New Haven Independent

Posted by: Gary Doyens | February 28, 2008 5:48 PM

Count on the chatty spokesperson to give the serfs the proper perspective - $250 a year for 14 years. I don't have a $250 coat rack in my house, let alone a $3500 one. Count on the mayor to look with disdain on anybody who would question his royal highness. What a waste of money. You know, budget frugality starts with small things and extends to big things too.

Of course, the mayor didn't have anything to do with it - it's always somebody else. Well, if this is Sean Matteson's idea of a good investment of tax dollars - fire Sean. It's insulting.

Posted by: Maria | February 28, 2008 5:48 PM

Nice scoop.

Posted by: urban ed | February 28, 2008 7:10 PM

So while the mayor gets a $16G raise and spends $3450 on an armoire (which, BTW looks too big for the space) he is seriouly looking for concessions from municipal unions?

This is one municipal union member who's going to vote (no).

Posted by: WEBblog 1 | February 28, 2008 7:37 PM

$3450 for a coat closet which only contains one female coat....!
By the way Patty, what line item of the budget did you use for this purchase, equipment, or materials and supplies.

Nice get Sean. Looks like your the heavy on this one guy.

Posted by: DingDong | February 28, 2008 7:45 PM

Oh come, on. Is it that big deal?

Posted by: nfjanette | February 28, 2008 8:14 PM

Big deal. There are far more important budget items to focus upon - this is a distraction.

Posted by: TrueBlueCT | February 28, 2008 9:30 PM

It goes well with the $300,000 heated bus stops.

In itself, this is no big deal. But at a time when households are worrying about increasing tax bills, it strikes a chord.

My worry isn't the $3500, but it doesn't look like money well spent.

Posted by: Gary Doyens | February 28, 2008 9:46 PM

NF: You're right. Like the $10.5 million garbage transfer budget scam. This is just emblematic and a distraction. What a crock.

Posted by: bugupit | February 28, 2008 11:03 PM

Join me, Citizens, in taking advantage of our new coat closet. When in City Hall, stop by the Mayor's office and ask to shed your coat for a few minutes by using the armoire while you conduct your civic business! (That'll get you a "what?" and a walk away!)

Translation to Mayor's respons? --- Buzz off Paul, it's not an election year!

Posted by: Lorraine | February 28, 2008 11:08 PM

LOL Be happy, at least it's not a "French Armoire"!

Posted by: Darnell | February 29, 2008 12:20 AM

For those of you that whine that this is no big deal, either you don't pay taxes in New Haven, or you work for or have a contract with the city. Of course this is a big deal. Leaders need to lead by example. Immediately after his re-election, he requested a $25,000 raise, and then buys a $4,000 closet (he could have at least brought it from a business in New Haven). Three months later, he is asking for concessions from the unions, and proposing a budget with tax increases. This is just the tip of the iceberg. How does he expect to have a discussion with unions and taxpayers about contributing more, when he continues to spend like there is no tomorrow?

This guy is an addict, he is addicted to spending taxpayers money, and unfortunately he can not help himself. As with any addict, he needs to be removed from the environment that encourages his addiction. He needs to be as far away from taxpayers money as possible. If we really care about this guy, in order to help him get over his addiction, we need to vote him out of office.

Posted by: Chucho | February 29, 2008 12:22 AM

Honestly, it's pathetic what's considered news in this town. The Mayor works night and day, 7 days a week representing the city, fighting to bring state and federal tax dollars back to New Haven and putting himself on the line nationally as a champion for progressive initiatives. Rather than knock him, you should consider yourselves privileged and be proud. Give the man a break and let his office have a simple armoire without stingy lunatics making a huge ordeal of this.

Posted by: A Reader (the thrifty art director of the world) | February 29, 2008 1:31 AM

Mr. Mayor, I appreciate that you don't want our city hall looking seedy. Really, I do. This is a city of great design - we have standards to uphold! But Herb Newman's decorator totally steered you wrong. Everybody knows that ABC is a total rip-off for furniture. But that's what you get for listening to a designer, anyway. (Urban Ed, I agree. It's way too big for the space. A nice antique coat rack would have fit much better. And it would have been way cheaper, too!)

Mayoral staffers (how many of you are there, anyway?) if you are so concerned about the mayor's decor, you should get resourceful and search the Dixwell Salvation Army. Or make like real New Haveners and drive around East Rock on trash pick-up day. There's no need for bad decor OR wasteful government.

