New Haven Independent

Posted by: Your Tax Dollars at Work | October 2, 2007 10:16 AM

Does any of the 3 candidates have a real program? It all sounds so helter-skelter.

What about the suffering neighborhoods we read about each day in NHI? Is there a program for dealing with quality-of-life issues? Is New Haven's Development Administration going to continue only to deal opportunistically with humongous, unrealistic projects -- without an overall plan? Is the only issue for reorgaiizing the police department whether or not there's going to be a special drug unit?

Puh-leeze! I've got a life-size view of Mama Rell cooperating with JDS on overriding zoning of the airport. And the so-called veto proof Democratic legislature doesn't look as though it can fight its way out of a wet paper bag. Great printable, fighting phraseology up there in the legislature BUT no guts! Too many politicians sniffing for money & jobs but no real party plan or discipline. (Oh, if we could only bring back Bailey!) John: What's Plan B?

Posted by: AJMC | October 2, 2007 10:48 AM

I will be one of many disgruntled democrats that will be lending my support, my vote and in a few weeks, my money to the campaigne of Rick Elser. Simply put, it is time for a change 0f the gaurd in the City of New Haven.

Back in 2000, after I finished my graduate degree, I decided to settle in downtown New Haven. Back then an apartment in downtown rented for $600 a month. This was during a time when New Haven was tryng to find itself and its place. Downtown was being redeveloped, it had lot of potential. Those of us artsy types stuck with downtown when lots of people went elsewhere.

Now, 7 years later, those of us who wroked hard to make new haven such a cool hip place to live cant rent anything downtown for less then $1000 bucks a month. Landlords have a right to higher rents if the market demands it, but the simple fact is that under the DeStefano administration, downtown is not filled with locals anymore, instead ousiders who havent contributed a dam thing to the city move in like they own the place. Not to mention, how bout making some awesome, moderately priced condos in direct downtown for those of us who have stuck with the city when others thought New Haven was crappy. Instead, condos ar being built that start at $250,000. Thats not such a bad thing either, but spread the sunshine around a little so all income levels can enjoy direct downtown equally.

Also, it is time for a shakeup at the board of educatin starting with "Slick Reggie." It is high time that this board of education becoe one that is elected by the people instead of being appointed by the mayor. Right now there is no accountabily, and this board of education that has gone wild.

Posted by: Disgruntled Democrat | October 2, 2007 12:43 PM

I agree with AJMC. There has been too much postulating and hypothecating by DeStefano and his merry band of followers (the Aldermen). Its time to get results, rather than empty promises that turn out to be exactly that -- empty to all but the political insiders that keep this regime in power.

As a registered democrat living in the 25th ward, I have an alderwoman who acts as a mouthpiece for the mayor, a democratic committee that will not listen to anything said against her, and am told that no one is upset about higher taxation without representation. Now I am told that my alderwoman will not even debate the issues with her challenger, and I am to guess that it is because she will not have a script provided by the mayor's office that she can follow.

There have been too many questionable property sales and other issues that have emanated from City Hall to follow blindly the mayor's programs. My children are afraid in school, and I am afraid for them, especially now that our public schools have not passed the No Child Left Behind testing criteria. The Board of Education's response: to send a letter to all parents asking them to volunteer to help rectify the situation. I thought the payroll for the Bd. of Ed. was the largest capital expense for the City. Why do they need voluteers???

It seems that whatever agenda that the mayor has is not working, and that includes many of his department heads. I for one am going to back Elser and anyone else that can provide new ideas for our city to get back on track. We need programs, not only for the wealthy, the indigent and illegal immigrants, but for the middle class, which is the backbone of any urban setting.

Posted by: aaron | October 2, 2007 1:51 PM

it was a good, fair debate and i think people should check it out on Citizens TV if they couldn't make it tonight (it's airing Sundays and Tuesdays throughout October)... let's hope there are more debates to come and also that we can get our voting machines and procedures in shape in time for the election so we don't look like bridgeport in their primary last month...

Posted by: charlie | October 2, 2007 1:56 PM

Why not settle in Dwight or Fair Haven? It's hip, and more affordable. Obviously prices are going to rise when an area becomes more valuable.

Take my word for it - if you think $1,000 per month is a lot, just wait 5 or 10 years from now when prices are going to be about $2,000 per month downtown. The reason is very simple. Nobody wants to live in boring, crumbling, car-infested old suburbs. Not only is downtown New Haven much more attractive in terms of stuff to do, it is also better because you're right by the train and the fact you don't have to drive makes your risk of death about 1/100th that of a typical suburban resident. The suburbs are the slums of the future.

