.1705 Email: connecticut at afsc.org Visit AFSC CT Online Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Confirm | Forward Note: forwarded message attached. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.8/621 - Release Date: 1/9/2007 1:37 PM -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: imgLogo.gif?1168387748 Type: application/octet-stream Size: 2469 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: pixel.gif Type: image/gif Size: 43 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: imgImage1.jpeg?1168387748 Type: application/octet-stream Size: 6285 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: imgImage2.jpeg?1168387748 Type: application/octet-stream Size: 5630 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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Message-ID: <909615.31898.qm@web81412.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Drop The Charges, Apologize Free-lance journalist arrested during inaugural parade. By Day Staff Writer E-mail: newmedia at theday.com Phone No.: () - Other Recent Articles A Golden Anniversary - 1/10/2007 An Illicit Pastime - 1/10/2007 Backus Expansion Continues To Progress - 1/10/2007 Body Of Norwich Man Recovered In Amos Lake - 1/10/2007 Man Treated At Hospital Following Head-on Collision - 1/10/2007 Man Wielding Knife Robs Convenience Store - 1/10/2007 Out Of Season? - 1/10/2007 Searchers Locate Woman In Woods - 1/10/2007 Study The Idea Of Tolls - 1/10/2007 Tragedy In Shelton - 1/10/2007 Two Arrested After Dispute At Casino Hotel - 1/10/2007 Local Fishermen Dispute Reduced Flounder Quota - 1/9/2007 Preparing For War - 1/9/2007 Stamp Of Approval - 1/9/2007 Tuesday Scoreboard - 1/9/2007 Murder Trials Queue Up In New London Court - 1/7/2007 Saturday Scoreboard - 1/6/2007 Blumenthal Files Against Power Surcharge - 1/5/2007 Navy IDs Submariners Killed In England - 1/1/2007 ',SHADOW, CAPTIONSTYLE, 'italic',CLOSEWEIGHT, 'bold', CLOSESIZE, 1, CLOSECOLOR, '#ffffff', STICKY, CAPTION, 'Author Profile', FGCOLOR, '#ffffcc', OFFSETX, 20, OFFSETY, -25, WIDTH, 300);" onmouseout="return nd();" href="javascript:void(0);">Day Staff Writer Click name for author info, most recent articles ... Published on 1/10/2007 in Editorial ? Editorial Gov. M. Jodi Rell acted appropriately in asking the Connecticut State Police to review the case in which Ken Krayeske, a free-lance print and Web journalist, was charged with breach of peace and interfering with police during the governor's inaugural parade last week. By some stretch of police hypersensitivity, Mr. Krayeske showed up on an intelligence report suggesting he might be among ?possible threats? to Gov. Rell. That was stretching a point by any standard. He has had some civil disobedience incidents in protesting war in the past and he can be vociferous when advocating for a cause, but he is hardly a threat. In fact, as campaign manager for Clifford Thornton, the Green Party candidate, Mr. Krayeske's misstep last fall was to confront the governor about her unwillingness to debate Mr. Thornton. In the gubernatorial campaign, Mr. Krayeske was a vigorous advocate for his candidate's right, he believed, to be included in the debates between Gov. Rell and New Haven Mayor John DeStefano Jr. That's a valid opinion, one he had the right to express. On inauguration day, Mr. Krayeske was photographing the governor's parade with professional photo equipment. The public had been invited to the parade. Mr. Krayeske was in a public place at a public event when police arrested him and held him for 12 hours. Having overreacted in arresting him, the police then compounded their excess by putting a $75,000 bond on the case. Later, they thought more clearly and released him on a promise to appear in court. The police report said Mr. Krayeske appeared to be getting ready to step ?towards the governor.? But reporters uncovered at least one eyewitness who said Mr. Krayeske had been standing in the same location shooting film of other facets of the parade before the governor came along. Mr. Krayeske had a First Amendment right to be where he was. Gov. Rell as much as acknowledged this reality when she asked Public Safety Commissioner Leonard Boyle to review the whole matter. What this appears to be is an attempt by police to avoid any potential embarrassment to the governor, rather than a serious consideration that Mr. Krayeske was a threat. Journalists regularly take photos in public places and may cause discomfort, even embarrassment to the subjects of their photos, but that is not a cause for arresting them. If the facts are as they appear, the prosecutor's office should drop the charges against Mr. Krayeske and the police should apologize to him. Even in this time of heightened concern about the safety of the public, an individual's right to speak and to have a different opinion from that of the government is not against the law. Print This E-mail This Most E-mailed Send Letter Send Correction Add To Cart Increase Text Actual Text Decrease Text -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From greenpartyct at yahoo.com Wed Jan 10 16:17:38 2007 From: greenpartyct at yahoo.com (Green Party-CT) Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2007 13:17:38 -0800 (PST) Subject: {news} National Greens seek Outreach Committee members Message-ID: <32290.19370.qm@web81408.mail.mud.yahoo.com> CT Greens, The national Green Party is seeking people to work on a Outreach Committee. This is a new committee and any local Green may work on it. The work will be mostly thru emaills and maybe conference calls. Expect mabye 10 emails a day to read on this committee. This means working well with others and building consensus of ideas. As with all national committee work, The state the Green comes from must vett the person and approve of this person first. We need team players!! If you are interested, please contact me or any state exective committee leader. Tim McKee CT National Committee Represenative please pass this email on to your local Green list. RichaCTrd Scott wrote: From: "Richard Scott" To: , Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2007 12:38:13 -0800 Subject: [usgp-nc] Outreach Committee needs members Hi All, The Outreach Committee held its first official meeting on Sunday, Jan. 7th. Our next meeting will be Sunday, Jan. 21st at 4 PM EST. Please inform your locals that the OC is looking for new members (must be vetted by State) who have experience in outreach efforts. We will be posting our minutes to our web page documents for all to see. For additional information and call in numbers please contact scotty at gp.org Thanks for you help. Peace, Richard Scott, acting Co-Chair, Outreach Committee _______________________________________________ Natlcomvotes mailing list To send a message to the list, write to: Natlcomvotes at green.gpus.org To unsubscribe or change your list options, go to: http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/natlcomvotes If your state delegation changes, please see: http://gp.org/committees/nc/documents/delegate_change.html For other information about the Coordinating Committee, see: http://gp.org/committees/nc/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tim McKee cell (860) 778-1304 or (860) 643-2282 National Committee Member of the Green Party(Connecticut) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From greenpartyct at yahoo.com Thu Jan 11 15:31:06 2007 From: greenpartyct at yahoo.com (Green Party-CT) Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2007 12:31:06 -0800 (PST) Subject: {news} (Manchester J.I.) LTE- Big Brother's Watching Message-ID: <20070111203106.91227.qmail@web81414.mail.mud.yahoo.com> January 11, 2007 Dear Editor, Big Brother's watching! Happy New Year everyone - we've entered 1984. I was discouraged to read the story about the arrest of Ken Krayeske after he photographed the governor during the inaugural parade. Apparently there is a watch list of political enemies that was distributed to Hartford police, which included his name and photograph. The reason he is on this list? He asked the governor a question she didn't want to answer at an event prior to the election. I am sure that Gov. M. Jodi Rell will say she was unaware of such a list. She is unaware of so many things. I am certain Krayeske is guilty - of having an opinion and the courage to express it, of standing up for what he believes in, of lacking apathy and complacency. I am also sure he is not guilty of representing any physical harm to the governor, unless you include the discomfort of disclosing her motivation for refusing to debate a gubernatorial candidate. Who else with an opinion is being "watched"? In a month when we celebrate another political activist, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., I can only say I would be honored to be included on such a list, and am saddened that we have come to this. Donna Byrne-McKee Manchester -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From efficacy at msn.com Fri Jan 12 08:36:50 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2007 08:36:50 -0500 Subject: {news} Green Party Mayor Takes The Reins (Richmond, CA) Message-ID: Green Party Mayor Takes The Reins (Richmond, CA) She promises to start jobs program, cut homicide rate By Jason B. Johnson, Chronicle Staff Writer http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/01/10/BAGPQNG56H1.DTL San Francisco Chronicle January 10, 2007 Richmond, Ca. Richmond became the largest city in the nation with a member of the Green Party as its elected mayor Tuesday when Gayle McLaughlin was sworn in during an emotional inaugural ceremony at City Hall. McLaughlin, 54, pledged to launch a new jobs program to employ 1,000 at-risk youth, and to lower the city's homicide rate. "The roots of crime are systemic in nature -- poverty and the lack of real opportunities," she told 300 people who attended the ceremony. "We must make more of an investment. Let us rise to this challenge." To pay for her youth jobs program, McLaughlin has said she'll seek to secure state funds and increase tax revenue from Chevron and other manufacturers by changing the way business utility tax payments are calculated. After her swearing in, she asked the audience for a moment of silence in memory of the most recent homicide victim in Richmond, 25-year-old Victor M. Ramirez. "We still have to deal with 2006 and the pain of seeing so many young people in caskets," noted Van Jones, executive director of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in Oakland. "The pain of so many funerals in Richmond, and Oakland, and Bayview-Hunters Point." McLaughlin's victory has been hailed by fellow Greens as a sign of the party's growing strength, but local politicians and community leaders say her triumph in November's election and her continued success depend on issues like crime, jobs and schools. "We have mothers who have lost their babies to gun violence on the streets of this city," said the Rev. Andre Shumake, head of the Richmond Improvement Association. "If it takes a Green Party candidate to come here and make it happen, so be it. It doesn't matter if you're black, green, white, yellow or polka- dot." McLaughlin, who was elected to the City Council in 2004, defeated incumbent Mayor Irma Anderson in a hotly contested three-person race decided by roughly 300 votes. She is one of 26 Green Party officials holding elected positions in the Bay Area. Her victory was featured prominently on the Green Party's official Web site, and last month she shared a stage with former Green Party presidential nominee Ralph Nader and former San Francisco Supervisor Matt Gonzalez. The party is known for its strong pro-environment stance. It also supports the impeachment of President Bush. Gonzalez said having McLaughlin head a city as ethnically and economically diverse as Richmond will help change the party's image as being an environmental movement that only caters to white voters. He and other McLaughlin supporters say her campaign theme of economic justice for the poor and fighting crime is a "Green message." "It's the first time the Greens have ever won a mayor's race in a city (that big). It's a little bit of a milestone for us," said Gonzalez. "With each of these accomplishments, people feel a bit more comfortable with the idea of us being leaders." With a population of about 100,000, Richmond has long been home to shipyards, the Chevron refinery and other heavy industry. In recent years it has sought to transform itself by adding commercial businesses and more upscale residential housing. County Supervisor John Gioia, whose district includes Richmond, said McLaughlin's victory was helped by voter discontent over rising crime rates -- there were 42 homicides in the city last year, a higher per-capita rate than Oakland's. "The state Green Party wants to make a lot out of the victory. I don't think that's the case at all," said Gioia. "I think most voters didn't know her party registration. "Issues in Richmond are the bread-and-butter issues of fighting crime and helping create jobs and improving the schools. One's party is less of an issue. It's about solving those issues." E-mail Jason B. Johnson at jbjohnson at sfchronicle.com. (c)2007 San Francisco Chronicle Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From efficacy at msn.com Fri Jan 12 15:41:01 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2007 15:41:01 -0500 Subject: {news} Drug policy in Connecticut Law Tribune Message-ID: http://www.ctlawtribune.com/ January 12, 2007 Listmakers, Show Your Faces! By Norman A. Pattis . 1:45 PM EST . Reprinted courtesy of the CT Law Tribune Norman A. Pattis Not long ago Cliff Thornton called. He is the former Green Party candidate for Governor in Connecticut. He asked me to represent his former campaign manager, who had just been arrested for something or other. I like Cliff Thornton. Indeed, I voted for him. Free college tuition and an end to the war on drugs makes sense for me. Why spend $32,000 a year incarcerating kids for selling drugs? You could educate a carload of young men for that kind of money. So when Cliff called, I agreed. You've probably heard the client's name by now: It is Kenneth Krayeske. He's the young man who was arrested for taking pictures of Jodi Rell at her inaugural parade. He was then held on a $75,000 bond until after the inaugural ball was over. I appeared at the Hartford Community Court and got the standard offer: Plead guilty, do some community service, and we'll dismiss the charges. No thanks. I don't see a statute of someone bending and spreading at the courthouse door. Ken Krayeske did not commit a crime, and he won't be entering any pleas, thank you. According to the police report, he merely rode a bicycle up to the parade route, jumped off, and approached the entourage. When an officer arrested him, he pulled his arm away. That is the official version from the arresting officer. Little facts are missing. First and foremost, Krayeske was taking photos of the governor. The arresting officer forgot to mention that. There were 16 photos and in not one of them does anyone look alarmed. So why did the cops arrest Krayeske? They arrested him because he is a person of interest to the Connecticut Intelligence Center. At a briefing before the parade, state police told Hartford officers about potential threats. Krayeske a threat? To what, complacency? Public outrage fanned quickly to flames over the notion that there are lists of enemies in law enforcement hands. Governor Jodi Rell called for an investigation; so did lawmakers; so did the mayor of Hartford. By week's end, the Department of Public Safety was denying there are any such lists. Lies, lies, lies. Since 1995, the FBI had maintained something called the Violent Gang and Terrorist Organization File (VGTOF). These entries are part of the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) computer database that all law enforcement agencies use when they do such thing as stop a motorist to check on whether the motorist has a warrant outstanding. Administrators of the VGTOF data are taught not to acknowledge the list's existence. The goons running VGTOF have listed, among others, the American Friends Service Committee as potential threats. So here is how the new high-stakes game of security is played: The feds keep a list of threats that is so inclusive that it includes antiwar demonstrators. The feds dole it out to the states as they see fit. When the state is asked about a list, the state denies that it has one, failing to acknowledge that the feds do. Ask the feds, and get stonewalled on national security or other grounds. The Krayeske case is simple to defend as a matter of law. He broke no law. But the case is chilling as a matter of public policy. Have you spoken out lately? Then you, too, may be on a list. Here's a message for the person who monitors my name on the lists: Kiss my ass and show your face. Or would you feel threatened? Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Norman_A_Pattis.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 3568 bytes Desc: not available URL: From efficacy at msn.com Sun Jan 14 11:33:13 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2007 11:33:13 -0500 Subject: {news} Key Committee To Hold Hearing Message-ID: http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-ctkrayeske0113.artjan13,0,4923541story?coll=hc-headlines-politics-state POLITICS Key Committee To Hold Hearing Testimony About Conduct Of State Police Will Be Heard By State Lawmakers January 13, 2007 By CHRISTOPHER KEATING, Capitol Bureau Chief A key legislative committee will hold a hearing on two of the most embarrassing issues facing the state police: a scathing internal affairs report on trooper misconduct and the controversial arrest of a political activist during the governor's inaugural parade. State Police Commissioner Leonard Boyle will testify on both issues Jan. 23 before the General Assembly's Public Safety Committee. The hearing is open to the public, but testimony will be limited to those asked to appear. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal will discuss a 207-page report his office co-authored on the internal affairs unit, which detailed allegations of trooper drug use, sexual abuse, excessive force, family violence and association with prostitutes. Four law-enforcement officials will talk about the arrest of Kenneth Krayeske, a political activist who was handcuffed during the Jan. 3 inaugural parade and charged with breach of peace and interfering with police. Before the parade, Krayeske had been identified by state police as a possible threat to Gov. M. Jodi Rell. He had confronted her during last fall's election campaign at a Glastonbury parade and written critically about her recently on his website. But Krayeske's supporters say he was simply taking photographs of Rell during the Hartford parade and did nothing that could be deemed a threat. His attorney, Norman Pattis, said Krayeske took at least 50 photographs during the public parade, including 16 of Rell as she walked along the route near Bushnell Park. Pattis said he hoped to attend the hearing - which he described as a "show trial" - but is scheduled to be in court that day on another matter. A veteran trial attorney who is known as one of the state's best defense attorneys, Pattis remained confident about Krayeske's prospects. "If this case goes to trial and I lose it, I will shave my head on the steps of the state Supreme Court," said Pattis, who for years has worn a long ponytail. Krayeske has limited his comments on the advice of his attorney, and Pattis said that Krayeske "will not speak anywhere until he speaks to a jury." One police official described the Krayeske arrest as "a train wreck." As lawmakers have publicly criticized the arrest, some lawmakers have been jockeying behind the scenes over which committee would hold hearings. Some pushed for the judiciary or the government administration and elections committee to conduct the inquiry because they are deemed among the most aggressive in the legislature. The public safety committee finally was chosen because it retains jurisdiction over law-enforcement issues. The hearing will be conducted by state Sen. Andrea Stillman, D-Waterford, and state Rep. Stephen Dargan, D-West Haven, the committee's co-chairs. "If something happened to the governor, there would have been criticism that law enforcement didn't do enough to protect the governor," Dargan said Friday night. "It's like a Monday morning quarterback. We want to make sure that law enforcement is not handcuffed in the job they're supposed to do." Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: blackpix.gif Type: image/gif Size: 35 bytes Desc: not available URL: From efficacy at msn.com Sun Jan 14 11:37:20 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2007 11:37:20 -0500 Subject: {news} The Long Arm Of The List Message-ID: COMMENTARY The Long Arm Of The List Targeting People Who May Be Politically Disruptive Strikes At Heart Of Political Freedom January 14, 2007 By NORMAN A. PATTIS "License and registration, please?" The officer stands beside your car. Behind you, his cruiser lights are flashing. Other motorists slow down to gawk. Your heart pounds. "What have I done?" you ask. The officer explains that you ran a stop sign several blocks back. You never saw the sign, but no matter. It will be a small fine and off you will go. Everyone makes simple mistakes from time to time. The officer takes your license and registration to his car. He enters your name into a database linked to his car by computer. A message flashes across his screen: WARNING - APPROACH WITH CAUTION THIS INDIVIDUAL IS ASSOCIATED WITH TERRORISM ... USE CAUTION AND IMMEDIATELY CONTACT THE TERRORIST SCREENING CENTER AT (866) 872-9001 FOR ADDITIONAL DIRECTION. Your plans for the evening have changed. You are now on a federal radar, listed and tagged as a potential threat. Your name is part of the FBI's Violent Gang and Terrorist Organization File (VGTOF). Will you go home, or to a jail cell? How did your name get on the list? You don't know. You may never know. Perhaps you were seen at an antiwar rally. Or perhaps you contributed money to a candidate or cause that some anonymous soul views as suspect. Like it or not, however, every law enforcement officer in the country now need only log onto his computer to learn that you are a suspect. We saw how innocent acts become crimes at the inaugural parade for Gov. M. Jodi Rell this month. Ken Krayeske, a free-lance journalist, law student and former campaign director for Green Party gubernatorial candidate Cliff Thornton, was arrested there and charged with breach of peace and interfering with a police officer. Why? He was taking pictures of the parade. Of course, that is no crime. But before the parade began, Hartford police officers were told by the Connecticut Intelligence Center and the Connecticut State Police Central Intelligence Unit that a number of political activists posed a threat to the governor. These intelligence groups are part of the new state-federal security network that is sharing information about all manner of things that can go bump in the night. The state police had photographs of the activists listed as threats. Krayeske's picture was among them. Ken Krayeske was not arrested for taking pictures. He was arrested because he was on a list of potential threats. His innocent conduct took on a sinister cast when viewed through the secret lens of suspicion. The state police deny maintaining any such lists. I suspect the denials are a mere linguistic trick. The state may not maintain a list. The lists of who is naughty and who is nice are most likely in federal hands. State lawmakers can hold all the hearings they want in Hartford to find out about these lists and they will learn almost nothing. State law enforcement officials are merely participating in federally managed and funded programs designed, we are told, to protect the security of this, our blessed homeland. When state lawmakers try to subpoena federal officials, those subpoenas will be quashed in the name of national security or some other legal devicethat makes the federal government a distant, and sacrosanct, overlord. VGTOF, for example, was created in 1995 in response to the Oklahoma City bombing. It is managed by the FBI. The list initially was focused on individuals believed to be members of groups posing a threat to the United States. But in recent years, the list has expanded. Not long ago, mere protesters against the war in Iraq were placed on the list. A federal audit of VGTOF in 2005 found an error rate of 40 percent based on a small sample of records. Are you on the VGTOF list? These lists are dangerous and easily misused. Was Ken Krayeske arrested because he had threatened to attend the gubernatorial ball and protest? Or because he once questioned why Gov. Rell refused to demand that gubernatorial debates be open to all candidates? I did not pledge allegiance to a national-security state. We proclaim in the federal Constitution's preamble that "we the people" created government for limited ends, to assure our life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. "Live free or die," read license plates in New Hampshire. These are words to live by. When did we yield the freedom to be let alone to bureaucrats who decide without meaningful review who is and is not a threat? More important, who regulates the men and women sitting up nights deciding who among us to include on lists that can transform innocent conduct into crimes? Norman A. Pattis is a criminal defense and civil rights lawyer in Bethany. He represents Ken Krayeske in criminal charges arising from the arrest at the inaugural parade. Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: blackpix.gif Type: image/gif Size: 35 bytes Desc: not available URL: From demac at galaxyinternet.net Sun Jan 14 15:37:35 2007 From: demac at galaxyinternet.net (demac at galaxyinternet.net) Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2007 15:37:35 -0500 Subject: {news} Annual Meeting/ Elections of Officers Message-ID: Please notify as many of your chapter members as possible that Elections to State Green Offices will be held in April (tentatively scheduled for Sat., April 21) at the Annual Meeting. All members are encouraged to run for office. The following one-year positions are available: Three CO-CHAIRS. Both genders must be represented Two Representatives and one alternate for REPRESENTATIVE to the GREEN PARTY of the UNITED STATES One SECRETARY One TREASURER Nominations or candidacies must be announced prior to or at the February 26th, 2007 State Central Committee meeting in order to be included in any printed mailings. Please contact: Jean de Smet 39 Davis St. Willimantic, CT 06226 860 456-2188 JeandeSmet at galaxyinternet.net Please also note that there are openings on the Internal Elections Committee for anyone who would like to participate. We will also need volunteers to count the ballots at the Annual Meeting. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: winmail.dat Type: application/ms-tnef Size: 4976 bytes Desc: not available URL: From efficacy at msn.com Mon Jan 15 09:30:28 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2007 09:30:28 -0500 Subject: {news} The Other Losing War Message-ID: January 13, 2007 GUEST COLUMNIST The Other Losing War By ORLANDO PATTERSON Kingston, Jamaica Preoccupation with Iraq has drawn attention from another unwinnable American war that has been far more destructive of life both at home and abroad and has caused far greater collateral damage in other countries, in addition to spreading contempt for American foreign engagements. This is the failed war on drugs. It was Nixon who, in 1971, first declared war on drugs. As with Iraq, the strategy is flawed in its conception and execution, made worse by a refusal to change course in the face of failure. It strongly emphasizes eradicating the source of drugs, interdiction of traffic and draconian punishment for offenders. It neglects what nearly every expert believes and European experience has shown to be the only successful strategy: a demand-side emphasis on preventive programs and rehabilitation of addicts. The present administrations claims of a shift to preventive measures is belied by the budget of its drug control office, which allocates a 94 percent share to disrupting the supply, mainly through environmentally hazardous spraying in Latin America and the Caribbean that alienates local farmers. The domestic results are tragic: an enormous increase in the incarceration of young, disproportionately minority Americans, resulting in the waste of human resources and the creation of a prison culture that converts nonviolent addicts into hardened criminals, without any impact on drug use. Within a year of release, 43.5 percent of drug offenders are rearrested. Recent surveys indicate a steady increase in the use of illicit drugs: more than 40 percent of Americans over 12 have used them at some point. Nearly all Caribbean societies are involved with narcotrafficking and, in the case of Jamaica, large-scale production and export of marijuana. In 2001, illicit drug shipments in the region were worth more money than the top five legitimate exports combined. The results have been devastating. Political corruption and payment in arms threatens the sovereignty and stability of many states. In 1985, the chief minister and minister of commerce of the Turks and Caicos Islands were arrested in Miami and imprisoned in America for drug offenses. Drug addiction and violent crime are now endemic in Jamaica, Puerto Rico and even small islands like St. Kitts. The corruption of the police and other security forces has reached a crisis point in Jamaica, where an officer can earn the equivalent of half a years salary by simply looking the other way. Last year, 1,300 people were murdered here, in a population of only three million and that was an improvement on the previous year. Dr. Peter Phillips, Jamaicas very competent minister of national security, estimates that 60 percent of the murders are drug related. Calling cocaine trafficking and use the taproot of a web of criminality, he said drugs sustain a self-perpetuating culture of extreme violence extending to many areas of the society. The drug culture is highly transnational and organized, exemplified by the Jamaican posses that terrorized America in the 1980s with some 4,900 murders. Traffickers increasingly operate offshore, taking advantage of better arms, faster boats and more efficient tracking equipment than those available to local security forces. Phillips is puzzled by Americas inflexible emphasis on eradication and interdiction and its refusal to provide help where it is most needed, like the rebuilding of corrupted police forces. He provided a telling example of the futility of current approaches. With Americans and Jamaicans working closely together recently, the percentage of transshipments of Colombian cocaine to the U.S. that went through Jamaica was reduced from 20 to 2. But this had no effect on the amount of cocaine entering America the traffickers simply changed routes and it increased violent crime in Jamaica. Drug dons became more murderous in turf wars, as there was less cocaine and money to go around. Americas unwillingness to recognize the socioeconomic context of the drug crisis at home and abroad, to see that being surrounded by failing states threatens its security, to provide aid where it is most effective, and to acknowledge that the root cause of this hemispheric disaster is not supply but its own citizens insatiable demand for illicit drugs, is as incomprehensible as the quagmire in Iraq. A Ford White House aide mentioned in last Saturdays column should have been Robert Goldwin, not Goldman. Orlando Patterson, a professor of sociology at Harvard, is a guest columnist. Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: logoprinter.gif Type: image/gif Size: 1810 bytes Desc: not available URL: From greenpartyct at yahoo.com Mon Jan 15 17:49:20 2007 From: greenpartyct at yahoo.com (Green Party-CT) Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2007 14:49:20 -0800 (PST) Subject: {news} (FOXNEWS!) Government Surveillance a Troubing Growth Trend, Say Anti-War Activist Message-ID: <20070115224920.4451.qmail@web81407.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Government Surveillance a Troubling Growth Trend, Say Anti-War Activists Monday , January 15, 2007 Kelley Beaucar Vlahos get_a(300,250,"frame1"); WASHINGTON ? The arrest of a political activist in Connecticut two weeks ago is fueling the ongoing debate over how far the federal government can and should go in monitoring groups and individuals it suspects may be planning criminal activities. Legal experts say the monitoring is perfectly legal, particularly under post-Sept. 11 rules. While authorities are required to obtain warrants to access personal records, in most instances anything in the public domain is fair game. But critics say the Jan. 3 arrest of freelance journalist Kenneth Krayeske went way beyond the pale. Krayeske, 34, was taking pictures of Connecticut Gov. Jodi Rell's inaugural parade in Hartford when he was approached by police and detained for 12 hours on charges of breach of peace and interfering with an officer. Hartford police say they recognized Krayeske, a critic of Rell with a record of civil disobedience in anti-war protests, from a photo and briefing they received before the parade from state police and the Connecticut Intelligence Center, which is located at the local FBI office. During the parade, according to police spokeswoman Sgt. Nancy Mulroy, "our officers observed [Krayeske's] behavior and in their opinion, based on his behavior, they considered him a threat." The police report says Krayeske sped up to the parade route on his mountain bike "at a high rate of speed," dumped the bike and ran up to the procession "directly in front of where the governor was passing by." He was "recognized from the photograph provided by the state police," said Det. Jeff Antuna. He said officers intervened and "escorted him away from the governor and the parade route, which he resisted by attempting to pull away." But Krayeske and some others tell a different story. Krayeske says he was taking pictures of other dignitaries when he rode over to catch a shot of the governor. He was able to snap a picture of her smiling before he was grabbed by police. Click here to see Krayeske's parade photos. Witnesses said Krayeske's behavior was not out of the ordinary, and they confirmed that he was taking pictures when he was surrounded by police. According to his attorney, Norm Pattis, Krayeske was surprised by their approach but did not struggle. He was put in handcuffs immediately, Pattis said. "He pulled his arm back because he was startled. He was shocked." Pattis said Krayeske asked why he was being grabbed and told the police, "You're not supposed to arrest anybody with an absence of probable cause." Krayeske was initially held on $75,000 bond and detained until 1 a.m., after which he was released on a promise to appear in court. Pattis suggests the high bond for the misdemeanor charges was used to keep him there until after the evening's inaugural ball. The attorney said the charges will likely be dropped. And if the case goes to court, "There is no question in my mind that he will be acquitted." Democratic lawmakers, the city's mayor and the Republican governor herself are demanding an explanation of the situation, and two Democratic state senators have scheduled a Jan. 23 hearing in the General Assembly's Public Safety Committee to investigate. Other elected officials are looking for an explanation of the so-called "list" that was distributed and named Krayeske and others as threats on that day. "There is nothing about what this category of peace activists does that poses an actual threat," said state Rep. Mike Lawlor, referring to the types of activism that has earned Krayeske's "in your face" reputation around Hartford circles. "The purpose of this situation was to intimidate," Lawlor said. Krayeske reportedly confronted Rell publicly over the Green Party's non-access to the gubernatorial debates last year. But supporters say he has never been physically confrontational or threatened anyone. State Rep. John Geragosian questions the motivations of the police in this case, and said he believes the arrest speaks to broader concerns. "If this is going to be a threshold for disturbing the peace and resisting arrest ? questioning what an officer is doing ? it undermines the entire freedom of the press as well as general freedom of speech," Geragosian said. "It's a scary turn of events in this country at this time." But Hartford police are standing by the arrest, and state officers insist they do not maintain a list of activists for surveillance. Lt. J. Paul Vance said police compile information on individuals who ? based on past actions ? may demonstrate a proclivity to "disrupt an event or act unlawfully." "Law enforcement are always told if [these individuals] are observed, to simply give them scrutiny any arrest will have to be based on probable cause," Vance said. He said it was "the officer's decision" to arrest Krayeske, and he declined to say whether probable cause had been demonstrated in the case. Vance said that police have often been assigned to protect protesters as well. "We recognize and understand that people have their right to free speech and to demonstrate, and we are obligated by law to protect everyone's right and that includes protesters," he said. A Push Toward Surveillance? Anti-war activists say they have long been tracked by law enforcement and intelligence agencies, but such activity has increased since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. ?I do believe that it is more pervasive than most people realize. Legal or not, the government will take whatever steps it feels necessary to insure their paranoid visions of security are realized,? said Jack Bussell, a member of Maine Veterans For Peace, which was tracked by the FBI in 2003, according to documents released last year through a Freedom of Information Act request by the Maine office of the American Civil Liberties Union. The documents apparently intercepted by the FBI included copies of e-mails detailing the group's activities as well as the names of individuals involved in local protests. Paul Bresson, spokesman for the FBI in Washington, said the agency does not track groups or individuals unless it has cause to believe they are likely to commit a criminal act. ?By no means are we spying on groups and intimidating them in a way as to deny them of their rights,? Bresson said. Nonetheless, he said, ?there are situations where there is a potential for violence, and we know there are people who have been at such gatherings and have broken the law. We would be remiss as a law enforcement agency if we didn?t pay any attention to that potential problem.? Other recent complaints from activists across the country have included: ? Local and federal law enforcement monitoring last year of anti-war groups like the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker pacificist organization, and Raging Grannies in Seattle before the annual Seafair summer festival; ? Inclusion in the Pentagon?s Threat and Local Observation Notice (TALON) database ? established to monitor terrorist threats ? of protest activities organized or supported by the American Friends Service Committee; ? A "pretext interview" by four FBI agents and two Denver police officers at the home of a female member of the American Friends Service Committee before the Democratic and Republican National Conventions in 2004. Some civil libertarians say the federal government is exploiting the threat of terrorism to monitor and intimidate anti-war demonstrators across the country. "It is extremely pervasive and very dangerous for a democracy," said Michael McConnell, regional director of the American Friends Service Committee. "That kind of surveillance and spying of our own citizens, it has a chilling effect on freedom of speech and assembly," he said. But Scott Silliman, director of the Center for Law, Ethics and National Security at Duke University, said the line between tracking terrorists and intimidating peaceful dissenters is thin, and sometimes a balance is difficult to achieve. Silliman said law enforcement officials occasionally go over the line, but he said he does not consider it systematic or as bad as the domestic surveillance against liberal groups in the 1960s and 1970s. ?Do we get it right 100 percent of the time? No. Are we striving to do that? Yes,? he said. [input] [input] [input] SEARCH [input] [input] document.write(footer()); Click here for FOX News RSS Feeds Advertise on FOX News Channel, FOXNews.com and FOX News Radio Jobs at FOX News Channel. Internships at FOX News Channel (now accepting Fall interns). Terms of use. Privacy Statement. For FOXNews.com comments write to foxnewsonline at foxnews.com; For FOX News Channel comments write to comments at foxnews.com ? Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Copyright 2006 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. All market data delayed 20 minutes. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From justinemccabe at earthlink.net Tue Jan 16 20:50:47 2007 From: justinemccabe at earthlink.net (Justine McCabe) Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2007 20:50:47 -0500 Subject: {news} (YNET) "Playing Wild West in West Bank: Original way to protest"--Palestinians dress up as native-Americans in bid to get message Condi Rice Message-ID: <1e0801c739d9$e93b1bc0$0402a8c0@JUSTINE> http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3352236,00.html Playing Wild West in West Bank Original way to protest: Palestinians, peace activists hold demonstration at West Bank roadblock, dress up as native-Americans in bid to get message through to visiting US secretary of state Ynet Drawing a comparison between indigenous Native Americans whose land was stolen by European settler-colonists, and indigenous Palestinians whose land continues to be stolen by European settler-colonists, peace activists held a demonstration at a West Bank roadblock, dressed up as Native Americans in bid to get their message through to visiting US secretary of state. Palestinians and peace activists launched a one-month campaign at the West Bank Sunday, titled '30 days against the roadblocks'. Inspired by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to the area, some of the protesters chose to convey their message in an original way and dressed up as native-Americans. At about 11 a.m. the protesters gathered at the Hawara roadblock south of Nablus, and held up signs in English denouncing the military roadblocks across the territories. Several of the demonstrators, mainly children, were dressed up as native-Americans and wore traditional headdresses. "The Indian wars are not over, Ms. Rice. We are still here too." (Photo: AFP) The demonstration was organized by a group called 'Palestinians for Peace, Dialogue and Equality'. The protesters also criticized the difficulties created by the checkpoints, and the limitations they impose on the Palestinians' freedom of movement. One of the signs at the protest read, "The roadblocks are ruining the Palestinians' lives," while another poster aimed to juxtapose between the native-Americans, whose lands were stolen by the newcomers from Europe, and the Palestinians. "The Indian wars are not over, Ms. Rice. We are still here too," the sign said. Rice met Sunday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas told Rice he opposes the establishment of a provisional Palestinian state in temporary borders. Rice responded by reiterating the US commitment to the Road Map. "My work is going to be best targeted, I think, in these next months on trying to accelerate progress on the Road Map, which after all would lead us then to a Palestinian state and to helping the Palestinians and Israelis think through the political horizon," she said. Ynet -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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Name: 1indianpals3.JPG Type: image/jpeg Size: 24043 bytes Desc: not available URL: From demac at galaxyinternet.net Wed Jan 17 17:02:16 2007 From: demac at galaxyinternet.net (demac) Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2007 17:02:16 -0500 Subject: {news} By-Laws Committee Mtg Sat am Message-ID: <00a201c73a83$2a7bed40$91b0d942@jean1oa1rgr0ov> The By-Laws Committee will meet at 9:30 AM on Saturday Jan 20th at the Book Trader Coffee Shop, 1140 Chapel Street in New Haven.? Please feel free to join us. Directions: >From 91 South take exit 1 (Route 34).? From 95 North or South take exit 47 (Route 34).? Follow Route 34 to exit 3 and merge to the right onto North Frontage Road.? There will be a light just as you get on North Frontage Road; turn right (York Street).? The third cross street will be Chapel; turn left.? The Book Trader is in the first building on your left. From efficacy at msn.com Thu Jan 18 12:42:22 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 12:42:22 -0500 Subject: {news} Free Kenny Legal Defense Fund Bash,Friday, 1/19/07 Message-ID: http://starkravingviking.blogspot.com/2007/01/from-40-year-plan-blog.html Please come and show your support--we need it. Monday, January 15, 2007 >From the 40 year plan blog found here January 15, 2007 Free Kenny Legal Defense Fund Bash, Friday, 1/19/07 By Ken Krayeske . Hartford . 11:00 AM EST American silkscreen - t-shirts will be available! W ho? You! And as many freedom loving friends as you can bring! W hat? The Free Kenny Legal Defense Fund Bash, featuring beer, wine, hors d'oerves, music and free speech. W here? La Paloma Sabanera, 405 Capitol Ave., Hartford [Connecticut] W hy? Because lawyering up to defend free speech isn't cheap. W hen? Friday, Jan. 19 from 6 to 9 p.m. H ow much? $25 suggested donation, or whatever you can give will help defray Ken Krayeske's legal expenses, which arise from his arrest and detainment after photographing Gov. M. Jodi Rell's inaugural parade Jan. 3. If you can't attend, but still want to support the battle to protect civil liberties, click here for info on how to send a check. F or more information, email Steve Colangelo or call him at 860-508-4740. No RSVP needed. For more info on the arrest, please see Government Surveillance A Troubling Growth Tred, Say Anti-War Activists from FoxNews.com, 1/15/07 Activist's arrest is raising uncomfortable questions from the Waterbury Republican, 1/14/07 A Lack of Intelligence from the Hartford Courant, 1/09/07 Drop the Charges, Apologize from the New London Day, 1/10/07 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- January 15, 2007 Revolutionary Fiber Art By Ken Krayeske . Hartford . 1:00 AM EST Vietnamese needlepoint. American silkscreen. Stitch and bitch took on a whole new meaning over at the Weavings of War: Fabrics of Memory exhibit at the Institute for Community Research in Hartford. The exhibit, which closed Saturday night, featured needlepoint narratives of progressive struggles for liberation. Sewn tapestries Southeast Asia, rugs from Iran and Pakistan, and quilts from Chile and South Africa told of the ravages faced by ordinary people in wartime. Since Adam Bulger of the Hartford Advocate covered the symposium on folk tale techniques of Bosnian fabric artists, I'll cut right to the photos. Link... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 01_13_07_Free_Kenny_small.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 1864 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 01_13_07_tapestry_small.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 2896 bytes Desc: not available URL: From chapillsbury at igc.org Thu Jan 18 21:30:56 2007 From: chapillsbury at igc.org (Charlie Pillsbury) Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 21:30:56 -0500 Subject: {news} Free Kenny Legal Defense Fund Party tomorrow evening Message-ID: <001901c73b71$d9b13100$6500a8c0@S0031616584> Free Kenny Legal Defense Fund Party by Ken Krayeske Who? You! And as many freedom loving friends as you can bring! What? The Free Kenny Legal Defense Fund Bash, featuring beer, wine, hors d'oerves, music and free speech. Where? La Paloma Sabanera, 405 Capitol Ave., Hartford Why? Because lawyering up to defend free speech isn't cheap. When? Friday, Jan. 19 from 6 to 9 p.m. How much? $25 suggested donation, or whatever you can give to help defray Ken Krayeske's legal expenses, which arise from his arrest and detainment while photographing Gov. M. Jodi Rell's inaugural parade Jan. 3. For more information, email Steve Colangelo or call him at 860-508-4740. No RSVP needed. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 01_13_07_Free_Kenny_small.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 1864 bytes Desc: not available URL: From chapillsbury at igc.org Thu Jan 18 21:36:46 2007 From: chapillsbury at igc.org (Charlie Pillsbury) Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 21:36:46 -0500 Subject: {news} Ken Krayeske Legal Defense Fund info Message-ID: <002b01c73b72$aa15bb90$6500a8c0@S0031616584> By Ken Krayeske . Hartford, CT Help me protect the First Amendment! This is to clear up any confusion...basically, I am in the process of setting up an online legal defense fund. It is not done yet, but in the meantime, if you want to contribute to my legal defense, you can do so by sending a check to an escrow account that my attorney, Norman A. Pattis, has set up. There is no way to do this online yet, although we are working on it. So, if you wish to promote liberty, protect freedom of speech and stop false arrests of journalists and/or political activists, please help me out. You can make out checks to "Law Offices of Norman A. Pattis," and in the memo line write "Ken Krayeske Legal Defense Fund." Send the checks to Ken Krayeske Legal Defense Fund c/o Law Offices of Norman Pattis 649 Amity Road Bethany, CT 06524 I repeat that this is the one and only certified way to contribute to my legal defense at this point and time. Thank you all in advance for your assistance, and I am humbled by the amount of emotional support I have received to this point. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Ken-Krayeske-headshot.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 4739 bytes Desc: not available URL: From efficacy at msn.com Fri Jan 19 11:29:14 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2007 11:29:14 -0500 Subject: {news} Police Printed Flier Warning Of Activist Message-ID: http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-ctkrayeske0119.artjan19,0,1248936story?coll=hc-headlines-politics-state POLITICS Police Printed Flier Warning Of Activist January 19, 2007 By JON LENDER And EDMUND H. MAHONY, Courant Staff Writers Hours before the controversial arrest of political blogger Kenneth Krayeske at Gov. M. Jodi Rell's Jan. 3 inaugural parade, state police distributed copies of a full-color, two-page document describing Krayeske as an activist who had invited people to join him in a protest outside Rell's inaugural ball that night. The document, containing color prints of Krayeske's current and past driver's license photos, made it seem as if "Ken Krayeske was public enemy No. 1," said Rep. Michael P. Lawlor, a state legislative leader whose committee now plans to investigate. Although the slightly built Krayeske had engaged only in nonviolent protest and activism, he was "lumped in with people who were actual physical threats" - and that is why the General Assembly must consider passing new laws this year to curb police excesses in a post-9/11 era of intensified security, said Lawlor, a Democrat and co-chairman of the legislative judiciary committee. The security flier, Lawlor said, apparently led to an "overreaction" by Hartford police, who received the document at a pre-parade security briefing for police. Recognizing Krayeske from the photos, a Hartford officer arrested him at 1:20 p.m. as he photographed Rell along the parade route, said Lawlor, who was shown the flier by a police official. Both the state and Hartford police have refused requests by The Courant to see the two-page Krayeske profile and other documents concerning individuals identified as potential threats. Police defend their procedures as reasonable to protect a chief executive from public threats. But civil liberties advocates, locally and nationally, agree with Lawlor that it was "inexcusable" to arrest Krayeske and hold him on $75,000 bail for more than 12 hours on charges of breach of peace and interfering with police. Krayeske, a 34-year-old law student who runs a commentary website, The40yearplan.com, was finally released early Jan. 4 on a promise to appear in court Jan. 30. His lawyer has suggested that authorities kept him on ice until it was too late to get to Rell's inaugural ball. Police deny that, but have failed to quell a furor that's attracted national notice, as well as vows by state lawmakers to conduct investigative hearings beginning next week. Two legislative committees in addition to Lawlor's are talking about investigative hearings. One, the public safety panel, has scheduled a hearing Tuesday. Lawlor said the police should produce the Krayeske document for legislators. Rell, meanwhile, has demanded a report from Leonard Boyle, the commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, which Boyle says is still in the works. And Mayor Eddie Perez has requested one from Hartford police. Sources familiar with the Krayeske security flier said it had the driver's license pictures in color on the first page, and the second page had entries on episodes of Krayeske's past civil disobedience and political activism. Those entries included Krayeske's past arrest at an anti-war protest, as well as a recent blog posting in which he suggested that others join him in a protest outside the inaugural ball of the governor, of whom Krayeske has been sharply critical. The security flier also referred to Krayeske's role as manager of Green Party candidate Cliff Thornton's 2006 gubernatorial campaign. However, it did not mention that in his Green Party role, Krayeske had confronted Rell and her Republican campaign staff over the governor's refusal to debate Thornton, Lawlor said. Lawlor said he is troubled that a citizen can get onto a printed security alert - and be arrested and held for 12 hours - for exercising what he considers no more than nonviolent political speech and never threatening anyone. Lawlor said his own research indicates that Krayeske may have been the only person pictured in color in security materials, which may have made him stand out as more of a potential problem than others. A state police source who declined to be identified said that wasn't the case. Krayeske, the source said, was identified simply as someone for those working the parade to keep an eye out for, which is part of the normal routine for intelligence operations. Others in addition to Krayeske were discussed as possible parade security concerns, the source said, but he would not say who they were or how many there were. The report to Rell has not been completed, and the state police source discussed preliminary findings on the condition that he not be named. The security assessment on the inaugural parade proceeded as would any assessment of a public event where security was a concern, the source said. One or more detectives assigned to the state police intelligence unit examined confidential intelligence files - their own and those maintained by the Connecticut Intelligence Center, the source said. Neither Krayeske's name nor information on his activities turned up as a result of searches of the law enforcement data bases, the source said. Consistent with the source's assertion, Boyle, the public safety commissioner, said: "We do not keep intelligence files on political activists or political enemies. We keep intelligence files consistent with the federal code of regulations." The source said state police detectives next checked what the department calls "open source information." "That includes letters, telephone calls, blogs, all that sort of stuff, anything that is out there publicly, to see if there is any person out there who might pose a threat to an individual or might want to disrupt the event," the source said. "If we find somebody like that, we make the cops who are responsible for the protection aware of it." Krayeske's name surfaced there, the source said. Once Krayeske's blog entry about the upcoming inaugural caught the attention of the state police detectives, it was brought to the attention of the governor's security detail - a state police unit assigned to Rell. The state police mentioned it in at least two briefings for security personnel assigned to the parade. Parade security was provided by the state police, the State Capitol Police and the Hartford police. Rell spokesman Chris Cooper said the governor's office has not seen the two-page Krayeske document. He said Rell didn't know until hours later that Krayeske had been arrested at the parade. Although a witness said Krayeske had just photographed her, smiling as she passed, a written report from a Hartford officer said he saw Krayeske dismount a bicycle and run toward the parade procession. "I immediately recognized the accused ... from the photograph provided by the State Police," then grabbed him as he "was stepping off the curb .. toward the Governor," he wrote. Krayeske once directed Metro Bridge, a former Courant program for young Hartford high school journalists. His lawyer, Norman Pattis, said that he had been unaware that a two-page document had been prepared in advance on his client. He said he would like to see it but will make no special effort to obtain it until he sees what happens in court Jan. 30. "If justice prevails, the case will be dismissed that day," Pattis said. "If it doesn't, we'll start asking more questions." Contact Jon Lender at jlender at courant.com. Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dbedellgreen at hotmail.com Sat Jan 20 14:33:46 2007 From: dbedellgreen at hotmail.com (David Bedell) Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2007 19:33:46 +0000 Subject: {news} A grassroots national security paradigm: film 1/25 in Westport Message-ID: Following is a letter I sent to the CT Post, Stamford Advocate, and other local papers: The recent arrest of journalist-activist Ken Krayeske at Governor Rell's inaugural parade is the latest in a growing series of government covert actions that make modern life feel more and more like a spy thriller. Krayeske's arrest brought to light the existence of a secret "suspicious persons" list provided to state police by the little-known Connecticut Intelligence Center. Apparently Krayeske got on the list because he was campaign director for Green Party candidate Cliff Thornton, and because he criticized Rell for refusing to debate Thornton. This list may or may not be the same as the Violent Gang and Terrorist Organization File (VGTOF) maintained by the FBI. The VGTOF has included, among others, the American Friends Service Committee, a pacifist organization. And then there is the secret "no-fly" list which bans people from airplanes based on their political affiliations. These secret lists, we are told, are a necessary tool of law enforcement, along with warrantless wiretapping and, as of last month, the opening of sealed mail without court orders. In Stamford, the police department, with support from the Board of Representatives, is planning to install video surveillance cameras throughout the city to monitor people's behavior in public places. This is already widespread in London and New York. Secret lists, eavesdropping, hidden cameras. And we also have midnight deportations to secret overseas prisons ("extraordinary rendition"), indefinite detention without trial at Guantanamo, and the use of approved forms of torture to extract information. Not very pretty. And not very effective, either. How can these heavy-handed, clandestine, and centralized methods of gathering information keep up with a world of burgeoning print media, the Internet, cell phones and digital cameras? Perhaps we need a new national security paradigm, based not on obscure government operations but on the collective intelligence of an informed citizenry. Imagine, instead of J. Edgar Hoover and his G-men, a whole society armed with cell phones and computers, combing publicly available information sources and reporting their findings on blogs. Imagine, instead of a Central Intelligence Agency, a Citizen Intelligence Network. The young hackers will run circles around the old spies. This is the concept behind Open Source Intelligence, a movement founded by former Marine and CIA officer Robert Steele. To learn more about the movement, the Fairfield County Green Party will show and discuss a film about Robert Steele, "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Spying and Intelligence," on Thursday, January 25, 7:00 PM at the Westport Public Library. We need to start treating bloggers like Ken Krayeske as a national resource, not a national threat. David Bedell Stamford, CT _________________________________________________________________ Turn searches into helpful donations. Make your search count. http://click4thecause.live.com/search/charity/default.aspx?source=hmemtagline_donation&FORM=WLMTAG From efficacy at msn.com Sun Jan 21 08:33:42 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 08:33:42 -0500 Subject: {news} Free Kenny Party Packed With Supporters Message-ID: 01/20/07 Free Kenny Party Packed With Supporters more... by Christine Stuart 11:19:46 am, Categories: State Capitol, Courts, Media Matters, 147 words An estimated 100 supporters packed La Palomba Sabanera Friday to help Ken Krayeske (pictured) raise money for his legal defense fund. Krayeske is the reporter and political activist arrested while taking photos at Gov. M. Jodi Rell's inaugural parade and held for 13 hours by police until her ball that night was over. He sported a "Free Kenny" black hooded sweatshirt and briefly addressed supporters. Visibly moved by the enoromous support of both friends and strangers, he thanked the crowd for defending his civil rights and supporting democracy. Introduced to the crowd by Cliff Thornton, the Green Party candidate who ran against Rell this fall, Krayeske said his life was changed forever when he was hired to work on Thornton's campaign. Before getting too emotional he moved on to thank others involved in helping organize the fundraiser, like his sister Holly and the owner of La Palomba Luis Cotto. 1 comment . Trackbacks (4) Trackback address for this post: http://ctnewsjunkie.com/htsrv/trackback.php/881 Comments, Trackbacks, Pingbacks: Comment from: Steven G. Erickson [Visitor] Ken could have easily been just another victim of Corruptikut thrown in a prison and labeled crazy. How much time is he facing? Hopefully this story will have a good ending as there are too many that do not turn out well. I am concerned whenever I dip below America's border into Connecticut. I would have liked to go to Ken's party but couldn't get a ride in. After I was barbecued for what I wrote in Connecticut newspapers regarding Connecticut State Police, I am afraid of seeing the blue lights behind me and never seeing anything else again. Ending up in prison is all too easy in Connecticut. It is hell. Before it was known there was a Connecticut State Police "Enemies List" people just got followed around, falsely arrested, and then imprisoned. I hope Ken breaks the abuse cycle. 01/20/07 @ 14:08 Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: freekenny-writing-007.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 8090 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: freekennycrowd-002.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 12512 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: chain_link.gif Type: image/gif Size: 882 bytes Desc: not available URL: From efficacy at msn.com Sun Jan 21 09:21:42 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 09:21:42 -0500 Subject: {news} The Unbearable Rightness Of Krayeske Message-ID: Greens and all others, this is another opprotunity to capitalize on this great opprotunity. At the end of the day, it is not our enemies we remember, but the silence of our friends! Dr. Martin L. King CONNECTICUT NEWS Colin McEnroe The Unbearable Rightness Of Krayeske January 21, 2007 I am sick of Ken Krayeske. As all the world knows, Krayeske was arrested by the Hartford police for doing absolutely nothing during the inaugural parade for Gov. M. Jodi Rell earlier this month. He was held in jail for 12 hours on $75,000 bail. I would like to point out that I, too, was doing absolutely nothing on that day and have received none of the abuse and subsequent attention lavished on Krayeske. It was one of those Hartford parades where the marcher-to-watcher ratio was way off. Lots of marchers, not many watchers. There were a few parents of high school marching band members, there to see those private cymbal-smashing lessons put to good use. There were handfuls of bored office workers, grabbing an excuse for some fresh air. This made it easy to spot Krayeske, who was taking pictures, which - you have to admit - was pretty suspicious. Taking pictures of a parade nobody cared about? What's up with that? Krayeske would have been a lot safer in the parade as the Central Connecticut Harmonica and Expensive Camera Equipment Marching Band, because nobody would have thought to look for him there. Instead, he stood at the side peacefully, sticking out like a sore thumb, got his stupid behind arrested, and now he's practically an honorary Berrigan brother. Not fair. I currently support the 2007 Sparsely Attended Parade Act, legislation that would require public officials to guarantee attendance at triumphal parades held on their behalf. In the event that more people are found to be marching in the parade than are watching it, the person being honored would have to pay every voter in the state 5 bucks. An amendment to the bill would exempt Rebecca Lobo from its provisions because lobbyists representing Ms. Lobo took me on an expensive golfing holiday in Scotland. My bill is currently not being considered by the state government due to crypto-fascist control of the lawmaking apparatus. On Monday, I plan to stand at the corner of Farmington Avenue and Woodland Street at 11 a.m. jumping up and down and yelling "Death to the crypto-fascist control of the lawmaking apparatus! Death to the crypto-fascist control of the lawmaking apparatus! Viva Lobo! [See above.] Overthrow the government!" I mean to bring the twin pillars of power and corruption crashing down. Do you hear me? Somebody better stop me because I'm a big threat. OK? Hello? Sigh. What does Krayeske have that I don't have? Wingnut opinions? Shabby clothes? I feel I can match him in those departments. In Friday's Courant, I come to find out that the state police printed up a color brochure of Ken Krayeske, a two-page "security flier," with current and former driver's license photos of the extremely dangerous Green Party peace activist. Please. Why stop there? Why not put: "ARREST THIS DISSIDENT & WIN A FOUR-NIGHT STAY IN ACAPULCO!" on the front of the flier? That flier - a dagger through my heart - was paid for with my tax dollars, even though I do not regard Krayeske as anywhere near as dangerous or irksome to the commonweal as I am. I have a long acquaintance with Krayeske. He weighs about 160 pounds and his weapons training pretty much stops at Super Soakers. I know 70-year-old Quaker ladies who could kick his butt. It is ridiculous that he gets this kind of special treatment. What am I supposed to do - hire a private firm to make up a brochure about me, citing all my dangerous opinions and encouraging the police to arrest me? Do you have any idea how much that would cost? While Mr. Nonviolent Golden Boy gets his done on the taxpayers' nickel? And do I have to wait for another gubernatorial inaugural parade? What if the next governor is some nerd like state Rep. Andrew Fleischmann and he says, "Oh, I think the money for the parade would be better used on health care reform"? Where does that leave me? Protesting the lack of a parade? On Friday night, Krayeske's supporters threw an "Oh My God, They Jailed Kenny!" party to raise money for his legal defense fund. Legal defense fund! Can you stand it? I come from an era when, to have a legal defense fund, you pretty much had to be a governor. Now I guess just about anybody can have one. What's next? A Springsteen song about him? Willie Nelson hosting "Ken Aid?" I toss and turn each night with visions of Willie and Sheryl Crow singing, to the tune of Patsy Cline's "Crazy": "Kray-skee Kray-skee for being arrested ..." I hate to sound bitter, but I had a lot of crackpot, anti-establishment opinions back when Krayeske was sitting around his parents' house watching "Jem and the Holograms" and playing Hacky Sack. I paid my dues. Why am I not a folk hero? Everything is going to change on Monday. Except I just realized I have a dental appointment at 10 a.m. So I may not be able to overthrow the government until noon. Let's make it 12:30, in case I run into traffic. Does that work for you, oppressive thought-control police? You don't have to answer. Just send a signal through my new filling. You can hear Colin McEnroe's talk show weekdays from 3 to 6 p.m. on WTIC-AM 1080 in the Hartford area. E-mail: Rmag99 at aol.com Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 788817.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 2191 bytes Desc: not available URL: From roseberry3 at cox.net Tue Jan 23 21:11:58 2007 From: roseberry3 at cox.net (B Barry) Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 21:11:58 -0500 Subject: {news} proposed agenda for the 1-30-07 SCC meeting at Portland Senior Center, Portland, CT at 7pm of the Green Party of CT Message-ID: <20070124021159.DQFY28701.eastrmmtao03.cox.net@eastrmimpo02.cox.net> Portland Senior Center, 7 Waverly Avenue, Portland, CT (a block east of the Portland Public Library) Phone: 860-342-6760 Time: 7pm to 9pm Facilitator: to be determined. A. Preliminaries: 1. (1 minute): Introductions of voting attendees; non-voting attendees; chapters; if quorum was met; timekeeper; ground rules. 2. (2-4 minutes): Approval of tonight?s proposed agenda, any deletions or additions. 3. (2-4 minutes): Review and approval of minutes of 1-9-07 SCC meeting. 4. (2-4 minutes): Treasurer?s report by Christopher Reilly. B. Any proposals by chapters, committee or members. C. Reports: 1. (5 minutes): CT Green Times: articles, publishing, likely date of availability, distribution; number of copies each chapter wants. 2. (2-4 minute): ACLU Lawsuit on ?Campaign Finance Reform?. 3. (2-4 minutes): GPUS updates and Report from CTGP representatives: Tim McKee and Charlie Pillsbury. 4. (2-4 minutes): CTGP Website. 5. (5 minutes): Political Issues the CTGP has or will address with legislators during the 2007 Legislative Session. 6. (2 minutes each chapter): Chapter reports. 7. (1-2 minutes): Date, place and time of next EC meeting in 2-07. 8. Date, place and time for next SCC meeting 2/27/07. 9. Any additions. HYPERLINK "http://www.google.com/"www.google.com -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.17.8/649 - Release Date: 1/23/2007 8:40 PM -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From efficacy at msn.com Wed Jan 24 08:04:04 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 08:04:04 -0500 Subject: {news} Chief Explains Krayeske Arrest Message-ID: courant.com the web Log in Register Services CONNECTICUT NEWS Chief Explains Krayeske Arrest City Police Take Full Responsibility January 24, 2007 By MARK PAZNIOKAS, Courant Staff Writer Hartford police took full responsibility Tuesday for the arrest of political activist Ken Krayeske at Gov. M. Jodi Rell's inaugural parade, telling legislators that they were not influenced by a state police flier describing Krayeske as someone who might be disruptive. Hartford Police Chief Daryl K. Roberts testified at a legislative hearing that Krayeske was arrested because he "breached the parade route," a claim disputed by Krayeske and witnesses, not because of a threat assessment by state police. "He was not arrested based on the picture," Roberts said, referring to a two-page state police flier with Krayeske's photo that was distributed to Hartford and state police on the inaugural parade security detail. Krayeske, 34, who also works as a free-lance photographer and writer, was arrested Jan. 3 after photographing the governor as she marched from the Hartford Civic Center to the Legislative Office Building for her early afternoon inaugural ceremony. Police initially described Krayeske as aggressively approaching the governor when arrested, but a Courant reporter accompanying Rell saw no such approach. And a witness said Krayeske was arrested after Rell had passed by him without incident as he shot photos from the curb. Roberts said Tuesday that it is up to the courts to decide what happened. Sitting next to Roberts before the legislature's public safety committee, state Public Safety Commissioner Leonard Boyle said state police played no role in the decision to arrest and detain Krayeske for 12 hours on misdemeanor charges of breach of peace and interfering with police. Krayeske, who had suggested on a political website that demonstrators protest outside Rell's inaugural ball the evening of Jan. 3, was not released from custody until about 1 a.m. on Jan. 4, long after the ball had ended. But Roberts said no one asked Hartford police to keep Krayeske in custody until after the ball. He said Hartford police decided on their own to set bail of $75,000 for Krayeske, which kept him locked up until a state bail commissioner ordered him released without bail. Roberts said his officers set a high bail because Krayeske was "evasive" and "uncooperative" after his arrest. Krayeske, an anti-war demonstrator who once taught protesters how to behave if arrested, had asked for a lawyer and refused to answer questions. Legislators invited Boyle, Roberts and other law-enforcement officials to appear before the public safety committee and explain how Krayeske, who managed the gubernatorial campaign of Green Party candidate Cliff Thornton last year, came to be classified a security risk. Boyle said state police did not consider Krayeske a possible threat until he posted this note on a website: "Whose going to protest the inaugural ball Jan. 3 with me? No need to make nice after watching this documentary." The documentary referred to an examination of the troubled state juvenile training center. Boyle said the Web posting prompted his officers to check Krayeske's record, finding that he once had been arrested and fined $50 for protesting at the launching of a nuclear submarine in Groton. On that basis, Krayeske's photo was shown to the parade security detail. Rep. Jim Shapiro, D-Stamford, read Boyle a state law prohibiting intelligence gathering for political reasons and questioned the propriety of circulating a flier about Krayeske. "I think a mistake was made here," Shapiro said. "It may have been an honest one, but I think a mistake was made." But two Republican committee members, Reps. Ruth Fahrbach of Windsor and Leonard C. Greene of Beacon Falls, expressed regret that some legislators were questioning Krayeske's arrest. Greene said if the arrest had occurred shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, legislators would be "patting you on the back." Contact Mark Pazniokas at mpazniokas at courant.com. Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: logo_google.gif Type: image/gif Size: 1811 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: blackpix.gif Type: image/gif Size: 35 bytes Desc: not available URL: From efficacy at msn.com Wed Jan 24 08:11:42 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 08:11:42 -0500 Subject: {news} Boyle Going And Won't Look Back Message-ID: Boyle Going And Won't Look Back CONNECTICUT NEWS Stan Simpson January 24, 2007 In a startling confirmation of his pending exit as public safety commissioner, Leonard Boyle upstaged the continuing chatter about the inauguration day arrest of political activist and free-lance journalist Ken Krayeske. And for that, Connecticut, we can be thankful. Politics and public safety - and the firewall that should separate the two - was the theme of Tuesday's legislative public safety committee meeting. Or, as co-chairman Stephen Dargan put it: "Politics should be out of the policing business, whether it's the legislative branch or the executive branch." The comment was a prelude to a much-anticipated hearing about Krayeske's arrest by Hartford police. But the remark also applied - unexpectedly so - to Boyle, the highly regarded lawman. A former federal prosecutor, he has helped to put away mobsters, gang bangers and corporate crooks. Sharply questioned by state Rep. Christopher Caruso about the rumors of his departure, Boyle conceded that he will soon resign the position for personal reasons. The state police are embroiled in a major internal affairs scandal, which has resulted in an action report with 60 recommendations for improvement. Recently, Gov. M. Jodi Rell appointed former Department of Administrative Services Commissioner Linda Yelmini the state police deputy commissioner of internal affairs. The governor did so without consulting Boyle, who was informed of Rell's personnel decision by lightning rod chief of staff Lisa Moody. Caruso, an excitable sort on a good day, was apoplectic when he learned that the governor neither consulted nor gave her state police commissioner a courtesy call. If Caruso is to be believed, Boyle is quitting because Rell undermined his authority by putting someone with no law enforcement or investigatory experience in charge of internal affairs. Boyle is widely believed to have inherited the internal problems within the state police; he is not considered the cause of it. "It's very clear that politics is now rearing its ugly head within a professional law enforcement agency within the state of Connecticut," said Caruso, referring to Yelmini. "You're putting someone who was politically injected into the system to oversee internal affairs, which has to do with the conduct of state troopers. I think they needed a place to put commissioner Yelmini, so they found it here. I think it's also a controlling mechanism by the chief of staff over a professional law enforcement agency. Lisa Moody is running the state police." Chris Cooper, the governor's spokesman, called Caruso's contention "ridiculous" and "an unfounded supposition based on a faulty premise." To be fair to Yelmini, she is regarded as a standout labor lawyer, one experienced in the procedures for job termination and making them stick. That could be an invaluable asset with this department. Yelmini also has experience in administrative law and organizational expertise. Though Boyle was adamant that his decision to move on was made "six months ago," he did nothing to dismiss Caruso's notion that he felt disrespected that a decision to name a deputy commissioner to his staff was made without his input. Frankly, Rell has the right to do whatever she wants. She's the boss. But Boyle doesn't need the aggravation and deserved better treatment. He could go to a law firm tomorrow as a partner and command a ton of money. A job in Washington, D.C., with the feds is more likely. Lenny Boyle won't have a problem finding work. Stan Simpson's column appears on Wednesdays and Saturdays. He can be heard live Saturday on WTIC NewsTalk 1080 from 5:30 to 10 a.m. E-mail: ssimpson at courant.com Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 762596.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 1735 bytes Desc: not available URL: From efficacy at msn.com Thu Jan 25 09:00:50 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 09:00:50 -0500 Subject: {news} Drug War Has Militarized Your Local Police Message-ID: January 23, 2007 Drug War Has Militarized Your Local Police By Paul Craig Roberts In recent years American police forces have called out SWAT teams 40,000 or more times annually. Last year, did you read in your newspaper or hear on TV news of 110 hostage or terrorist events each day? No. What then were the SWAT teams doing? They were serving routine warrants to people who posed no danger to the police or to the public. Occasionally Washington think tanks produce reports that are not special pleading for donors. One such report is Radley Balko's "Overkill: The Rise of Paramilitary Police Raids in America" (Cato Institute, 2006). This 100-page report is extremely important and should have been published as a book. SWAT teams (Special Weapons and Tactics) were once rare and used only for very dangerous situations, often involving hostages held by armed criminals. Today SWAT teams are deployed for routine police duties. In the US today, 75-80% of SWAT deployments are for warrant service. In a high percentage of the cases, the SWAT teams forcefully enter the wrong address, resulting in death, injury, and trauma to perfectly innocent people. Occasionally, highly keyed-up police kill one another in the confusion caused by their stun grenades. Mr. Balko reports that the use of paramilitary police units began in Los Angeles in the 1960s. The militarization of local police forces got a big boost from Attorney General Ed Meese's "war on drugs" during the Reagan administration. A National Security Decision Directive was issued that declared drugs to be a threat to US national security. In 1988 Congress ordered the National Guard into the domestic drug war. In 1994 the Department of Defense issued a memorandum authorizing the transfer of military equipment and technology to state and local police, and Congress created a program "to facilitate handing military gear over to civilian police agencies." Today 17,000 local police forces are equipped with such military equipment as Blackhawk helicopters, machine guns, grenade launchers, battering rams, explosives, chemical sprays, body armor, night vision, rappelling gear and armored vehicles. Some have tanks. In 1999, the New York Times reported that a retired police chief in New Haven, Connecticut, told the newspaper, "I was offered tanks, bazookas, anything I wanted." [Soldiers of the Drug War Remain on Duty, By Timothy Egan, March 1, 1999, free version] Balko reports that in 1997, for example, police departments received 1.2 million pieces of military equipment. With local police forces now armed beyond the standard of US heavy infantry, police forces have been retrained "to vaporize, not Mirandize," to use a phrase from Reagan administration defense official Lawrence Korb. This leaves the public at the mercy of brutal actions based on bad police information from paid informers. SWAT team deployments received a huge boost from the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant program, which gave states federal money for drug enforcement. Balko explains that "the states then disbursed the money to local police departments on the basis of each department's number of drug arrests." With financial incentives to maximize drug arrests and with idle SWAT teams due to a paucity of hostage or other dangerous situations, local police chiefs threw their SWAT teams into drug enforcement. In practice, this has meant using SWAT teams to serve warrants on drug users. SWAT teams serve warrants by breaking into homes and apartments at night while people are sleeping, often using stun grenades and other devices to disorient the occupants. As much of the police's drug information comes from professional informers known as "snitches" who tip off police for cash rewards, dropped charges, and reduced sentences, names and addresses are often pulled out of a hat. Balko provides details for 135 tragic cases of mistaken addresses. SWAT teams are not held accountable for their tragic mistakes and gratuitous brutality. Police killings got so bad in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for example, that the city hired criminologist Sam Walker to conduct an investigation of police tactics. Killings by police were "off the charts," Walker found, because the SWAT team "had an organizational culture that led them to escalate situations upward rather then de-escalating." The mind-set of militarized SWAT teams is geared to "taking out" or killing the suspect-thus, the many deaths from SWAT team utilization. Many innocent people are killed in night time SWAT team entries, because they don't realize that it is the police who have broken into their homes. They believe they are confronted by dangerous criminals, and when they try to defend themselves they are shot down by the police. As Lawrence Stratton and I have reported, one of many corrupting influences on the criminal justice (sic) system is the practice of paying "snitches" to generate suspects. In 1995 the Boston Globe profiled people who lived entirely off the fees that they were paid as police informants. Snitches create suspects by selling a small amount of marijuana to a person who they then report to the police as being in possession of drugs. Balko reports that "an overwhelming number of mistaken raids take place because police relied on information from confidential informants." In Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, 87% of drug raids originated in tips from snitches. Many police informers are themselves drug dealers who avoid arrest and knock off competitors by serving as police snitches. Surveying the deplorable situation, the National Law Journal concluded: "Criminals have been turned into instruments of law enforcement, while law enforcement officers have become criminal co- conspirators." Balko believes the problem could be reduced if judges scrutinized unreliable information before issuing warrants. If judges would actually do their jobs, there would be fewer innocent victims of SWAT brutality. However, as long as the war on drugs persists and as long as it produces financial rewards to police departments, local police forces, saturated with military weapons and war imagery, will continue to terrorize American citizens. COPYRIGHT CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC. Paul Craig Roberts [email him] was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Reagan Administration. He is the author of Supply-Side Revolution : An Insider's Account of Policymaking in Washington; Alienation and the Soviet Economy and Meltdown: Inside the Soviet Economy, and is the co-author with Lawrence M. Stratton of The Tyranny of Good Intentions : How Prosecutors and Bureaucrats Are Trampling the Constitution in the Name of Justice. Click here for Peter Brimelow's Forbes Magazine interview with Roberts about the recent epidemic of prosecutorial misconduct. Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From justinemccabe at earthlink.net Thu Jan 25 15:02:44 2007 From: justinemccabe at earthlink.net (Justine McCabe) Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 15:02:44 -0500 Subject: {news} GP RELEASE Greens respond to Bush State of the Union & Dem rebuttal Message-ID: <08a401c740bb$c7653830$0402a8c0@JUSTINE> GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES http://www.gp.org For Immediate Release: Thursday, January 25, 2007 Contacts: Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, mclarty at greens.org Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene at gp.org Green Party leaders respond to President Bush's State of the Union address and to the Democratic Party's rebuttal Nan Garrett, co-chair of the Georgia Green Party, co-chair of the National Women's Caucus of the Green Party: "President Bush opened his State of the Union address with a plea for bipartisanship. Bipartisan blind faith in the White House's dishonest justifications for invading Iraq resulted in more than 3,000 U.S. troop deaths, hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqi civilians, and worldwide anger against the U.S. Bipartisanship too often means a conspiracy between two corporate political parties against the partisan interests of the American people, and it's one of the best arguments for multiparty democracy. Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), in his Democratic rebuttal to Mr. Bush, was right when he recalled the Robber Baron Era -- but he failed to note that both Democrats and Republicans have placed themselves on the side of the robber barons, stealing from the middle class and poor people for the benefit of corporate interests. The Green Party now represents majority opinion on the Iraq war and on health coverage, according to polls." http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_01_22.shtml http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_11_13.shtml Ron Hardy, co-chair of the Wisconsin Green Party (which initiated and campaigned for a 'Bring the Troops Home initiative,' resulting in 34 out of 42 municipalities voting for U.S. troop withdrawal): "President Bush said that Americans 'didn't vote for failure' in Iraq -- but failure is inevitable in a war of aggression that was justified by lies, and which weakened U.S. security by inflaming anger against us in Iraq, in the Middle East, and around the world. The only way to support our troops is to bring them home now. The Green Party demands immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces, we demand that Congress stop funding for all U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, we demand an end to military threats against Iran, and we demand a cutoff of aid to Israel until Israel ends its illegal and murderous occupation of Palestinian lands and violations of human rights." http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_12_19.shtml Sylvia Inwood, chair of the Green Party of Michigan: "The Green Party has shown political leadership in opposing President Bush's disastrous foreign policies, while Democrats acquiesced to the Bush agenda. Green candidates and party leaders spoke out against the war from the very beginning, while Democrats fell over themselves supporting the invasion. Democrats like Hillary Clinton -- who a year ago recommended sending 80,000 more U.S. troops to Iraq -- only turned against the Iraq war when it became a political liability, and most Democrats still base their opposition solely on the Bush Administration's strategic mistakes. The invasion itself was a crime and an abuse of power, regardless of military strategy. Only impeachment will restore the rule of law, but even Democrats like Rep. John Conyers [Mich.], after compiling evidence of impeachable crimes, have retreated from holding President Bush and Vice President Cheney accountable." http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_01_03.shtml http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_12_11.shtml Rebecca Rotzler, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States and Deputy Mayor of New Paltz, New York (which recently passed a resolution in favor of impeachment): "The only winners in the Iraq war are U.S. oil companies, arms manufacturers, and military contractors like Halliburton and Blackwater. Oil companies like Exxon Mobil, Texaco, Chevron, and BP stand to make billions thanks to a proposed law giving them lucrative 30-year contracts allowing access to Iraqi oil. The billions of dollars these corporations have made and stand to make from the U.S. invasion of Iraq prove that this was 'blood for oil' all along. President Bush's proposal to send 21,000 more troops is part of a plan to keep U.S. forces in Iraq for the long haul, to protect American corporate investments and maintain political control in the region." http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_01_10.shtml Starlene Rankin, Lavender Green Caucus delegate to the Green Party's national committee: "The greatest obstacle to health care is the backroom deal between the Democrats and Republicans to maintain control by private HMO and insurance companies over our health coverage. Despite President Bush's State of the Union promises, proposals like Medical Savings Accounts will not help uninsured low-income Americans who lack coverage, and would even penalize working people who do enjoy good coverage. But most Democrats, offering only modest alternatives and reforms that leave private HMOs and insurance firms in charge, are refusing to consider single-payer national health insurance, despite polls and recent government figures showing that a majority of Americans would welcome such a program. The Green Party strongly supports single-payer, and our state and local candidates have made state-based single-payer plans a top priority in their campaigns." http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_11_27.shtml http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_08_24.shtml http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID=11305 http://www.phnp.org Liz Arnone, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States: "We agree with President Bush that the U.S. must drastically reduce our dependence on foreign oil, but this is only part of the greater crisis of energy consumption. Our first priority should be conservation -- diminishing our energy use -- as all of our consumption options have consequences for our sustained survival on earth. We should implement policies such as carbon taxes, increased public transportation, zero emission regulations for cars, reorganization of economic policies and land use to discourage car traffic, and other innovative, ecologically sound solutions." http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_07_19.shtml Jim Coplen, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States: "President Bush never mentioned New Orleans and Sen. Webb only named it in passing, but the federal response to the devastation caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita remain the greatest evidence of the Bush Administration's indifference to Americans without power and wealth. The disaster continues. Middle- and low-income residents of New Orleans are being systematically compelled, through economic pressure and eviction, to give up their homes to big developers. The first priority after the storms should have been helping residents return to their homes, or at least to their own neighborhoods. It's not too late to prevent an old city with a complex, unique culture from being replaced by a theme park. We challenge Congress and the White House to stand up for the rights of the people of New Orleans." http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2006_03_02.shtml MORE INFORMATION Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org 1700 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 404 Washington, DC 20009. 202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN Fax 202-319-7193 Green Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml ~ END ~ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From efficacy at msn.com Fri Jan 26 09:15:13 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 09:15:13 -0500 Subject: {news} Help Protect The Bill of Rights Tues, 1/30 - 8 a.m. - Hartford The CT Supreme Court Message-ID: January 21, 2007 Help Protect The Bill of Rights Tues, 1/30 - 8 a.m. - Hartford The CT Supreme Court Rally for free speech! Now that my attorney is paid for, let's show the world that Connecticut will not tolerate any impingement on civil rights by gathering in front of the CT Supreme Court and rallying for free speech. Tuesday, Jan. 30 . 8 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. CT Supreme Court North Stairs 231 Capitol Ave., Hartford After the rally, at about 8:45 a.m., I will proceed in a peaceful and orderly fashion into the court house on Lafayette Street two blocks away to meet my attorney and enter into court. For anyone who wishes to join us, the Court is open to the public, and I'd love to see supporters sitting in the gallery. Remember that you check your rights to unlawful search at the door of the courthouse, so keep your guns and drugs at home. We will hold the rally at the Supreme Court out of respect for the daily operations of justice at the Lafeyette Street Court. The First Amendment is at stake here: Can a staunch advocate for democracy stand on the street and take photos of a public event without being harassed by the police? "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of Speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble." Nor shall Gov. M. Jodi Rell, the HPD or the CT State Police. In the unlikely event that the state drops the disorderly conduct and interfering with an officer charges against me before the Tuesday, Jan. 30 court date, this rally will be canceled. Keep checking this website, the 40-Year Plan, for more details. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From efficacy at msn.com Fri Jan 26 09:20:43 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 09:20:43 -0500 Subject: Fw: {news} Help Protect The Bill of Rights Tues, 1/30 - 8 a.m. - Hartford The CT Supreme Court Message-ID: Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible ----- Original Message ----- From: clifford thornton To: ctgp-news Sent: Friday, January 26, 2007 9:15 AM Subject: {news} Help Protect The Bill of Rights Tues,1/30 - 8 a.m. - Hartford The CT Supreme Court Connecticut Green Party - Part of the GPUS http://www.ctgreens.org/ - http://www.greenpartyus.org/ to unsubscribe click here mailto:ctgp-news-unsubscribe at ml.greens.org January 21, 2007 By Ken Krayeske Help Protect The Bill of Rights Tues, 1/30 - 8 a.m. - Hartford The CT Supreme Court Rally for free speech! Now that my attorney is paid for, let's show the world that Connecticut will not tolerate any impingement on civil rights by gathering in front of the CT Supreme Court and rallying for free speech. Tuesday, Jan. 30 . 8 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. CT Supreme Court North Stairs 231 Capitol Ave., Hartford After the rally, at about 8:45 a.m., I will proceed in a peaceful and orderly fashion into the court house on Lafayette Street two blocks away to meet my attorney and enter into court. For anyone who wishes to join us, the Court is open to the public, and I'd love to see supporters sitting in the gallery. Remember that you check your rights to unlawful search at the door of the courthouse, so keep your guns and drugs at home. We will hold the rally at the Supreme Court out of respect for the daily operations of justice at the Lafeyette Street Court. The First Amendment is at stake here: Can a staunch advocate for democracy stand on the street and take photos of a public event without being harassed by the police? "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of Speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble." Nor shall Gov. M. Jodi Rell, the HPD or the CT State Police. In the unlikely event that the state drops the disorderly conduct and interfering with an officer charges against me before the Tuesday, Jan. 30 court date, this rally will be canceled. Keep checking this website, the 40-Year Plan, for more details. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible To be removed please mailto:ctgp-news-unsubscribe at ml.greens.org _______________________________________________ CTGP-news mailing list CTGP-news at ml.greens.org http://ml.greens.org/mailman/listinfo/ctgp-news ATTENTION! The information in this transmission is privileged and confidential and intended only for the recipient listed above. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify us immediately by email and delete the original message. The text of this email is similar to ordinary or face-to-face conversations and does not reflect the level of factual or legal inquiry or analysis which would be applied in the case of a formal legal opinion and does not constitute a representation of the opinions of the CT Green Party. The responsibility for any messages posted herein is solely that of the person who sent the message, and the CT Green Party hereby leaves this responsibility in the hands of it's members. NOTE: This is an inherently insecure forum, please do not post confidential messages and always realize that your address can be faked, and although a message may appear to be from a certain individual, it is always possible that it is fakemail. This is mail sent by a third party under an illegally assumed identity for purposes of coercion, misdirection, or general mischief. CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately notify the sender by e-mail at the address shown. This e-mail transmission may contain confidential information. This information is intended only for the use of the individual(s) or entity to whom it is intended even if addressed incorrectly. Please delete it from your files if you are not the intended recipient. Thank you for your compliance. To be removed please mailto://ctgp-news-unsubscribe at ml.greens.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From edubrule at sbcglobal.net Fri Jan 26 15:10:40 2007 From: edubrule at sbcglobal.net (edubrule) Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 15:10:40 -0500 Subject: {news} AFSC newsletter: "boots" exhibit in Danbury;Danbury 11 Message-ID: <000901c74188$0b4e0a50$b19a4c0c@edgn2b574u14bi> 6-Story Newsletter Template + Images ----- Original Message ----- From: AFSC Connecticut To: edubrule at sbcglobal.net Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2007 5:00 PM Subject: Take Action to Stop the War in Iraq and Upcoming Events American Friends Service Committee Connecticut In This Issue: Janaury 17 2007 . Urgent Action: Thursday January 18 Call or Fax Joe Lieberman and tell him to listen . Saturday February 3 Stop the Raids!: Public Forum on the Situation of the Danbury 11 . Thursday January 18 12:00noon-1pm: Protest Joe Lieberman's Support for Bush Escalation of the Iraq War . AFSC Eyes Wide Open Exhibit in Danbury, CT January 22-26 Urgent Action: Thursday January 18 Call or Fax Joe Lieberman and tell him to listen Call in day: Tell Joseph Lieberman to Listen to His Constituents and Stop his Support for Bush's Troop Escalation and the War in Iraq. Joseph Lieberman is one of the strongest supporters of President Bush's plan to send over 20,000 more U.S. troops to the quagmire that is the war and occupation in Iraq. Already, over 3,000 U.S. troops and over 600,000 Iraqis have died in this illegal and immoral war. Sending more troops will only result in more U.S. and Iraqi deaths. A majority of people and the U.S. and Connecticut residents oppose the war in Iraq and Bush escalation plans. Senator Lieberman is ignoring the over 70% of people in Connecticut who oppose the war and the overwhelming 86% who oppose the troop increase. Senator Joe Lieberman has a different view from the majority of Americans, who do not support the escalation and want the troops to come home. Lieberman applauded President Bush for pursuing a new course in Iraq. He only wants U.S. troops brought home after we allow, enable, and support them in accomplishing their mission in Iraq. How many more U.S. and Iraqi deaths does Joe Lieberman want to see before the mission is accomplished? Senator Lieberman says the American people are frustrated by the miscalculations, lack of progress in the war, and by the daily scenes of violence and causalities. He ignores the 70% of people in the U.S. who do not support the war waged by Bush, and that we are angry by the mounting causalities and the hundreds of billions of dollars on this conflict. On Thursday, January 18th from 12 noon-1pm we will rally and protest in front of Senator Lieberman's Hartford office. Please join us, but if you can not please call the office, especially between 12noon and 1pm at 860-549-8463 or send a fax to 860-549-8478 and tell Lieberman to: Stop supporting Bush's troop escalation in Iraq. Stop supporting the war in Iraq. Listen to his constituents, the overwhelming majority who do no support the war and troops escalation. Take action in the U.S Senate to bring all of our troops home now. Thursday January 18 12:00noon-1pm: Protest Joe Lieberman's Support for Bush Escalation of the Iraq War Protest Joe Lieberman's Support of Bush's Escalation of the Iraq war Thursday, January 18th 12:00 Noon-1:00pm 1 Constitution Plaza Hartford, CT By the Intersection of State and Market On January 10th President Bush announced the sending of 20,000 more U.S. troops to fight in Iraq. Existing forces already in Iraq will have their tour of duty extended. Units scheduled for deployment will have their departures moved up. Moreover, the U.S. is already threatening Iran with military force. U.S. forces attacked an Iranian consulate in northern Iraq in clear violation of international law. The U.S. will try to provoke Iran into a military response and then respond with massive retaliation. Along with the on-going conflict in Palestine and Israel, and the recent U.S. aerial bombardment and military operations in Somalia, a real potential exists that U.S. policies will create a regional escalation of the conflict in the Middle East and Horn of Africa. Sending more U.S. troops will only result in more U.S. military causalities, adding to the over 3000 deaths. It will only add to the staggering toll of 650,000 Iraqis who have been killed since the war started almost 4 years ago. We must stand up and say no more, get out of the quagmire, bring the troops home now, and end the war. Senator Joe Lieberman has a different view from the majority of Americans, who do not support the escalation and want the troops to come home. Lieberman applauded President Bush for pursuing a new course in Iraq. He only wants U.S. troops brought home after we allow, enable, and support them in accomplishing their mission in Iraq. How many more U.S. and Iraqi deaths does Joe Lieberman want to see before the mission is accomplished? Senator Lieberman says the American people are frustrated by the miscalculations, lack of progress in the war, and by the daily scenes of violence and causalities. He ignores the 70% of people in the U.S. who do not support the war waged by Bush, and that we are angry by the mounting causalities and the hundreds of billions of dollars on this conflict. Join us at 1 Constitution Plaza on Thursday, Jan 18 from 12:00N to 1:00pm. Bring signs and banners. For more information contact: David Amdur at Connecticut at afsc.org or 860-523-1534 Henry Lowendorf 203-389-9547 grnhpeacecouncil at sbcglobal.net Sponsored by: American Friends Service Committee, Greater New Haven Peace Council, Connecticut Coalition for Peace and Justice AFSC Eyes Wide Open Exhibit in Danbury, CT January 22-26 From January 22-26 AFSC Connecticut will organize a display of the Eye's Wide Open Exhibit at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury. The display will be located at the WCSU campus on the 1st floor of Warner Hall, 181 White St. Danbury. Eyes Wide Open, the American Friends Service Committee's widely-acclaimed exhibition on the human cost of the Iraq War, features a pair of boots honoring each U.S. military casualty, a field of shoes Since 1917, the American Friends Service Committee has championed the dignity and worth of every individual, the sanctity of human life and humanity's collective responsibility to promote peace. For almost 90 years of work in war zones on four continents, we have gained an intimate knowledge of the costs and horrors of war. When this exhibit was unveiled by the AFSC Chicago office in January 2004, there were 504 pairs of boots symbolizing the lost lives of U.S. soldiers in Iraq. With each passing week, each stop in a new city, more pairs of boots are added to represent the newly fallen. As of January 2007 over 3000 U.S. military personnel have been killed in Iraq. The number of U.S. dead in Iraq now makes mounting the complete exhibit very complicated, so much so that AFSC only plans to do so about twice per year. The Eyes Wide Open Exhibit at Western Connecticut State University will have 109 pairs of boots from five of the six New England states: Connecticut (23 pairs), Maine (14), Massachusetts (45), New Hampshire (16), and Rhode Island (11) As the exhibit makes its appearances across the country, families and friends come to grieve for lost loved ones and strangers honor those who gave their lives to a cause far from home. At each stop, person after person leaves notes of commemoration, photographs of lost soldiers, identification tags, flowers, and American flags to accompany the boots on their journey. Although a majority of Americans now believe this war is a tragic misadventure, the human cost of the Iraq War grows every day. How many more boots will be standing at silent attention before this war ends, before Iraqis and American soldiers are out of harm's way? This traveling exhibit is a memorial to those who have fallen and a witness to our belief that no war can justify its human cost. AFSC Connecticut is working with Students for Progress and the Western Connecticut El Salvador Solidarity Project to bring the exhibit to Western Connecticut State University. Please contact David Amdur at Connecticut at afsc.org or 860-523-1534 for more information. www.afsc.org/eyes Saturday February 3 Stop the Raids!: Public Forum on the Situation of the Danbury 11 Stop the Raids! Stop Disappearing Latino Workers! Public Forum on the Situation in Danbury SATURDAY, FEB. 3 7:30 P.M. SAINT AUGUSTINE CHURCH 10 CAMPFIELD AVE. HARTFORD . Representative, Campaign to Stop the ICE Raids in Danbury . Isaac, Day Laborer arrested and jailed by ICE . Jim Welcome, Attorney for the Danbury 11 . Simon Moshenberg, Yale Law School, Attorney in Lawsuit against Homeland Security . Fr. Thomas Mitchell, Pastor, St. Augustine Church . Representative, SEIU, Local 32BJ What Happened in Danbury, Connecticut? On September 19, 2006, eleven day laborers were approached by an unmarked van with hardhats on the front seat. The workers jumped into the van expecting to go to work, but were instead taken straight to jail. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) refused to release their names, leaving their families unsure of the fate of their loved ones. They were taken 150 miles away to impede their defense. Soon six were shipped to two prisons in Texas. The Danbury 11 joined the nearly 16,000 Latino workers currently being unjustly held in a system of local and national prisons. This raid, like all the other raids being carried out by ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement -arm of Homeland Security) is designed to induce terror and keep workers from fighting for decent wages and conditions. Expert legal help and demonstrations have freed 9 of the Danbury 11 on bail. However, ICE has since arrested 6 more immigrants in Danbury. The mayor and chief of police have vowed that raids will become a normal part of life in Danbury. Join us in the defense of immigrants in Danbury and elsewhere! Stand up for immigrant rights and STOP THE ICE RAIDS! Initiated by the CT Regional Coalition for Immigrant Rights. Sponsored by the Western Connecticut Central Labor Council. For more information go to http://www.stoptheraids.org, or call 860-538-3920. www.stoptheraids.org American Friends Service Committee Connecticut Area Office 56 Arbor Street, Suite 213 Hartford, CT 06106 Phone: 860.523.1534 Fax: 860.523.1705 Email: connecticut at afsc.org Visit AFSC CT Online Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Confirm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From roseberry3 at cox.net Sun Jan 28 20:10:48 2007 From: roseberry3 at cox.net (B Barry) Date: Sun, 28 Jan 2007 20:10:48 -0500 Subject: {news} Minutes from the 1-2-07 EC meeting in Willimantic @ 7:30pm Message-ID: <20070129011043.VBIC22784.eastrmmtao06.cox.net@eastrmimpo01.cox.net> Minu Minutes from the 1-2-07 EC meeting in Willimantic @ 7:30pm Place: Fiesta Cinco Demayo Restaurant, 1228 Main Street, Willimantic, CT P: 860-423-9509 Attendees: Co-chairpersons: Jean DeSmet and Mike DeRosa; Treasure: Christopher Reilly; Secretary: Barbara Barry. Also: Tim McKee, GPUS representative. 1.CT Green Times newspaper status: Theme for the newspaper: our historic 11-07 campaigns/election. Will be printed by Eric DeVos who purchased a printer Which can print a full page newspaper, book or magazine. He is willing to incur the cost of the paper and ink in addition to doing the printing himself. Articles are still needed from chapters about their positions,concerns, meeting schedules, contact person. Distribution process for possible fine tuning by Albert Marceau who has designated distribution sites established. Chapters are welcome to also distribute the newspaper. Hope to have the newspaper in about 10-14 days. Will not have ads and no free ads per election regulations?per Christopher Reilly. Will include a coupon for donation to CTGP. JdS: we may wish to consider paying Eric something for the paper and ink. 2. 12-06 Treasurer's report from Christopher Reilly: about $1800. 3. Patricia Kane?s request/proposal for a Bylaws Committee at the 11-28-06 SCC meeting. BB: per CTGP bylaws, a proposal must be presented by either the majority of a chapter or 5 CTGP members. PK?s proposal was from herself and not from the Fairfield Chapter. Therefore, the vote at the 11-28-06 SCC meeting cannot be considered a valid committee. It needs to be represented in accordance with our bylaws. 4. ACLU lawsuit regarding the 2005 CT "campaign finance reform" law: the 12-18-06 hearing did not happen; no known rescheduled date. The contractors have a separate lawsuit against the law. 5. GPUS updates: Tim McKee: basically the national party wants/needs money from the states. There are openings on committees that CT can fill. In theory, each state can put 2 people on the same committee such as the Coordinating Committee (which sets up campaign workshops across the country). There is no clarity about: a) how long one can be on a committee; if a state Can require it?s committee member to vote a certain way; what are non-voting Committee members. The Fairfield Chapter is proposing that Richard Duffee be on the International Committee. 6. CTGP website: Christopher Reilly will send key to Eric DeVos. 7. BB: need on the SCC agenda: Internal Elections Committee (Jean DeSmet, Caleb Kleppner (to do the IRV), Jerry Martin, Andy Derr) to start working on the 4-07 CTGP convention including: date and place; speaker. 8. Mike DeRosa, Andy Derr and Tim McKee to work on the budget. 9. Political issues we want to address: as per the 11-28-06 SCC meeting. 10. Place and agenda for 1-9-07 SCC meeting: Vic Lancia is still working on it. 11. Place of next SCC meeting scheduled for 1-30-07. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.17.12/655 - Release Date: 1/28/2007 1:12 PM -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From roseberry3 at cox.net Sun Jan 28 20:12:31 2007 From: roseberry3 at cox.net (B Barry) Date: Sun, 28 Jan 2007 20:12:31 -0500 Subject: {news} Minutes from the 11-28-06 SCC Green Party of CT Meeting Message-ID: <20070129011227.YKTA9317.eastrmmtao02.cox.net@eastrmimpo01.cox.net> Minutes from the 11-28-06 SCC CTGP Meeting Place: Portland Senior Center, 7 Waverly Avenue, Portland, CT (a block east of Portland Public Library) Phone: 860-342-6760 Time: 7PM to 9PM Voting attendees: Fairfield: Paul Bassler, David Bedell, Janet Cory, Richard Duffee, Patricia Kane; Greater Harford: Barbara Barry, Secretary of CTGP, Michael DeRosa, Co-chairperson of CTGP; Cliff Thornton; New Haven: Allan Brison, Caleb Kleppner, Jerry Martin; New London: Andy Derr; Northeast: Jean DeSmet Co-chairperson of CTGP; Amy Vas Nunes. Non-voting: Christopher Reilly, Treasure of CTGP. Facilitator: Andy Derr. A. Preliminaries: 1. Introductions of attendees; identification of voting and non-voting representatives and chapters; adoption of ground rules: timekeeper: Caleb Klepper 2. Approval of tonight?s proposed agenda, additions: closing of the Greater Hartford Chapters office at 418 A New Britain Avenue, Hartford, CT; and deletions: reports: #2 and National Security Agency update. 