New Haven Independent

Posted by: Morris Cove and East Rock Whiners | August 15, 2007 11:21 AM

I love how the two best neighborhoods in this City still do the most whining about what they are not getting. I lived in Morris Cove for 5 years and East Rock for the last two. I just moved to Dwight. The level of City investment is substantially higher in my previous neighborhoods than it is in the poorer ones- in East Rock 80% of the sidewalks are new, the schools are beautiful (except for East Rock Magnet) College Woods is well maintined and the local aldermen are responsive and available. In Morris Cove, same thing, well-paved streets, responsive alderwoman, a good school,great resources that the City is maintaining well. I will grant you that these places could be even better, and I'm sure that the whiney residents of each of these neighborhoods will respond with their exasperations that I could think things are so great in their neighborhoods - but try living somewhere else in this city - terrible schools, terrible roads, terrible sidewalks, trash/recyclables are never picked-up, alders never answer their phones or return an email. You guys have it great. But I'm sure you will just complain more about your taxes. Want to pay less? Move to a cheaper neighborhood and get nothing in return.

Posted by: Your Tax Dollars at Work | August 15, 2007 11:52 AM

We have money to give to "developers" whose "developments" are not scheduled to go on the tax rolls until 2010 or later. We do not have money to maintain parks, trees & infrastructure. Something wrong with assigning priorities there?

Posted by: Ned | August 15, 2007 2:22 PM

"College woods is well maintained" only because some of the regulars, including me, pick up the trash that accumulates every day. Beer bottles and cans, water bottles, broken glass, used food containers, crack baggies "Philly Blunt" wrappers, used food containers, etc. I'm picking it all up every morning on my daily walk with the dog. The parks department cuts the grass, cleans the bathroom and empties the trash barrels and that's about it. The park doesn't clean itself. Especially with the dog sh*t people - you know who you are - letting your dogs crap in the park and not cleaning it up. I don't know how one determines that "80 percent of the sidewalks are new"? There has been NO sidewalk in front of a house near the corner of Orange and Linden Sts. for over a month now. Some sidewalks were replaced as part of the sewer separation project, which is ongoing. I suppose if more people in the Dwight neighborhood learned how (or cared enough) to use a trash can, the area might not look like a dump. But really what's more important: shiny wheels on a Lincoln Navigator with a booming stereo, or the squalor of one's immediate environment? Speaking of which, the last block of Livingston St., from East Rock to Whitney, is, apparently, a haven for illegal dumping; I don't see the city doing anything about it - how about closing it to traffic? Sections of Canner and Orange Sts. were in terrible condition for YEARS until a month ago, when they were repaved. The city took six YEARS, from the date of posting a tree removal to actually removing a tree, across the street from my house. I doubt that tree will ever be replaced in my lifetime - yes I called the city to ask for a replacement; I've been put on a list, even though the person I spoke with didn't take my name or address - so the city is hiring telepaths I suppose? Oh well, most absentee landlords hate trees anyway - too much maintenance, so why not do what the owners of a house on the corner of Canner and Foster did: paved the whole freaking yard with asphalt! Justice would be served if they fall into a vat of boiling tar...

Posted by: Rob Smuts | August 15, 2007 2:49 PM

Please don't call in tree complaints to the Police Department - it will tie up their time and resources. Call in tree complaints to Parks at 946-8027.

In October 2006 (when we started monthly tracking reports) we had a backlog of 1378 trees needing trimming, 344 that needed removing and 533 stumps to grind. As of the end of June, we've cut that down to 832, 100 and 195, respectively, even as many more calls have come in. I understand the pent up frustration from when the backlog was growing, but we are now consistently trimming and removing many more trees each month than complaints are coming in - especially now that we're past April-June when most complaints come in (when leaves come out and people notice what needs to go).

We have an excellent new supervisor for our tree crews, and are making good work. If you hadn't called in a problem because you didn't think anything would happen, please call it in now - we will get to it.

Posted by: Dean Moriarty | August 16, 2007 1:35 AM

"Morris Cove Alderwoman Arlene DePino said the city is aware of the problem, but doesn't have the funds..."

So why did I just pay a $4000.00 property tax to the City??

Oh, wait, I'm sorry. Maybe it went to the costs of the ID cards. Wake up folks!