New Haven Independent

Posted by: Name Withheld | May 8, 2008 5:45 PM

"The political subtext of the press conference: a lovefest between the mayor and the city's state legislators."

Why the lovefest? Aren't the state legislators using "parking" issues to block redevelopment of the Route 34 corridor, a move that could bring in millions in new tax revenue?

The statewide solution probably isn't to raise taxes overall, it is raising taxes specifically on wasteful suburban sprawl and gasoline use, and eliminating all new road construction until existing roads are fixed. So much of our communities' money goes out of the country, to places like Saudi Arabia, because of our overdependence on the private automobile.

The CT tax structure is also set up in a way that makes it cheaper to bulldoze forests and build strip malls or condos in the exurban areas than to build a store in the middle of an existing town or city. That is a recipe for total social collapse, not just global warming and neverending recessions.

The rest of the industrialized world, and many other states, are pushing for responsible growth, why isn't CT on board?

Posted by: Elfer | May 8, 2008 6:09 PM

He said, she said -- Rell fires back at DeStefano

By ConnPolitics.tv Staff, on May 8, 2008

Hartford (WTNH) _ The office of Gov. Jodi Rell is firing back at Mayor DeStefano following his afternoon press conference in which he announced cuts in city services.

Here is the full statement sent to News Channel 8:

Mayor DeStefano has it wrong once again. How could he not remember that for 2009, state aid for cities and towns increases by nearly $132 million - $102 million for education. New Haven will get more than $4 million of that increase. Indeed, it was Governor Rell who proposed the largest increase in education funding in the state's history.

The mayor complains that New Haven's finances are so bad he will have to make drastic cuts, Obviously they are not so bad that he cannot afford a $16,000 pay raise for himself (he asked for $25,000) and a $3,450 armoire for his office.

As to Senator Harp's comment about funding for the Early Reading Success, the fact is that Governor Rell proposed to spend $19.7 million on that program in each year of the biennial budget. It was Senator Harp herself - as Chair of the Appropriations Committee - who voted to eliminate the money for this fiscal 2009.
-Chris Cooper, spokesman for Gov. Jodi Rell

Fighting like cats and dogs!!!!!!

Posted by: cedarhillresident | May 8, 2008 7:37 PM

Cam you get my vote!!!! Thank you talking about the fact that fact that New Haven still has a middle class unlike most other citys! But with the faze you will not have the middle class! MORE CUTS ARE NEED TO FAZE OUT THE FAZE IN!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: sam | May 8, 2008 7:53 PM

Also he will have to take from the general fund to make up the difference for the floundering licensing program which will come up 80-100 THOUSAND DOLLARS short so tax payers demand for that not to happen we don't that on top of 14.7 million already do we... NO.... so mayor realize that if you don't give back how do you expect for the employees to give back ... whats fair is fair... hopefully the board of alderman make sure that program goes south and dosen't add to the deficit but does the right thing and cuts out whats bad and focuses on whats good......... the city and LCI blow more money its ridiculous.... 3500 amoire for his office ... well yes why don't we give back so you could buy a couch bed a chest with a mirror and oh yes a sink with a mirror so you could put your make-up on and do your hair.....

Posted by: strangerthanfiction | May 8, 2008 8:05 PM

Interesting back and forth between Rell and DeStefano. The bottom line is that the property tax system is flat-out broken. No where is that more evident than in New Haven where about 50% of the property is tax exempt. The state statute promises to deliver 77% of real estate tax back to the city, but the gov. and state leg. take advantage of a dubious loophole to always short us. It's a chronic problem that won't go away. In the short term, maybe the city needs to take the state to court to force them to live up the
77 % pledged in state law.

Posted by: James | May 8, 2008 8:15 PM

Maybe those folks the get laid off can live in the heated bus shelters.

Posted by: True New Havener | May 8, 2008 8:31 PM

Jodi Rell lets everyone know once again that she hates cities. Then she proceeds to insult people. Such a nice lady.