Nothing that the city does is going to change any of that, in fact, any good decisions made by City Hall are just going to make rents downtown rise even more.

Posted by: Steve | October 2, 2007 1:56 PM

...

You would think this man [DeStefano] would have found some humility is his miserably failed race for the Governor's Office. He feels that he is better, smarter and wiser than his audience. I recommend that we give him the boot to a higher office out of town.

Perhaps we should employ a "Eminent Domain" action to remove the bully from the pulpit!!

Posted by: cedarhillresident | October 2, 2007 2:43 PM

First...
The Airport needs to go! Even my Alderman was preaching this at a group meeting , but funny when it came to vote he stood in the back of the room and did not vote on it. If we can not get the surrounding towns to help foot the bill for something they benefit from, then let it go....my guess is they may jump into save it.

taxes
Elser thank you for bring up the taxes my guess, that's exactly what the people of new haven want!! In 5 years it is not the subprime that will be hurting people it is the tax rate this city has thrust upon us!! My guess, that is what the voting population is more interested in at this point in time....who will save us from the 5 year phase in!
police
Living were I do and the answers that I am getting from the cops... we need the narc's dept. But we need them to do there dang jobs if they are started up again not hide at friends houses! As far as giving cops incentives to live in the city I agree 100%! The ones that did die not sure If am thinking of the same ones, grew up here and still had family here. That is why he cared so much! I and many in the city feel that a cop that lives here is one that will go the extra mile, the one that has as much as us to lose at night when they go home. Trust me ya want renewed faith in cops, make the cops locals!

a last thought
I think that if John made Gov. he would of helped the state and new haven. But while running alot of things got messed up. I am not going to blame John for all of it because every dept. had a boss and they were in control of there dept.s The alderman had alot of control and they did there damage to. There are alot of people to blame. When at the polls don't forget that the alderman have alot of control of were things go in this city.
Don't forget how they voted on the budget.
http://www.nhcan.org/boa-accountability-project/

Posted by: are you kidding | October 2, 2007 10:35 PM

AJMC are you kidding how much less then 250,000 do you think it gets. In 2000 i bought a condo on mix ave in hamden for 105,000 in 2006 I sold it for 205,000. Dont be mad because you missed the boat. 250,000 is as low as its ever going get downtown and I'm sure that only gets you a few hundred Sq Ft. Im so sick of everyone in this town expecting a handout. If you want to live in most expensive area go make some money or apply for one of the "low income" handouts going in the Shartenberg building for you hip artsy types with graduate degrees but no money.

Posted by: stevesywonder | October 3, 2007 7:50 AM

Unfortunately I could not attend the debate, but some of the coments on this thread no doubt ring true. This is a wonderful city, but we face an incredible amount of crime and corruption. Last night, WTNH showed "Non-Fatal" gunfire injuries jump from 92 in January 2006 to 139 for the same period this year. I live in a relatively secure building near Wooster Square, and we have AT LEAST two car windows smashed in every single week. What would compel the typical suburbanite to relocate to New Haven with publicity like that? I drive through Dwight, Fair Haven and Newhallville every single day for my job, and the amount of trash in vacant lots, on sidewalks and in the street absolutely sickens me. Who is going to clean that? White community activists affiliated with the United Way who strategize on how to save the city at wine and cheese parties? This city is kidding itself if it thinks people are going to pay half a million dollars for some of the downtown condos I see being constructed all over the place. Change is needed, but I'm afraid that the damage under this administration has already been done.

Posted by: Gary Doyens | October 3, 2007 10:09 AM

It's no news flash, the mayor is tired of running the city. He just doesn't have another job. He was soundly rejected on a statewide basis, the more informed electorate rejected his ideas of wild spending, higher taxes and endless blame on the state for New Haven problems.

So, John's stuck here - and unless and until voters educate themselves on the issues and start taking personal responsibility for their city, it will continue. With voter turnout in the low double digits - and the number of registered voters in the same area, people feel disconnected to city government and feel they can do nothing to change it. The Democratic machine likes it that way.

John has direct control over the Board of Education, the Housing Authority, and an almost endless array of boards and commissions - zoning, police and fire boards, land use to name but a few. He controls the NH Board of Aldermen by backing people who need a job - when they get elected, he gives them one. As a result, his tired and retreaded ideas for not fixing city problems are approved by rubber stamp alders, commissions, and boards.

