New Haven Independent

Posted by: An ex-alderman still in town | November 7, 2007 3:30 PM

Rebecca- I might sound defeatist, but If you had organized your neighborhood for Mattison the way you did for Brison, you may have gotten something done. Electing Brison just means that there is one less Democrat to make happy for the administration. Its the way it works - trust me, I was on the wrong end of the equation for a long-time. Brison may have sucked up to you, but he won't get a thing unitl he wins another term - other alders have more seniority, MUCH more clout and have a Democratic ticket to support them with. The smart thing to have done in Ward 10 was to have voted for Mattison and against DeStefano. That would have made the machine deliver for their guy on the ground. I admire your effort Rebecca, but you and Allan were used, and now you will be placed on the margins even more. My advice would now be to reach out to other alders who have some juice and get them to work for you.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | November 7, 2007 4:56 PM

Our area was organized. And we have gotten things done on our own. He said get off our butts. We were off our butts we had to work hard for the things other area got with out even asking for. Please and he knew this. I felt he did not want people to know. He told a untruth about starting our block watch even printed it in his flyer's. Why because he knew that he had done nothing??? I think Ed is a great guy. But I wanted to give someone else a chance someone that represented what we believed in.
A Fair and just government. And I bet I know who this is.
He was always busy with other projects to find time for our side. Like a safe intersection. Getting police to long running drug spots. Putting he pet projects in our area. Do you think hooker matter to this side of Ward 10. They never made it our district school ....sorry our side of the district school.
Second Brison did not suck up to us. He has been a friend to area area for quite sometime. And if anything we sucked up to him.
Clout is Bull-lonie. I was told to vote. I did several terms for Ed and what did I get a ten min apparence at our block watch meeting once a month. Big deal. "I tried" "I can't" gets old fast but year after year. Is just an excuse.

And if I have to suck up to anyone for something my taxes pay for than shame on Johnny for letting the little guy down and I will tell him. In the end when you have reached your last rope John will come through. so He is who I will ask.

Posted by: New Haven Tea Party | November 7, 2007 9:40 PM

Ex-Alderman: It's a good thing you're an ex - I find your outlook beyond defeatest. It's about as shallow and irrelevant as anything I've ever read here. It's a total crock and I hope that Brison and none of the Cedar Hill gang take it to heart. I have to go now and have a martini to forget what your advice.

Posted by: strangerthanfiction | November 8, 2007 9:30 PM

Allan ran a great campaign. But now Cedar Hill is represented by a first term Green Party alderman.
He's low man on the totem pole and an outsider who won't even be able to caucus with the Democrats on the Board. It may have felt good to have slammed Ed, but he had the ear of the Mayor and leadership, and was a respected committee chairman. This will be a huge challenge for Allan. The Mayor and co. will now be focused on doing what they can to put a Dem back in that seat. Will be interesting. Winning an election is one thing -- getting results is another.

Posted by: Common Sense | November 8, 2007 11:02 PM

There will be members of the current Board of Aldermen who will be more than happy to caucus with the new aldermen in the 10th Ward. He is there to represent the people not the Mayor's Office. Two years ago the Aldermen in the 17th Ward was challenged by a person backed by City Hall. That person lost and has never been heard from. The 17th Ward still has a great hard working aldermen who was not challenged or opposed this year. Obviously a message was sent to City Hall by the results of the election. By the way his name is Alphonse Paolillo Jr.

Posted by: Chris Gray | November 9, 2007 12:23 AM

I have gotten an earful of good news on you Mr. Brison from a close friend who knows you and I am mightily heartened. Rebecca Tursio deserves an enormous hand.

Interesting that Ed Mattison mentioned the raw deal Cedar Hill received in the I-91 deal. He means the deal where the Democratic machine decided how to use it to drive whole Republican neighborhoods out of town, to North Haven mainly, by eminent domain. The descendents of that wave of refugees just had its ouster from office there, but they had flourished under Rowland.

Neither national party has clean hands but all parties have people who would tolerate if not actively encourage dialog, as an example of such folk, Grumble, Grumble.

That brings to mind the Progressive Alliance. To this day, I do not sincerely regret supporting Toni Harp even if she has been co-opted by the Democratic machine. To my knowledge, she is a progressive member of that machine.

Still, DiLieto tired of being challenged. More so than that we presented a serious chance at his failing to be re-elected with this machine behind him. The short term goal of defeating his entrenchment was achieved.

Not that I am assuming Brison would jump parties, but it is clear he will dialog just as his ally Tursio canvassed and pulled voters for him. The basic mechanics have been established.

His education proposal seems aimed straight at the heart of the nation's urban education failure, far more original than the jump-on-the-bandwagon recycling program the Greens supported in the '80s.

I will, no doubt, be interest in reading more about him.