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NORWALK, Conn. A longtime Democratic leader has been betraying his fellow Democratic members of Norwalk's Common Council, according to a statement from his colleagues.
Council President Carvin Hilliard takes confidential information to Republican Mayor Richard Moccia, according to the statement written by Democratic Council Minority Leader Anna Duleep, Warren Peña, John Igneri, David Watts and Matt Miklave. Hilliard also votes with the Republicans. The "frustrated" Democrats say they are considering reconstituting their caucus.
"Hilliard has compromised our caucus to a point of no return. We have to assume everything we discuss 'confidentially' in caucus is getting right back to the mayor, and they use that information against us," Igneri said in the statement.
Hilliard has often been a swing vote and whenever it matters he has sided with the mayor and the other Republicans, Watts said in the statement. "Hilliard is chair of the Finance Committee, the only committee chair the Republicans did not take when they seized control of the Council.
"As soon as the [Board of Education] deficit was announced, we called on Hilliard to hold meetings so we could find out what was going on and figure out how we could help close the gap. He was MIA missing in action. Even though he signed a letter claiming he supported an investigation, he did nothing. As much as we wish we could work with him his lack of leadership impacts the values the rest of our caucus is fighting for."
Hilliard did not stand with his fellow Democrats on Tuesday night in support of a resolution to give the Board of Education more time to repay the $4 million needed to cover a shortfall in this year's operating budget. He also did not support a resolution urging a "test and learn" period on a proposal to turn Calf Pasture Beach Road into a one-lane road in each direction, making space for a pedestrian and bicycle lane.
The Democrats said they were also "chiding" Moccia in their statement. "We put forward two resolutions that were overwhelmingly supported by the public at large," Peña said in the statement. "Unfortunately, other members and the mayor felt it more important to stall than take action."
"This was just gamesmanship at its finest," Miklave said in the statement about both resolutions. "Claiming to be in favor of them and at the same time voting to kill them. On the BOE shortfall, we have seen that the public demands action and accountability. We have had neither in the months since the problem was disclosed."
"The past two nights, meetings went on well after midnight. Hundreds of people came out and they not only demanded action, but they demanded accountability," Duleep said in the statement. "We hear your concerns loud and clear but there are others in control who seek to pass the buck kick the can down the road. Now is the time to act and show that the Council supports our teachers and our kids."
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