So, with absolute power, here's the track record people should vote on:

*Shootings are up nearly 50% and community policing is dead.
*Taxes in the last three years are up 26% and are scheduled to rise every year for the next four years.
*Fines for parking, building permit fees etc are up more than that - some fines escalated by 25% in one year.
*Spending has increased by $67 million
*City debt is at record levels
*City bond rating is down, which causes our debt service payments to rise
*City is under investigation by the AG's office for cooking the books on projected enrollment to justify extravagent spending on new schools
*City is looking down the barrel of at least $66 million, many of us fear, $100 million or more in unreimbursed costs from the state because of excessive spending on the schools
*City has more failing schools and failing children under No Child Left Behind and has not appreciably improved its standing with the CMTs
*While complaining about low payments under the PILOT program for non-profit construction in New Haven - DeStefano champions turning potential Class A real estate into more non-profit, non property tax paying projects that rely on the same PILOT payments he complains about.
*Poverty is up
*Homeownership is down
*City Hall has instituted a double standard in the treatment of its corporate citizens - newcomers like Becker get the royal treatment including tens of millions in taxpayer welfare for the well heeled, and YNHH gets the shaft (See the NH Register editorial for the details - stunning)
*The blindingly incompetent Development Administrator (Murphy) is in either a fight or just fails to follow best practices in literally every project she touches (Yale, Gateway - Macy's demolition, tunnel reconstruction, man-handling Tweed Airport Authority,Taxpayer Towers a/k/a Shartenberg and failing to get an appraisal)which has all cost the city millions and millions...
*Democratic Party leadership that rewards mindless robots and puts down free thinkers and frank exchange of ideas

New Haven needs an infusion of transperancy in city government; fiscal discipline; accountability for results or lack of them at the department level on up; and a personality transplant in the mayor's chair and in key positions in city government. We need city leadership that believes in fostering relationships with stakeholders at the local and state levels so that the best solutions, real solutions are found for our problems, not bandaids and half baked ideas that pit one group of citizens against another - (city ID card, senior tax freeze).

It's time for a change.

Posted by: AJMC | October 3, 2007 1:09 PM

IN RESPONSE TO ARE YOU KIDDING: First, I Pay $1500.00 a month for my office space to run my business out of downtown New Haven. So, thats not nump chump change, and certainly dose not reflect a "hippy artsy type with no money." And my post was not about wanting or needing a handout; as this hippy graduate degree holding artsy type makes very good money. The point is, when you compare New Haven's direct Downtown to other cities direct downtown, New Haven is lacking in many respects. Throwing up millon dollar condos in an area where you can't go and get a simple salad at 11pm on a sunday night is obsurd to me.

Second, you have a a serious real estate problem in general downtown. On Chapel street, you have many nice buildings, with great priced rents vs. the space that you get in the actual apartment. However, try getting one of those apartments if you are not affiliated with Yale University. No matter how much money you throw out there, "no yale, no apartment." Unlike other cities where there is more space to develop other area's, New Haven has very little space in ints downdown district.

I can afford to live anywhere I want. My point is, for those of us who have made new haven home for so many years, a $250,000 to $500,000 condo in downtown dosent make any sence compared to the problems this city has.

As far as wanting or needing a handout. I think you should have read what I posted instead of just skimming it. I dont need a handout or any financial help.

My closet is filled with Prada and Dolce and Gabbana but then again, I wouldnt expect someone from a god forsaken spot like "Mix Ave" in Hamden to even know who those designers are. In fact I coulf probly buy everything you own with one swipe of my American Express. But As my orignal post suggested, its not about the money, its about the attitude. Ohh, and in case your making a comment about me in your mnd right now, youd be wrong wrong again. Im getting married in November. Have a nice day!

Posted by: cedarhillresident | October 3, 2007 1:21 PM

Gary
BEST POST YET!!

Posted by: Stephen H | October 3, 2007 3:01 PM

I am a registered Democrat that will be voting Republican in November.

My lease expires in Feb and I don't plan on renewing it as New Haven is a terrible value. I am moving back to the Naugatuck Valley.

It has been nice the past 3 years, but it would also be nice if we had a quick police responce time, low taxes, low insurance rates, affordable rents, and safe neighborhoods.

If I move 10 miles Nortwest of Westville my rent goes down $100 a month, car insurance goes down $400 every six months, and car tax would be cut in half.

Posted by: charlie | October 3, 2007 5:30 PM

If I move 10 miles Nortwest of Westville my rent "goes down $100 a month, car insurance goes down $400 every six months, and car tax would be cut in half."

