New Haven Independent

Folks in Cedar Hill, an isolated, eight-street enclave tucked between East Rock Park and Interstate 91, have long complained of neglect in an aldermanic ward that also contains some of the most expensive mansions in town. Drugs are dealt in the open, and city services don’t seem to come, neighbors say.

Supporters of Green Party candidate Allan Brison knocked on often neglected doors in Cedar Hill Tuesday as they helped propel him to an upset over incumbent Democratic Alderman Ed Mattison.

This summer, well-organized neighbors of the Cedar Hill Block Watch saw an opportunity in Brison. Feeling underrepresented in City Hall, they inserted themselves in the race. They hosted a heated debate between Mattison and his seemingly longshot opponent Brison.

Asked why Cedar Hill seemed to get poorer access to basic city services than other parts of town, Mattison told them the squeaky wheel gets the grease. “The reality is the politically active people get what they want and the people who sit on their butts don’t get it,” he told the crowd.

“I took that as a personal challenge,” said Rebecca Turcio, a Cedar Hill block watch activist (pictured at top at right). “I worked my butt off,” making phone calls, talking to neighbors, distributing lawn signs. “Green” wasn’t the point, she said — neighbors had found a ticket, a way to get their voice to City Hall.

A handful of pro-Brison Cedar Hill activists rallied to a second aldermanic debate, where neighborhood issues remained a point of contention between the candidates.

Working Against The Odds

On Election Day, when the Democrats sat back, thinking they had the election in the bag, Turcio was practically the only one pulling votes in East Rock. She headed out to the unlit streets of Cedar Hill.

For backup, Brison sent along the Greens’ unabashed hollerer, Fight the Hike maven Wendy Hamilton (pictured at right). They started down Cedar Hill Avenue, where most houses didn’t have door bells or porch lights.

“We’re not getting very good results,” declared Hamilton after someone slammed the door on them. “I’m going to get my bullhorn and start yelling!”

“I don’t think my neighbors would appreciate that,” responded Turcio. Door-slams be damned, she continued on her way. She skipped the drug houses and knocked on doors she knew.

In the street, they came across a woman with a young child.

“Are you registered to vote?”

“No, I’m not.”

“You can’t complain if you don’t vote!”

“I know. I’m sorry,” replied the woman, getting into her car.

“You’re getting screwed!” cried Hamilton.

Another woman (pictured at the top of the story at left) hadn’t registered either.

Turcio promised to return next election. “We need you for Cedar Hill!”

Wheel Squeaked

Turcio said she had better luck on the phones. It was unclear how much of an impact Cedar Hill voters ended up having this time around — last election, only 54 of the 330 registered voters came out. Mattison estimated about the same number turned out again.

But in a low-turnout race where every vote counts, the neighborhood was one of many factors pushing Brison to an upset victory, stunning the Democratic establishment by winning 393-303 on the machines.

“This is definitely a victory for Cedar Hill,” said Turcio, standing near Brison at the Greens’ victory party on St. Ronan Street.

Brison said “I’ll be screaming” to help neighbors if he runs up against bureaucratic obstacles in getting improvements made in the neighborhood, such as the perilous intersection near the State Street Hess Station.

“I hope he is able to assist people in Cedar Hill,” said Mattison, reached Thursday by phone, “because I’ve always felt like they got a raw deal when 1-91 was rammed through their neighborhood.”

Mattison, who called the victory “shocking,” said he thought Brison’s key to success was outreach. While Mattison got his usual number, in the 300s, Brison “worked for a number of months and just reached out to a number of people who in the past haven’t typically voted.”

Mattison, who served as alderman for three full terms and worked closely with Aldermanic President Carl Goldfield, said he was most concerned by Brison’s promise to be “a solid vote for [Alderman] Jorge Perez” against Goldfield both on policy matters and in a potential rematch for aldermanic president. The two figures represent two factions of the board that often have trouble cooperating even on issues of shared concern.

“What we need is less factionalism, not more,” said Mattison. Brison was picking the wrong faction, anyway, Mattison said: “I don’t see how the East Rock neighborhood would be better off with his joining a minority faction that has generally not demonstrated an ability to deliver anything.”

Back at the Greens victory party, however, Turcio remained optimistic about the new alderman’s prospects at making the neighborhood’s voice heard.

“Ed always told me the squeaky wheel gets the grease,” said Turcio. “Ed, I think I squeaked it this time!”