New Haven Independent

Posted by: DM | February 7, 2006 11:04 AM

Mike Morand has a lot of nerve lecturing New Haven citizens about "handouts." Yale University and its teaching hospital have been the beneficiaries of the city's largesse for centuries. No one argues that the city and region benefit, but it's also true that many of New Haven's economic ailments can be traced to the vast untaxed holdings of these institutions. Instead of preaching stinginess (and less public service), Mike should be talking with the citizens about how to solve these problems collaboratively. His solution merely further widens the gap between the haves and the have nots.

Posted by: h | February 7, 2006 5:19 PM

New Haven is anti-development. No, New Haven isn't. But the murderers (people who oppose thousands of new jobs and cancer treatment) who oppose the Cancer Center are. They should be immediately removed from power.

Posted by: Esbe | February 7, 2006 6:22 PM

Well, I usually praise Yale's PR operation, but today I don't think that Mr. Morand helped Yale. Yale certainly does rely on "handouts" in the form of donations and government subsidies to research and teaching. And the "one-party state" comment is sophomoric. How many Democratic primary opponents has Kim Il Sung defeated? It is weird that the primary is the "election" here, but weird is not the same as a communist dictatorship.

Also, Yale has an official policy of encouraging public service by its students and faculty. Morand should read that policy and talk to his bosses about why it exists.

Posted by: truebluect | February 8, 2006 1:49 AM

I cry Bull-she-it! Really, Mike Morand is a life-long New Havener, and if he spoke frankly to a bunch of SOM/Business people, all for the better. The socio-economic problems which constitute New Haven do exist.

Economic realities are inescapable. Period. I wish New Haven would be immune from them, but over the past fifty years, that hasn't proved the case.

This latest example of "Gotcha!" journalism might work for the Independent on a gut level, (and for the short term), but given a little more reflection, it is as lousy as the work of the 24/7's.

Mike Morand is one of the good guys. Sure he might work for Yale, but he is living here for the long haul. And if you want to make headlines, attacking him is not the way to go about it.

Pizzicone and Wareck are about as heavily invested in New Haven as they come! Why the sniping at the few, the brave, the New Haven capitalists/patriots? I just don't get it. Personally, I am glad they are adding to the tax base and our Grand List.

Cheap, cheap, cheap, cheap. I expect more of the Independent! None of us are perfect actors, but please don't confuse the reasonably good guys, with the obvious bad guys.

Posted by: Ned | February 8, 2006 8:46 AM

Talk of graft and corruption would have been more cogent than talk about dictatorship, although the two usually go together; however, even though New Haven appears to be a one party state, debate still occurs on some issues, like wether or not gay people deserve full citizenship - as if bigotry encourages economic growth? The city does carry a huge social service burden for the surrounding suburbs - due largely, in part, it seems, to the legacy of racial discrimination in access to capital, employment and housing.
Yale does receive some "handouts," but a research grant has a chance of giving a return on the investment as opposed to just disappearing into the rapacious maw of the local housing authority or an economically unsustainable, nebulous community organization run by a politically connected "religious leader," or an over budget, underperforming school system. I don't think that "New Haven's economic ailments can be traced to [Yale's] vast untaxed holdings" I don't see any evidence that additional tax money would be more wisely spent, rather, it is more likely that the city government would just bloat and scare off more private sector, for profit employers.
In addition, I don't think that Ms. Pizziconi needs to nor should she be apologetic about building luxury condos. There is absolutely nothing inherently good or virtuous about being poor.

Posted by: Ward22Girl | February 8, 2006 1:59 PM

I am always amazed at how much credit people are willing to give to people with power and how little credit we're willing to extend to folks who question the power and how it's used.

Look, Mr. Morand said something foolish, intemperate, anti-democratic and most of all, unproductive. He deserves to get called out on it. I don't think it's a cheap shot or unworthy of the Independent's many fine reporters to expose powerful, respectable people saying distasteful things if those things happen to be what they really think. It's entirely possible to respect the great work that someone like Mr. Morand has done while pushing him to do significantly better in the areas where he has been less than sensitive, productive or respectful.

This forum demonstrated a deep-seated distaste for development strategies that benefit people in a wide range of economic classes, or that are especially attentive to eliminating poverty. New Haven as a whole would benefit if we could find economic strategies that would create blue-collar as well as white-collar jobs, that benefited the people who already live in New Haven instead of trying to import new - and wealtheir - residents. I have no problem with building luxury condos if they'll bring in people who will spend their money on New Haven businesses. But I have a problem with building luxury condominiums while paying no attention to other people in need of economic uplift.

Mr. Morand's comments in particular demonstrate a trend that I find troubling, and that are echoed by "H" above: declaring the views expressed by elected officials and by their constituents as in some way illegitimate. It's very disturbing that the Cancer Center has been sold as a project that trumps any kind of democratic will or process, much less a normal zoning process. I'm far more concerned about New Haven residents who advocate some kind of overthrow than about the fact that Democratic primaries are the place where real elections take place in this town.

People who want to be leaders should be careful about what they say. When they slip up in ways that reveals a fundamental disrespect for other partners in debate, they deserve to be criticized. New Haven could use a lot more frank politeness than this kind of ad-hominem, both from Mr. Morand himself and from some of the commenters in this conversation.

Posted by: PMM | May 30, 2006 11:23 AM

If Ms. Pizziconi is reading this comment please email pmmorrissey@gmail.com. Want to say hello. -Patrick Morrissey