You get what you pay for. Have fun in total nowheresville. Most people would not make the same decision because they would not enjoy the 50-100X greater risk of death or serious injury from having to drive so many more miles to work every day.

Posted by: Stephen H | October 4, 2007 9:27 AM

"You get what you pay for. Have fun in total nowheresville. Most people would not make the same decision because they would not enjoy the 50-100X greater risk of death or serious injury from having to drive so many more miles to work every day."

I now work in the Valley so moving to the Valley would actually reduce my risk as I will no longer have to negotiate route 313 and I would likely be within 5 miles of work.

Plus, it is also nice to have the police show up before you even hang up the phone as opposed to waiting hours.

I'd rather get in a car accident out in the Valley then to get shot in New Haven. Odds are the driver would have insurance!

Posted by: charlie | October 4, 2007 11:05 PM

...and odds are that the driver would be going about 45 to 50 MPH, seriously injuring or killing whoever he hit, versus just 20-30MPH in New Haven (which means 1/100th the force of impact and a 1000% higher chance of survival). As fas as getting shot, the chance of that is almost 0% unless you are a drug dealer, so you're still dealing with the fact you're about 100X more likely to die in the 'burbs. But I'm glad it's closer to work for you.

Posted by: Edward_H | October 5, 2007 7:51 PM

CHARLIE
...and odds are that the driver would be going about 45 to 50 MPH, seriously injuring or killing whoever he hit, versus just 20-30MPH in New Haven

Where in NEw Haven does anyone drive 20-30 MPH? Maybe during rush hour but that is about it.

As fas as getting shot, the chance of that is almost 0% unless you are a drug dealer,

Tell that to the family of Richard Beamon, Tell that to the families of the young teenagers gunned down over nothing. Tell that to the Alderman who recently had bullets shot through his house. Are you going to tell that nonsense to me after a bullet crashed through my wall a few feet away from me while sitting at my computer?

so you're still dealing with the fact you're about 100X more likely to die in the 'burbs.

This is so ridiculous and baseless I won't even comment on it

Posted by: Stevesywonder | October 5, 2007 10:06 PM

Charlie:

Your comparison to roadway accidents (which has also appeared in previous debates) seems rather illogical. I would invite you to do two things as soon as possible:

1) Spend an afternoon in a lawn chair on State Street (opposite Cafe Goodfellas, the church etc.) near the NHPD speed prevention monitoring sign. Track the incoming vehicle speeds, which probably range 40-50 mph (I see them regularly). This would provide you with some scientific evidence to refute many, if not all, of your so-called suburban speeding claims. It is only a matter of time before a restaurant patron is killed by a motor vehicle in that vary area.

2.) Contact the parents of Christian Prince, The Yale Student who was shot and killed on a New Haven steet corner in 1993 and tell them that their son was a "Drug Dealer". Or, if you prefer, call the family of Ricardo Beamon, owner of the Yuppy Boutique on Chapel Street, and tell them that their loved one was dealing "Drugs" and not clothes.

We can use psychological displacement all we want to make ourselves feel better about where we live. But the fact remains that comparing New Haven crime to suburban vehicular accidents is about as logical as having sexual intercourse to reclaim your virginity.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | October 7, 2007 4:27 PM

Edward_H and Stevesywonder
are right Charlie. Who are you?? A policeman?? Trying to change the masses beliefs?? I am not sure were you live but you are so dead wrong!! Try crossing state street in the cedar hill area any given day...we call it frogger street! The speed limit being 25 and ALL do over 40!!!

But you can move if you want, I am going to say and I am going to fight (not just complain!) for things in this city to change!! In the past few months there have been all of people shot...were all of the drug dealers???

Posted by: cedarhillresident | October 8, 2007 8:46 AM

Ok I watched it.

John gave all the same answers we already know. But was well spoken with a bit carefree friendliness to his voice.

Ralph had some really great ideas that I agree with. I thought he held himself well. He after all is just one of us with the big one to go against such a power house. So bravo to him.

And I have to be honest a piece of me thought that Elser may have been running to take some of the anti-machine vote away from Ralph but as I watched the debate I am thinking that he may very well be running....and shoot me but he really had some ideas that I agreed with 100% (ohhh scary that I agreed with a Rep.) but he impressed me. (again ohhh scary).

Posted by: cedarhillresident | October 22, 2007 4:40 PM

UGGG finally I have the answer we are all looking for!! New Haven allows write in candidates!!
We can vote a forth person in to office click link below to see who is able to save New Haven from the doom of our own government!!!

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b115/happypixie36/captian.jpg