Posted by: Darnell | February 29, 2008 6:57 AM

How can we be proud of someone who has led the city for 15 years, and has led us into a 17+million dollar debt? So what if he is a champion for progressive causes. As a taxpayer, I want him to be a champion for the overtaxed taxpayer.

Posted by: Ned | February 29, 2008 7:52 AM

The mayor's aides couldn't find anything at Fair Haven Furniture, or from a local designer/cabinet maker?

Posted by: James | February 29, 2008 9:55 AM

Hey, Chucho! You don't get credit for merely doing your job. A public servant is always going to be under scrutiny for wast they do. If New Haven were in better shape, if John had been doing such a fabulous job, do you think anybody would care about a coat closet? It's not his job to champion progressive initiatives. It his job to run the city well, which he hasn't. If progressivism and good city management happen to coincide, great. He's getting hammered on this because he's doing a crappy job with an arrogant and entitled attitude.

And Ed, I think it looks nice.

Posted by: MORRIS COVE MF | February 29, 2008 10:24 AM

1) It's a big deal when put into perspective that this is approximately what I pay in property taxes each year.
2) For a mayor who wants to support and grow local economy, why didn't he buy an $800 armoire at FairHaven Woodworks, or another in-town shop?
3) All the clothes in my house don't add up to this much, not for the 4 of us.
It's a shame that we have a mayor who touts local support and family values, and being an everyman, but none of us can relate. Sorry Mr. Mayor, but I can't even begin to understand you or your staff.

Posted by: taylor | February 29, 2008 10:45 AM

I just bought an armoire at Universal Hotel LIquidators on State Street from the Essex House in NYC that looked much better and was only $179

Posted by: Angelo | February 29, 2008 10:57 AM

If it "belongs to the city" I think I can speak for all of us by saying bring it back and go to Ikea or Salvation Army.

Posted by: charlie | February 29, 2008 11:01 AM

This is nothing compared to the Superintendent's $90K gas-guzzling city-paid SUV.

Posted by: elmcityguy | February 29, 2008 11:51 AM

"1) It's a big deal when put into perspective that this is approximately what I pay in property taxes each year."

Bingo! I've defended the mayor on here and other places, but I'm taxed out. I can't afford it anymore.

I'm all for helping people, but it seems like everyone but working homeowners in this city don't have to pay taxes, so we pay them all.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | February 29, 2008 12:28 PM

Wow I have never seen so many comments so fast!!

I think James made a very good point...
if John had been doing such a fabulous job, do you think anybody would care about a coat closet?

In times of trouble we look to the top of the ladder for answers and hope. John is the top of our ladder. And yes he should eat macaroni like the rest of the city is doing right now. But..!!! Lets not get side tracked on this and put all the heat on him....there are 30 other people that have a hand at this as well specifically ... 9 people

THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Shah (Chair), Silverman (Vice-Chair), Perez, Goldfield, Jackson-Brooks, Clark, Castro, Rhodeen, Sandman

They meet with the department heads they review the budgets. They also take the lead from the mayor (not all of them) If you have a problem with what the alderman are doing they are the ones to complain to! When you vote for the Alderman you have to remember they have a large part in our budget to.

Posted by: Edward_H | February 29, 2008 12:40 PM

The mayor's aides couldn't find anything at Fair Haven Furniture, or from a local designer/cabinet maker?

I would really like an answer from the city as well.

"This is the only item that has been purchased for the mayor's office in his 14 years in office," said his spokeswoman, Jessica Mayorga. "If you want to divide what this ends up being, it's under $250 a year.

I just love City Hall logic. I am going to try this reasoning with my wife in an effort to get a new flatscreen TV." Hey honey, I have not bought a TV in over 12 years so if we take the 3,000 dollars I want to spend on a new flatscreen and divide it by 12 years it is under $250 a year! What a deal!

Posted by: nfjanette | February 29, 2008 4:40 PM

NF: You're right. Like the $10.5 million garbage transfer budget scam. This is just emblematic and a distraction. What a crock.

The proposed garbage deal is important to focus upon; this story is just playing to the crowd of NHI readers that love to complain. Funny thing is, I'm often one of that crowd and no big supporter of the mayor. Where the heck is this level of feedback for the big budget items that really matter?

Posted by: nfjanette | February 29, 2008 4:46 PM

For those of you that whine that this is no big deal, either you don't pay taxes in New Haven, or you work for or have a contract with the city.