And just when was DeStefano wrong previously? As I recall Rell wrote a letter to DeStefano and sent it to the press saying the Mayor was wrong about prisoner dumping, then called him to admit she was wrong.

Why can't our governor just say "look it was a hard year and I simply have a different view of government than the mayor." Instead she calls for the Mayor to give back a $16,000 pay raise -- well that's gonna help cut a $14 million budget gap. Hey Jodi, we are your residents too. Some of us (the crazy ones) even voted for you. At least pretend that you care about us.

And oh yeah, we all know that Toni Harp cut the budget . . . you really wanted to give the money to poor Black and Latino children but Toni Harp took the money away. Do you think we are all idiots? Maybe that works in the sticks where you come from but here we actually look at things like someone's track record and we know that line items in a budget move all the time -- but what matters is the bottom line.

So let's be clear, no one believes that you care more about poor children of color than Toni Harp does or that you ever intended to spend more money on our children than Harp, Walker, Dyson, Staples, Looney, Dillon or DeStefano did.

Stop treating everyone in New Haven like they are idiots. You won the election so the people of this state chose your visionless direction. Hey that's democracy but stop pretending you care in the least bit and stop insulting us for living in one of the cities in the state you are supposed to govern.

Posted by: BrokeinWestville | May 8, 2008 8:41 PM

Not Enough! Cut Shubert and Market NH off completley. Let them find some corporate sponsorship.
Consolidate a few more schools. Who the hell is going to fill them anyway?? More and more people are cutting their losses and leaving this city . We need a lower mill rate in order to stop a mass exodus of the middle class from New Haven.

Gov. Rell gains my respect. She has the sense to STOP spending in these difficult economic times. She is taking responsibility for the fiscal health of her turf, WHY can't our crazed mayor do the same?????? HE NEEDS TO GO.....Fellow New Haveners, VOTE him out of office next time.

Posted by: Exiled Italian Shill | May 8, 2008 8:47 PM

Well as a former insider let me say that I am impressed that the city actually made some hard choices here. The mayor could have done what he has done in the past and go to one time revenues.

The cuts mentioned in the story are recurring cuts that I can just bet DeStefano hated to make.

Just think about it:

1. Bottomless pits. He cut the sacred cows of Ann Worchester and Tweed. These have always been untouchable, at least when Henry Fernandez was on board as Development Director.

2. Police. He is cutting police substations. Article doesnt say which ones but if one of them is the one leased from Rabbi Dan Greer then another sacred cow has been cut from the public teat.

3. Shelters. Again another tuff choice. The mayor always took pride in telling the state how New Haven funded shelters when the rest of the state would not. Now it will be tent city on the green once again. This is not an easy choice to make but he made it.

4. Board of Education. This one is the most amazing cut I read. There are no words that I can use to describe just how much of a departure this choice was for DeStefano from the business as usual style of give Mayo what he needs at any cost. How did he get Mayo to agree?

All-in-all I think the cuts represent a logical and bold move from business as usual in New Haven. Clearly something has changed. Either he has someone whispering in his ear encouraging him to make the hard cuts and leave friends behind or the next fiscal year is going to "suck" even worse and city hall knows something that no one outside of city knows.

These were bold cuts. For people to suggest that DeStefano come in and cut more is crazy. To hold out hope that 30 aldermen are going to find a way to cut further that makes sense and does not jeopardize services like garbage pick-up, police patrols, closing the achievement gap, paving streets or concerts on the green is even more of a fantasy.

John DeStefano I applaud you. Didnt think that you had it in you and my hat comes off to you.

The area that I was disappointed to see nothing done was in school construction. Not even a slowdown on the projects. But again school construction is another if the biggest sacred cow in New Haven.

I do find it disingenuous that Paul Bass opens the article with a statement like DeStefano will "kill an early reading program." paul you know that the state cut the funds for the program. Or doesnt the staff at the Independent read the Hartford Courant.

DeStefano could have made a choice to fund the program through further cuts, but i am sure that your readers would attack him for keeping a fiscally bloated reading program that serves only to house political patronage jobs at the BOE and really just fails at its attempt to educate "inner city" kids which will only become criminals and wind up living in city shelters or sucking up further taxpayer dollars when they wind up on the dole.

