Latest news with #Caggiano
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former CT mayor to run again, decrying ‘ dysfunction, chaos, and political fighting'
Democrat Ellen Zoppo-Sassu announced Tuesday night that she's running against Republican Mayor Jeff Caggiano in Bristol, virtually guaranteeing a tough race that Connecticut political observers will be watching closely this year. Zoppo-Sassu, a former mayor who led local Democrats to one of their biggest victories and one of their worst losses, made her announcement just one night after the city's Republican administration adopted a budget that will force a 6% tax increase. She portrayed herself as a professional manager who will do a better job of attracting new business and raising the grand list than Caggiano's team, and one who will withstand the bruising political atmosphere of recent years. 'It's easy to think that dysfunction, chaos, and political fighting are just part of government. They're not. They're symptoms of a system where people do not respect the process,' she told the Democratic Town Committee. Caggiano, who led Republicans to a sweep of city government in the 2021 election, has announced that he's running again. Both parties will formally endorse candidates in the summer, but barring a major surprise the November election will be between him and Zoppo-Sassu. In addition, Derek Jones has announced he'll campaign as an unaffiliated candidate. 'The good news is we both have records,' Caggiano said Wednesday. 'I will have opportunities to highlight the things we've accomplished. I'm very proud of it. People will have a very clear choice of which direction they want to go in.' Zoppo-Sassu had been a longtime city council member when she beat Republican incumbent Ken Cockayne in 2017, leading Democrats to take five of the six city council seats as well. Two years later, she won re-election and voters gave her an all-Democratic council, too, But in 2021, the city did a hard about-face, replacing her and her team with Caggiano and an all-GOP council. She went on to serve nearly two years as Enfield's town manager; a Democratic council in that town hired her, and she resigned almost immediately after Republicans took control in the 2023 election. Zoppo-Sassu built a reputation as one of Bristol's most knowledgeable councilors and mayors, routinely doing in-depth research on issues far beyond what her colleagues did. But she also ended up in disputes with some old-school politicians from both parties, and for years was locked in a bitter clash with Art Ward, a Democrat who served on the council with her and then became mayor. He didn't attend her inaugurations, and in 2021 switched party registration to the GOP. Similarly, Caggiano's administration has run into splits within its own party. Dante Tagiarello, for instance, was the unsuccessful GOP challenger against Zoppo-Sassu in 2019, and later won election to the school board as a Republican. But he switched registration to become a Democrat, and on Wednesday endorsed Zoppo-Sassu. 'This is a person I ran against, in a different time, at a different point in my life,' Tagariello wrote on Facebook. 'Today, I can say any differences are behind us. 'Four years ago was a mistake. Four years, over $1,300 in tax increases, minimal grand list growth, and personal vendettas up the wazoo summarized the current adminstration,' he wrote. Bristol's political scene has been marked by social media sniping on both sides, and Facebook exchanges included attacks against both candidates. Zoppo-Sassu appeared prepared for a hard fight, telling supporters: 'To the ones who sit on the sidelines, or at the local coffee shop or bar complaining and offering commentary, you are not the ones who shape communities. You drain them. Your self-absorbed righteousness is loud, but it doesn't make you right. And it certainly doesn't make you useful. Your ignorance is your legacy, and it will fade, just like you.' Local Democrats were badly shaken by their rout in 2021, and former Town Chairman Morris 'Rippy' Patton said he's excited that Zoppo-Sassu will be at the top of the ticket again. 'She knows what it's like to win, and she knows what it's like to lose and come back. She's a warrior,' he said. The school system is likely to be a key issue in the campaign. Caggiano has said the school board has steadily overspent its budget, forcing the city's tax increase this year. Democrats blame Caggiano and his council for underfunding schools despite a large increase in special education demands. Both candidates contend they are the best choice for economic development, and both want credit for the building boom that is transforming downtown. Zoppo-Sassu said most major downtown revitalization projects were in the works when she left office, but Caggiano said his administration improved those proposals and also brought in new ones.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Charleston County votes on residential energy and weatherization audit project
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – The Charleston County finance committee approved the vote for a residential energy audit and weatherization project. The funds come from the South Carolina Energy Office, which was initially approved of in July 2024. The meeting greenlit the distribution of the $75,000, when it becomes available, to the Sustainability Institute. 'The Sustainability Institute is going to be leading the weatherization and energy audit,' Molly Caggiano, resilience and sustainability manager of Charleston County, said. 'So, they're going to be conducting the audits in 20 homes across the county. These homes are all located in areas that have energy burdens or have disadvantages in ways.' This project is expected to bring much-needed relief to the selected homeowners a part of the 'Well and Septic Program' with the county. As the Sustainability Institute plans to weatherize the homes, Charleston County will assist by identifying the 20 homeowners. 'They will start reaching out to them and running the audits in their homes, and determine anything from if they need new lighting, or new water pumps, or any energy efficiency. Their windows, installation – things like that,' said Caggiano. Officials said eight of the homes will be fully-weatherized, and the other 12 will be partially-weatherized. According to the county, this may also include air sealing, insulation in the attic, a programmable thermostat, and more. Also, this project is one moving part of the county's overall goals of improving climate resiliency. 'The county has a climate action plan and one of our big moves is affordable and resilient housing. This project is leading to reduce energy consumption, which also leads to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improves quality of life for folks,' Caggiano said. 'So, we're reaching one of our strategic goals with this project.' The project will begin when the federal funding freeze concludes, as officials estimated it will be complete by May 2026. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