I'm not whining, I don't work for the city, and I pay taxes although my taxes are far less than a property owner because they only cover motor vehicles. How about toning down the "whine" insult and let's concentrate on the actual subject. I claim this is a distraction from the big budget items that actually impact the very tax payers you mentioned. You claim this is a leadership perception issue; I don't disagree, but that doesn't negate my point about the vastly different amounts of money involved between a piece of furniture and a proposed multi-million dollar sale of city assets.

Posted by: jeffreykerekes | February 29, 2008 4:57 PM

I agree about the need to focus on big ticket items and not get lost in distraction. I do think this is symbolic though.

NFJANETTE:

You do pay Taxes in addition to motor vehicle if you live in New Haven. Landlords don't pay taxes, tenants and single owner occupied homes do. Absentee landlords pass the cost of taxes on to tenants through rent. I think this is CRUCIAL for people to understand. We all pay taxes if we live in the city whether we are writing the check directly or not.

Posted by: Your Tax Dollars at Work | February 29, 2008 4:57 PM

Elm City Parks Conservancy, a not-for-profit organization which helps parks advocates and has been partially subsidized from the Parks Dept. budget for at least a decade was cut. From the look of that armoire ABC made a big profit. So it comes down to subsidizing ABC or ECPC.

Posted by: Darnell | February 29, 2008 10:29 PM

NFJanette:

You are correct, I apologize for the "whine" comment. I also agree with you that both of these issues, the closet and the garbage sale, are important, I believe equally so. You will see that on both issues, many of the same people have commented. With the garbage sale, even though many people think it may be fishey, they still don't understand it and have bought the city line that it is a $6 million payday to pay down the deficit. We who understand it know that it is a shell game where the taxpayer, whether they be a car owner, homeowner or renter, are going to be stuck with the bill. The closet, on the other hand, can not be explained away, it is clearly extravagant and inappropriate, and is easy for folks to understand, and therefore comment on.

Posted by: Chris Gray | March 1, 2008 4:13 AM

This is really just to easy to lampoon, so I will refrain. Still, know that I am aware of it.

Posted by: bugupit | March 1, 2008 8:01 AM

I hear that, in the armoire, behind the coats, there is a snowy wondrous world where a kindly powerful lion leads the children to triumph over a wicked witch! Perhaps DeStefano's wardrobe should have been a 2010 campaign expenditure?

Posted by: king james V | March 1, 2008 3:28 PM

My dear ms. mayorga, perhaps it wasn't the mayor's decision to order the damned thing, but it's certianly in his power to decline it and take a drive over to IKEA. Hell, the city has conceded so much to them, the least they could do is give us a few closets.
IF however the mayor decided he needed something classier, what is wrong with the world class craftmanship of the the fine works at fair haven woodworks. i shure had the mayor taken a drive over and spent five minutes talking to terry, he could have gotten something very nice for the same amount of money, and kept the money here in new haven.
By the way, those "historic" computers, fax machines and telephones take me back to the 1880's every time i walk by.

Posted by: Fedupwithliberals | March 2, 2008 9:17 AM

Landlords don't pay taxes, tenants and single owner occupied homes do

JeffreyKerekes

Are you insane? I can tell that you are not a homeowner. I get a $10,000 tax bill from the city each year. On top of that, we also pay mortgages and insurance, repairs and upkeep. With the price of everything out of whack, rents do not cover the whole tab like it used to. Also, in this soft rental market, apartments go vacant for long periods of time. When that happens, and it does, we still have to come up the the money for taxes. With all the housing the city is adding, it just gets worse. Homeowners do a lot more for the city's coffers than you think. We also try to keep the houses and neighborhoods looking good with less help from the city each year.

Jeffrey, we shoulder more than our share!

Posted by: Edward_H | March 2, 2008 3:59 PM

I am pleased to report to my fellow posters that not only am I getting a new flatscreen TV, my wife has convinced me to buy her a new diamond ring as well using Ms.Mayorga's logic. I never thought City Hall would end up saving me so much money. We are also going to drive down to NYC to make these purchases.

Maybe I can sue the city after I start drowning in debt. It seems to work for the people who got themselves into subprime loans or ARM's.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | March 2, 2008 6:26 PM

Fedupwithliberals
I really think you took his comment the wrong way. He was trying to make renters aware that this effects them too. He was trying to encourage them to be involved in this fight allong with us