New Haven Independent

Posted by: cedarhillresident | May 7, 2007 3:31 PM

Ok Newton could have a place in our city hall but I just don't think it is Mayor. I think he has some good idea's for some of the area's of the city, but as a whole I do not feel he can represent the entire city.

I do think that Ralph is the "dark horse" in this race. He knows the city, he knows the people. Most of all for me Ralph has one thing we all know is true.. he has the desire to make a positive change.

I think some of the things he wants to work on are...

*Making New Haven an energy independent city (like Wallingford)

*Crime in the communities

*Working on giving the communities the "downtown treatment" as I like to call it. another words "revitalization of New Haven, not just downtown"

I have yet to totally listen to all the candidates and there is not enough out there to know all about them but I am trying to follow the whole thing.

Now our wonderful mayor says these are the issues he is running on...

Immigration issues, affordable housing, youth initiatives, establishing a tax freeze for the elderly and downtown development.... Are these not things that are already in the works of happening. How is this going to improve the mess we are in. I know that fixing downtown is important (the trickle down effect) but what about the rest of the city??? We have to sit here for the next 5-10 years waiting for a return on all the stuff while our tax dollars are not even seen in our communities ... never mind the fact our taxes our higher than crap! No I want more than that from you Johnny!!

Posted by: JE | May 8, 2007 2:18 AM

I could run my pet fish and he would get as many votes as these two will. What a joke.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | May 8, 2007 10:05 AM

JE What is it that makes these canidates less quailfied than your fish?? Or do you just not like them??

Posted by: charlie | May 8, 2007 12:41 PM

"Working on giving the communities the "downtown treatment" as I like to call it."

Come on, please. How do you propose to do that? The only way to grow the city is to grow revenues, and the only way to do that is to grow downtown New Haven in a massive way. The city should eliminate the creation of affordable housing, since it already has way more than its fair share compared to any suburban towns, and then it should lower taxes on new building and make the city much more friendly to developers. Otherwise the fact is you are just not going to see much development -- and your taxes will continue to go up at 5-10% per year because of the increased cost of benefits, etc.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | May 8, 2007 2:37 PM

charlie

That was my quote not his....his was the second one

"revitalization of New Haven, not just downtown" from the Register

I am far from protesting the development of downtown....I would be without a job if that was the case.

But I think promoting the development of other parts of town may be a parical remedy to some of the tax problems. What is the old saying "don't put your eggs all in one basket??? I personally think that not ventureing into the other areas of the city is just as smart as only developing the downtown area.

Posted by: charlie | May 8, 2007 2:46 PM

The City has poured tens of millions of dollars into other neighborhoods, with no tangible benefits. When are the citizens as a whole going to hold the government accountable for growing the city's tax revenues? Or are they just going to look the other way and be happy when a few planters or storefronts on their street are "fixed up", only to decay within five years because of a lack of investment? The economic reality of the situation is that downtown needs to grow if the City is going to be able to afford to pay the bills and provide jobs for residents. Jobs and tax revenues are not going to just start appearing in the neighborhoods, but they will downtown if the right infrastructure is laid. "Improvements" in other neighborhoods shouldn't be stopped, but they should happen through natural market forces, not social engineering. The money saved should be pumped into the improvement and expansion of downtown.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | May 8, 2007 8:47 PM

charlie you are right they have tried in some areas but I see areas that can be made into extension of downtown... I do understand that the development of the inner city is important. But if I see one more restaurant go up I am going to die!! If you are going to develop it do it right. But I am aggravated because we do not have the money in this city to do it as fast as some want. So the people that own home in this city are suffering. To forget the surrounding areas of downtown when commencing on the downtown development endeavor to me seems off. I know we need revenue, I want revenue! But are the thing we are doing going to bring in the revenue compared to what we are investing??

Just my thoughts..
Why not take that money and put aside some of the development and invest in an energy plant of our own first?? Would the fact that our city has its own affordable energy not bring in a lot more revenue making business?? I don't know maybe I am just rambling now.