Give credit where credit is due. Tuff choices in an imperfect world were made and without raising the mill rate. Come up to Hartford where the mill is jumping up 10-11 mills. or go to Bridgeport where the mill rate is rising 8 or 9 mills and services are cut to the quick.

Posted by: Esbe | May 8, 2008 9:42 PM

These are tough choices, caused by the failure of the State to fund PILOT at its promised levels. Layoffs, kids forced out of their current school, cutbacks for the arts, more homeless sleeping on the streets, giving up on important investments for the city's future -- it is like Republican Christmas -- but I think these cuts, while currently necessary, are mostly bad for the city.

Responding to above comments -- I do think we should slow down the school construction program. Harp and Dillon need to stop holding city development projects hostage to special interest demands for parking. Cam Staples did seem to do a great job this year. Also, Gov. Rell is quite happy to be Governor of the suburbs only.

In addition to pressing the State to fully fund PILOT, we need to move onto building the private sector tax base of the town. After public safety, this has to be "job one."

Posted by: Paul Bass | May 8, 2008 10:02 PM

Exiled Shill --

My bad. DeStefano did take on school construction. He delayed a bunch of school construction projects. Thanks for raising the issue.

Posted by: Gary Doyens | May 8, 2008 10:05 PM

I rarely give Mayor DeStefano a passing grade on anything - I will make an exception tonight. Although he was forced into it at near gunpoint, nontheless, he has actually cut spending, and cut some of the sacred cows in doing so. It is rare for the mayor to make the prudent, thoughtful and difficult decisions required of a political leader. Too many times, he has sucked up to the unions, expanded government and put us all on the track to long term financial crisis by wildly spending beyond our means. Perhaps today, there is a change, a welcomed change if only because the state's inability to bail him out, has forced him to make hard choices. Nontheless, he's made them - they are a good first beginning. They need to be much deeper. The property tax increase on families is still more than twice the rate of inflation - employee benefits equate to 55% of their gross paycheck. As long as these facts and others like them continue to exist, the taxpayers will be getting hosed. At least, he's embraced many of our suggested cuts - one can only hope he embraces the rest.

Posted by: citysavior | May 8, 2008 10:09 PM

this is just the tip of the iceberg. hope the city can get the police class through with out laying off the much needed cops. How about closing the westville and downtown substations. The save the rent and close the whalley ave one too. I'm sur the police district managers in dixwell and newhall can sure use some added supervisors in the evening hours to stem some Over time .WOW more money saved!!!

