New Haven Independent

Posted by: charles fhal | September 28, 2006 12:22 PM

i've come to the realization that the "independent" in newhavenindependent.com means that you are independent of the necessety of a valid news source to keep an open and neutral stance on whatever it's reporting. from your unwillingness to be tough on john destefano (who's boy carl goldfield and a few others in his possee have helped with the establishment and funding of your fine opinionated ramblings) to this seemingly innocent little article about a meeting of 40 people, you have shown time and a again you cannot keep your opinions to yourselves. which by the way is fine, but don't pretend to be neutral like a lefty version of fox news.

Posted by: Bruce | September 28, 2006 1:17 PM

Assuming that Lemar runs unopposed (who are we kidding, anyway?), it is a sad day for Democracy when an alderman can be elected in an election of only 33 ballots. I have no problem with Lemar, but the lack of competition in this town is downright unhealthy. Then when you throw another candidate in the general election, or God forbid get one elected, all the Dems act as if it's the fall of Rome.

Posted by: EastRocker | September 28, 2006 1:36 PM

In that Roland managed to beat a Democratic Co-Chair in this Ward is impressive, but not surprising as Roland is one of those highly-intellectual know-it-alls who has the added benefit of a being a good and likeable guy. But what is sadder is that Alex got to be a Ward Co-Chair without having any knowledge of the issues that effect his constituents. Hooray for Roland taking on the establishment and emerging victorious, but boo to those who in the machine who think people like alex are worthy of serving as Ward Co-Chairs just because they kick cash into Destefano's pockets.

Posted by: Anika | September 28, 2006 2:09 PM

I'm as big a fan of democracy, real democracy, as the next guy/gal but it's important to keep in mind that the Ward Committee process doesn't prevent other candidates from challenging the Ward Committee's choice in the general election. And a nice thing about the Committee process is that because the environment is so intimate, candidates are forced to take to the streets and make themselves accessible to each and every Ward Committee member and also to develop substantive positions that respond to those members' interests. In fact, the article makes it clear that these two candidates competed on the basis of real stuff -- knowledge about the issues, approachability, and a developed sense of what sorts of policies would benefit their neighborhood as well as New Haven more broadly. That strikes me as a good thing.

Posted by: Ned | September 28, 2006 4:33 PM

"Lemar put combatting rising property taxes as a second priority. He proposed to open up the appraisal process so citizens know the statistical model used to evaluate property. He would fight for a phased-in property revaluation so neighbors don't get walloped." Wow my hot air meter is peaking over an "opened up appraisal process" (just what the peasants have been clamoring for), and familiarity with a statistical model (people have been demanding this in the streets) along with a "phase-in [(read slower screwing)] property revaluation, so neighbors don't get walloped" - sounds so folksy doesn't it (neighbors? walloped? golly gee). How do any of these proposals(?) combat rising property taxes? How about finding a way to rein in city hall's spending, or, better yet, promote revenue producing development? Eventually, property taxes will force me out of New Haven, but at least I'll have some vague idea about an abstract statistical model and the city will have another absentee landlord.

Posted by: Charlie Pillsbury | September 28, 2006 9:41 PM

This is the kind of "democracy" we have. Yes, it is "possible" to challenge Mr. Lemar. The Green Party learned today, however, from the Town Clerk's Office, which, likewise learned today from the Secretary of The State's Office (SOTS) that, any independent or third party candidate without ballot status will have to go to the SOTS tomorrow (Friday) to pick up a petition, collect signatures this weekend, and return the petition to the New Haven Town Clerk's Office by 4:00 p.m. Monday October 2.

Posted by: veebee | September 29, 2006 12:37 AM

Oy, Ned. What a dilemma--to stay in New Haven and be a present landlord or to move away and become an absentee landlord. A person like you should move to wherever you can get the best profit, if that's your goal.

A lot of (non-landlord) people move to the suburbs because the taxes are lower, but then they find that the schools are sending their students out to beg for money (or sell wrapping paper and such for a small cut of the profits--OK, New Haven does this, too). The schools don't have nearly enough money, because the feds cut back and then the state cut back. Now we're left to make up for that locally. We're screwed--we can stop trying to improve our schools, libraries, trash collection, etc. etc., or we can attempt to keep up by raising local taxes.

I really hope that all those people who voted for Republicans thinking their taxes would go down might be now kind of sorry that the $100 rebate they got from the feds has translated into a $1,000 increase in their property taxes. And all just to keep things at the same level they were.

I'm also puzzled why you don't care (as a landlord--or even as a homeowner) just how the city appraises your property. That is, after all, how they figure what your taxes should be. Last time we had a revaluation by this same company, I was convinced that the company (Appraisal Vision) had hired a bunch of high school dropouts to fly over the city in helicopters and just arbitrarily drop numbers on top of houses on a map. They didn't take into account what a house had recently sold for, what state of disrepair it might be in, even what the actual dimensions of the lot were. I am also wondering how much money that company contributed to the mayor's various campaigns. I don't know whether "the peasants" (that would not of course include you) have been clamoring for this information, but they damn well should be.

Posted by: Ned | October 1, 2006 10:39 AM

Hey Veebee, what's wrong with profit? A "person like you"? Kind of a sweeping judgement considering we've never met. My house is my only asset, income well below average, because I'm not interested in the rat race of screwing people for money. Do you have a financial stake in the City? Yeah, I'm one of the peasants; the whole democracy thing is like religion - a fairy tale that no one is supposed to question. I'm assuming you're not one of the suckers who has voted for the any of the power hungry, con artists and charlatans in the current local, state or national governments? My appraisal wasn't too inaccurate, it included the lot size and even had a recent picture of the house all nice and painted. I do know that the appraisals on my block seemed inconsistent, but if the city wants to charge absentee landlords more money on their rundown properties, that is fine with me (I think it would be good public policy), but then look at the condition of public housing. However, my primary concern is being taxed out of my house and into a lower tax, but boring, ethnically cleansed suburb, which I probably couldn't afford to buy into anyway; I've looked. Do you really think a more accurate appraisal process would be less subject to manipulation or would result in lower taxes? - naive. I have never voted Republican. Also, you wonder "how much money that company contributed to the mayor's various campaigns." Exactly. The system is being bled to death by corrupt leaches - from Iraq to Hartford to City Hall, but people get the government they deserve...