3. Approval of 8-29-06, 9-26-06 and 10-31-06 SCC minutes. 4. 9-11-06, 10-17-06 and 11-20-06 EC meetings were received. Consensus: SCC will no longer approve EC minutes but will receive them. 5. (3 minutes): Treasurer?s report by Christopher Reilly: net income: minus $723.94 due to need to pay for: Toll-free phone, candidate contribution and postcards use around 11-06 election. B. Reports: 1. Discussion about CTGP campaigns: MD: suggest excel spreadsheet of towns in which candidates got votes; he got media coverage about how the current Secretary of State, Susan Bysiewicz would not debate; no essential coverage about how she signed a contract to buy Diebolt voting machines but stated otherwise. CTGP did better than the Working Families Party where they did not cross endorse. AVN: How much money was spent to get the vote out after the petitioning was done? CR: $13,000 for one candidate, Cliff Thornton for Governor. No other candidate got money. JdS: we cannot run a campaign without money; also need more training, evaluate for better strategies; how we can build our CTGP base; we tend to grow our base with issues, not campaigns. CK: need to focus on local candidates not state candidates. AD: need 20 candidates for state representatives/senators and town offices for 2008/2009. PK: need appropriate candidates. BB: as a political party, we need to promote issues and run candidates for all offices including major state and national offices. Otherwise, we will be viewed as only a local, minority party and will be further discounted as a political force to be reckoned with. CK: the Green Party in Maine lost their only state GP legislator. If we can not win state races then we should only do local races. PK: need to review by-laws. CT: I wanted to run to get the CTGP name out there. CTN covered the candidates sometimes twice a week. Some print media did not provide the desired coverage. DB: we may need placeholders to keep our ballot lines available; need volunteers to hand out postcards; writing letters to the editor is effective. JdS: we did the right strategy to run a full state-wide slate. We are building a party. We also need to talk 1:1 at fairs and going door to door. People are dissatisfied with politics. 2. Deleted: U.S. Green Party report by CTGP representatives: Tim McKee and Charlie Pillsbury: 3. Chapter reports: Northeast: JdS: still doing the TV show and the 3rd Thursday of the month events. New Haven: CK: New Have did pay to fund the public finance board for the municipal area. Caleb is on that board. Fairfield: DB: we have the video of our meeting with Diane Farrell. PK: we need a tighter definition of what is a CTGP member; we tried to recruit members on the streets of Stamford by carrying balloons. Greater Hartford: MD: the chapter is closing it?s office at 418A New Britain Avenue in Hartford as of 11-30-06 after using it for 62months. We are still committed to our concerns. New London: AD: still doing our TV show; doing monthly movies with Peace and Justice and our weekly vigil for peace. 4. Issues for CTGP legislative agenda for 12-06: MD: we have an agreement from CT Senate Pro Tem, Donald Williams, that he will meet with CTGP about our concern/issues: re-structuring energy laws due to scheduled increased costs of from 38 to 55% as of 1-1-07 ; changing the 2005 Campaign Finance Reform law; universal health care for CT; drug reform, Patriot?s Act as it pertains to CT law enforcement and CT residents, living wage; divestment of CT State funds in various funds; IRV voting; automatic counts of votes. The more Greens at meetings the better. PK: also: eminent domain, uniform marital laws; marital property reforms; IVR voting equipment. CK: CTGP represents 30-40% of all voters. AVN: gay marriage; divestment of investments in places such as Danfur, tobacco products, nuclear weapons &/or energy; ?dirty? energy; review CT?s dependence of the military-inductrial complex. RD: impeachment resolutions in towns. PB: ballot access for minor parties. CT: if minor parties get ballot access, then must get into all debates. BB: we could sponsor our own debates. JdS. Don Williams has stated that CT should censor anything perceived as ?negative? campaigning. People who want to join the Legislative Committee: PB: IRV, ballot access for 3rd parties; debate access. CK: IRV, voting machine compatibility; ballot access. JdS: universal health care. MD: campaign finance reform; electric rates. PK: eminent domain; marital property law reform. CT: all issues. AVN: divestment, tobacco, environment, defense. 5. Chapter study groups about political issues of concern. JM: need CTGP platform so we can go into these coalitions to maximize our influence or effect change. 6. Green Days: MD: We can have Green Days e.g. monthly at the legislature and throughout the year with news releases. 7. CTGP website needs volunteers to write about 10 Key Values on the website; moderators are: Christopher Reilly and David Bedell. Need new moderator for the listservs. AB: to be a moderator, one must be a Green and all contacts must be relayed to the EC. 8. V.O.T.E.R. update: ACLU lawsuit regarding 2005 CT ?campaign finance reform? law. The ACLU wants to turn the lawsuit over to the Hartford Law firm of Day, Berry and Howard. However, the State of CT would not grant an exemption stating that this law firm has worked for the state in the past. ACLU states this action by the state to not grant an exemption is atypical of past state actions. ACLU is still planning a 12-18-06 hearing. 9. Articles for and deadline for ?CT Green Times? newspaper. Eric DeVos has purchased a printing press that can print: full sized newspaper or books or magazines. He is willing to print the newspaper for us with him incurring the cost of the paper and the ink. Present goal if for a 4 page newspaper with the theme that the 11-06 election was a historic moment for the CTGP because it successfully petitioned to get all state-wide candidates on the ballot and we ran candidates for these offices. Anyone interested in working on the newspaper can come to a meeting on 12-3-06. Time and place, to be determined. Additional articles are likely to be: our legislative agenda; chapter meeting schedules and contacts; pictures of the state-wide candidates from the recent campaigns. 9A: deleted: National Security agency response to CTGP freedom of information request. 10. The New Haven Chapter request: JM: we need bylaws, a definition of quorum; a definition of who can be a CTGP member. a) We would like an update on the plan to change state party rules to allow for a more workable quorum requirement. I believe that the definition of what an active chapter is has also been a part of this planning. b) A rule change that would clarify the grounds under which a duly nominated candidate can be asked by the party to withdraw. c) Plans for making on-line contributions available on the CTGP web site similar to the method used by the Thornton campaign. Patricia Kane Proposal: we need to form a bylaws committee. The committee group can define these things for the 4-07 CTGP. We need a draft from the committee for the next SCC meeting (either on 12-26-06 or if deferred until 1-07), then (chapters can) comment at the 2-07 (SCC meeting) so any bylaws can be presented at the 4-07 CTGP convention. I?d be willing to get the group going. Vote: Yes: 11, No: 1, Abstain: 1. 11. Consensus: next SCC meeting to be moved from 12-26-06 to 1-9-07. Place: to be determined. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.17.12/655 - Release Date: 1/28/2007 1:12 PM -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dbedellgreen at hotmail.com Tue Jan 30 00:54:07 2007 From: dbedellgreen at hotmail.com (David Bedell) Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2007 00:54:07 -0500 Subject: {news} Report of the Transportation Strategy Board References: <81b878e10701181156s33c9f262g93becf558171efcd@mail.gmail.com> <81b878e10701231135h8395bdbo5c17037bb71f73ac@mail.gmail.com> <81b878e10701232018w3ee8f74cka16da12ba2b0344c@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: On January 17, I attended a meeting of the CT Rail Commuter Council in Stamford and joined a few other bicycle advocates in calling for dedicated bicycle storage space on the new Metro-North RR cars. The draft recommendations of the state Transportation Strategy Board were distributed at the meeting, and since then I've obtained this electronic text. The final, formatted report is now published as a PDF file on the TSB website at http://www.opm.state.ct.us/igp/TSB/tsbinfo.htm The report includes some excellent recommendations--see especially the sections on rail transit and on bike and pedestrian transit. We should refer to this report when lobbying state and local officials. CONNECTICUT'S TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY Report and Recommendations of the Transportation Strategy Board January, 2007 "Not later than January 1, 2007, and biennially thereafter, the board shall review and, if necessary, revise the strategy adopted pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. A report describing any revisions and the reasons for them shall be submitted to the Governor and, pursuant to section 11-4a, the General Assembly. Such report shall include a prioritized list of projects which the board, in consultation with the commissioner, determines are necessary to implement the recommended strategy, including the estimated capital and operating costs and time frame of such projects. Not later than January 31, 2007, the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation, finance, revenue and bonding and planning and development shall meet with the Commissioners of Transportation and Economic and Community Development, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, the chairperson of the Transportation Strategy Board and such other persons as they deem appropriate to consider the report required by this subsection". Public Act 06-136 and Section 14(j) Table of Contents Section Page Transmittal Letter Transportation Strategy Board Recommendations 5 - Implementation of Transportation Initiatives 6 - Responsible Growth 6 - Highways 6 - Public Transportation 7 - Rail Freight 11 - Aviation 11 - Maritime 12 - Electronic Tolls and Congestion Pricing 13 - Transportation Systems and Demand Management 13 - Evaluation 13 Introduction 14 Guiding Principles and Strategies 16 Transportation and Air Quality 18 Responsible Growth 20 - Executive Order on Responsible Growth 21 - Planning Coordination 23 - Pre-approved Development Areas 23 Interstate Cooperation 24 Highways 26 - Overview 26 - Highway Projects and Funding 28 - Major Roadway Projects 29 - Town Aid Roads 31 - Highway Safety 32 - Highway Capacity 33 Public Transportation 34 - Coordinated Service 34 - Employee Transit Incentives 35 - Commuter Rail 36 - Bus Transit 45 - Bicycle and Pedestrian 54 Rail Freight 56 Aviation 57 - Airport Funding 58 - Bradley International Airport 59 - Other Airports 60 Maritime 67 - Connecticut's Ports 67 - Dredging 70 - Movement of People 74 - Other Issues 74 Electronic Tolls and Congestion Pricing 76 Transportation Systems and Demand Management 77 - Transportation System Management 77 - Transportation Demand Management 81 Funding and Finance 84 Evaluation 86 Transmittal Letter To Come TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS IMPLEMENTATION OF TRANSPORTATION INITIATIVES l Establish detailed project schedules leading to the timely implementation of 2005 and 2006 transportation initiatives l Ensure adequate staffing and resources for the Department of Transportation. l Monitor and report on project status and implementation RESPONSIBLE GROWTH l Support and facilitate implementation of the Governor's Executive Order on Responsible growth, with special emphasis on Transit Oriented Development (TOD) l Ensure that the strategic actions and tactics included in the Transportation Strategy support the growth management principles of the Plan of Conservation and Development. l Ensure the coordination of state and regional transportation planning with other state planning efforts, including economic development and housing plans; l Foster the integration of transportation and land use planning at all levels of government l Provide funding to regional planning organizations and councils of governments to support improved local and regional transportation planning l Facilitate Transit Oriented Development by providing legislative authority for pre-approved development areas, including processes for: o establishing site nomination or eligibility processes and evaluation priorities; o evaluating such properties in advance of the receipt of specific development proposals; o determining the types and size of the activities appropriate for the site; o identifying the project specific permits and approvals required in order to utilize the site; and o providing grant funding for a significant portion of the cost of site remediation for brownfield sites located near transit hubs. HIGHWAYS l Undertake a comprehensive review and analysis of electronic tolls and congestion pricing as a means of both raising revenue and managing transportation demand. The review should include, but not be limited to: (1) identification of opportunities for tolls and congestion pricing in Connecticut; (2) analysis of the steps required to take advantage of those opportunities; (3) type, location and operation of tolls; (4) pricing strategies; (5) potential operating costs and revenues; (6) impact on traffic congestion and patterns of travel; (7) regional equity; (8) environmental impact; (9) safety; (10) economic impact; (11) public/private partnerships; (12) impact of federal requirements on identified options; and (13) implementation strategies, costs and timelines. l Expeditiously implement the safety and operational improvements authorized and funded by Public Act 05-4. Identify and implement similar improvements on other state highways. l Finalize and implement a plan to increase available truck rest stop parking spaces, to increase the safety of Connecticut's highway system. Include support systems necessary to comply with state anti-idling laws. l Develop a master plan for the maintenance, capacity and future operations of the State's Interstate highway system l Continue to support and fund the capacity expansion of the I95 between Branford and North Stonington consistent with on-going environmental study of that project. l Complete Route 11, and the associated greenway, from Salem to I95 consistent with on-going environmental study of that project. l Continue to support and fund the capacity expansion of I84 from Danbury to Waterbury consistent with on-going environmental study of that project. l Increase the town aid road grant and include incentives to encourage Transit Oriented Development and sound maintenance and pavement management practices. l Support and fund the feasibility and environmental studies for the reconstruction of the Interchange of Routes 8 and I84 in Waterbury. l Support the funding and construction of the Route 6 Expressway from Bolton Notch to Windham and urge DOT, DEP and federal agencies to resolve outstanding issues. l Plan and support improved north/south connections between Interstate Routes 95 and 84. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION l Identify a statewide Strategic Transportation Network linking rail and transit services and determine the basic level of service necessary to provide statewide mobility. l Enhance state employee transit benefits and encourage private employers to provide transit benefits to their employees. l Ensure coordination of all state funded transportation services regardless of the program or agency responsible for administering and/or funding such services. l Require that, in locating state facilities, the State give priority to those locations on or near rail and bus lines. Consider the availability of rail and bus service and facilities when making other state investment decisions. l Support the development and implementation of a "smart card" based transit pass program that can be utilized across the entire public transportation network. Commuter Rail l Implement commuter rail service between New Haven and Springfield by 2010 l Improve integration of New Haven Line, the branch lines, Shore Line East and the New Haven to Springfield Line so that seamless service is provided regardless of the entity responsible for operating a particular line. l Develop a statewide rail operations plan l Purchase 24 M8 electric rail cars for use on Shore Line East by 2013. l Purchase additional electric rail cars for use on the New Haven Line to increase reliability and support additional service. l Specify, fund and purchase new rolling stock for use on the New Haven-Springfield rail line. l Support cost effective proposals for Metro North access to Penn Station and intermediate stops. l Work with the Department of Environmental Protection, the United States Coast Guard and other responsible entities to address bridge issues limiting, or potentially limiting, rail service, especially on Shore Line East. Rail Stations l Support and fund, as provided in Public Act 06-136, the development of a new Metro North rail station and transit oriented development in the City of West Haven. Evaluate and plan for a new Metro North rail station in the Town of Orange. Maximize Transit Oriented Development (TOD) associated with both projects. l Develop stations and station improvements on Shore Line East, as required by Public Act 06-136. l Encourage Transit Oriented Development (TOD) at and near rail stations. Rail Station Parking l Develop, in consultation with local officials and commuters, a uniform policy concerning rail station governance and implement as existing leases come up for renewal. The policy should provide for centralized oversight of rail stations and parking; uniform policies, permits and fees and should ensure adequate funding for station and parking area maintenance. l Implement rail station parking initiatives in Bridgeport, Stratford and New Haven. l Expedite replacement of the Stamford rail station parking garage. l Maximize the amount of parking associated with new rail stations. l Urge DOT, Amtrak, and local officials to resolve any outstanding issues related to parking expansion at SLE sites. Branch Lines l Expedite design and construction of a Centralized Train Control system for the Danbury branch. l Expedite the completion of the Waterbury, Danbury and New Canaan Branch line studies, including the evaluation of the branch line "collector" stations recommended by the Transportation Strategy Board in 2003. Utilize funding provided in Public Act 06-136 to begin implementation of the study recommendations. l Support funding for the Waterbury Intermodal Transportation Center. Infrastructure l Support funding and implementation of programmed improvements, including rehabilitation of the Walk (Norwalk) and Saga (Westport) bridges; completion of other scheduled bridge replacements and rehabilitation; replacement of the catenary system on the Metro-North line by 2014; replacement and improvement of electrical sub stations; replacement and enhancement of the main line signal system. l Support DOT's inclusion in its annual capital plan of an appropriate amount to continue to lengthen the platforms at 14 metro-north stations to the preferred standard platform length of 850 feet to accommodate 10 rather than 8 coaches l Ensure the availability of sufficient state funds to annually match all federal funding available to the state. Metro North Operating Agreement l Support the efforts of DOT, the Governor and the General Assembly to: - Obtain voting representation for Connecticut on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Metro-North Board of Directors; - Until voting representation is obtained continue DOT's participation on a non-voting basis; and - Take other actions necessary to ensure the long term financial and operational vitality of the Metro-North line as one of the most critical components of the State's transportation infrastructure. AMTRAK l Support DOT's continued monitoring of the future of Amtrak and its effects on operations and operating agreements for SLE and New Haven-Hartford- Springfield rail service. l Support the state's acquisition of the New Haven-Springfield rail line currently owned by AMTRAK. Other Rail Recommendations l Continue to evaluate and enhance transit connections between rail stations and major residential and employment centers. Bus Transit l Design and implement, as part of the Strategic Transportation Network, an integrated multimodal transit network that uses a common brand identity and that takes into account all forms of bus service and provides links to the state's rail system. l Review transit district funding formulas and requirements in order to ensure adequate funding for bus transit services and parity with state owned or operated transit services, including Connecticut Transit. l Provide additional state matching funds for transit district capital projects. l Provide transit districts funding flexibility consistent with program accountability. l Continue state funding for the Jobs Access and Reverse Commute program while making maximum use of federal funds to support needed services. Identify and implement additional service opportunities as appropriate. l Implement bus retrofits and other clean diesel initiatives l Incorporate the remaining Section 16 bus demonstration programs in the state's bus operating funding and evaluate on the same basis as other bus transit services. l Construct a bus maintenance and storage facility for the Windham Regional Transit District l Explore potential connections between northeastern Connecticut and MBTA rail service in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Bus Rapid Transit l Expeditiously implement the New Britain - Hartford busway as provided in Public Act 06-136. l Encourage the continued evaluation of other bus rapid transit services, whether dedicated or complementary to existing highways, in light of the anticipated results of the New Britain-Hartford busway, including its economic development contributions. Bicycles and Pedestrians l Provide dedicated bike space on passenger trains at all times of the day. l Identify and support bike routes to transportation centers. l Identify and remedy existing bicycle storage and parking deficiencies, especially in urban centers and transportation centers. l Adopt a policy of allowing bicycles to be carried on state funded bus routes, and as new buses are ordered equip them to permit the carriage of bicycles. l Encourage municipal and regional officials to work closely with DOT to include expanded bicycle and pedestrian facilities as a part of all roadway projects. l Support the development and implementation of the Safe Routes to School program. RAIL FREIGHT l Develop a comprehensive analysis of the potential for enhanced rail freight service to and through Connecticut, including, but not limited to: (1) the market for enhanced rail freight services; (2) the impact of enhanced rail freight service on traffic and congestion; (3) obstacles to enhanced rail freight service and ways to address them; and (4) the impact of enhanced rail freight service on commuter rail service, including scheduling and track availability, safety and physical infrastructure. AVIATION Bradley International Airport l Support the strategies and tactics (including the traffic improvement recommendations) adopted by the Bradley Board of Directors to strengthen Bradley as the State's major commercial airport for both passenger and air freight services for the State and the rest of Western New England. l Encourage the Bradley Board of Directors to work with appropriate State agencies and neighboring municipalities to: o define economic development goals and priorities for Bradley; o establish procedures to pre-approve development sites on Bradley property; and o Work with adjacent towns and encourage support for complementary and coordinated multi-town economic development plans. l Establish the improvement of cargo service as a priority for the Bradley Board of Directors and the Department of Transportation. l Recognize the success of Bradley's marketing and route development efforts and support continuation of those efforts. l Support and fund implementation of the Capitol Region Council of Government's Bradley Area Transportation Study, including: o Relocation of Bradley Park Road o Development of new northern route to/from Bradley o Route 75 Gateway o Improved transit services l Evaluate, by January 1, 2008, and, if feasible, implement express bus service between Bradley and downtown Hartford. l Establish through legislative and/or administrative action the process and the funding needed for land banking to mitigate the environmental impact of airport development including safety improvements. Tweed New Haven Airport l Support Tweed's ability to serve the travel needs of business and institutional travelers in Southern Connecticut to complement Bradley. l Continue the state's annual operating assistance grant to the Tweed-New Haven Airport Authority l Support the implementation of the Safety Improvements described in Phases I and II of the Tweed Master Plan within the planned three to five year period. l Evaluate Phases III and IV of the Master Plan as Phases I and II are being implemented, including the fiscal and other impacts to adjacent municipalities Other Aviation Recommendations l Assist airport operators in addressing obstruction issues which can not be resolved locally. l Support efforts to retain and preserve private airports open to the public, including an adequate number of reliever airports. MARITIME l Inventory and prioritize statewide dredging needs and develop an estimate of the non-federal funding required for each such project. l Expedite the long overdue dredging of Bridgeport harbor. l Support continued federal funding for development and completion of a Dredged Material Management Plan for Long Island Sound. l Review the feasibility and viability of the proposed Bridgeport to New York feeder barge service. Entertain, and potentially fund, proposals for feeder barge services from ports other than Bridgeport. l Complete the rail link to the Port of New Haven and evaluate the potential for improved rail connections to the state's other commercial deep water ports. ELECTRONIC TOLLS & CONGESTION PRICING l Undertake a comprehensive review and analysis of electronic tolls and congestion pricing as a means of both managing transportation demand and raising revenue. The review should include, but not be limited to: (1) identification of opportunities for tolls and congestion pricing in Connecticut; (2) analysis of the steps required to take advantage of those opportunities; (3) type, location and operation of tolls; (4) pricing strategies; (5) potential operating costs and revenues; (6) impact on traffic congestion and patterns of travel; (7) regional equity; (8) environmental impact; (9) economic impacts; (10) safety; (11) public/private partnerships; (12) impact of federal requirements on identified options; and (13) implementation strategies, costs and timelines. TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS & DEMAND MANAGEMENT Transportation System Management l Support the expansion and improvement of Automated Traveler Information Systems, and other technologies that provide more comprehensive and timely information to travelers. l Support development and implementation of 511 Plan for CT. l Continue the development and build out of the Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Network. Incident Management l Complete the planned expansion of the CHAMP (CT Highway Assistance Motorist Patrol) program. l Promote and build acceptance of a Unified Response Manual (URM) including adoption of URM as a standard by all responding agencies. Develop and conduct appropriate training. l Fund development of additional diversion plans for major accidents that close limited access highways. EVALUATION l During 2007, develop and pilot evaluation tools and objective metrics, including those necessary to analyze alternative strategic actions and tactics, including cost benefit analysis for projects which require significant capital investment or ongoing operating support. l Provide funding to support the development of evaluation tools INTRODUCTION For Connecticut's transportation system this is a time of challenge and opportunity. Over the last two years, the Governor has recommended, and the General Assembly has approved, the largest investments in the state's transportation system in more than two decades. Those investments have included: Over 300 new railcars for use on the New Haven Line; New rail maintenance facilities in New Haven to support the new railcars; $187 million for operational improvements on Interstate 95; $150 million for transportation improvements other than those on I-95; Commuter rail service between New Haven, Hartford, Springfield and intermediate points; Completion of the New Britain-Hartford busway; Improvements on the New Haven Line branch lines; and Station and parking improvements on the New Haven Line, the branch lines and Shore Line East. However, those initiatives are not self implementing. A great deal of work will be required in order to make each of them a reality. For that reason, implementing initiatives already approved is the Transportation Strategy Board's highest priority. Achieving that goal will require aggressive action by the Department of Transportation and other state agencies involved in transportation, economic development and environmental issues. It will also require the state to ensure those agencies have the capacity to get the job done. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends that: The Department of Transportation establish detailed public project schedules leading to the timely implementation of the 2005 and 2006 transportation initiatives; The Governor and the General Assembly insure that the Department of Transportation has adequate staffing and resources; and The Office of Policy and Management monitor and report on project status implementation as required by public act 06- 136. The last two years have also seen a shift in emphasis away from highways and toward public transportation as a means of addressing Connecticut's transportation needs. While the Transportation Strategy Board recognizes the importance of maintaining, modernizing and in some cases expanding the state highway system it believes that the new emphasis on public transportation is necessary, proper and appropriate. A significant part of the new funding approved over the last two years has not yet been committed to specific projects and remains available to meet the state's highest priority transportation projects. For that reason, new funding does not appear to be necessary in order to make capital investments required over the next several years. However, additional financial resources will be required in order for the state to make the transportation capital investments required over the long term. That shortfall will require tough decisions about what projects to undertake and how to pay for them. For example, the Transportation Strategy Board's prioritized project list includes five major highway projects. The cost of one of those projects is undetermined. The remaining four projects (expansion of I-95 East of Branford; Route 11; expansion of I-84 West of Waterbury; and the interchange between I-84 and Route 8) are projected to cost almost $6 billion. Current financial resources are unlikely to support one, let alone all, of those projects. In addition, the State faces the challenge of maintaining an aging transportation infrastructure, some of which is approaching the end of its useful life, at a time when federal support for the interstate highway system is declining. Additional resources will also be required in order to meet increased operating costs, including additional Department of Transportation staffing and bus and rail operating subsidies, as well as addressing part of the "state of good repair" deficit. Over the last two years the Governor and the General Assembly have demonstrated a commitment to meeting Connecticut's transportation needs. The Transportation Strategy Board recognizes that further leadership will be required in order to meet the challenges that lie ahead. This strategy represents the Transportation Strategy Board's roadmap for moving the state forward. GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND STRATEGIES Early in its deliberations, the Transportation Strategy Board adopted a series of eight guiding principles which are the central themes of this strategy, report and recommendations. Taken together their goal is the creation of a balanced, intermodal transportation system which provides for the efficient, cost effective movement of people and goods. These are the guiding principles: A balanced transportation system is essential to Connecticut's economic and social health and welfare. That system must provide mobility for people and goods in a way which meets the needs of users, business and commerce. Connecticut's transportation system must be multi-modal and provide options to the single passenger automobile. Connecticut's transportation system represents an investment in the state's future which must be maintained and preserved. It requires both strategic investments and on-going operating and capital support. It also requires efficient, cost effective, management and operations which make the best use of available resources. Transportation policy does not exist in a vacuum; it must also reflect the economic, social and environmental needs and policies of the state. Transportation investments, or the lack of them, can be an important factor in influencing economic development and job growth. Likewise, proper planning of transportation infrastructure and improvements can positively influence housing, land use and commutation patterns. It must support both economic development and a sustainable environment. Connecticut's transportation system must be flexible and responsive enough to meet the transportation needs of a wide variety of customers, including those with special needs. It must leverage innovation and advances in technology in order to improve service and control costs. The provision of accurate, timely, information about transportation systems and services is essential to the success of Connecticut's transportation system. Connecticut's transportation and development investments must support responsible growth, transit oriented development and the State Plan of Conservation and Development. Transportation planning, at all levels, must be comprehensive, inclusive and visionary and must maximize the options available to decision makers. Cooperation between local, state and federal organizations and entities must be encouraged. Whenever possible, transportation investments should be coordinated with similar planning and investments in neighboring states. The Transportation Strategy Board also adopted broad strategies dealing with economic development, movement of people and movement of goods. All three adopted strategies are substantially similar to those adopted by the Transportation Strategy Board in 2003. The strategies are: Ensure that the State's Transportation Investment Areas remain vibrant and competitive economic engines for Connecticut and attractive gateways to the State by leveraging existing transportation and other infrastructure assets, especially in Connecticut's urban centers, and by focusing appropriate resources on the mitigation and management of road congestion throughout the State with a focus in the near term on the Coastal Corridor. Facilitate the movement of people within and through the State by: expanding the quality and quantity of options (e.g. air, bike, bus, ferry, flex-time, rail, ridesharing, telecommuting) to single occupancy automobile trips; encouraging employer participation in demand management programs; enhancing the customer's transit experience; improving transit travel times through better integration of all transportation options; increasing capacity of roads through continued focus on information, safety, and incident management tools; and expanding targeted portions of certain roads. Facilitate the movement of goods to and through the State by: expanding and coordinating the State's air, rail, road and water infrastructure; improving the flow and safety of commercial truck traffic; and providing a broader range of competitive options to commercial trucks. TRANSPORTATION AND AIR QUALITY In accordance with the federal Clean Air Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must establish health-based National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for certain pollutants. Once EPA sets the standard, states must submit State Implementation Plans (SIPs) to attain and maintain air quality within their borders consistent with the NAAQS requirements. Currently, the entire state has been designated as non-attainment area for the federal, health-based standard for ozone. Fairfield and New Haven Counties have also been designated as non-attainment areas for the fine particulate NAAQS standard. Non-attainment designation means that the air quality exceeds the maximum limits for ozone and fine particulate established by EPA. Under federal law, Connecticut must identify legally binding strategies to attain the federal NAAQS. Failure to attain the federal health-based standards within prescribed time frames, or failure to maintain that level of air quality once achieved, can result in the loss of federal highway funds. Connecticut's non-attainment status for ozone and particulate matter require strategies designed to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and fine particulate matter (fine particulate). The mobile source sector, which includes cars, trucks, buses, locomotives, and construction equipment, is a significant source of NOx, VOC, and fine particulate emissions. Minimizing Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and single-occupancy vehicles are important strategies to improve Connecticut's air quality. Mobile sources are also significant carbon emitters. State efforts to address climate change recognize the substantial contribution of