New Haven Independent

Posted by: concerned in ct | May 15, 2007 9:00 PM

Rafael Ramos, works for the city, receives city grant money. Mmmmmmmm, makes you think, doesn't it.

Posted by: MARYROSARIO | May 15, 2007 10:11 PM

nice job to all the programs that got the grants.keep helping the kids.

Posted by: I live In New Haven | May 16, 2007 12:25 AM

Concerned IN CT, yes but everything is not what it appears to be. Lets see Mnnnnnnn. Ramos didn't get the grant. The Community Theater that he founded that incourages folks to express themselves through theater got the grant to increase capacity. They proposed to increase the following: The Drama workshops that exposes young people to theater while fostering a creative environment that encourages the participants to tell their story creating and using theatrical monologues. The facilitators (Trained Actors) will engage the group in a discussion about everyday life in the community. Each participant will be ask to write a two to three page story, essay or tell a story about life in the community. These stories or essay will be the raw materials that will be used for creating the monologues. At the completion of the workshops Bregamos will produce three shows called New Haven Stories where participants will perform their individual monologue to a live community audience. These participants will be encouraged to become part of Bregamos' acting troupe or to audition to other theaters and or school productions. Objectives of the Techincal Theater Workshop To expose young people to theater through technical theater workshops. Participants will learn the basic aspects of technical theater. The facilitators will provide hands on training using basic theater equipment. At the completion of the 8 week workshop, individuals will be assign a task to support three monologue show performed by the acting workshop participants.
Bregamos is one of the few community theaters chosen to repesent the USA & New Haven to the International Community Theater Festival In Holland March 2008.Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Congratulation Bregamos and all the other granted youth organizations.

Posted by: concerned in ct | May 16, 2007 1:35 PM

To: I live in New Haven,

I also live in New Haven, and pay taxes (probably more than you do). I like Rafeal, I think he is a great person and extremely hard working. Also, from what you have written, it seems like a great program. But, despite all that, you can not separate the fact that Rafeal, who gave the new CSA Director her first real job in New Haven, and is a high ranking official with the New Haven gov't, has founded and is still affliated with an organization that is now receiving funds from that very same CSA Director and the city, no matter how nioe a guy he is. Mmmmmmmmm...It doesn't pass the smell test.

If the organination is so good, go to private foundations and get some funds. Why New Haven's money?

Posted by: Live in New Haven | May 16, 2007 3:50 PM

Concerned in Ct, How many Aldermen work in organizations that get city funds or serve on thier board of directors and vote on say CDBG.
Let start with aldermen Shaw and leave will enough alone. The reason it doesn't pass the smell test is because your smelling your top lip.

Posted by: Live in New Haven | May 16, 2007 3:57 PM

Concerned in Ct, How many Aldermen work in organizations that get city funds or serve on thier board of directors and vote on say CDBG.
Let start with aldermen Shaw and leave will enough alone. The reason it doesn't pass the smell test is because your smelling your top lip.

Posted by: concerned in ct | May 16, 2007 4:46 PM

Live in New Haven,

My my, aren't we getting a little mean and personal. Smelling my top lip? I don't get any funds from any government entity in CT. But it sounds as though you may be receiving some yourself. Hitting a little close to home, am I?

Posted by: Gary Doyens | May 16, 2007 6:58 PM

This is a perfect example of what's wrong in New Haven. Why are our standards so low? City employees, regardless of how nice a person they are...should not be getting tax money directly or indirectly for companies and organizations with which they are affiliated. This would not be allowed at the state level.

And finally, this is how the city budget gets bloated with fat and things taxpayers should not be funding. The payroll is packed with former non-profit executives. Community Services is now staffed by Kica Matos who used to run Junta - an advocacy group for Hispanics. Is it any wonder we're now going to roped into funding the long term city I.D. program to the tune of $250K a year?

Oh..we'll just stick it on the taxpayers bill...and of that $250K -- $175K of it is for employees..new employees with benefits and pensions. Those pensions are in arrears to the tune of $500 million and counting....that makes the extravagant school construction program look like chump change.

It's time for a New Haven Citizens Action Network to put a stop to useless, wasteful spending and programs predicated on the whimsical dreams of people like Ramos and Kica...It's past time to bring ethics, integrity and responsibility to city government and some sense of shame in simply demanding that our "One City" keep paying for this runaway spending.

Posted by: Rafael Ramos | May 16, 2007 7:19 PM

Thank you all for your comments. The office of CSA
has decided to freeze the capacity building grant to Bregamos and defer to the opinion of the board of ethics. I agree with Kica matos that this is the best thing to do.

Mean while all should know that our spring workshops begain this past monday and that we have a couple more slot open for young people ages 13 to 17. Please email Bregamostheater@aol.com

Posted by: citizen for change | May 17, 2007 9:19 AM

I think It's very interesting that people have time to criticise when there is so much work to do.
I ask the Critics, how much of their free time, after the 9 to 5, do they contribute to their communities? Bregamos Community Theater is just one of the solutions to our Youth "Problem" in New Haven. Everyone can talk about how we need more programs for our youth and how it's becoming a serious problem but WHAT ARE YOU DOING? It's always those who aren't doing enough who seem to have all the time to be negative critics.
Our youth are our future If we as a community do not foster their brilliance what does that say about us? Bregamos Community theater is providing our Youth with a stage where they can shine their light and discover their own geneous. Instead of critiquing these "whimsical Dreams" become part of the solution and help make them a reality.
Our children deserve opportunities just as much as our more affluent surrounding communiteis. Bregamos is just one of the many vehicles our community can provide to engage New Haven's Youth with a positive environment. And Yes, Bregamos was founded by a New Haven City Employee and we as a community should be proud. Lets work together for change.

Posted by: concerned in ct | May 17, 2007 9:45 AM

Kica and Rafeal

Good start and classy move. But, even if the ehtics board says it doesn't break any rules, you should still stop the deal, it will smell a whole lot better. And if you do, I will personally make a donation myself.

Posted by: JMAC | May 17, 2007 10:17 AM

To CONCERNED IN CT:

Despite the issue of ethics and integrity among public officials in the discussion, you have revealed your true colors.

You said:

"I also live in New Haven, and pay taxes (probably more than you do)."

How arrogant and racist. What conclusion did your mind just automatically jump to?

Because user I LIVE IN NEW HAVEN defended Bregamos Community Theater and Rafael Ramos, you assumed this person to be either black or hispanic and poor?

Also, what makes you think that because you pay higher taxes that your opinions should be valued more than others?

Shame on you.

Posted by: concerned in ct | May 17, 2007 2:09 PM

JMAC,

1) I am African American, I grew up in New Haven and for a time lived in public houing. I now live in an African American/Latino majority neighborhood in New Haven. It seems a little presumptious and racist of you to assume because I pay taxes I am something other than African American. 2) I mentioned my tax status because another poster made the assumption that I did not live in New Haven. 3) I never questioned the ethics of Rafeal or Kica, only the deal. There are many non profits in New Haven doing good work with youth, some of them have been highlighted on this very website. Why did Rafeal's group merit getting funds over the other groups? Why did his group get 13% of the funding? Who comprised this mysterious group of "independent" persons who made the decision on who to fund? What did the other groups get? Who was denied funding and why?

Come on, you have to admit that there are too many unanswered questions here. If Rafael's group is so deserving of funding, then go aout into the free market and get it, why continue to pick the pockets of us New Haven tax payers?

Posted by: JMAC | May 17, 2007 3:48 PM

CONCERNED IN CT,

What triggered me was that you assumed to pay more taxes than someone else. I never questioned whether or not you pay taxes or disputed your opinion on the deal of funding.

I guess I was trying to defend something that didn't need defending. My apologies.

Posted by: Matthew Short | May 17, 2007 8:47 PM

You don't have to be a major taxpayer (or a taxpayer at all) to be concerned about ethics issues so all of this discussion about who is a bigger shareholder in the public good is irrelevant. The problem with this anonymous posting stuff is that I can't tell the difference between concerned citizens and political mudslinging from a safe vantage point. Paul, I really hope you'd change that at some point. Either way, I would give the same response to what I've read:

I would like to attest to the fact that neither Rafael, nor any other member of the group that comprises Bregamos, is compensated. That seems to be an issue that concerns people. The activities of Bregamos DO subsist primarily on private giving and the grant money will not take away from the work done to raise private funds, but will instead go to achieving the goal of both Bregamos and of the City's Youth Initiative, which is to serve more of our City's youth by providing even more programming.

I sit on the board of Bregamos and I do so because I believe that the progamming is good for kids and worth spending my time and money on (I am also a contributor). Again, ethics questions are reasonable, and I'm sure that if you look more deeply into the matter, rather than smelling things, that you will find the work Bregamos does to be worthwhile and the methods appropriate.

Warm Regards,

Matt Short

Posted by: concerned in ct | May 17, 2007 10:12 PM

JMAC,

No problem