Posted by: the real deal | May 8, 2008 10:32 PM

attention taxpayers,around six years ago the mayor was telling us local 287 (custodians)that we were broke and he has to layoff custodians,along with aramark they devised a plan,they promised the custodians president a job with aramark,if he can talk us into opening our bargaining units contract,he got the job also he was stealing money from us around $15,000,but this is besides the point that we gave up our raises,we agreed to pay more for insurance,and we also pay more for union dues,and for the last six or so years we have been covering schools,just two hours to clean an eight hour wing,some schools they took jobs away any way,four workers at night were cut to just three custodians,I missed the part where the mayor gave up his 20% increase,I missed the part where the mayor asked aramark to help out,how many managers are there for aramark?how much are they being paid?why did dr mayo and the mayor want this company(aramark)so bad?that there was a deal made with the custodians supervisors to agree for the mayor to hire aramark I guess 14 years ago there was alot of money floating around,without a management company there was no way to hide the extra money,aramark makes deals with vendors and the vedors kick back money,I want to thank jodi rell about looking into an audit but she has to audit the companies aramark does business with to find the money being kicked back! how about asking yale for a mere 6 mil,since they are worth more than 60bil,yeah thats correct 60 billion ,and they do not have to pay taxes,the management makes big big money but the mayor wants to cut money from people that only make 30to50 thousand a year,dr.mayo makes over 250thousand alone was he asked for any money,dont forget the mayors raise,do not tell me he did not know he knew 6 years ago and we have been living this nightmare for over 5 years now,the custodians been suffering for along time while we watch around 10 guys from aramarks management getting paid big big money,getting rich while we suffer,if the mayor is sincere this time he should stop taking kickbacks from aramark and get rid of them,why does aramark need all these managers to run these schools?they dont they are charging the city alot of money.look at the food service how many managers were in charge?they still have a job why is the city still paying for them if they have nothing to do,and the city is replacing all them with just one new person to run the food service,I think aramark has the mayor by the ----- get rid of them we still have custodian supervisors,we can hire two people too do the work of all aramark and its not even a tenth of the cost,mr mayor please let us self govern we will not overcharge,we will not steal,without a management company there will be no kickbacks we can save the taxpayers millions each year,its time we put a stop to political corruption,by the way we received aramarks agreement with the city and its all blacked out like the UFO files why?without any managment company we will save millions and we can hire the proper amount of custodians,and I cant get over the fact that aramark was in charge of 2.2 billion of constuction money and buildings not 100%done and dr.mayo signed off on work not yet finished.with the cost of living double the weak dollar,taxes,its typical,always hurting the middle class,pretty soon there will be just the poor and you the rich im sick of it fire aramark,fire the mayor for keeping aramark for so long.why ask us for money we have been giving for years,the principals make triple/or even 4 times more,the guidance makes just as much,?the custodians are so broke we throw quarters around like manhole covers!give us a chance if you truely want to save money,the custodians will work with you,we can save way more than any management company ever can,whats up with clarks cleaning?when a building is done they clean it before us then we have to clean up after them,they are a bunch of hacks we can save right there stop having dr.mayos company cleaning before the custodians,its paying way extra,political corruption,this mayor is a joke do the right thing stop the back-room deals,get rid of aramark and do not accept any bids,we should self covern thats when you will see savings,I bet he is afraid the taxpayers will see how much money has been going to aramark and all those greedy people,we have families to support you try to support one person on our paycheck you cant.

Posted by: Shill in City Hall | May 8, 2008 10:40 PM

Exiled Italian Shill makes some good points. What he, or probably she, does not say is the people and programs which are going are no longer politically useful to him. They are like retribution as usual. It will be interesting to see how it all works out. Like the old days with Dilieto it will be the managerial staff that gives. Screw the middle class. Amendola has already said he will work to help DeStefano. The other union bosses are taking a hard line. Taxpayers may save for now, but flight from the city will hurt them more soon as house prices tank big time in the Cove, East Rock and Westville. No middle class, no demand for better housing. This has been coming for years.

Posted by: mac the knife | May 9, 2008 12:06 AM

Surprised only 1 person has mentioned the fact that Yale could toss New Haven a couple of coins from their 60 billion dollar coin bag. Seriously why don't we just sell the name of the town for like $500 million? It's damn near Yale/New Haven anyway. Good 'ole Yale's just waiting to get the whole thing in foreclosure like they did chapel street, etc.

But probably what we should do is just chop up 3144 some more. Looks like Larry Amendola is willing to sell out anyone for less than 30 bags of silver!

Posted by: mac the knife | May 9, 2008 12:06 AM

Surprised only 1 person has mentioned the fact that Yale could toss New Haven a couple of coins from their 60 billion dollar coin bag. Seriously why don't we just sell the name of the town for like $500 million? It's damn near Yale/New Haven anyway. Good 'ole Yale's just waiting to get the whole thing in foreclosure like they did chapel street, etc.

But probably what we should do is just chop up 3144 some more. Looks like Larry "the lightweight" Amendola is willing to sell out anyone for less than 30 bags of silver!

Posted by: transit user | May 9, 2008 6:27 AM

The problem with the budget is the drain of tax dollars to pay off of school construction/renovation bonding debt to contractors (just like the problem with the CT State budget is paying off bonding debt for jailed John Rowland's construction projects).

This relates to the closing of the perfectly new and fine Dwight School--the hub of the most viable community development assocation with its Shaw's Shopping Plaza success--in favor of the Troupe School. Did anyone consider that the Dwight students will be bullied and harassed as newbies with the students already there?

As for the Tweed funding cutbacks, maybe now the Transportation Strategy Board won't have to sit through another long boring appeal by New Haven interests to give priority to Tweed as a transportation improvement project. Instead maybe TSB members would get what some asked for from New Haven Tweed PowerPointer advocates at a 2005 Stamford TSB meeting--a lobbying effort for restored New Haven to Hartford/Springfield commuter rail service. (Why that service needs a lobbying effort to make sure everyone can get to/from our capitol is another story.)

Posted by: realdeal | May 9, 2008 7:53 AM

I like the way "The Real Deal" thinks. Lets go after some of the political deadweight, consultants, and the bloated salaries of management. I suspect these will be the last of the cuts considered.

this possibly rather than a 500k cut in homeless shelters.

I think it was Roosevelt who said, "when you need money, you go to the bank for it,not the soup kitchen."

Posted by: Beavis and Butt Head | May 9, 2008 8:41 AM

A recession or a severe economic slowdown is here, and has been here for several months. Rell and the senators (both partys) were quick on the uptake and did some cost cutting. They knew those poor old voters in state would be screaming if state income tax went up.

It wasn't till the last minute of the last hour of the last day the Glorious Leaders of the famous banana Republic of New Haven woke up to economic reality and took action in cutting there budget.

All this shows is the people at state level are much smarter than those at local level. Exactly what is expected. With a world class learning institution in town why can't we get someone with brains to run the city. Have they given up on us too??? Is it suburban flite to West Haven ????

Posted by: cedarhillresident | May 9, 2008 9:04 AM

Ok just touching base with my own mind ......

ok so they cut the stuff that the state cut...at least a good part of it....we are short 14 million and we cut 11 million....not sure how that math works.
And we are still getting the faze in they say 9% but they leave out the a large group of homeowner are really getting hit with a 12% increase!
12 FREAKEN PERCENT PEOPLE!!!!! Ya thanks is it leagel to tax the frick out of people that much year after year!!!!
THEY HAVE ALOT MORE CUTTING TO DO!!!!

Sorry I was just not fooled by this!!!
I give the mayor and his staff the credit that they finally did go to hartford and fight for more! But it did not happen so now these chooses made in the next few weeks are going to effect homeowners across the city! And I realize cutting jobs is not a good thing. But lets get real the few jobs cut will save 1000's of homeowners. The taxpayers!! The people that actually live in this city!!! MORE CUTS!!!

Come on May 14th at 6:00 to town hall if you want to let them know you still want more cuts the MILL RATE NEEDS TO GO DOWN!!!!!

Posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS | May 9, 2008 9:16 AM

To the real deal(s),

Assuming you are unionized, it's you guys who are THE problem. 99.9% of your diatribe was focused on YOU. How much money do you get, how much money does Aramark get, How many workers it takes to do this or to do that...etc.

You don't get what 90% of the rest of the population gets. It's not always about WHAT YOU RECEIVE, it's WHAT YOU DELIVER. When and if you ever talk in terms of how productive you are, how efficient you are, how dedicated to quality service, how you make your schools sparkle - and not how much you want for healthcare, wages, vacation, time off, coffee time, etc. and especially how you fight job accountability at every step - then you will win over the support of the rest of the non-unionized public.

Your political problem is that the rest of the country is painfully aware that our productivity has gone way up in the last 15 years. But you guys are stuck in a bygone era. Which explains why unions have shrunk to about 12% of the labor force in this country.

But unfortunately for taxpayers, we have Mr. Bygone for a mayor.

Posted by: Bill Saunders | May 9, 2008 9:16 AM

Remember the shell game of public perception people. Don't give John too many pats on the back of the head. He needs to cut much deeper.

He's still using the classic bait and switch of I'm not raising taxes, but they are increasing anyway because of the revaluation phase-in (in other words, he cut spending only to the point where he could shift the burden bact to us taxpayers).

I've got a fuzzy finger on some of the unintended downsides of this shift-blaming practice, which include (sorry if its too abstract & heady):

1) Higher proportionate property tax burden to autos/business inventories (any 'property' that is always assessed at its current value). In effect, the cities practice of phase-in is part of what's broken with the property tax system because it unequally shifts the tax burden.

2). Higher proportionate property tax burden on new construction/conversions. (My friend bought a unit in a condo converted multi-family a block away from me, and she is paying $600 dollars a month in taxes (almost twice mine), because she does not receive the benefit of the phase-in. Of course, if you are a preferred developer, there are special tax abatement deals made. But that's all difficult to get a handle on. Not exactly smart move in a struggling real estate market.

3). Obfuscation of public information (you cannot figure real tax burden math from the public computer database). What should be a simple multiplication problem (mil rate x assessed value), is convoluted by the concept of the phase-in. The missing piece of information (the previous assessed value, which you subtract from the current value, and divide by 5) is only available on the cards in the assessors office). Makes public watchdogging a tier more difficult, not that I'm saying that there are any favors going on.

Like I said, the phase-in is part of the problem with the property tax system. Part of reform is peeling back the fiscal onion and seeing how City Hall use numbers as a continued political crutch and realizes how those practices represent unequal treatment under the law.

Kick them crutches out from under them, I say. They aren't cripples.

Posted by: MonaB | May 9, 2008 9:56 AM

I agree with those of you who think this is too little too late. Our taxes are still going up, and up... The Mayor's tax cuts are a joke- I find it hard to believe city employees will still be drinking out of their water fountains while homeless men will be turned away from beds. This metaphor speaks to the larger issue.
The Mayor has selected the union employees to provide givebacks when the entire workforce should be treated equally.
Corporate sponsorship (according to the testimony we heard at the finance hearings they benefit from the airport, not us) could pay for many of the smaller items mentioned by many of you above.
The Mayor loves to go for the juggular- let the city bleed- he'll show us! Instead of cutting some of the "floating" principals and other very highly paid "surplus" employees (more sacred cows who apprently the Mayor still needs) in the BOE (those who contribute little) he cuts reading programs, limits library hours, etc. How stupid is that approach when we are spending so much on education, building schools, etc and still failing the kids?
How about streamlining the system? How about TRYING to become more EFFICIENT. I never saw that word bantered about by our Mayor! Any effiency expert could probably cut our budget by millions. There have been no SERIOUS efforts at budget cutting. Yeah- they'll show us alright- but by the time we all leave New Haven because we simply can't afford to spend most of our income on taxes, the Mayor will be President of you-know-what...
When there are so many opportunities to cut,so much real waste, leave it to our Mayor to inflict as much pain on his perceived enemies as possible- those enemies are US- we the citizens, the taxpayers. Am I missing the logic here?

Posted by: cedarhillresident | May 9, 2008 10:04 AM

I was just told that Dwight school was going to close anyway! They had a meeting on Tues about the transition. So this was not some cut to save us it was a move to the new building that was already planned.

Posted by: Gary Doyens | May 9, 2008 10:53 AM

Specific observations with list of targeted cuts in hand:

1. It is hard to imagine there is much of a savings in closing police substations, limiting hours at the library on the weekends or bulk waste pickup. I'd like to see specific numbers on those items. It seems to me they're designed to inflict pain across a broad swath of New Haven residents so we all see a decrease in services as evidence of budget cuts. In the end, I'd be very surprised if it saved substantial dollars.

2. If you're still going to hire all those cops, and have the largest police force in the state, and you don't want them at the substations where their presence can be felt and some semblance of community policing is done - where are all these cops going to be? One Union Place? Please.

3. Cutting $500,000 from the homeless shelter when there are so many other places to makes cuts is not right. Cut somebody with a voice and influence, not people who are struggling to get their lives together including ex-cons the mayor said he was so worried about.