mobile sources to the state's total annual carbon emissions. Similarly, the state has recognized that diesel-powered engines produce toxic emissions of concern as well as carbon and fine particulate. State-wide plans have been developed as part of an integrated approach to addressing air quality impacts from transportation sources. These plans include The Climate Change Action Plan, The Governor's Energy Plan and the Connecticut Diesel Plan, as well as the state's on-going SIP efforts. Key transportation initiatives identified in these plans include: Reducing VMTs by 3% below anticipated 2020 levels of approximately 110 million VMT per day by identifying innovative VMT management opportunities. Strategies include: Encouraging transit, bicycle and pedestrian components for the strategic transportation network Conducting feasibility studies for congestion pricing Encouraging inclusion of climate modeling data in repair/replacement of transportation infrastructure Encouraging acquisition of vehicles meeting stringent standards (Cal LEV II, low greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, 2007 Highway Diesel standards) Increasing availability of low-GHG travel choices in Connecticut, such as transit (rail and bus), vanpools, walking and biking Developing an infrastructure plan for providing alternatives to freight trucks, including enhanced freight rail infrastructure and intermodal transfer facilities Reducing emissions from legacy fleets, in the transit, construction, school bus and motor transport sectors (some 40,000 vehicles in Connecticut). Means include: Aggressive transition to newer, cleaner fleet vehicles[1] Exploration of creative financing or incentives for retrofits Enhancing education and enforcement of the state's existing anti-idling strategy Studying options for reducing port and rail emissions Establish an incentive program to encourage clean technologies Construction of biofuel production facilities Installation of alternate energy fuel pumps Advocate fuel cell research Reducing fossil fuel dependence by using alternate fuels to decrease consumption by 20% Connecticut's transportation choices play an important role in achieving the state's air quality goals. Integration of air quality considerations into transportation planning is the best way to assure Connecticut achieves its multi-faceted goals for our State's transportation sector. RESPONSIBLE GROWTH The Guiding Principles adopted by the Transportation Strategy Board and included in this strategy recognize the link between transportation and responsible growth: "Transportation policy does not exist in a vacuum; it must also reflect the economic, social and environmental needs and policies of the state. Transportation investments, or the lack of them, can be an important factor in influencing economic development and job growth. Likewise, proper planning of transportation infrastructure and improvements can positively influence housing, land use and commutation patterns. It must support both economic development and a sustainable environment". In the four years since the Transportation Strategy Board's 2003 strategy was adopted, there have been significant developments in the area of land use and economic development, including preparation and approval of a new Conservation and Development Policies Plan (Plan of Conservation and Development), focused, for the first time on growth management principles; revision of the laws governing that plan; a new statutory requirement that "state and regional transportation planning be coordinated with other state planning efforts" and the issuance of Governor Rell's Executive Order on Responsible Growth. The most recent version of the Conservation and Development Policies Plan was adopted in 2005 and covers the period from 2005 to 2010. Unlike earlier versions of the plan, the 2005-2010 plan is organized around six Growth Management Principles. They are: Redevelop and Revitalize Regional Centers and Areas with Existing or Currently Planned Physical Infrastructure Expand Housing Opportunities and Design Choices to Accommodate a Variety of Household Types and Needs Concentrate Development Around Transportation Nodes and Along Major Transportation Corridors to Support the Viability of Transportation Options Conserve and Restore the Natural Environment, Cultural and Historical Resources, and Traditional Rural Lands Protect and Ensure the Integrity of Environmental Assets Critical to Public Health and Safety Promote Integrated Planning Across all Levels of Government to Address Issues on a Statewide, Regional and Local Basis State agencies are required to consider the Plan when they prepare agency plans. In addition, certain agency prepared plans are required to be submitted to the OPM for a review of conformity with the Plan. In addition, State agency actions are required to be consistent with the Plan when undertaking the following actions: * The acquisition of real property when the acquisition costs are in excess of one hundred thousand dollars; * The development or improvement of real property when the development costs are in excess of one hundred thousand dollars; * The acquisition of public transportation equipment or facilities when the acquisition costs are in excess of one hundred thousand dollars; and * The authorization of any state grant for an amount in excess of one hundred thousand dollars for the acquisition, development, or improvement of real property or for the acquisition of public transportation equipment or facilities. The Transportation Strategy Board's strategic actions and tactics included in the Transportation Strategy support the growth management principles of the Plan of Conservation and Development. Executive Order on Responsible Growth Earlier this year, Governor Rell issued Executive Order 15 [2] which: * Establishes an Office of Responsible Growth within the Office of Policy and Management, which is responsible for: o Chairing an Interagency Steering Council, consisting of the Commissioners of the Department of Economic and Community Development, Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Agriculture, Department of Transportation and the Department of Public Health as well as the Executive Directors of the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority and the Connecticut Development Authority, to coordinate policy development and capital planning in an effort to efficiently utilize state expertise and financial resources. o Creating Regional Roundtables that will invite the ongoing participation of city and town officials and foster the development of planning agendas tailored to the specific needs of different parts of our state, starting with new transit corridors. o Developing support and incentives for communities to engage in regional planning, to update zoning maps and ordinances and to build the capacity of municipal staff, boards and agencies to make complex land use decisions. This effort will include the establishment of a new municipal training program that will be created in conjunction with regional planning organizations, the Connecticut Land Use Academy and resources that already exist in our state's colleges and universities. o Updating the "Green Plan" for Connecticut by June of 2007 to better identify sensitive ecological areas and unique features, guide acquisition and preservation efforts, support local build-out maps and assessments, and make these and other maps accessible to state agencies, regional planning agencies, local communities and nongovernmental organizations through geographic information systems (GIS). o Reviewing transportation policies and projects to increase opportunities to promote mass transit and roadway design that support state and local economic development while preserving and enhancing the character, as well as the "walkability," of our communities. o Expanding housing opportunities to meet the needs of all Connecticut residents and support an expanding workforce with housing that provides ready access to passenger rail and bus service. o Reviewing all state funding that has an impact on the growth and development of Connecticut and establishing criteria that will target funds for uses that are consistent with goals that emerge for responsible growth. o Targeting economic incentives to support development in designated Responsible Growth areas. o Creating a new "Green and Growing" webpage to highlight best practices and develop a virtual toolbox and roadmap to promote Responsible Growth region by region and community by community. * Places the Office of Responsible Growth within OPM's Intergovernmental Policy Division; provides for staffing; and requires the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management to designate a State Responsible Growth Coordinator. The Transportation Strategy Board supports the implementation of the Governor's Executive Order on Responsible Growth, with special emphasis on Transit Oriented Development. Planning Coordination Public Act 06-136 requires that state and regional transportation planning be coordinated with other state planning efforts including economic development and housing plans. The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management is responsible for ensuring that the required planning takes place. Planning oversight is among the responsibilities of OPM's Office of Transportation Policy. The Board believes that it is also important to improve local and regional transportation planning and to facilitate the integration of transportation and land use planning activities at the regional and local levels. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends the coordination of state and regional transportation planning with other state planning efforts, including economic development and housing plans. Also, that the State foster the integration of transportation and land use planning at all levels of government. This strategy, and the Board's prioritized project list, includes additional funding for regional planning organizations to support improved local and regional transportation planning. Preapproved Development Areas Finally, in order to facilitate transit oriented development, the Transportation Strategy Board is recommending that the state seek legislative authority for the establishment of pre-approved development areas including processes for: establishing site nomination or eligibility processes and evaluation priorities; evaluating such properties in advance of the receipt of specific development proposals; determining the types and size of the activities appropriate for the site; identifying the project specific permits and approvals required in order to utilize the site; and Providing grant funding for a significant portion of the cost of site remediation for brownfield sites located near transit hubs. INTERSTATE COOPERATION The reach and impact of Connecticut's transportation system is not limited to within the state itself. It is also part of larger regional and national transportation systems. For that reason, Section 20 of Public Act 06-136 provides that: "The state of Connecticut, acting through the Governor or the Governor's designee, shall initiate ongoing formal discussions with the commonwealth of Massachusetts and the states of New York and Rhode Island regarding opportunities to enhance commuter and freight mobility throughout the region. On or before January 1, 2008, and biennially thereafter the Governor or the Governor's designee shall report to the General Assembly on such discussions and any actions taken or recommended as a result of such discussions". A number of the Transportation Strategy Board's recommendations involve, or potentially involve, other states. They include: l Including business and community leaders from Western Massachusetts in Bradley Airport planning and service development. l Implementing commuter rail service between New Haven and Springfield by 2010 l Supporting the development and implementation of a "smart card" based transit pass program that can be utilized across the entire public transportation network. l Improving integration of the New Haven Line, the branch lines, Shore Line East and the New Haven to Springfield Line so that seamless service is provided regardless of the entity responsible for operating a particular line. l Purchasing 24 M8 electric rail cars for use on Shore Line East by 2013. l Purchasing additional electric rail cars for use on the New Haven Line to increase reliability and support additional service. l Specifying, funding and purchasing new rolling stock for use on the New Haven-Springfield rail line. l Supporting cost effective proposals for Metro North access to Penn Station and intermediate stops. l Supporting the efforts of DOT, the Governor and the General Assembly to: - Obtain voting representation for Connecticut on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Metro-North Board of Directors; - Until voting representation is obtained continue DOT's participation on a non-voting basis; and - Take other actions necessary to ensure the long term financial and operational vitality of the Metro-North line as one of the most critical components of the State's transportation infrastructure. l Supporting DOT's continued monitoring of the future of Amtrak and its effects on operations and operating agreements for SLE and New Haven-Hartford- Springfield rail service. l Supporting the state's acquisition of the New Haven-Springfield rail line currently owned by AMTRAK. l Developing a comprehensive analysis of the potential for enhanced rail freight service to and through Connecticut, including, but not limited to: (1) the market for enhanced rail freight services; (2) the impact of enhanced rail freight service on traffic and congestion; (3) obstacles to enhanced rail freight service and ways to address them; and (4) the impact of enhanced rail freight service on commuter rail service, including scheduling and track availability, safety and physical infrastructure. l Supporting continued federal funding for development and completion of a Dredged Material Management Plan for Long Island Sound. l Reviewing the feasibility and viability of the proposed Bridgeport to New York feeder barge service. Entertain, and potentially fund, proposals for feeder barge services from ports other than Bridgeport. l Finalizing and implementing a plan to increase available truck rest stop parking spaces, to increase the safety of Connecticut's highway system. Include support systems necessary to comply with state anti-idling laws. l Supporting the expansion and improvement of Automated Traveler Information Systems, and other technologies that provide more comprehensive and timely information to travelers. l Continuing the development and build out of the Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Network. The Transportation Strategy Board believes that effective partnerships with our neighboring states and their respective transportation systems are essential to Connecticut's development of a sound and effective state transportation system. The Transportation Strategy Board specifically endorses the interstate initiative required by Public Act 06-136 and recommends that the State explore and, where appropriate, implement regional planning, cooperation and operating partnerships wherever they will enhance Connecticut's transportation system. HIGHWAYS Overview With 3,733 miles (9,775 lane miles) Connecticut's highway and roadway system provides the backbone to our State's transportation network. These state owned and maintained roadways include 376 ramp miles and connectors and 3,701 state maintained bridges. The State's road network also includes 16,852 miles of roads maintained by local municipalities. The Connecticut Department of Transportation is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the entire State highway system. This includes the design and construction of roads and bridges; directing, managing and coordinating all engineering and support; administration, supervision and coordination of all highway related maintenance programs and activities; and managing construction activities for the State highway network. The Department of Transportation must deal with an aging infrastructure, the effects of New England weather, increasing auto use, and, most of all, traffic congestion[3]. Addressing that congestion through alternatives to single passenger auto trips[4], operational and safety improvements, and selected additional capacity has been, and continues to be, a central focus of the State's transportation strategy. That kind of highway congestion is hardly limited to Connecticut. The Texas Transportation Institute's 2005 Urban Mobility Report notes that congestion continues to grow in America's urban areas. "Despite a slow growth in jobs and travel in 2003, congestion caused 3.7 billion hours of travel delay and 2.3 billion gallons of wasted fuel, an increase of 79 million hours and 69 million gallons from 2002 to a total cost of more than $63 billion. The 2005 report shows that the current pace of transportation improvement is not sufficient to keep pace with even the slow growth in travel demands in most urban areas.[5]" Connecticut's urban areas are not immune to this assessment; as illustrated in figures 1 and 2[6]. Figure 1 illustrates the 2005 hrs of congestion on Connecticut's highways. Figure 2 shows the projected 2025 hrs of congestion on the same highways. Figure 1 Figure 2 Highway Projects and Funding Federal funding provides the primary funding to implement these responsibilities. The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) program, which authorizes highway funding to the State from 2005 to 2009, provides annual average highway funding of $495 million, which is matched by state bond funds. The Federal funding includes $183 million designated for 84 "high priority projects" and $93 million for the Q-Bridge project. In addition, the 2005 and 2006 transportation initiatives have provided funding for several other selected projects. These include: Operational and safety improvements on Interstate 95 between Greenwich and North Stonington; Transportation improvement projects, including highway improvements, other than those on Interstate 95; Environmental assessment of the widening of Interstate 95 between Branford and/or Stonington; Preliminary design of the widening of Interstate 84 between Waterbury and the New York State line at Danbury; Highway improvements in support of economic development in the Hartford area. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends the expeditious implementation of the safety and operational improvements authorized and funded by Public Act 05-4, including the identification and implementation of similar improvements on other state highways. Recognizing the difficult challenges facing Connecticut's interstate highways, the Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the State "develop a master plan for the maintenance, capacity and future operations of the State's interstate highway system". Major Roadway Projects The Department of Transportation has identified these as its highest priority highway projects. Each of which is programmed as part of the Department's Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP), which guides the use of federal transportation funds available to the state: Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge; Moses Wheeler Bridge (Stratford); I84, Southington-Waterbury; Route 7/Route 15 Interchange (Norwalk); West River Bridge (New Haven/West Haven); Route 7 Bypass (Brookfield); I84-Farmington; Route 72 Relocation; I95 Operational Improvements; I95 Expansion East of Branford; and I84 Viaduct Rehabilitation (Hartford). The New Haven Harbor Crossing Corridor Improvement Program includes improvement of 7.2 miles of I95, including the replacement of the Pearl Harbor Memorial (Q) Bridge, and is the largest transportation investment in Connecticut since the creation of the interstate system. The plan will be accomplished under five major contracts, three minor contracts and ten associated projects. The total project cost is $1.5 billion with construction scheduled for completion in 2014. The replacement of the Moses Wheeler Bridge on I95 between Stratford and Milford is scheduled for advertising in July 2007. Construction is expected to take six years to complete. The total cost to replace the bridge is estimated at $200-300 million. The reconstruction and widening of I84 between Southington and Waterbury is the final phase of the highway widening east of Waterbury, and includes interchange improvements to Exits 23, 24 and 25. The Route 15/Route 7 Interchange (Norwalk) project involves completion of connections between the Merritt Parkway (Route 15) and US Route 7. The project was originally scheduled to be bid early in 2007 and cost $100 and $150 million. This project is currently the subject of litigation challenging the design and scale of the interchange. The West River Bridge project (New Haven/West Haven), will widen and replace the bridge over the West River, which is nearing the end of its serviceable life. The project also includes the reconfiguration of interchanges 44 and 45 on I95. The project is under design with construction scheduled for 2008; estimated total project cost is $85 million. The Route 7 Bypass (Brookfield) involves the construction of a bypass around Brookfield center and a series of seven projects to reconstruct existing Route 7 north to New Milford. The total estimated project cost of $87 million, project initiation is scheduled for mid-2007. Completion of the project is anticipated in late 2009. The I84-Farmington project, implements improvements recommended in the Hartford West Major Investment Study (1999), specifically those in the vicinity of I84 and Route 9, and the Route 4 and US Route 6 interchanges. Estimated project cost of $54 million and project initiation is scheduled for 2009 The Route 72 relocation involves the relocation of 3.2 miles of Route 72 on a new location as a four-lane arterial highway from the terminus of the existing Route 72 in Plainville to the Pine Street/Todd Street intersection in Bristol. The estimated project cost is $50 million and project initiation is scheduled for 2007, with a construction schedule of three years. I95 Operational Improvements projects, implements a series of operational and safety improvements on Interstate 95. The 2005 transportation initiative provided $187 million for these projects. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the State "expeditiously implement the safety and operational improvements authorized and funded by Public Act 05-4. Identify and implement similar improvements on other state highways". The expansion of I95 east of Branford, implements recommendations of the Interstate 95 Branford-Rhode Island Feasibility Study, which was completed in August 2004. The study presented an assessment of the existing transportation and environmental conditions, an analysis of future transportation conditions (projected to 2025), recommended improvement concepts and an implementation plan of action for the I95 corridor improvements. The estimated project cost is $1.75 billion. The 2006 transportation initiative provided funding for the environmental assessment of the first phase of the project. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the State "continue to support and fund the capacity expansion of the I95 between Branford and North Stonington consistent with on-going environmental study of that project." The I84 Viaduct Rehabilitation project in Hartford Involves the repair and rehabilitation of an elevated portion of I84 referred to as the Aetna Viaduct. The project extends the life of the 3200 foot viaduct for 10-20 years and has an estimated cost of $100 million. The Transportation Strategy Board has also considered a number of other strategic highway projects, which will be implemented beyond the three year life of the state's transportation improvement program. They include: Route 6. This project was intended to address safety, access and mobility issues on the principal state highway connecting Willimantic to Hartford. However, it has been delayed for a number of years as the result of disagreements between state and federal transportation and environmental officials over the layout of the road. During the delay the Department of Transportation has undertaken safety improvements along the existing highway. However, highway access to and from Willimantic remains problematic and presents both an economic development and a mobility challenge. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the state "support the funding and construction of the Route 6 Expressway from Bolton Notch to Windham and urge DOT, DEP and federal agencies to resolve outstanding issues. Route 11. This project, which is among the region's top transportation priorities, involves construction of a limited access highway from the current terminus of Route 11 in Salem to Interstate 95. The Department of Transportation recently completed an updated environmental assessment of this project, which is currently in the review process. DOT's most recent estimate of the cost of this project is $850 million. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the state "complete Route 11, and the associated greenway, from Salem to I-95 consistent with the on-going environmental study of that project". Interstate 84 East of Waterbury. This project involves the addition of an additional lane in each direction between Waterbury and the New York State line in Danbury. An environmental assessment of this project is currently underway. The 2006 transportation initiative provided funding for the preliminary design of the improvements. The Department of Transportation's most recent cost estimate is $ 1.0 billion. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the state support and fund the widening of Interstate 84 East of Waterbury. Interstate 84/Route 8 Interchange. This project involves the rehabilitation or replacement of the elevated interchange between Connecticut and Route 8 and Interstate 84 in Waterbury. The Department of Transportation estimates the construction of the project will not begin for about a decade. The cost estimate is about $2 billion. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the State "support and fund the feasibility and environmental studies for the reconstruction of the interchange of Routes 8 and I84 in Waterbury. Town Aid Roads The Town Aid Road (TAR) Grant funding is provided to municipalities to assist in the construction, reconstruction, improvement or maintainance of their local roads, highways and bridges. This included snow plowing, the sanding of icy pavements, trimming and removal of trees, the installation, replacement and maintenance of traffic signs, signals and markings for traffic control and vehicles safety programs, and the operation of essential public transportation services and related facilities. While Town Aid Road funding has been increased in recent years, the permanent funding is still below historic levels. The historical distribution of the TAR grants are outlined below in Figure 3[7]. Figure 3 Fiscal Year Expenditures %Expenditures Change 98 19,918,524 0.0 99 29,879,611 50.01 00 34,857,231 16.66 01 34,856,862 0.0 02 34,856,000 0.0 03 15,935,763 (54.28) 04 12,499,800 (21.56) 05 19,919,919 59.36 06 28,000,000[8] 40.56 07 (Revised Appropriation) 28,000,000 0.0 The Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the State "increase the town aid road grant and include incentives to encourage Transit Oriented Development and sound maintenance and pavement management practices". Highway Safety In 2003 there were over 80,000 accidents on Connecticut highways. Of these 273 were fatal, with 30,952 resulting in injuries. The mission of the Department of Transportation is to "provide a safe, efficient and cost-effective transportation system that meets the mobility needs of its users." The Department of Transportation's Division of Highway Safety prepares an annual highway safety strategic plan as part of its highway safety program. The strategic planning document provides historic, trend and current accident data detailing highway safety in Connecticut. Problem areas are identified, which dictate highway safety goals, objectives and planned countermeasures. The 2007 Highway Safety Plan noted a 1.1% increase from 2003 to 2004 in fatal crashes in Connecticut; with the greatest number of fatal accidents occurring on state highways. In addition, between 2000 and 2004, the plan cited a slight increase in alcohol-related fatalities; a 2% decrease in speeding-related fatalities; a continued decline in work zone-related fatal and severe injury accidents; a 9% increase (82%) in seat-belt use since 1999; and a 26% decrease in motorcyclist fatalities. Several reports, including a 2000 National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)Report[9] and the 2001 Connecticut Department of Transportation Report on Truck Stop and Rest Area Parking have cited the importance of providing adequate rest stops to improve the overall safety on highways. Specifically, the NTSB report concluded that "the lack of available truck parking, or truck drivers not knowing where parking would be available, can negatively impact safety." According to the Connecticut Department of Transportation report, "(truck) drivers are using unauthorized locations on the side of highways and along entrance and exit ramps as ad hoc rest areas," which demonstrate a need for additional truck parking areas. The 2003 NTSB report recommended to "increase available truck rest stop parking spaces to increase the safety of Connecticut's highway system." The Transportation Strategy Board continues to support a recommendation to finalize and implement this plan, including the support systems necessary to comply with state anti-idling laws. In the summer of 2005 the Connecticut Department of Transportation, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), initiated a study of Connecticut's rest areas and service plazas. Alternative concepts offered by the study advisory committee are currently under review by the Department of Transportation whose analysis is expected to be presented in early 2007. The study evaluates the State's overall needs, requirements, and options for rest areas and service plazas and will also evaluate the needs of each individual existing facility. The study will result in a long-term plan to move Connecticut to the forefront of states providing highway rest facilities and traveler services and will also recommend specific facility improvements. Highway Capacity States, including Connecticut, employ a variety of strategies and methods to deal with the causes and effects of existing and predicted congestion, including a mix of physical improvements to highways, in the form of either capacity or operational improvements; transit services that match demand with markets; and transportation demand management (TDM) and transportation system management (TSM). Those strategies are discussed more fully later in this document. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Nowhere has progress since presentation of the Transportation Strategy Board's 2003 report and strategy been more evident than in the field of public transportation. In 2005, the State committed almost $1 billion to new rail cars and maintenance facilities for the New Haven line. The following year, for the first time in memory, a Governor proposed a transportation initiative devoted almost entirely to public transportation. The final legislation approved by the General Assembly maintained that public transportation focus. Public transportation, both rail and bus, is a central focus of this transportation strategy. Among the challenges facing the state's public transportation system is implementation of the initiatives already approved; continuing to build on the progress made in 2005 and 2006; better integrating bus and rail services into a true statewide transportation system; and providing and funding an adequate level of bus and rail service. Coordinated Service Several of the current Transportation Strategy Board recommendations focus on coordinating and integrating a variety of public transportation services with the goal of providing a seamless statewide transportation system. Central to this approach is the recommendation to: Identify a statewide Strategic Transportation Network linking rail and transit services and determine the basic level of service necessary to provide statewide mobility. Both the rail and bus transportation systems involve a variety of services, provided by multiple operators. Recognizing the advantage of coordinating and integrating those services, the Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the State: Improve integration of the New Haven Line, the branch lines, Shore Line East and the New Haven to Springfield Line so that seamless service is provided regardless of the entity responsible for operating a particular line. Design and implement, as part of the Strategic Transportation Network, an integrated multimodal transit network that uses common brand identity and that takes into account all forms of bus service and provides links to the state's rail system. Much of this strategy deals with traditional public transportation systems. But, the Department of Transportation, the transit districts, and rail services are not the only entities providing publicly funded transportation services to Connecticut residents. For example, the Department of Social Services and local aging and social service agencies provide transportation services to their clients. The Department of Transportation has recently undertaken an effort to better coordinate those services. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends and encourages the Department of Transportation's efforts to "ensure coordination of all state funded transportation services regardless of the program or agency responsible for administering and/or funding such services". In order to help make the state's public transportation system truly intermodal, the Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the State support the development and implementation of a "smart card" based transit pass program that can be utilized across the entire public transportation network". Employee Transit Incentives As a major employer, especially in the Hartford area, the State of Connecticut is in a position to encourage its employees to utilize public transportation while at the same time serving as an example for other employers. That effort should begin, as several Transportation Investment Areas have suggested, with the transportation benefits the State provides to its own employees. The current state employee transit benefits take the form of a fairly minimal three dollar per month reduction in the price of bus and rail passes. To put that figure in perspective, federal employees are provided with a transit benefit capped at $100 per month. The Transportation Strategy Board believes that, over time, the existing employee transit benefit should be increased to a level that provides a significant incentive to transit use. In addition, the state should consider other such incentives. The State should also encourage private employers to provide transit benefits and incentives to their employees. Finally the location of state facilities and the availability or unavailability of transit options can also directly impact employee use of transit options. The Transportation Strategy Board believes that the law should "require that in locating state facilities, the State give priority to those locations on or near rail and bus lines". Likewise, the State should "consider the availability of rail and bus service and facilities when making other state investment decisions". For example, the availability of bus and/or rail service should be considered when evaluating economic development and housing projects. COMMUTER RAIL Connecticut's rail passenger system consists of five elements: The New Haven Line main line between New Haven and Grand Central Terminal in New York City The New Haven Line branch lines which run between Stamford and New Canaan, South Norwalk and Danbury, and Bridgeport and Waterbury; Shore Line East, which provides service between New Haven and New London; The New Haven-Hartford-Springfield commuter rail service which the Governor recommended and the General Assembly approved in 2006 and which is targeted to begin service in 2010; and AMTRAK, whose Northeast Corridor service between Washington and Boston makes stops in Stamford, Bridgeport, New Haven, Old Saybrook and New London and which provides feeder service between Springfield and New Haven. The New Haven Line service is operated by Metro North, a subsidiary of New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), under a contract with the Connecticut Department of Transportation and the MTA. AMTRAK operates its own service and operates Shore Line East Service under a contract with the Connecticut Department of Transportation. The operator for the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield rail service has not been selected. Public Act 06-136 requires that the operator of that service be selected through a competitive process. New Haven Line The New Haven Line main line service between New Haven and New York City is the oldest, the busiest and, by any measure, the most productive of the Connecticut's commuter rail lines. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2006, just under 32 million passengers used the main line service, which serves 18 Connecticut stations between New Haven and Greenwich. The New Haven Line branch line service includes lines running between Stamford and New Canaan; South Norwalk and Danbury and Bridgeport and Waterbury. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2005, the branch lines carried about 2.2 million passengers. Branch Lines The New Canaan branch runs between Stamford and New Canaan, a distance of about eight miles. It is by far the shortest of the branch lines and the only one which is electrified. In many ways it functions more like an extension of the main line than a true branch line. For example, because the line is electrified, New Canaan line trains utilize the same electric rail cars which operate on the main line. Unlike the other branch lines, most New Canaan branch trains continue beyond Stamford to Grand Central Station without the need for passengers to change trains. Indeed, the Metro North timetable treats the New Canaan service as a part of the main line service, rather than as a branch line. The New Canaan branch is the most productive of the branch lines, carrying about 1.4 million passengers in FY 2006. However, it has not experienced the same growth in ridership which the main line, the other branches and Shore Line East have experienced over the last few years. The Danbury Branch operates between South Norwalk and Danbury, a distance of about 24 miles. There are seven station stops on the line, which carried about 700,000 passengers in FY 2006. The line was at one time electrified, but the electrification was eliminated in the 1950's. The possibility of electrification is being explored as part of the on-going branch line studies. The longest (27 miles) and the least utilized of the branch line is the Waterbury branch, which operates between Bridgeport and Waterbury with station stops in Derby, Ansonia, Seymour, Naugatuck and Waterbury. State Financial Support The State of Connecticut's involvement with the New Haven Line dates back to the mid-1960's when Connecticut Governor John N. Dempsey and New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller agreed to provide public subsidies in order to ensure the continuation of commuter rail service between New Haven and New York. Initially the two states' participation took the form of subsidy payments to the private carriers operating the commuter service. Under the original agreement each state paid 50% of the operating deficit for both the main line and the branch lines. In 1970, the State of Connecticut began providing capital grants to support the improvement of the commuter rail service both directly and utilizing federal funds. At about the same time the state acquired ownership of the New Haven line trackage within the State of Connecticut. In 1983, as the result of federal legislation, the two states were forced to accept responsibility for the actual operation - as opposed to the financial subsidization-of the New Haven Line. They agreed that Metro-North, a newly created subsidiary of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, would assume operational responsibility for the line[10]. While the two states agreed about who would operate the service, they were unable to agree how much each state would pay and that issue eventually went to arbitration. That arbitration, and another a few years later, resulted in a substantial change in the original 50/50 division of expenses. Under the current formula, the State of Connecticut pays 65% of the operating deficit and moveable capital expenses of the main line service and 100% of the operating debt and moveable capital expenses for the branch line[11]. It also continues to pay 100% of the cost of fixed capital equipment located in Connecticut[12]. Shore Line East The creation of Shore Line East was approved by the General Assembly in the late 1980's and the service began operations in 1990. It offers weekday service (21 trains / 23 on Friday) between New Haven and Old Saybrook. The service is supposed to operate from New Haven to New London. However, restrictions on bridge use force all but two trains a day to stop in Old Saybrook. Over the last several years, Shore Line East has seen a dramatic growth in ridership, which has risen from 299,000 in FY 2000 to about 433,000 in FY 2006. Ridership As these charts indicate, the New Haven Line main line, two of the three branch lines and Shore Line East have all experienced and are projected to continue to see, significant growth in ridership. The exception to this trend was the New Canaan branch, which saw a decrease in ridership in FY 2006, but is projected to bounce back in FY2007. The main line, the branch lines and Shore Line East are all projected to increase ridership in FY 2007, although not at the same rate of growth as in FY 2006. Subsidies In FY 2006, the State paid about $81 million to offset operating deficits on the New Haven Line, the branch lines and Shore Line East. Figure 4 shows the distribution of those subsidy dollars between the various branch lines. Figure 4 Distribution of State Subsidies One measure of the operating efficiency of a rail service is the average subsidy per passenger. For the overall state rail system the FY 2006 subsidy was $1.83 per passenger, which is among the lowest per passenger subsidies in the nation. Typically the lowest subsidies are found on heavily traveled main lines and short spur lines, such as the New Canaan branch. Subsidies on longer and less heavily traveled branch lines tend to be higher. That has been the experience in Connecticut, as Figure 5 demonstrates. Figure 5 Per Passenger Subsidy New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail Service In 2006, the Governor recommended, and the General Assembly authorized, the initiation of commuter rail service between New Haven, Hartford and Springfield, which will be supplemented by the existing AMTRAK rail service[13] on that line. The new commuter rail service will serve eight existing and thee new stations between New Haven and Springfield and will be linked to the New Britain - Hartford busway. The existing stations are in New Haven, Wallingford, Meriden, Berlin, Hartford, Windsor, Windsor Locks and Springfield. The new stations will be in North Haven, Newington, and Enfield. As part of the new service new rail stations will be constructed in most locations. Transit oriented development will be a key aspect of the planning for each station. The New Haven-Hartford-Springfield commuter rail service will operate 16 trains a day (eight in each direction). Ridership is projected at about 630,000 passengers per year. [14] Implementation of the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield rail service by 2010 has been, and continues to be, among the Transportation Strategy Board's highest priorities. Recognizing the long lead time associated with the purchase of rail rolling stock, the Transportation Strategy Board is also recommending the purchase of new rolling stock for this line in about 2012. Issues Rolling Stock When the Transportation Strategy Board's 2003 strategy was submitted to the General Assembly one of most significant transportation challenges facing the state was how to fund the replacement of the aging M2 electric rail cars used on the New Haven Line. Today, that issue has been addressed. In 2005, Governor Rell recommended, and the General Assembly approved, funding for 342 new M8 rail cars for the New Haven Line. Three hundred of those cars have been ordered[15] and will begin arriving in 2009. The cars are scheduled to be delivered at the rate of 10 cars per month, or 120 cars per year, with the last car scheduled for delivery in 2013. In 2006, $25 million in bond funding was provided for the rehabilitation of 40 locomotive rail coaches, which will be used on the New Haven line, the branch lines and the New Haven to Springfield commuter rail service. While the state has made significant progress in revitalizing its rail rolling stock, it is important to continue to address those needs in a timely manner. Recognizing the long lead time required for most rolling stock purchases, the Transportation Strategy Board has made a number of recommendations for future purchases of additional rail cars. They include: * Twenty-four M8 electric rail cars for use on Shore Line East; * The final 14 M8 electric rail cars available under the State's current contract, for use on the New Haven line; * New rolling stock for use on the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield commuter rail service. The Transportation Strategy Board also recommends that funding be set aside early in the next decade for design of the next-generation electric rail car for use on the New Haven Line. Service Coordination As previously noted, the New Haven Line service, is operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Metro-North subsidiary, while AMTRAK operates the Shore Line East service. An operator has not yet been selected for the New Haven to Springfield rail service, however, that operator is required to be selected through a competitive process. The Transportation Strategy Board believes that it is essential that service between the lines be integrated regardless of which operator is responsible for the operation of a particular line. The Transportation Strategy Board also supports and recommends the adoption of a state rail operations plan which will address this and other issues. Rail Parking The State of Connecticut owns virtually all rail stations and the associate parking facilities between New Haven and Greenwich. However, most station facilities and parking are operated by local communities under long-term leases with the Department of Transportation. Under those arrangements each community generally establishes its own rules and parking rates and is responsible for collecting the fees and maintaining local parking and Station facilities. This arrangement has led to a wide variety of local rules, charges and station and parking conditions. The Board reviewed the rail governance study commissioned by the Department of Transportation and heard testimony from a variety of individuals regarding parking needs, especially along the New Haven Line. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the State develop, in consultation with local officials and commuters a uniform policy concerning rail station governance and implement it as existing leases come up for renewal. The policy should provide for centralized oversight of rail stations and parking, uniform policies, permits and fees and should ensure adequate funding for station and parking area improvements. In order to further address parking needs on the New Haven Line the Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the State implement planned rail station parking initiatives in Bridgeport, Stratford and New Haven; expedite replacement of the Stamford rail station parking garage; and maximize the amount of parking associated with new rail stations. Shore Line East Shoreline East service primarily operates westbound (toward New Haven) in the morning and eastbound (toward New London) in the evening. There is no weekend service. In 2006, the General Assembly directed the Department of Transportation to report on obstacles to improve service on Shoreline East. That report is due to be submitted at the start of the 2007 legislative session. The Transportation Strategy Board believes that reliable reverse commute and weekend service is important to long-term development of Shoreline East and recommends that such service be instituted. As previously noted, Shore Line East service theoretically operates between New Haven and New London. However, because of limitations on the use of certain rail bridges all but two Shore Line East trains stop at Old Saybrook. The restriction on bridge use limits of both the current operations are Shore Line East and the potential for future operations between Connecticut and Rhode Island. Similar issues have recently arisen on Metro North. The Department of Transportation should work with the Department of Environmental Protection, the United States Coast Guard and other responsible entities to address bridge issues limiting or potentially limiting rail service especially on Shore Line East. Penn Station Service Currently all Metro North rail service operates into Grand Central Station with no direct service to Penn Station. However, the MTA is studying the potential for such service. Metro North service to Penn Station would potentially benefit Connecticut in two ways. First, it would provide commuters with direct service to the west side of Manhattan. Second, it would also create the potential for commuters from Long Island and Queens to access southwestern Connecticut using Metro-North rather than passenger automobiles. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the State support and encourage cost-effective proposals for Metro-North access to Penn Station and intermediate stations. Branch Lines Several years ago the State undertook studies of potential improvements on the New Canaan, Danbury and Waterbury branches of the New Haven Line. While the costs and of those studies have escalated greatly, the Transportation Strategy Board believes that it is important to complete the studies and to begin to implement their recommendations. Among the issues being addressed as part of the studies are the extension of Danbury branch service to New Milford; electrification of the Danbury branch; and the evaluation of the Branch Line "collector" stations recommended by the Board in 2003. Another important branch line issue is the installation of a modern centralized train control (CTC) on the Danbury branch, which will improve operations and safety of the line. The development and installation of this critical system has been delayed several times by funding and design issues. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends that it be made a high priority. Infrastructure There are a number of infrastructure projects included in the Department of Transportation's regular rail capital program which the Transportation Strategy Board believes are essential to the future of the New Haven Line. These include the rehabilitation of rail bridges in Norwalk and Westport; completion of other scheduled bridge replacements and rehabilitations; replacement of the catenary system on the Metro-North Line; replacement and improvement of the electric substations; replacement and enhancement of the Main line signal system; and lengthening the platforms at all stations so they can accommodate at least 10 coaches. The Transportation Strategy Board supports funding for those projects. In addition, there are a number of projects to enhance rail stations in the 2006 transportation initiative. These include the development of a new Metro North rail station and transit oriented development in the City of West Haven, evaluation and planning for a new Metro North rail station in the Town of Orange, development of stations and station improvements on the Shore Line East, and the encouraging of transit oriented development at and near rail stations. The Transportation Strategy Board supports these projects. Metro North Operating Agreement In 2003, the Board recommended, and the legislature endorsed, the state seeking voting representation for Connecticut on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's board of directors and on the board of directors of Metro-North. While the State has not obtained voting representation on the MTA board, the Department of Transportation has been taking a much more active role on a nonvoting basis. The Transportation Strategy Board reiterates its earlier recommendation concerning voting representation. Until such time as voting representation is obtained the Connecticut Department of Transportation continue to participate in both boards on a nonvoting basis. BUS TRANSIT Overview Connecticut's bus transit system consists of five types of service delivered by a variety of providers. They are: Fixed route service, which provides traditional urban bus service, operating on a fixed route with regularly scheduled service; Express service, which makes one or few stops before proceeding non-stop to an end destination, (in Connecticut this service is almost exclusive to the Greater Hartford area); Commuter connection, connecting rail services to residential and employment centers; Demand responsive and Dial-a-Ride services, providing as-needed service within a system's service area; Flex route, which provides similar service as demand responsive service, however boardings are at pre-arranged times within a system's service area. Connecticut Transit (CTTransit) CTTransit, consisting of eight divisions, is the largest transit operation in the State and is owned by the State of Connecticut. Three divisions, in Stamford, New Haven and Hartford, are operated and managed by First Transit Inc. under a five year contract with the State (last awarded in September 2006). The remaining five divisions of CTTransit are operated under contract with private bus operators in Waterbury, New Britain, Bristol, Meriden and Wallingford. CTTransit provides fixed route and express services. ADA paratransit services are contracted out by CTTransit to various organizations located within the respective service areas. In 2006 CTTransit services accounted for 79% (26,321,775) of the total bus transit ridership in the State. Transit Districts Connecticut's urban transit districts provide various types of services within the State's urban population and employment centers. In 2006 urban transit districts' ridership represented 20% (6,471,026) of the State's total bus transit ridership. The Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority serves Bridgeport, Fairfield, Stratford and Trumbull as well as providing limited service to Monroe, Shelton and Derby. The Housatonic Area Region (HART) serves the eight towns of the Greater Danbury area and operates the Katonah shuttle, which links commuters in Ridgefield with the Metro North's Harlem Line service to New York City. The Middletown Transit District provides bus transit service connecting Middletown and Meriden, in addition to servicing the Route 372 corridor in Cromwell. The Milford Transit District serves the Milford area and provides Jobs Access service to Norwalk. The Norwalk Transit District provides fixed route service in Norwalk and Westport; inter-town service between Norwalk and Milford and between Norwalk and Danbury; and ADA paratransit service in Westport, Norwalk, Darien, Stamford and Greenwich. The Southeast Area Transit District (SEAT) serves nine towns in Southeastern Connecticut. The Valley Transit District primarily provides dial-a-ride and ADA services in the four towns of the Naugatuck River Valley. Local transit districts also provide service in five rural service areas: The Northwestern Transit District serves sixteen towns with deviated fixed (flexible) route and dial-a-ride services. The Northeastern Transit District operates flex route service in the seven towns around Putnam. The Windham Transit District provides rural fixed route, demand response and ADA service to ten towns in the Willimantic area. The Connecticut River Estuary area is serviced by the Estuary Transit District, which provides demand response services as well the Shoreline Shuttle service, which is a fixed route service operating between Old Saybrook and Madison. The Middletown Transit District provides rural fixed route service linking the rural suburbs with Middletown. In 2006, rural transit districts' services represented 1% (335,000) of the total state ridership on bus transit. Ridership Bus transit ridership among urban and rural routes has experienced a increase over the past year; while ridership on the CTTransit services has leveled. Figure 6 displays ridership among these systems since 1999. Figure 6[16] State Financial Assistance The State of Connecticut provides both operating subsidies and capital funding to CTTransit and the urban and rural transit districts. The annual FY 2006 operating budget for bus transit was $100 million, which represents the State's share of the $140 million annual operating cost of those services. The remaining operational cost is paid by fares, as well as local funding in areas served by transit districts[17]. The fare box recovery rate and degree of state subsidy varies from service to service and is dependent on a variety of factors, including population density and the type of service. The State of Connecticut also provides about $8.5 million in annual funding for capital needs at CTTransit and the transit districts. A majority of transit capital projects have a funding ratio of 80% federal, matched with 20% state or local matching funding. It is noteworthy that these figures do not include the capital funding included in the 2005 and 2006 transportation initiatives, which provided 100% state funding for most capital projects funded as part of the initiatives. The Department of Transportation has taken steps to address several issues related to the long-term capital needs of the bus transit system. The Department's capital program includes plans to update and upgrade buses, the fare box and revenue collection systems; radio system improvements; implementation of intelligent transportation system technology to provide automated vehicle location, global positioning systems and geographic information systems; and fleet replacement. Testimony provided to the Transportation Strategy Board at public hearings and as part of a panel of transit providers noted there are a series of funding policies which the providers believe "no longer meet the needs of our public transit providers," and are "a result of chronically insufficient investment in public buses and related services." Factors such as the 67% rule (which limits the state's funding contribution to bus systems other than CTTransit); silo funding and overcrowded routes contribute to these issues. The transit districts also noted problems they have experienced accessing available Federal funds due to a lack of matching funding. An example, brought to the Transportation Strategy Board's attention by the Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority, was their inability to access $375,000 in Federal funding for a lack of a $75,000 match. This issue appears to result from the fact that some smaller projects, with a useful life of less than twelve years are, properly, matched using operating, rather than capital (bond) funds. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the State ensure that sufficient capital and/or operating funds are available to match the available Federal funds. Transit districts have also expressed concern about the lack of flexibility in most efficiently utilizing the available state funds. The Department of Transportation has thirteen separate program based funding silos for transit districts. Funds can generally not be moved from one silo to another. As a result of this policy, a surplus from program or funding source generally cannot be applied against the deficit for another program or service. Funding silos are generally the result of program specific budgets, rules and/or funding sources. Several transit districts argued that, subject to program accountability, they should have the ability to move funding to address needs. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the State provide transit districts funding flexibility consistent with program accountability. The Department of Transportation has stated that it is attempting to address the silo funding issue as former demonstration programs (such as Jobs Access) are integrated into their regular operating budget. Financial Performance One measure of the operating efficiency of bus transit services is the percentage of operating costs paid for by fares, known as the fare box ratio. Generally speaking, the fare box ratios for CTTransit and the local transit providers compare favorably to national peers, as figure 7 indicates. Figure 7[18] The performance of Connecticut's bus transit service doesn't go unnoticed; in fact the State received bonus federal funds ($1.0 million) in SAFETEA-LU because of its "transit intensive urbanized areas." Within the state, fare box ratios vary widely depending upon the area and the type of service, as demonstrated by a comparison of the State's urban fixed route services in Figure 8. Figure 8[19] Figure 9 shows the long and short term trends in CTTransit and transit district fare box ratios (urban fixed route service). Figure 9[20] Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) The Federal Transit Administration defines bus rapid transit as "a flexible, high performance rapid transit mode that combines a variety of physical, operating and system elements into a permanently integrated system with quality image and unique identity." This definition highlights the flexibility and variety of applications BRT systems can accommodate and address. The Department of Transportation has a number of Bus Rapid Transit projects in various stages of development, the most advanced of which is the busway running between New Britain and Hartford. The New Britain-Hartford Busway is one of ten demonstration projects in the country approved by the Federal Transit Administration in 1999. The project consists of a two-way, 9-mile exclusive busway with 12 on-line stations linking downtown New Britain and Hartford's Union Station. One station will also link the busway to the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield commuter rail service. The 2006 transportation initiative provides $50 million towards the State's portion of the capital funding required to complete this busway. This busway will be built on active and inactive rail rights-of-way and offer four types of service: express, shuttle, neighborhood collectors and feeder bus. The primary busway service will operate 18 hours each day using a mix of standard buses and 40-foot articulated buses. In addition, the project includes a station area planning component with a goal to encourage transit oriented development in order to enhance the State's transportation investment with enhanced community livability. A draft environmental impact statement was issued in April 2001 on this busway project. The environmental impact process was completed with a record of decision in March 2002. Preliminary engineering began in September 2002, and preliminary design began in 2004. The Federal Transit Administration recently authorized final design activities. Construction is estimated to start in 2008, and operations are expected to begin a couple of years afterwards. The total project costs for this busway are estimated at $458 million, which includes the busway design and construction, purchase of ten 40-foot articulated buses and ten 30-foot buses, as well as the modification of an existing maintenance facility to accommodate servicing of these buses. The capital cost of the busway has almost tripled since it was originally proposed. As with a number of other transportation projects, the escalating capital cost is a serious concern. The operating budget for the busway service is estimated at $9.6 million annually, with a 30% fare box return; this results in a needed annual subsidy of $7.0 million.[21] Ridership is forecasted at 16,400 daily riders upon commencement of the service. Other BRT proposals include the Hartford East Busway, which provide service from Hartford to East Hartford, Manchester and Vernon; and the Griffin Line Busway, from downtown Hartford to Bradley International Airport. Other Issues Coordination of Services Bus transit services are funded by the State of Connecticut and delivered by a wide variety of providers, including CTTransit, local transit districts and private providers. The Transportation Strategy Board believes it is important to coordinate these largely local transit services in a way that provides an effective statewide transit service. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the State "design and implement, as part of the strategic transportation network, an integrated multimodal transit network that uses a common brand identity and that takes into account all forms of bus service and provides links to the states rail system". Funding As previously discussed, officials of several local transit districts expressed concerns about the level of operating capital to support local bus transit services. In particular, users and providers expressed concern about the level of local bus service which can be provided based on current funding levels. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the Governor and the General Assembly review transit district funding formulas and requirements in order to ensure adequate funding for bus transit services and parity between transit districts and state owned or operated transit services, including CTTransit. Jobs Access and Reverse Commute The Jobs Access and Reverse Commute program originally began as a result of the welfare reform legislation in the mid-1990s and was later enhanced using state and federal funds. It has been a transit success story, extending bus service and providing access to jobs in areas not previously served. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the State "continue funding for the Jobs Access and Reverse Commute program, while making maximum use of federal funds to support needed services". The state should also continue to identify and implement additional service opportunities as appropriate". When the original Transportation Strategy Board legislation was passed in 2001 funding was provided for number of rail and bus pilot services. The bus services included: o The Jobs Access and Reverse Commute program; o Funding for expanded bus services connecting with rail services in the Coastal Corridor. These include the Stratford Shuttle, enhanced Westport Road Shuttle, Wheeler Shuttle (Milford), High Ridge Road Commuter Connection (Stamford), Route 7 Link (Norwalk-Danbury), enhanced Coastal Link, Commuter Connection Central and East (Stamford); o Purchase of ten new buses to expand Fairfield County inter-regional service; o Development of a new commuter connection for western Connecticut commuters to Metro-North's Harlem Line, known as the Ridgefield-Katonah Shuttle; o Enhancements to Southeast Area Transit; and o Expanding express bus service in the Hartford area. Funding for those programs has been continued since the original appropriation on a year by year basis. The Transportation Strategy Board has evaluated the services on several occasions and recommends that the Governor and the General Assembly make those services permanent and include them in the State's regular bus and rail operations budgets. Links to Commuter Rail Service Among the transportation needs identified by the I-395 Transportation Investment Area was the need to provide a way for commuters in northeastern Connecticut to connect with MBTA commuter rail services to Boston. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the State evaluate the possibility of providing bus links to the MBTA similar to those provided between the Danbury area and Metro-North's Harlem line in New York State. BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN The 2006 transportation strategy includes a significantly increased emphasis on bicycle and pedestrian travel. Effective bicycle and pedestrian networks result in a reduction in vehicle trips. The reduction in vehicle trips then results in a reduction in emissions, need for roadway infrastructure and parking facilities There are three major roles the bicycle and pedestrian modes can fill:[22] As a primary mode, directly accessing a job or other site. As a feeder mode, accessing transit services that will complete the trip. For circulation through an activity center. Important factors that influence the choice of bicycle or pedestrian commuting include: Trip Distance Perceived Traffic Safety Travel Cost - surveys suggest that financial incentives could make a difference in the choice of this mode.[23] Physical environment, including terrain, climate, circulation within activity centers and availability of alternative modes. Demographics - bicycle commuting generally declines rapidly in the segment of the population over age 45. Bicycle use in Connecticut as a mode for commuting remained fairly constant between 1990 and 2000, at approximately 0.2 percent of all commuters. Walking to work declined as an option in the State between those same years, from 3.6 percent to 2.7 percent. Compared to national averages, Connecticut has a lower percentage of bike commuters (0.2% vs. 0.4% nationally), and roughly the same percentage of pedestrian commuters (2.7% vs. 3% nationally). In 1999, the Department of Transportation developed a Connecticut Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan, the focus of which is recreational cycling and walking. The plan discusses current policies and regulations relating to bicycle and pedestrian facilities, presents planning and design guidelines, goals, funding strategies and completed and planned projects. It also includes the bicycle and pedestrian plans of all the Regional and Metropolitan Planning Agencies in the State. Recommendations presented in the plan include: Review of the Connecticut Bicycle Map and Long Range Bike Map when evaluating the suitability of providing sidewalks, shoulder widening, etc., and multi-use trails within projects. Inclusion of bicycle and pedestrian facility planning in the highway planning and design process. Provision for bicycle/pedestrian access in all bridge design and reconstruction process. The Department of Transportation has worked to provide bike racks on buses; specifically the full equipping of CTTransit buses in the Stamford and New Haven areas has been accomplished. The equipping of CTTransit buses in the Hartford area is scheduled as part of the upcoming fleet replacement. In addition efforts to provided bike racks at train stations are being addressed on a continual basis. In recognition of the role that bicycle and pedestrian strategies can play in accomplishing the State's transportation strategy, the Transportation Strategy Board recommends: Provide dedicated bike space on passenger trains at all times of the day. Identify and support bike routes to transportation centers. Identify and remedy existing bicycle storage and parking deficiencies, especially in urban centers and transportation centers. Adopt a policy of allowing bicycles to be carried on state funded bus routes. As new buses are ordered equip them to permit the carriage of bicycles. Encourage municipal and regional officials to work closely with DOT to include expanded bicycle and pedestrian facilities as a part of all roadway projects. Support the development and implementation of the Federal Safe Routes to School program. RAIL FREIGHT Over the five years since the establishment of the Transportation Strategy Board, numerous speakers and advocates have argued for expanding the use of rail freight as a means of diverting traffic from the highways and thereby reducing congestion. The Board has considered those arguments as well as the concerns of the Department of Transportation and others about the possible impact of increased rail freight on Connecticut's growing commuter rail system. In addition, several regional initiatives to enhance the use and potential of rail freight have been undertaken in recent years. These include the Cross Harbor Freight Movement Project by the NYC Economic Development Corporation and the Northeast Rail Operations Study by the I95 Corridor Coalition. The Transportation Strategy Board believes that there are a series of important questions and issues which need to be resolved in order for the state to properly assess the potential impact of increased rail freight service and whether to pursue that service. They include: Whether a commercial market exists and will support enhanced rail freight service; How increased rail freight service would impact highway congestion, particularly on Connecticut's interstate highways; How enhanced rail freight service would impact Connecticut's existing and planned commuter rails lines, including scheduling, track availability, safety and physical infrastructure; and the obstacles to enhanced rail freight service and how best to address them. In order to address those issues, and provide a sound basis for decision making, the Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the State "develop a comprehensive analysis of the potential for enhanced rail freight service to and through Connecticut, including, but not limited to: (1) the market for enhanced rail freight services; (2) the impact of enhanced rail freight service on traffic and congestion; (3) obstacles to enhanced rail freight service and ways to address them; and (4) the impact of enhanced rail freight service on commuter rail service, including scheduling and track availability, safety and physical infrastructure". AVIATION Connecticut's statewide aviation system consists of over 150 facilities of various types, including: Six State Airports; Four Municipal Airports; 13 Private Airports which are open to the public; and 130 Private Airports and Landing Areas. The State owned airports are: Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, which is the largest airport in the state and the only state owned airport with scheduled commercial air service; Brainard Airport in Hartford, a general aviation airport and a reliever airport for Bradley; Groton-New London Airport in Groton, a general aviation airport which had scheduled commercial air service until 2004; Oxford, a general aviation airport which serves the corporate aviation market in Western Connecticut; Windham Airport, a general aviation airport serving the local aviation community; and Danielson Airport, a general aviation airport serving the local aviation community. The municipal airports are: Tweed-New Haven Airport is owned by the City of New Haven and located in New Haven and East Haven. It is the only Connecticut airport other than Bradley with scheduled commercial air service; Sikorsky Memorial Airport is owned by the City of Bridgeport and located entirely in the Town of Stratford. It is a general aviation airport which had scheduled commercial air service until 1999; Danbury Airport, owned by the City of Danbury, is a general aviation which serves as the base for a substantial amount of pilot training; and Meriden Markham is a general aviation airport owned by the City of Meriden and located in Meriden and Wallingford. Connecticut residents are also served by a number of commercial airports outside the state, including Logan Airport in Boston, T.F. Green Airport in Providence, Kennedy, LaGuardia and Westchester Airports in New York and Newark Airport in New Jersey. Airport Funding Funding for publicly owned airports depends on who owns the airport and the services which it provides. Bradley International Airport is primarily funded through airport fees, including landing and gate fees and rental charges paid by the airlines, and concession. Those fees and rentals are deposited in an enterprise fund which supports the airport's operations. The airport's annual operating and capital budgets are approved by the Bradley Board of Directors and the Commissioner of Transportation and the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, but are not part of the state budget process and are not subject to legislative approval. Figure 10 Bradley Revenue Sources Because the airlines fund a large part of the airport's operations the current master agreement between Bradley and the major carriers which use the airport gives the airlines a role in the approval of the airport's operating budget. That provision is fairly typical of agreements between airlines and other airports that were negotiated at the same time as the Bradley agreement. However, it has proven problematic at times and has led to disagreements over issues such as how much, and what type of, marketing is required. Bradley management has indicated that it will attempt to follow the lead of several other airports and eliminate that clause when the agreement comes up for renegotiation in 2011. Seventy-five per cent of the cost of most Bradley capital projects is paid for by the federal government with the balance coming from a combination of revenue bonds and "Passenger Facility Charges", which are ticket surcharges paid by passengers using the airport. Other State Airport's operating costs are paid from the Department of Transportation's budget and, unlike Bradley, are subject to the state's annual budget process. Ninety per cent of approved capital project expenses are paid by the federal government, with the balance coming from Department of Transportation's annual capital program. Municipal Airport operating costs are, with one exception, paid entirely by the community owning the airport. The sole exception is Tweed-New Haven Airport which has, for a number of years, received a $600,000 operating grant from the State of Connecticut. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends continuation of that grant. Ninety per cent of the costs of approved capital projects are paid by the federal government. The State of Connecticut pays seven and one half per cent of the costs and the balance are paid by the local community. Bradley International Airport Bradley International Airport is, by far, the largest and busiest airport in the State of Connecticut. It ranks: * 49th of 175 Airports nationwide in terms of passenger volume * 35th of 161 airports nationwide in terms of cargo volume * 146th of 1,075 airports worldwide in terms of total volume Figures 11 and 12 show Bradley's passenger and cargo service areas[24]. Figure 11 Figure 12 Cargo Service Area As these figures demonstrate, a significant part of Bradley's service area is outside Connecticut. Recognizing the interstate nature of Bradley's market, the Transportation Strategy Board recommends that business and community leaders from Western Massachusetts be involved in airport planning and service development. Bradley Board of Directors In 2001 the same legislation which created the Transportation Strategy Board created a Board of Directors for Bradley International Airport. The Bradley Board of Directors is composed of: A Chairperson, appointed by the Governor; The Commissioner of Transportation; The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development; A representative of the Transportation Strategy Board, appointed by the Speaker of the House; A member of the Bradley International Airport Community Advisory Board[25], appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; One member appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate; and One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate. The Bradley Board of Directors shares responsibility for the management of the airport with the Department of Transportation. The Board of Director's duties include: Developing organizational and management structure that will best accomplish the goals of Bradley International Airport; Approving the annual capital and operating budgets of Bradley International Airport; Establishing a procedure to review significant contracts; Approving Bradley International Airport's master plan; Ensuring the establishment of service standards, performance targets and performance assessment systems; Establishing and review policies and plans for marketing the airport and for determining the best use of airport property, Advocating for Bradley International Airport's interests and ensure that Bradley International Airport's potential as an economic development resource for the state and region are fully realized; Developing an appropriate mission statement and set of strategic goals for Bradley International Airport and that progress toward those goals is regularly assessed; Ensuring appropriate independent expertise is available to advise the Bradley Board of directors; Approving community relations policies and ensure that the community advisory board operates effectively to ensure that community comment and information is regularly and fully considered in decisions related to Bradley International Airport; Creating a code of conduct for the Bradley Board of Directors consistent with the Code of Ethics; Acting in cooperation with the Connecticut Transportation Strategy Board ; and Reporting to the Governor and the General Assembly on an annual basis. The Transportation Strategy Board supports the strategies and tactics (including the traffic improvement recommendations) adopted by the Bradley Board of Directors to strengthen Bradley as the State's major commercial airport for both passenger and air freight services for the State and the rest of Western New England. The Transportation Strategy Board also encourages the Bradley Board of Directors to work with the appropriate State agencies and neighboring municipalities to: Define economic development goals and priorities for Bradley; Establish procedures to pre-approve development sites on Bradley property; and Encourage support for complementary and coordinated multi-town economic development plans. Passenger and Cargo Trends Figure 13 shows Bradley passenger trends since 1997. From 1997 though 2000 passenger use rose steadily to a record of 7,338,744 passengers in 2000. Through the first eight months of 2001 the airport seemed certain to set a new passenger record. Then came the events of September 11, 2001 and their impact on the airline industry. By 2003 annual passengers had fallen to 6,261,807. In 2004, Bradley saw its first increase in passenger travel since 2001 and the following year it set a new annual record for passengers. Figure 13 Passenger Trends 1997-2005 Cargo volumes at the airport dropped from 1999 to 2000 and remained fairly level for several years before rising in 2004 and again in 2005. Figure 14 Cargo Trends 1999-2005 The Transportation Strategy Board recommends the establishment of improved cargo service as a priority for the Bradley Board of Directors and the Department of Transportation. Infrastructure and Initiatives Over the last decade Bradley has undertaken a number of initiatives aimed at improving the airport's physical infrastructure, including a new terminal and terminal improvements; a new on-airport parking garage; an electric cogeneration facility designed to reduce energy costs; and a new customs and federal inspection station. Planned improvements include replacement of Murphy Terminal, the oldest part of the current terminal facilities; expansion of the parking garage; a high speed taxiway and consolidated cargo and rental car facilities. All of the planned projects are to be funded from the airport's state and federal resources. Bradley International Airport has also undertaken a number of marketing and route development initiatives designed to increase the markets, especially in the western United States and Europe, which have direct service from Bradley. Among the new markets added have been: * Amsterdam (2007) * Denver (2007) * Salt Lake City (2005) * Los Angeles (2005) * Phoenix * Las Vegas The Transportation Strategy Board recognizes the success of Bradley's marketing and route development efforts and supports continuation of those efforts. Recognizing the value of Bradley International Airport as a major economic resource for the Capitol Region and the State of Connecticut, the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) undertook a comprehensive analysis of current and future traffic conditions and land use in the airport area. The Bradley Area Transportation (BAT) Study identifies transportation improvements that are needed to accommodate growth and to develop a strategic plan for maintaining safe and efficient access to the airport area. Improvements identified in the study are categorized as regional or local (primarily of town concern) based on the nature of their impacts and/or benefits. The following four improvements were identified as being of regional significance: Northern Bradley Connector Roadway - provides a direct connector (4.3 miles) for industrial and commercial parcels on and adjacent to Bradley Airport by connecting Route 75 near Bradley Airport to Route 190 over the Connecticut River Route 75-Bradley Airport Gateway - recommended to provide access from the rear of businesses to Route 75 and Schoephoester Road at existing signalized intersections, and helps to alleviate traffic and unsignalized left-turns on Route 75. Bradley Park Road - improves access and safety to existing cargo and industrial land uses along Perimeter Road, and unlocks the potential for new cargo and industrial development on land north of and on Russell Road. Improved Transit Service to the Bradley Area - incorporates several transit enhancements of CRCOG's Regional Transit Strategy, including the Griffin Busway, New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail[26], additional Bradley local bus service and bus connections to Hartford and Springfield. The Transportation Strategy Board supports the funding and implementation of the Capitol Region Council of Government's Bradley Area Transportation Study. Other Airports There are three other airports in the state which have had scheduled passenger air service during the past decade. They are Tweed New Haven Airport, Sikorsky Airport in Stratford and Groton-New London Airport. Only Tweed-New Haven currently has scheduled air service. All three airports are located along the coast and face a similar issues and challenges. Tweed-New Haven Tweed-New Haven Airport is owned by the City of New Haven and located in New Haven and East Haven. It is currently operated by a regional Airport Authority composed of representatives appointed by the city, the town and regional Council of Governments. Historically, Tweed-New Haven's location has led to a number of controversies between the City of New Haven and the Town of East Haven, including a current dispute about the implementation of runway safety areas. Tweed-New Haven currently has scheduled passenger air service, provided by US Air, which operates 12 flights per day between New Haven and its regional hub in Philadelphia. Until recently Delta Airlines provided schedule service between New Haven and its Cincinnati hub. Groton - New London Groton - New London Airport, located in Groton, is owned by the State of Connecticut and operated by the Department of Transportation's Bureau of Aviation and Ports. It previously had scheduled air service provided by US Air through its Philadelphia regional hub. The airport currently has no scheduled commercial air service and operates as a general aviation facility. Sikorsky Airport Sikorsky Airport is owned by the City of Bridgeport and is located entirely in the Town of Stratford, a fact which has, as in the case of Tweed New Haven, led to a long running series of disputes between the city and the town over taxes, zoning, obstructions, runway safety areas and other issues. The airport, its location and operations remain highly controversial within the Town of Stratford. The airport is managed by an Airport Commission composed of Bridgeport city officials and the mayor of Stratford. Sikorsky had scheduled commercial air service, provided by a variety of carriers, until 1999. It currently operates as a general aviation facility and has more total aircraft based at it than any other airport in the state. As previously noted all three airports are located along the Connecticut coast and two out of three are located, in whole or in part, in communities other than the one which owns it. This combination tends to make proposals involving physical alterations of any kind highly controversial. It has also effectively prevented any serious consideration of expansion possibilities. Indeed, officials at both Tweed New Haven and Sikorsky airports have experienced difficulty implementing proposals for enhanced runway safety at least partially because of concerns that they will ultimately lead to runway expansion and/or use by larger aircraft. The issue of runway safety areas is not limited to coastal airports. Four of the five state general aviation airports have at least one runway which is shorter than the Federal Aviation Administration standards, as do two of the four municipal airports. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the state: * Support Tweed's ability to serve the travel needs of business and institutional travelers in Southern Connecticut to complement Bradley. * Continue the State's annual operating assistance grant to the Tweed-New Haven Airport Authority. * Support the implementation of the Safety Improvements described in Phases I and II of the Tweed Master Plan within the planned three to five year period. * Evaluate Phases III and IV of the Master Plan as Phases I and II are being implemented, including the fiscal and other impacts to adjacent municipalities Other issues facing Connecticut's general aviation airports include zoning in areas adjoining or nearly airports, which can affect airport access, and difficulties encountered dealing with both natural and man-made obstructions which are located off the airport property but impact airport operations. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the State assist airport operators in addressing obstruction issues which can not be resolved locally. The Board is also concerned about the potential loss of privately owned airports which are open to public, especially those which serve as relievers for other public airports. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the State support efforts to retain and preserve private airports open to the public, including an adequate number or reliever airports. MARITIME The State of Connecticut's maritime programs support the movement of both people and goods by water. They function as a part of the State's larger maritime transportation industry. Connecticut's port system handles just over 19 million tons of cargo annually, with about 87% handled at the State's three deep water ports[27]. The Maritime Coalition estimates this represents the equivalent of 950,000 truck trips annually. Connecticut is also served by several smaller commercial ports as well as numerous recreational ports and facilities. In addition to goods and cargo transportation, Connecticut also has several passenger ferry services, which together transport over 2 million passengers and close to 82,000 vehicles annually. These services operate out of Bridgeport and New London as well along the Connecticut River. The Connecticut River ferries are owned and operated by the Department of Transportation and operate on a seasonal schedule; while the Bridgeport and New London based services are privately owned and operated on a year-round schedule. Connecticut's Ports Connecticut's three deep water ports[28] account for the bulk of the State's maritime commerce. These ports each have several unique features which include their geographical location, ownership and operating entities. Geographically, Connecticut's deep water ports are located at the mouth of rivers. This feature is most important when considering dredging issues due to silt and sediment build-up which occurs quicker than at other areas, including Long Island. Also, a vast majority of the port facilities in Bridgeport and New Haven are privately owned and operated, which too is a unique feature in comparison to other commercial US ports. The Port of Bridgeport is located at the mouth of the Pequannock River and operates as a port district organized by the City of Bridgeport, and managed by the Bridgeport Port Authority. In turn, the Port Authority leases property to private operators which operate two commercial terminals receiving approximately 50 containers each week of product from Central America. The Port of Bridgeport also receives 250 barges of petroleum products annually and houses commercial passenger ferry service to Port Jefferson, NY. There is no rail connection to the Port of Bridgeport. The Port of New Haven is located on the east side of the Quinnipiac River. Like Bridgeport its nine terminals are owned and operated by private entities. The New Haven Port Authority was formed in 2003 and governs a 366-acre port district on the east side of New Haven Harbor. An almost invisible part of the port operation are the petroleum products received in New Haven and moved via pipeline to inland users. Exports that flow through the Port of New Haven include scrap metal. In addition, the port houses several large storage facilities. Currently, the rail connection to the Port of New Haven stops at a loading dock which the Department of Transportation constructed on Waterfront Street. The development of potential rail spur links from the Waterfront Street rail extension into the individual port operators is in development. Rail extension is identified as a priority project in the 2006 transportation initiative (Public Act 06-135). This rail line is serviced by Providence & Worchester Railroad. The Port of New London is located at the mouth of the Thames River. Unlike the State's other two deep water ports, the port's primary facilities and piers are owned by the State of Connecticut, which lease the facilities to private operators. In addition to housing a commercial fishing fleet, the State Pier also handles lumber and copper products from its two piers. The State Pier is very land constrained, a fact which helps define its market niche. New London also has three passenger ferry operations, serving Orient Point and Fisher's Island, NY as well as Block Island. There are also several other port facilities located on the east side of the Thames River which are affected by this Port's viability. According to the 2004 Waterborne Commerce Report of the Army Corps of Engineers, Connecticut's ports accounted for just over 21 million tons of freight traffic. As noted, the Port of New Haven handled about 50% of this commerce. The flow in the freight traffic has increased on a steady and significant basis, most notably at Bridgeport (Figure 15). Figure 15 Freight Traffic-CT Ports 2004 v. 2003 PORT FREIGHT TRAFFIC (TONS) (2004/2003) BRIDGEPORT 6,871,000 (+31%) NEW HAVEN 10,868,000 (+4%) NEW LONDON 2,458,000 (+1%) OTHER COMMERCIAL PORTS 1,295,000 (+6%) TOTAL (STATEWIDE 21,492,000 (+13%) Connecticut's 5 other commercial ports house gravel and stone operations as well as several other activities. The State's recreational facilities, which are primarily marinas, house and support the 113,000 registered recreational boats in Connecticut. ISSUES Dredging The most pressing issue facing Connecticut's ports is a need for maintenance dredging, which is the process of restoring channels and pier areas to their previously permitted or authorized depths. While this need is the most pressing in Bridgeport it exists at other ports as well. Maintenance dredging is necessary in order to ensure that ships can safely enter and leave the port. Failure to maintain proper depths will (1) limit the types and size of ships able to use the ports, which affects their competitiveness and/or (2) require multiple handling of cargo, such as loading the cargo onto smaller barges in order to get it to port, which adds to the cost and reduces the competitiveness of the Port as well as presenting potential environmental risks. The US Army Corps of Engineers has the primary responsibility for the scheduling, funding and undertaking of maintenance dredging in federally authorized channels. The cost of maintenance dredging in federally authorized channels has historically been borne by the Federal government, while port operators have paid to dredge their pier areas. Historically, state transportation officials have played little or no role in the dredging process. However, the Federal government has recently changed its system for prioritizing and funding dredging activities from one based upon regional cooperation and priorities to one based on national competition. In effect, this means that Connecticut's ports will be competing with all ports nationwide for federal funding. In addition, the Federal government is increasingly looking to state and local governments to pay a portion of the cost of dredging projects. Dredging projects are also subject to environmental regulation at the state and federal level. The processing and permitting of dredging activities rely heavily on the management of each project in order to address what the dredge materials are and determine how it needs to be managed in accordance with Federal and State laws and regulations. This drives the need to test, treat and dispose of these materials-all of which affects the cost of dredging. . The primary federal environment regulation results from the so-called "Ambro Amendment" to the Marine Protection, Research & Sanctuaries Act of 1972. This legislation, named after the Long Island congressman who proposed it, effectively limited the State of Connecticut's ability to use sites in Long Island sound for the disposal of dredged materials. The location of those sites are shown in figure 16. One of the results of the "Ambro Amendment" was the requirement for the Federal Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) to develop a dredged materials management plan (DMMP) for these locations in cooperation with New York and Connecticut by 2013. Funding for this requirement has been sporadic, which has resulted in further delays in the development of the DMMP. The requirements of the Ambro Amendment are just one of several layers of state and federal regulation on the disposal of dredged materials. First, the materials must be determined to be suitable for open water disposal through application of the Federal Clean Water Act and the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act. These Federal standards address the testing criteria and are generally applicable to all disposal options and methods. Disposal of dredged materials which do not meet these standards, or other State water quality standards, require the treatment, confinement or a combination of the two options (such as pretreatment, washing or chemical treatment). There are also several alternative methods to treat or dispose of dredged materials. The costs of alternative treatment methods are generally higher than those for open water disposal and may not be eligible for federal payment. Figure 16 The State's role in dredging activities is guided by the Connecticut Coastal Management Program, the Connecticut Coastal Area Management Act, the Structures, Dredging & Fills Act and the issuance of a Water Quality Certificate and dredging permit. The Connecticut Coastal Management Program balances economic growth of coastal communities with the preservation and protection of coastal resources. The goal of the Coastal Area Management Act is to identify key policies and standards to be used at all levels of government in the evaluation of activities that affect the shoreline and coastal management. Additionally the adoption of the Harbor Management Act by the State in 1984, provided for a role of the State's municipalities for determining how their coastal areas are used and developed. Finally, the Army Corps of Engineers has encouraged the State to take a more active role in setting dredging priorities. Historically, decisions and the setting of priorities for dredging projects were fulfilled by the Army Corps of Engineers based on regional needs as well as a variety of other factors. As noted earlier the changes to the Federal dredging program in 2005 have significantly changed the funding formula for the districts. The ability to implement or undertake dredging activities are also driven by factors such as cost and funding, the length of time needed to obtain the necessary permits from the federal and state sources, and testing requirements placed on the disposal or use of dredged materials which arise under federal and state regulations. Also, the Federal budget and project appropriations process typically adds an additional layer of process to negotiate in order to facilitate these projects. Lastly, the scheduling of dredging activities in Connecticut is affected by seasonal considerations; these include weather conditions, recreational traffic as well as reproductive cycles of marine wildlife. Dredging Needs at State Ports The immediate need to address dredging issues is the greatest at the Port of Bridgeport. Action is critical so that deepwater vessels can operate at times other than high tide. Bridgeport's main channel has not been dredged since at least 1966. Because of the lack of maintenance dredging is it sometimes necessary to offload cargo onto barges in order for them to access the port. This affects the attractiveness of the port in terms of costs and time. Dredging of the Port of Bridgeport is made more difficult because of the level of contamination of some of the materials located within the channel and which are difficult and expensive to dispose of. The current main channel has an authorized project depth of 35' according to the Army Corps of Engineers. However, the actual depth is reported to be about 29 feet. Maintenance dredging of the federal main channel at the Port of New Haven was last completed in January 2004. Dredging of the channel is scheduled on a 10-year cycle. However, the city of New Haven believes that the channel needs to be deepened beyond its current depth[29] in order to remain competitive. Improvement projects, such as deepening the channel beyond the authorized federal depth require non-Federal cost-sharing. The presence of underwater electric cable in part of the channel also complicate this issue. The Port of New London underwent limited dredging of the main channel north of I95 in 1996 as part of an operation by the Department of Defense in order to accommodate their needs at the US Sub Base. However, significant maintenance dredging of the channel was last done in 1986. The main channel into New London is maintained to a depth of 40', with the access channel to the east side of the State Pier at 35'. Dredging is constrained at portions of the pier by the presence of bedrock which will likely preclude the possibility of dredging for true "deepwater" capability. Maintenance dredging of the piers is also needed at this port. The channel has a current project depth of 35' according to the Army Corps of Engineers. Several other commercial ports in Connecticut also have dredging needs. These include Norwalk which recently completed the maintenance dredging of upper Norwalk River, north of I95, and which is currently working to identify funding for the remainder. North Cove in Old Saybrook has received earmark funding in order to undertake its dredging needs; however this funding is between $1.5 and $4.0 million short. This is currently under review by a Congressional Conference Committee. Also, dredging needs along the Housatonic River at this stage are under review by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection in cooperation with the Army Corps of Engineers. Movement of People In addition to freight service, Connecticut's ports provide important passenger ferry services. Passenger ferry services currently operate out of New London and Bridgeport and carry over 2 million passengers and 82,000 vehicles a year. The Department of Transportation also operates two passenger ferries which cross the Connecticut River and operate on a seasonal schedule. The New York Metropolitan Transportation Council recently completed a study of services in Long Island Sound and made a number of recommendations to grow the industry. In addition to recommending a new service between New Haven and Long Island; proposals have been offered for new passenger high speed ferry services linking Stamford and Bridgeport to New York's financial district, mid-Manhattan and LaGuardia Airport. Also, Bridgeport and Stamford have received earmark funding in the FY2006 Federal Ferryboat Discretionary Program that could be used to launch a high-speed ferry service. Issues that remain before implementation of such a service include terminal location, parking, identification of a source of capital funds and potential operating subsidy. Other Issues Port zoning and land use issues also have an affect on any maritime strategy. In addition to items already reviewed, the competing interests for the use and development of the State's coastal areas, that is the gentrification versus the commercial use of these areas, are things which need to be considered in the development of a maritime policy. To some extend the Coastal Management Act as well as the Harbor Management Act play a role in addressing this, by discouraging the conversion of existing water-dependent facilities to other uses, such as condominiums and hotels, which could be located inland. Recommendations The urgent need to address and manage dredging issues will determine the State's use of this natural resource as a component of our transportation strategy. Issues which guide the ability to perform dredging include cost, the disposal of dredged material in compliance with Federal and State standards and the establishment and use of disposal sites. The ability and willingness to balance these, at times competing, factors determines the degree of success in efforts to enhance the State's maritime transportation system. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends the adoption of the following maritime based initiatives and policies as part of the State's transportation strategy: Inventory and prioritize statewide dredging needs and develop an estimate of the non-federal funding required for each such project. Expedite the long overdue dredging of Bridgeport harbor. Support continued federal funding for development and completion of a Dredged Material Management Plan for Long Island Sound. Review the feasibility and viability of the proposed Bridgeport to New York feeder barge service. Entertain, and potentially fund, proposals for feeder barge services from ports other than Bridgeport. Determine the State's role in the funding and prioritization of dredging projects. Complete the rail link to the Port of New Haven and evaluate the potential for improved rail connections to the state's other commercial deep water ports. ELECTRONIC TOLLS AND CONGESTION PRICING Over the last several years, the Transportation Strategy Board has devoted considerable time and attention to the potential for electronic tolls and/or congestion pricing as both a transportation demand management tool and a source of revenue. This is a controversial issue with strong advocates on either side, none of whom have hesitated to make themselves heard. After evaluating the available evidence and attempting to assess the impact of various options on Connecticut, the Transportation Strategy Board has concluded that, as in the case of rail freight, additional information and analysis are required before making a recommendation on this important issue. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends that the State "undertake a comprehensive review and analysis of electronic tolls and congestion pricing as a means of both managing transportation demand and raising revenue. The review should include, but not be limited to: (1) identification of opportunities for tolls and congestion pricing in Connecticut; (2) analysis of the steps required to take advantage of those opportunities; (3) type, location and operation of tolls; (4) pricing strategies; (5) potential operating costs and revenues; (6) impact on traffic congestion and patterns of travel; (7) regional equity; (8) environmental impact; (9) economic impacts; (10) safety; (11) public/private partnerships; (12) impact of federal requirements on identified options; and (13) implementation strategies, costs and timelines. TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS AND DEMAND MANAGEMENT Transportation Systems Management (TSM) and Transportation Demand Management (TDM) are two strategic approaches to dealing with the causes and effects of congestion. They include a mix of physical improvements to highways, in the form of either capacity or operational improvements; limitations on, or management of, highway use, transit services that match demand with markets; and similar strategies and tactics. Transportation System Management As the name suggests, Transportation System Management (TSM) is the name given to a series of strategies and techniques which focus on managing the transportation system in a way which reduces or mitigates the causes and/or effects of congestion. They can include limitations on access to highway facilities (HOV Lanes), congestion or value pricing, incident management, and traveler information systems. Transportation system management techniques utilized in Connecticut include: High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes; E-traffic and rail alert system; Incident Management techniques; and The Commercial Vehicle Information Systems & Networks (CVISN). HOV Lanes Connecticut's highway network includes 38 lane miles of high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. These are located north and east of Hartford, along both I91 and I84. The HOV lanes were established along I91 in 1993 and I84/I384 in 1989. These were extended into Hartford in 2000. The benefits of HOV lanes include promotion of carpooling, travel time savings, reduced fuel usage and reduced congestion. A 2005 survey by the Department of Transportation of HOV lane use indicated that the use of the lanes has increased over 2004, with an average occupancy of 2.11 persons per car. Value Pricing The Department of Transportation and the South Western Region Planning Agency (SWRPA) both filed applications to participate in the Value Pricing Pilot Program offered by the Federal Highway Administration in 2006. The Department of Transportation's application supports a statewide review of implementing value pricing techniques, focusing on tolling and types of technology, and includes the conversion of HOV lanes to high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes. SWRPA's application includes a pricing strategy link between roads and transit, as well as an environmental justice component. Final decisions on this pending application are expected sometime in early 2007. In addition, the University of Connecticut's "Connecticut Cooperative Highway Research Program" has undertaken a project to develop an array of realistic value pricing scenarios for Connecticut, determine network response to pricing policy scenarios, and determine the economic impact of policy simulations to Connecticut. The anticipated completion date of this project is May 2007. Incident Management Studies estimate that more than half of all highway delays in urban areas are the result of incidents. These incidents can include a flat tire, vehicle breakdown, traffic accident or truck rollover, as well as weather. Connecticut's incident management system is primarily operated by the Department of Transportation. The program is managed out of two operations centers located in Newington and Bridgeport. These centers monitor 262 closed circuit cameras and operate commuter notification through 110 fixed and 8 portable variable message signs. In addition, the Department of Transportation has access to seven highway advisory radio transmitters, with three more planned for deployment as part of projects on Interstates 91 and 95 which can be used to advise commuters of traffic incidents. The average detection time of incidents in Connecticut is under two minutes. In 2005 Governor Rell announced the launch of a statewide electronic highway traffic and rail incident notification system for Connecticut. The service is operated by the Department of Transportation and provides subscribers with alerts via e-mail when there is a traffic or major rail incident that affects travel in the subscriber's chosen area. Subscribers may choose preferences including geographical area(s), time(s) of day, and day(s) of the week. The traffic e-alerts are generated from the DOT's Highway Operations Centers in Newington and Bridgeport The rail e-alerts are generated from the DOT's New Haven Rail Operations Center and indicate route and delay information. As a result of the 2003 Transportation Strategy Board's report a statewide incident management task force was established. The task force included representatives from the State Departments of Public Safety, Transportation, Motor Vehicles, and Environmental Protection, as well as representatives from the Connecticut Chiefs of Police Association, Connecticut Fire Chiefs Association, Towing and Recovery Professions of Connecticut, emergency management services, and regional planning organizations with incident management councils. The task force's recommendations included the development and aggressive implementation of "an efficient, coordinated incident management system to secure its economic future by enhancing its ability to compete in the national and global marketplaces and by strengthening the use of its overall transportation infrastructure." The task force recommendations also included the development and adoption of a unified response manual (URM), the expansion of the Connecticut Highway Assistance Motorist Patrol program (CHAMP) and the development and distribution of highway diversion plans for major incidents. The Transportation Strategy Board continues to support these recommendations and specifically recommends the promotion and acceptance of a Unified Response Manual, including adoption of the URM as a standard by all responding agencies, as well as the development and conducting of appropriate training to implement the URM. The Board also recommends the funding of development of additional diversion plans for major accidents that close limited access highways. In 1996 the Connecticut Highway Assistance Motorist Patrol program (CHAMP) (CHAMP), began operating along the I95 corridor between the New York Stateline and Branford. The program was expanded in 1999 to the Greater Hartford area. CHAMP operates on a weekday schedule from 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., as well as during selected holidays and Sundays. In addition to providing motorist assistance, the program notifies the highway operations centers of any need for emergency personnel. In FY2005, CHAMP serviced 663 motorists per month along the I95 corridor and 669 motorists per month in the Greater Hartford area. Funding has been provided to support the expansion of the CHAMP program to the Merritt Parkway, Greater Waterbury and Southeastern Connecticut. According to the Department of Transportation the expanded system will be operational during the second half of 2007. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends the completion of the planned expansion of the CHAMP program. Weigh Stations Connecticut's weigh station program consists of 6 permanent weigh facilities as well as the use of portable scales. Connecticut's commercial weigh station facilities are jointly staffed and operated by the Departments of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety. The Department of Motor Vehicles' operations implement the federal Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program, which also includes enforcement of carrier compliance and rating programs. The Department of Motor Vehicles is primarily responsible for the weighing program at the Union facility. The Department of Public Safety is responsible for a law enforcement effort aimed at achieving strict compliance with applicable commercial motor vehicle regulations and laws, specifically the enforcement of commercial motor vehicle size, weight and safety requirements. The Department of Public Safety is primarily responsible for operations at the Greenwich and Danbury facilities. CVISN The Commercial Vehicle Information Systems & Networks (CVISN) organizes commercial vehicle operations, allowing all systems to operate in an integrated manner. In 1996, Connecticut became one of ten pilot states that began field operational testing of CVISN technology. The program emphasizes three main components: (1) Credentials administration - which is an electronic permitting system for over-dimension vehicles. This system has been operational since mid-2004 and is an internet-based, 24-hour service to apply and pay for permits. An automatic issuance component is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2006. (2) Electronic per-clearance - which was installed in 2001 at Union Station on I84. An implementation plan for pre-clearance at the Greenwich Station is funded and is currently under development at the Department of Transportation. (3) Safety Information Exchange - is the electronic exchange of current and historical safety data, which allows inspectors to concentrate their efforts on those motor carriers with poor or unknown safety records. The 2006 transportation legislation includes $1 million to support continued build-out of the CVISN system. In addition a $1.0 million Federal grant is available to the State as a result of our participation in the earlier program. This grant can be used to expand the CVISN program if state matching funding can be identified. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends the continued development and build out of the Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Network. 511 Traveler Information Systems In March 1999 the US Department of Transportation petitioned the Federal Communications Commission to designate a three digit telephone number to be used for providing traveler information services. In July 2000, the FCC designated 511 as the national traveler information number. The goal of the 511 Deployment Program is "the timely establishment of a national 511 traveler information service that is sustainable and provides value to users." Connecticut received a Federal grant to perform a 511 implementation study. Additionally, the Connecticut Department of Transportation is participating in a Consortium of New England Colleges that is considering regional implementation issues. More than 100 million Americans (35%), now have access to 511 services. Since 2001, systems have been deployed in all or parts of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington. The most recent launch was the Rhode Island statewide system. Other States are planning to implement 511 systems. The Department of Transportation has recently provided a notice to proceed to a consultant to implement Connecticut's 511 system. The Implementation Plan has an anticipated completion date in April 2007. The 511 Project is in the preliminary stage of system alternative review. After the various 511 systems are narrowed down to the systems which best suit the needs for Connecticut, preliminary project implementation costs can be identified. At this time the Department of Transportation does not have funding in place to start Connecticut's 511 Traveler Information System. The Department does anticipate to have a 511 Traveler Information System operational by the FHWA 2010 goal for nationwide deployment. The USDOT is facilitating national implementation of 511 systems to make real-time traveler information more widely available to motorists. It is working with a 511 Deployment Coalition that includes the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Intelligent Transportation Society of America, and American Public Transportation Association.[30] The Transportation Strategy Board supports the providing of a coordinated 511, Automated Traveler, construction, incident alert, transit, parking availability, directions and other information via email, website, platform kiosk, brochures, schedules, maps and customer assistance telephone. Transportation Demand Management Transportation Demand Management (TDM) is the name given to actions designed to influence travel behavior in a way that manages congestion and increases overall mobility. TDM strategies can be site specific or region-wide. Significantly, TDM strategies differ depending upon the purpose of the trip. For example, strategies designed to influence travel behavior for work trips are different than those for tourist trips. Since work trips have a more concentrated distribution and occur in compressed timeframes, management of work trips presents a significant opportunity to improve decrease congestion and mobility. As the Board pointed out in its 2003 report, TDM techniques "represent the lowest cost tactics for congestion mitigation." Connecticut's TDM programs are provided using a regional service delivery model, under which TDM services are provided through three primary brokerages based upon geographical destination. In addition to administrating their regional TDM services, each of the brokerages, acting as the state contracting company, is responsible for the marketing, coordination and administration of specific statewide programs. These include the Telecommute Connecticut, Easy Street and Nu-Ride programs. Each of these regional, non-profit companies use employer based commuter programs, which assist in the development, promotion and marketing of multi-passenger transportation options such as carpools, vanpools, bus, and train services to employers and employees. Demand-side strategies can often be implemented more quickly, and at a lower cost, than capacity increases and other supply-side improvements. For that reason, supply-side and demand-side approaches are complementary, with demand-side efforts taking on an asset management role by maximizing the performance and extending the life of existing infrastructure. However, it is important to recognize the limits of demand side strategies. They need to be implemented as part of a comprehensive and integrated strategy which balances supply-side infrastructure investments and demand side strategies. Demand side strategies are ultimately about choice and balance. Expanding the array of mode, route and departure-time choice available and supported by robust real-time traveler information, incentives and other resources, allows the traveling public to make informed decisions and choose an option that works best for them. The Transportation Strategy Board recommends the development and implementation of strategies to encourage modes of travel other than single occupancy vehicles, specifically: Support of public (commuter connections), public/private (shuttles, vans, station cars) and private (ridesharing) participation to get more people onto transit and reduce congestion; Enhancement of state employee transit benefits and encouraging private employers to provide transit benefits to their employees, including the consideration of tax benefits, incentives, matching investments and recognition programs to encourage participation; Utilization of the trip reduction tax credit statewide; Support the development of a customer focused traveler assistance network; and under the Department of Transportation Commuter Assistance brand offer train, bus, ferry, shuttle, parking, pedestrian, ridesharing information and customer assistance; When a transportation project or initiative requires extensive redesign or construction, develop and implement a targeted strategy to minimize the effects of those projects on employers and employees; and An evaluation of the effectiveness of Connecticut's existing transportation demand management programs. FUNDING AND FINANCE Connecticut's transportation program is primarily funded through the Special Transportation Fund (STF), which supports transportation capital bonding, as well as the operations of the Department of Transportation and the Department of Motor Vehicles. The Special Transportation Fund is supported by a variety of taxes and fees, including the motor fuels (gas) tax and the petroleum gross receipts tax. Revenue bonds, known as Special Tax Obligation (STO) bonds, backed by the pledged receipts of the fund are the primary state vehicle for funding transportation capital projects. Those funds are generally used to provide the state share of the cost of transportation projects financed by the state and federal governments. Because the Special Transportation Fund revenues are pledged to pay the debt service on STO bonds, the use of money in the special transportation fund is limited by a series of requirements and covenants included in the Bond indentures. For example, one covenant requires that the annual STF revenues be at least twice the annual debt service. Another requires that STF be balanced on a biennial basis. The Special Transportation Fund currently meets the coverage and balanced budget tests. However, the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) currently projects a small STF budget surplus in FY 2008 and a deficit of at least $25 million in FY 2009. In short, before considering any additional spending recommended by the board, action, in the form of either increased taxes or reduced spending, or both will be required in order to balance the fund. STF expenditures are also impacted by the State's statutory and constitutional spending caps, which limit the total state appropriations permitted each year. OPM currently projects that the cost of current programs and services will, without further action, exceed the spending cap by $600 million. In short, the State fiscal climate over the next biennium promises to be more difficult than in recent years. Fortunately, the immediate need for new spending is limited as a result of the progress made in recent years. Over the last two years $2.3 billion in new bond funding for transportation projects has been authorized, along with approval for the issuance of grant anticipation bonds, known as GARVEE bonds, based on anticipated federal funds. About $600 million of that funding has not been committed to specific projects or programs. That funding is available in annual increments running until 2018. For that reason, the Transportation Strategy Board does not believe that additional capital funding is required in the near term to support most of the projects and services included in the strategy. However, there is not adequate long-term funding to support all such projects. For example, this strategy includes five major highway projects. The cost of one of those projects is undetermined. The remaining four projects are projected to cost almost $6 billion. Current financial resources are unlikely to support one, let alone all, of those projects. Additional resources will also be required in order to meet increased operating costs, including additional Department of Transportation staffing, increased bus and rail operating subsidies and the cost of addressing part of the "state of good repair" deficit. While the Transportation Strategy Board recognizes the seriousness of the State's fiscal challenges, it believes that it is essential to continue to address the financial and operating needs of the state's transportation system in a responsible manner. The Transportation Strategy Board believes that this strategy achieves that goal. EVALUATION During the development and passage of the 2006 transportation initiative, the Governor and legislative leaders from both parties clearly expressed the need for the Transportation Strategy Board to develop effective project and systems evaluation criteria, tools and systems. Given the short time available to prepare this revision of the transmission strategy, it was agreed that the Transportation Strategy Board would not attempt to address evaluation issues in this report, but would devote a major part of its work in 2007 and 2008 to that issue. The Transportation Strategy Board shares the Governor and the General Assembly's commitment to developing effective evaluation criteria, systems and methods and recommends that the state: Develop and pilot evaluation tools and objective metrics, including those necessary to analyze alternative strategic actions and tactics, including cost benefit analysis for projects which require significant capital investment or ongoing operating support. Provide funding to support the development of evaluation tools Funding to support the development of evaluation criteria and systems is included in the Board's prioritize project list. [1] This strategy includes support for providing funds to retrofit older diesel transit buses in order to better filter their diesel emissions. [2] The full text of the Executive Order is included as an Appendix "A" and can be found at: http://www.ct.gov/governorrell/cwp/view.asp?A=1719&Q=320908 [3] It was that congestion, especially in the southwestern part of the state, which more than any other factor, led to the creation of the Transportation Strategy Board. [4] According to US Census Data, the single occupancy vehicle represents the predominant mode of travel for all trip types. That fact is a major cause of highway congestion. [5] 2005 Urban Mobility Report, David Schrank & Tim Lomax, Texas Transportation Institute, Texas A&M University, May 2005. [6] Source: Connecticut Department of Transportation [7] Source: Office of Fiscal Analysis, Connecticut General Assembly. [8] TAR Grants were increased from $20 million to $28 million for FY06 and FY07 only. The $8 million increase is funded from the FY05 General Fund surplus for FY06 and FY07; the remaining $20 million is funded from the Transportation Fund. [9] NTSB report, "Highway Special Investigation Report Truck Parking Areas" (Report NTSB/SIR-00/01). [10] That decision proved to be extremely controversial. So controversial that a General Assembly controlled by the then Governor's own party passed legislation designed to block the selection. However, the legislature failed to override the Governor's veto of the legislation. [11] The State of Connecticut's payment is reduced by a factor intended to reflect the fact that Connecticut has been more willing than New York to hold down deficits (and subsidy payments) by raising fares. [12] New York pays 100% of the cost of fixed capital costs (other than Grand Central Station) which are located in that state. [13] The AMTRAK service, which is designed as a feeder for the railroad's Northeast Corridor service, does not operate at times or frequencies that meet the needs of most commuters. [14] Ridership and subsidy estimates would put the New Haven-Springfield line about the middle of the range of the branch lines and Shore Line East. [15] The remaining 42 cars are expected to be ordered in 2010, when the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which pays 35% of the cost of the cars, receives its next capital allocation. [16] OPM, source: Connecticut Department of Transportation. [17] The requirement for local contributions in areas serviced by transit districts, but not those serviced by the state owned CTTransit services, has been, and continues to be, a subject of controversy. [18] OPM, source: Federal Transit Administration & Connecticut Department of Transportation. [19] OPM, source: Connecticut Department of Transportation. [20] OPM, source: Connecticut Department of Transportation; Westport is shown as a portion of Norwalk Transit District for 1996. [21] Operating cost estimates are in 2010 dollars [22] Goldsmith, S. 1993. Case Study No. 1: Reasons Why Bicycling and Walking Are and Are Not Being Used More Extensively as Travel Modes, Report FHWA-PD-92-041, Federal Highway Administration, Washington D.C. [23] Herman, M. 1993. Bicycle Blueprint: A Plan to Bring Bicycling Into the Mainstream in New York City, New York. [24] Source: Connecticut Department of Transportation, Bradley Master Plan. [25] The Bradley International Airport Community Advisory Board is composed of the chief elected officials of the towns (Windsor, Windsor Locks, East Granby and Suffield) which adjoin the airport. [26] The 2006 transportation initiative includes funding for a bus link between Bradley and the New Haven-Springfield rail service. [27] The deep water ports are in Bridgeport, New Haven, and New London [28] "Deep Water Port" is defined by the Army Corps of Engineers as having an authorized depth in excess of 14' [29] The current main channel has a project depth of 23'-33' according to the Army Corps of Engineers. [30] Federal Highway Administration, http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/crt/lifecycle/511.cfm. From efficacy at msn.com Tue Jan 30 16:52:34 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2007 16:52:34 -0500 Subject: {news} Krayeske Pleads Not Guilty; Witness Surfaces Message-ID: http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-krayeskeplea-0130,0,2560557.story? CONNECTICUT NEWS Krayeske Pleads Not Guilty; Witness Surfaces 12:02 PM EST, January 30, 2007 By JON LENDER, Courant Staff Writer Political activist and freelance journalist Kenneth Krayeske entered a not-guilty plea, requested a jury trial and saw his case continued until March 2 in Hartford Superior Court Tuesday -- as a new witness surfaced to dispute the Hartford police account of events that led to his controversial Jan. 3 arrest after he took pictures at Gov. M. Jodi Rell's inauguration parade to post on his commentary website. "This man did not rush into the parade at Rell as the Hartford police have said," witness Marge Nichols of Lebanon said in a written statement that was handed to reporters at the courthouse by Krayeske's lawyer, Norman Pattis, before his client's appearance on charges of breach of peace and interfering with police. Pattis requested, and was granted, a pre-trial conference with a prosecutor supervised by a judge March 2 to discuss possible resolutions of the case. The defense lawyer told reporters the prosecution was less than cooperative. He said a prosecutor did not even want to read Nichols' statement during a short conference behind closed doors Tuesday morning. An hour or so later, Krayeske appeared briefly in open court before Superior Court Judge David P. Gold -- and Pattis said his client "appears to be being treated differently than any other protest case that I've had." Gold said he would grant Pattis' request for the supervised, pre-trial conference March 2 without making any judgment on the lawyer's comments. Pattis said he wanted a judge's supervision March 2 when he talks again with a prosecutor because "I don't want to get jerked around any more than I have to." Tuesday's court appearance came after Krayeske and about 25 supporters began their morning by demonstrating for about 45 minutes in front of the nearby State Supreme Court building -- with seven of them holding signs that added up to this declaration: "Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech or of the press." Then they trooped a few hundred yards down to the Lafayette Street criminal courthouse for his appearance. Nichols took Tuesday off from her job at a Hartford insurance company to observe the proceedings at the courthouse. In her written statement, Nichols said that she and her sister-in-law were "standing right next to Ken Krayeske . on a small traffic island" on the parade route and saw him "standing there quietly takinig photos of the parade." As Rell was passing by, "she turned toward us, smiled, waved, and continued to our left. But at the same moment, this young man [Krayeske], still next to me on my right, was pulled behind us into a parking lot, searched, handcuffed and led away. My sister-in-law and I were very surprised and couldn't figure out what he'd done. We had certainly not felt threatened by this photographer nor in any danger. I remember being impressed by how calmly he stood as he and his camera bag were being searched. He did not resist." She said that "at the time he was arrested, he was not doing anything illegal, unless there is a law that prohibits photographing parades." In a brief interview, Nichols described herself as an average independent voter, not a political activist, and she said she doesn't "know much about the Green Party," for which Krayeske served as gubernatorial campaign manager last year. Krayeske's Green Party activity was listed on a two-page state police security flier that was prepared on him and handed out to officers who would be patrolling the parade route Jan. 3. The flier also included two color drivers license photos of Krayeske from state files, and its second page mentioned Krayeske's 2004 anti-war protest and his invitation on an Internet blog for others to join him in protesting outside Rell's inaugural ball. A key legislative leader, Judiciary Committee co-chairman Michael Lawlor, said last week that the flier made Krayeske look like "public enemy number one" and led to an overreaction by Hartford police -- who arrested him about 1:20 p.m. and held him on $75,000 bond for 12 hours, until it was too late for Krayeske to appear outside Rell's ball. State Public Safety Commissioner Leonard Boyle Monday wrote a report defending state police security preparations that included Krayeske among about 10 other individuals -- the rest of whom have not been identified -- "who, because of prior actions or statements, warranted interest if they appeared at the day's events." Boyle said the decision to arrest Krayeske Jan. 3 was completely the responsibility of the Hartford police. Last week, Hartford police Chief Daryl K. Roberts said Krayeske was arrested not because of the flier, but because he "breached the parade route" -- a charge that Krayeske and at least one other witness already had denied before Nichols surfaced Tuesday with her account. Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From efficacy at msn.com Tue Jan 30 17:42:46 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2007 17:42:46 -0500 Subject: {news} Rally for Free Speech Message-ID: http://www.newschannel8.com/Global/story.asp?S=6010797 Text Size Rally for Free Speech Rally for Free Speech- story by Jodi Latina Posted Jan. 30, 2007 12:00 PM (Hartford-WTNH)_Krayeske is a freelance journalist and a political activist. He has been arrested once before, but this time he says the police were out of line. With signs in hand more than a dozen protestors defended freedom of speech along side freelance journalist Ken Krayeske. The steps of the state supreme court. "I was acting as a journalist." 34-year old Krayeske was arrested during Governor Jodi Rell's inaugural parade January 3rd. Hartford police arrested the political activist for "breaching the parade route" to take pictures of Governor Rell. Authorities say Krayeske's photo and arrest background were on a security flier distributed by state police. That flier has his backers concerned. Cliff Thorton is the former Green Party candidate for Governor,"We know some kind of list exists though we won't see it we'll have to press for it." A state police report released this week said the flier was a "tool" for officers to use in ensuring the assembly was peaceful. "Do I look like a security threat." Krayeske says he spent more than 12 dehumanizing hours behind bars and posted a $75,000 bail for being a journalist. "I would hope everyone here holding a microphone today understand I was acting under color of a journalist and I identified myself to police on a number of occasions saying I'm a working journalist this isn't about me it's about everyone holding a microphone." But when asked if he showed police a press pass the day he was arrested Ken Krayeske said, "do I need press credentials?" Krayeske says ultimately he's putting his faith in the judicial system. Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: icon_text01_on.gif Type: image/gif Size: 96 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: icon_text02_off.gif Type: image/gif Size: 107 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: icon_text03_off.gif Type: image/gif Size: 108 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: icon_video.gif Type: image/gif Size: 77 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: pxl_trans.gif Type: image/gif Size: 49 bytes Desc: not available URL: From greenpartyct at yahoo.com Wed Jan 31 09:17:04 2007 From: greenpartyct at yahoo.com (Green Party-CT) Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 06:17:04 -0800 (PST) Subject: {news} ACTION- Please respond to Stan Simpson's Krayeske could have ASSINATED RELL line!! Message-ID: <20070131141704.42711.qmail@web81413.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Krayeske A Good Civics Lesson, But Let's End It Stan Simpson ADVERTISERS --------------------------------- Advertise on ctnow --> January 31 2007 Free Ken Krayeske! I mean it. No, I haven't changed my mind one iota that Hartford police were well within their rights - if the circumstances and police report are accurate - to detain and make sure the self-styled peacenik-political activist-freelance journalist didn't plan to disrupt the Jan. 4 gubernatorial inauguration parade. When it comes to protecting the state's highest elected official, it's always better to be safe than to second-guess. No telling what's in the nylon bag of a man with a previous arrest for civil disobedience and a website instigating protest, who is seen dumping his bicycle and "running up to the parade procession directly in front of where the Governor was passing by in the procession." The Krayeske case has provided a wonderful civics lesson on the exercise of Free Speech vs. the exercise of Common Sense. Don't know if we'll ever reach unanimity, but wasting public dollars prosecuting Krayeske is unnecessary. Let's drop it. The lesson learned is that the police, like the Secret Service with the president, need to have latitude to exercise judgment in protecting the public official to which they are assigned. Protesters, meanwhile, have the right to criticize and speak their mind. But if their actions are such that an individual's safety could be compromised, then there are consequences. Yes, the criteria on what constitutes a potential risk are highly subjective. I've maintained that Krayeske should have been stopped - not arrested - questioned and searched. Once it was determined that he was not planning to disrupt the event, he should have been released. Krayeske supporters emphatically note that his nylon bag contained nothing more than photographic equipment. Fine. But also acknowledge that five years ago Gen. Ahmad Shah Massoud, leader of an Afghanistan resistance movement, was assassinated after giving an interview to two men posing as journalists. A bomb was hidden in a video camera the men were using. The point is that it's not unfathomable for someone acting as a "journalist" to be a disruption or risk to a public official. If a conspiracy existed with Krayeske, then it means the state police, Hartford police and Rell's security force were all in cahoots. State Public Safety Commissioner Leonard Boyle has made it clear that though his people put Krayeske on the watch list, it was the HPD that busted him on charges of breach of peace and interfering with police. A couple of e-mailers have injected race, asking me if my reaction would be different if Krayeske were black instead of white. One Courant columnist actually wrote a piece comparing Krayeske's situation to the struggles of Martin Luther King Jr. Wow! Here goes: If Krayeske were African American with the same activist background and arrest record, he'd still be in jail, or seriously injured. Someone would have seen him "reaching for a gun" and some of the same "activists" championing Krayeske would be nowhere to be found. (Hey, they asked.) As we conclude the autopsy on the case, it was an unfortunate arrest, one caused by a confluence of events and exacerbated by 12 hours in jail and a $75,000 bond that was excessive. Apparently, there are witnesses who dispute the police report. Those accounts - without the benefit of cross-examination - have to be viewed circumspectly. The case is continued to March 2. The only threat now is one of a civil suit by Krayeske. Suggestion: Drop the charges. Agree to forgo a civil suit. Class dismissed. Stan Simpson's column appears on Wednesdays and Saturdays. He can be reached at ssimpson at courant.com Copyright 2007, Hartford Courant --------------------------------- =0)document.write(unescape('%3C')+'\!-'+'-') //--> letters at cournat.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From greenpartyct at yahoo.com Wed Jan 31 09:56:53 2007 From: greenpartyct at yahoo.com (Green Party-CT) Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 06:56:53 -0800 (PST) Subject: {news} (PRESS RELEASE) GREENS PUSH FOR SINGLE PAYER HEALTH CARE, AGAINST DEMOCRATS "FIX" Message-ID: <20070131145653.59105.qmail@web81413.mail.mud.yahoo.com> GREEN PARTY OF CONNECTICUT NEWS RELEASE- For Immediate Release- JANUARY 31, 2007 Contact: Jean de Smet, State Co-Chair (860)456-2188 Tim McKee, CT Green Party National Committee Person, cell (860)860-778- 1304 or (860)-643-2282 Cliff Thornton, former Green Party Candidate for Governor (860) 657-8438-Home GREENS PUSH SINGLE PAYER HEALTH CARE AT STATE HOUSE TESTFY AGAINST DEMOCRATS STOP GAP ?FIX? ON HEALTH CARE HARTFORD,CT-GREEN PARTY CO CHAIR JEAN DE SMET WILL TESTIFY TODAY THAT THE STATE SHOULD ADOPT A UNIVESAL SINGLE PAYER HEALTH CARE PLAN, INSTEAD OF THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP?S STOP GAP MEASURE TO ?FIX? HEALTH CARE AT A STATE HOUSE HEARING. DE SMET, a former candidate for Lt. Governor in the last election, will speak for the thousands of the parties supporters for a ?universal system? that covers everyone in the state and ?not to throw money into a failed program? or continue to ?fix? the current system. De Smet will sight the state?s own studies by both Massachusetts and Connecticut, that a single payer universal health care system would save 1 to 2 BILLION dollars a years from the total medical expenses in those states! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From efficacy at msn.com Wed Jan 31 17:07:59 2007 From: efficacy at msn.com (clifford thornton) Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:07:59 -0500 Subject: {news} New law cuts into number of meth labs Message-ID: http://madisoncourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=253&ArticleID=34711 New law cuts into number of meth labs Dave Frank Courier Staff Writer Police say a new law regulating cold and allergy medicine caused the number of methamphetamine labs to drop in 2006 but also acknowledged, along with activists and the federal government, that such laws have little effect on the drug's supply. Indiana State Police have said the 2005 state law made it more difficult to manufacture methamphetamine in Indiana. In 2006, they and local law enforcement dismantled 933 labs, compared with 1,303 in 2005. In Jefferson County, the number dropped from 11 to 7. Lt. Lori Petro, commander of a special methamphetamine unit for the state police, said the law worked to reduce the number of labs because it made buying products with ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, sometimes used to make methamphetamine, more difficult to get. For people buying medicine with those ingredients, the law requires they show identification, sign an Indiana State Police log and not buy more than 100 tablets a week. Also, stores have to keep the medicine locked away or kept in front of a pharmacy counter that has surveillance video. But the demand for the methamphetamine remains. "It's just economics," Petro said. "You have bad guys who say, 'Hmm, here's my chance to bring more drugs in.'" Offset by imports Indiana State Trooper Chip Ayers, part of the special meth unit, said the law has been "a big step toward helping the problem," but, in response, sales from out of state will increase, probably coming from the western U.S. states and Mexico. Petro agreed. "A lot of police are like, 'Clandestine labs are bad and everything, but let's focus on methamphetamine coming from out of state,'" she said. In a 2006 drug threat assessment by one of its divisions, the U.S. Department of Justice reported: "Decreases in domestic production have resulted in a significant increase in the control that Mexican (cartels) and criminal groups exert over domestic methamphetamine markets," the report by the National Drug Intelligence Center said. The reason, the Justice Department division said, was that "individual users who previously relied on supplies produced in small-scale domestic laboratories are increasingly forced to purchase the drug from Mexican methamphetamine distributors." This has not cut down on the domestic availability of the drug. "These reductions have been offset by methamphetamine produced by Mexican (cartels) at laboratories in Mexico and transported to domestic markets via the U.S.-Mexico border," the report said. The domestic decreases in meth labs were due, in part, to laws like the one in Indiana. But this won't change the overall availability of the drug, the report said, and, in fact, might create a greater supply. "Methamphetamine availability will most likely increase in the near term, particularly in eastern states. ... Moreover, intelligence reports indicate that Mexican (cartels) most likely will be able to offset any further declines in domestic methamphetamine production by increasing production levels at laboratories in Mexico, which have not yet reached full capacity." Lab dangers Labs used to make meth in this country are extremely dangerous, police say, and are a hazard to people and property around them. "These labs are very volatile and the gases and fumes given off, as well as the explosive potential create a substantial risk to anyone nearby," a state police report said. Of the 1,303 labs seized in 2005, police reported 14 injuries and three deaths. Of the 933 labs seized in 2006, police reported nine injuries and three deaths. Petro said people involved in meth production might get away sometimes and not have their injuries reported. In 2005, a division of the U.S. Health and Human Services Department released a study of 15 to 16 states, not including Indiana, from 2000 through 2004. Of the 1,171 meth lab incidents, 104 people were burned, 68 were treated at a hospital and nine died. Petro said 15 to 20 percent of labs have some kind of fire, but as far as large explosions "it's not really common, honestly." Steve Mojonnier, a senior environmental manager at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, agreed that explosions have "always been the minority." When they do happen, "that always makes the job easier," he said. Mojonnier is working on regulations to implement a 2005 state law that requires property owners to do a specified amount of cleaning after police leave a meth lab scene. For 2006, state police reported no deaths or injuries related to a meth lab. They reported one injury in 2005. Blowing smoke? Critics of Indiana's law restricting sales of cold medicines say it doesn't help the drug problem. Laws like it, said Bill Piper of the Drug Policy Alliance, have "done nothing to reduce the supply or availability of methamphetamine, meth abuse or the problems associated with meth abuse. "So politicians are just blowing smoke," he said. Piper, national affairs director for the New York City-based drug reform organization, said bigger manufactures might also cause an increase in violent crime as they expand their traffic routes. "What it means is less and less is produced in the U.S. and more and more is introduced," said Cliff Thornton, president of Efficacy, a Connecticut-based drug reform organization. "You can't stop it, it's impossible," he said. "The only way you're going to stop it is if you have police on every corner and everyone rat on everyone." Piper said drug laws like this often have unintended consequences, eventually making the problem worse. Even now, the government hasn't "really dealt with the underlying issues" like treating people, he said. A federal Drug Enforcement Agency fact sheet acknowledged changes in the current system are needed. "Only by breaking that cycle of demand can we bring lasting change to the entire community. We must look to treatment and alternative sentencing procedures, like drug courts and restorative justice, for non-violent users," the DEA fact sheet says. Ingredients used in meth labs are dangerous, Piper said, but the current push might not make things better overall. "Over the last 40 years, policymakers have tried to stop meth by either arresting people caught with meth or regulating the ingredients necessary to make meth," he said, adding: "But the problems associated with meth abuse and the meth trade have gotten worse, not better." The demand is too high, Thornton said, and "it's going to get through." Efficacy PO Box 1234 860 657 8438 Hartford, CT 06143 efficacy at msn.com www.Efficacy-online.org Working to end race and class drug war injustice, Efficacy is a non profit 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1997. Your gifts and donations are tax deductible -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: