New Haven Independent

Posted by: Steve- New Haven | November 27, 2006 2:46 PM

The real story here is that "Mayor Johnnie" left his office and elected position as "Mayor", for a 2 year run, at an always doomed race for governor and left the city and it's residents to hang in the breeze with his overpaid paid and underwhelming parade of staff. He has an assitant for about everything under the sun and please check out the salaries before you pay your next tax bill. "Pride cometh before the fall", This Mayor stopped working for the residents of New Haven 4 years ago. It is time for Mayor John to leave and let us rebuild our city with a Mayor who is focused on the the whole not the self!!

Posted by: Alex Rhodeen | November 27, 2006 4:27 PM

Adam Bovilsky is a proud Wilbur Cross Governor. I've got the photo of us smoking a cigar after graduation to prove it. Adam is a loyal son of the Elm City, settling for the local college instead of attending a better-known university in another town.

Posted by: pinkbicycle | November 27, 2006 4:46 PM

Clearly you have no idea baout City government. Salaries of all administration for the City is about 6-8% of the total budget. The biggest drain on the budget is Police, Fire and medical. Surely no one is advocating cutting the police force. God knows we need them to round up all our youth we can't seem to do anything about. I think its great that the Housing Authority is finally getting some talent over there--instead of being treated as the step-child of City government. Everyone whines about the Mayor,--well then you ought to get some folks together and consider making a run. Or better yet vote for Willie Green Mayor--you know the guy who ran the Dixwell Q-House into the ground. Hey what do I know I live in another part of the world and watch from afar!

Posted by: THREEFIFTHS | November 27, 2006 5:13 PM

This Is Not A Shake-Up At City Hall. This Is Just
Moving These Ventriloquist Dummies Around!!!

Posted by: Wellstone13 | November 27, 2006 10:51 PM

Typical Mayor Big John continuing his longtime practice we all know and love. Hire them young and loyal out of Yale, mold them just how he wants them, then send them off to peripheral organizations to continue to work, loyally, to benefit the Mayor's Initiatives. Also, a great way to fill positions no truly experienced candidate would want.

New Haven'd better get a minor league hockey team or something, after that run for higher office, he must owe jobs to a LOT of whippershappers.

Back to jobs folks don't want... after having top or deputy spots in economic development and livable bureau go vacate for months and months and months the last two or three years... the City is creating an Economic and Community Development position at the Housing Authority? Ms. Bell could not have seen herself as Deputy to Ms. Murphy? Why not make entrepreneurial opportunities for housing authority residents part of the Small Business office at City Hall?

Oh yea, no hockey team, lots of jobs to fill.

But I wish the Youth Initiative well. I abhore the million dollar price tag (0.25 mil, right?), but the current situation makes this City a lot less livable. These kids need a positive outlook, and the Mayor has good people working hard on making opportunities for them.

Suggesting someone challenge the Mayor is a joke. Every move he makes is about shoring up support and the Party the Board and Committees are all about providing to those who will fall in line. He tried to move on the the big leagues. Like Jay Leno at the Tonight Show, I think we are stuck with him until he gets bored and quits.

Posted by: Josh Erlanger | November 27, 2006 10:52 PM

DeStefano has done a great job any one who says anthing else hasent come downtown in years or just dosent get it.

Posted by: Kirika | November 28, 2006 10:59 AM

I agree with Steve and I really disagree with Pinkbicycle. This is why. I worked for the Housing Authority (HANH) and I know many people at the city. First of all I am sure you'll be surprised to hear that HANH is not even funded by the City. It is actually funded by federal funds through HUD. The Authority actually doesn't receive any significant or operational funding from the City but political influence from the mayor.

The only officials that the Mator should appoint is the Commissioners, and maybe make recommendations for other senior staff. Despite that, there has been many many people from the City comming to work for HANH, of course, because of their political ties; and not only as senior staff but also administrative and clerical. So where does Equal Employment falls into all this! This is one of the reasons why I left.

I also don't agree that bringing Yale graduates and people from the City automatically makes them qualified to work at HANH. The Public Housing, Section 8 and the other programs of the Authority are highly regulated and complex. There are exceptions though, such as Robert Solomon and Robin Golden who I highly respect and appreciate for their great work at HANH.

Finally, the salaries of the City and the Authority, specially for senior staff are really obscene. Administrative staff making $60 to 70 K and senior staff making anywhere from $70 to $100+ K. Even more obsence are all the overpaid unnecessary positions that exist. Just ask why HANH needs TWO Deputy Executive Directors and why the City needs so many Chiefs of Staff for example? The same chief of staff who supported DeStefano for his recent polictical campaign.

Posted by: Gary Holder-Winfield | November 28, 2006 11:23 AM

Let's try to remember that looking at downtown just isn't going to get it. He is after all the mayor of the entire city.

Posted by: Rose | November 28, 2006 12:10 PM

People shuld really look at this. Silverman was given a promotion for dropping out of the race against Dillon, since the mayor felt this might move some voters away frm him. Slverman allowed herself to be used. Just look at what seh was making prior to dropping her bid for State senate.

Walton, did nothing for the city, she was no leader at all. DeStefano, ignored the city, collected a paycheck, used a city car for personal travel, and who knows who paid for the officer that drove him aroound. Bell and Silverman could not even balance their budgets, and now they are runniing new departments. These moves are to reward loyalists, who betrayed the city. All these positions held currently are mayor appointed with no union protectiion. The move most likely puts them in a protected position, just in case the mayor decides not to run again. This is a shame and terrible treatment of New Haven residents. When will it stop? Please, Independant, as our only real media voice, look more closely at these moves. I would also suggest getting some of Walton's emails while she was "acting mayor". Didn't she request that the firm reviewing Corporation Counsel edit their report, leading to the Board of Alderman to demand the full report? That is a new leader?

Posted by: SWHAT | November 28, 2006 12:57 PM

Is it within the realm of possibility that these folks are going to the Housing authority by their own volition and are not being asked to infiltrate by the Mayor. As it relates to salary, some of you folks have no relational background yet you critize the salaries of these top administrators. New Haven has seen some really talented people who truly want the city to do well. Note, these things are not mutually exclusive and when you find people who are as educated and passionate about New Haven as Dr. Walton and Ms. Bell who opt to work in government, why shouldn't you pay to keep them around?

Posted by: fairhavengal | November 28, 2006 1:58 PM

Honestly, I really do not care if they are paid upwards of 200K. All I really care about is that my taxes do not go up too much, my trash is picked up and if I need to call the police or fire department they can respond in a short period of time. Many of these people are probably highly educated and if they were not given a decent salary they could go to the private sector.

Just my thoughts...

Posted by: TNS | November 28, 2006 7:21 PM

Hmmm....When will the Mayor's clone, Henry Fernandez will make his reappearance in city government. Leading the mayor's fail bid to be governor, I wonder where Henry will end up? More of the same. Oh well.

Posted by: pinkbicycle | November 29, 2006 9:23 AM

SWHAT is on point. All those other comments are petty and whiney! Is it about their salaries or is that they serve in government? They are talented well educated people. Connecticut specifically has a problem keeping educated talented people working in government, business and education. If they can do the job why shouldn't they. Dr. Walton has a very long and extensive record of community service and love for this City. Sheila Bell cares deeply about people living in public housing and worked closely with HANH on several programs that benefit public housing residents. They could easily go anywhere and command and demand top salaries. Or is this about race and class. If you remember and you probably don't when Bob Solomon came to HANH he bought Robin Golden with him--she was his student at Yale Law School and she had NO housing experience--oh and did I mention they are WHITE. Regarding Henry Fernandez, hey is a super talented man he can go any where and and do just about anything. Does anybody believe he needs the Mayor to get him a job. He heads a very successful consultanting firm that advises political players from Barack Obama to many others across the country. There is no scandal here. Just people still committed to serving. Regarding your taxes you really need to look at the tax break is. Don't just throw out information that you have no facts to support what you are saying. Contact your elected local official and ask them to give you a breakdown of what your taxes are in relation to the running of this City. Of better still show up at budget meetings. Oh that requires effort--sorry.

Posted by: Steve- New Haven | November 29, 2006 12:00 PM

In response to "PinkBicycle" -- to your point good leaders do breed excellent performers and the future leaders for tomorrow--to my point this leadership is lacking with Mayor DeStefano's administration. This can be witnessed in the arrogance and indifference we find in Mayor DeStefano and his posse. There is a difference in influencing as compared to bullying. In each experience I have had with all of the above, it is a cannned behavior driven by the Mayor's example. I'm sure your not from far away at all!!

Posted by: pinkbicycle | November 29, 2006 1:33 PM

Yep pretty far away! However, what's your point. Is this an upclose observation? Or is this just your unhappiness in general? You should run for office. I mean if you are feeling noble and all and perhaps you have a better idea on how things get done. As I recall New Haven was a dump in the mid 80's and now it is a City poised for greatness or atleast a place where people want to put down roots. No easy feat considering New Haven has a huge public housing/section 8 population over 10,000--according to HUD. And a Ivy League Unversity that seems to gobble up land as fast as the City can say "Deal or No Deal" I think the Mayor has done a great job of kicking ass and taking no prisoners. He should have run ofr Governor. So he lost--you nutmeggers are stupind and your democratic party is well...anyway he ought to run again. You folks elected your grandma and God help you.

Posted by: Observer | November 30, 2006 12:24 AM

For the two "talented" admininstrators going to the Housing Authority, just what did they accomplish in their years on the job? One might have a PHd, but isn't it in child pyschology or something like that?
As for Henry reappearing -- hey why not? The guy has a knack for getting himself hired to do things he has absolutely no experience in -- then passing himself off as an expert. As for his succussful political consulting firm -- I'd be shitting in my pants to take his advice. This is the guy whose candidate went into the Convention with 125 plus votes more than he needed to secure the nomination and loses! Then his guy wins the primary by the smallest of margins despite massive labor support (of which his opponent had none). Then his boy gets creamed in the general election. Why in the world would anyone listen to his politcial advice?

Posted by: sandstorm | November 30, 2006 2:18 PM

Rose probably comes closest to the truth.

If Yale and its graduates were not in New Haven,we
would (as has been long said) be Bridgeport.
We should be pleased that CT's general "brain drain"failure to keep college graduates has been reversed,to some extent, in New Haven.

It is heartening to know that the Mayor has-at last-learned how to reward loyalty and diligence.
While the selections may not have been duplicated
with a legitimate posting and real search for
qualified candidates (a questionable practice at
best), there is no doubt about the integrity,
ethics or dedication of Bell, DuBois-Walton or
Silverman. The last appointment of Matos is worthy
of support in spite of her marriage to Fernandez, not because of it.

Hopefully, these initiatives will help to break the cycle of poverty and improve opportunities for
all of our citizens, young and old.

Posted by: caitsith | December 3, 2006 3:42 AM

I agree with Kirika. That person clearly speaks from experience. If you want to look at this from a fiscal/financial issue you need to familiarize yourself with City budgeting principles. It’s actually quite simple. Employees of the City of New Haven are paid either through the General Fund or Special Funds. Special fund employees are paid through outside funding sources, including state and federal. The general fund generates revenue from taxpayers, through property, etc. Both General and Special funded employees can and do belong to mandatory unions. Some city positions are filled with contractors, who often make MUCH more than those earning their pay through General Fund and Special Fund jobs normally on the Civil Service list. But the City doesn't really hire too many new civil service positions, or give tests for them as the Charter requires - instead deals are made so favorite sons and daughters are brought in and up to ensure more years of JD's death-grip on the residents of New Haven.

Inquire at City Hall 200 Orange street in the departments of Payroll and Accounts Payable and see for yourself how much the City spends on “contactors� that COULD be held by employees making much less. For example a contractor might make $90,000 a year whereas a unionized worker could make anywhere from $40K – 60$ for the same job. All you need to do is ask for a list of General Funded contractors and match up their titles and job descriptions to Civil Service list jobs in the City. You will be shocked if you do. In effect, a contractor costs our general fund dearly, all to favors and connections of the mayor. And the public doesn’t even know it.

Any salary information paid by the general fund, even partially, is public information. You might want to ask for salaries for the mayor’s executive staff, perhaps recent raises or why the general fund needs to employ so many high paid “chiefs� of whatever staffs when the same mayor a few years ago made the unions force it’s dues paying members to give back 1% of their yearly salaries to the failing mismanaged city budget.

There are plenty of positions filled in the City that truly are not necessary, yet the City feels prudent to hire so many contractors while the unions suffered layoffs in recent years. Correction – city residents suffer when layoffs occur. City employees serve the public where as City Hall serves John D.

As far as Kirika’s claims, the same goes for HANH, another New Haven Horror Show. Bloated with inept supervisors making high salaries for nothing more than dribbling out slick sounding rhetoric. The Housing Authority should stop its revolving doors and stop looking elsewhere to solve its own internal problems first before pretending more new hires are even capable of serving the public. HANH is rife with those who make a lot while devoid of those that do a lot. Hmm, like 165 Church perhaps? The only workers that make the gears run in both the City and HANH are the lower paid unionized workers. The ones that have to suffer upper management.

It’s YOUR general fund people, stand up for it, make City Hall accountable for every cent. The property re-evaluations are only the beginning my friends. Only the beginning of the post-gov Johnnie for us New Haveners. Ouch.