4. The mil rate according to the mayor will remain the same which means with phase in, our property taxes will be going up at least 10% - that's unacceptable. Trim another $15 million and you'll actually be driving down spending. Remember, last year, he raised spending by $36 million in one year.

5. Get real concessions out of the unions - no smoke and mirrors. Pensions need to be trimmed, healthcare needs to be all the same benefits so this can be bid effectively and pool these guys with Nancy Wyman's office - there are real savings there that could amount to $4 - 5 million. Unchecked overtime must go - this is a $6 million plus number; floating teachers, principals, principal interns need to go.

6. Do not move forward with hiring a bunch more cops/fire. Can't afford it. Take the resources you have and deploy them properly.

7. No early retirements - that's a favorite of the union every time. Just layoffs. Early retirements save nothing and often cost more.

And quit blaming the state - this financial wreck is not the state's fault - it's John DeStefano's fault. It's his legacy and the legacy of the alders who enabled it with consistent and reliable votes.

Posted by: facChek | May 9, 2008 11:13 AM

State aid accounts for more than 48% of the city's operating budget. In the last three years state aid to New Haven has increased more than 66M while at the same time the city's spending has increased by more than 75M.

Since 1998-2008 under DeStefano, the debt has increased to nearly 700M .

The state cannot keep pace with the incessant spending of this Mayor.

Just two months ago the Mayor announced a 17M budget shortfall in the current 07/08 budget. He then proposed to close the Stetson library as the cure. Miraculously that shortfall disappeared.

We are now Fast forward to the city 08/09 proposed budget. Again, the Mayor creates a new deficit of 11.8M.

This new deficit is manufactured by a defective budgeting process which projects spending based on hope that the legislature will comply.
The Mayor did not have a plan B available.

Guess what.. the legislature voted unanimously to maintain it's two year budget plan established in 07.

Instead of taking the prudent course of action by reducing the proposed new city spending, the Mayor deviates and offers cuts to programs such as those above, which were NOT (except medical and insurance) part of his new spending proposal.

Thus the mayor creates additional drama by cutting homeless programs, which are mainly funded by the federal government. At the same time he attempts to blame the state for the cuts in order to maintain his deception on the tax payers of New Haven.

Through-out this long process Goldfield, who proclaims to lead a proactive board, sits by and waits for the mayor to provide the direction for the finance committee and Shah to embrace, call their own, and sell to the public as tax cuts.

Posted by: THE TRUTH | May 9, 2008 11:46 AM

ok first of all it is not the libraries fault or the homeless peoples fault or the taxpayers fault or the unions fault or the police substations fault or Dwight schools fault. it is your fault JOHN. take responsibilities for your actions you fake ... democrat. cuts start from the top and guess who is on the top. you are. so what are you giving back. i will tell you what for one thing put a halt on the school construction. i know when your gone you want to be known as the the the man who built all the new schools in New Haven, but you will be Known as the man who wasted millions, i'm sorry Billions on terribly built new schools in New Haven. to be doing what you did and are continuing to do there must be a lot of people making money here. like yourself and and whoever is with these construction companies and many others. What other cities do you Know of that build 2 to 3 new schools a year. how about all the made up positions for friends of the top officials in the city. how about all $90,000 salaries that retire collect a pension and then get rehired while still collecting a pension for 40 to90 thousand ayear. how about them. now for all the taxpayers who care about the children that live in the city where you pay taxes in which most of you probably live out of town and just rent out your houses to city people but for the taxpayers and parents that really care the way mr. mayo is running this school system you are going to want to keep these union jobs around for your kids most likely they are not going to be doctors or lawyers or nba stars or acters they will have no choice but to be blue collar workers just like us. so I would hope that these union jobs are still around for them with MEDICAL BENEFITS, PENSIONS, DECENT WAGES, and STABILITY. because if not what is left for them unfortunately Mcdonalds, wal mart, or welfare. we dont all have money like John and Mr. Mayo, and all the out of town house owning taxpayers.

unfortunately we must all stick together for these childrens future. reggie let the teachers teach the kids like thay used to stop just pushing them through becaause that tells me and everyone else you and King JOhn don't care about your own new haven people. parents please ask your kids what they are learning and make the super accountable for his job. so to king john like i said before cuts start from the top and work its way down. Lead by example. and also when your term is over please let areal democrat in. thank you.

p.s. stop acting like you care about the cuts on the news whan you don't. after that press conference the king went babk to his kingdom to eat steak and lobster while everybody else went home and ate krafts macaroni and cheese.

Posted by: THE TRUTH | May 9, 2008 12:07 PM

john i forgot one thing please put your b--ls up and tell Yale to give up some money

Posted by: anon | May 9, 2008 12:51 PM

The Truth, how do you expect us to attract other businesses to invest in New Haven (i.e., the only way to really lower the tax rate in the long run) if that is the community's attitude towards our largest employer? Yale already invests/gives far more to New Haven than any other university in the country gives to its home town.

In fact, we already treat them poorly, with the ridiculously-high city building permit fees (have you seen the numbers on that?), which is probably one of the reasons why they are now pumping money into West Haven and Orange instead of here.

Posted by: Martha Smith | May 9, 2008 1:29 PM

I find it surprising that people are barely mentioning the tax inequity in Connecticut between the suburbs and cities. For instance, there are no homeless shelters in the suburbs, so the cities end up housing people who have no where else to go.

In addition, no one is mentioning that a good part of both Connecticut's and New Haven's federal support has gone to fund the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many city and state grant programs from the federal government have either been cut back or are gone. This is where a lot of our tax dollars have really gone, and why services are being cut in New Haven.

Posted by: mac the knife | May 9, 2008 1:35 PM

If we are going to cut our library hours then we should be open on Saturdays and closed 1 day during the week. What good is having a free public library when working people can't take advantage of it because they're working 9-5 during the week? Or have family obligations in the evenings that don't permit them to come to the library before 8pm?

mac

Posted by: Esbe | May 9, 2008 3:25 PM

Paul -- thanks for the update on the school construction slow-down. That is important.

For next year, the mayor is going to have really renegotiate some deals with the unions -- caps on benefits and so forth. They can't possibly try for 5 straight years of 10% average property tax increases. By next year, the simple political fact is that the mill rate is going to have to come down as the assessment is phased in.

Posted by: Webblog 1 | May 9, 2008 4:09 PM

"As to Senator Harp's comment about funding for the Early Reading Success, the fact is that Governor Rell proposed to spend $19.7 million on that program in each year of the biennial budget. It was Senator Harp herself - as Chair of the Appropriations Committee -- who voted to eliminate the money for this fiscal 2009.

Senator Harp are you a party to this deception? Yes or No!

What about you Rep. Pat Dillon, are you a party to this deception? You recently proposed to support a bill which takes money away from homeless shelters, gives it to DECD to fund pilot for Housing authorities.
Yes or no!

The posters have already identified DeStefano

What a trio of deception on the people.

Posted by: Robert Megna | May 9, 2008 4:26 PM

A correction to the article. State Representative Robert Megna was not present at the event either.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | May 9, 2008 4:27 PM

Esbe
The mill rate needs to come down this year! and they can do it.

Posted by: Rep. Pat Dillon | May 9, 2008 5:39 PM

Weblog1:
I attended Thursday's press conference to demonstrate unity in responding to our common challenges.
But I have no comments about the speeches of others, and wouldn't comment on speeches made before I arrived anyway.

Scattered site housing should, in my view, be covered by PILOT. Why not?
Some (you?) argued here that the state would never fund PILOT for public housing. So I cited a bill to support my claim that yes the state could fund a public housing PILOT, and has done so in the past. That bill restored such a program.
By the way, New Haven would have gotten an extra $330,000 from that, on top of the other PILOTS, if the legislature had done budget adjustments.
I think that's a good thing.

We expected to be doing a budget adjustment that included funding for homeless shelters and other programs as well.

Trio? Deception? I'm not blaming anyone, and have not served on the Board of Aldermen for years, though I did chair the budget committee then.

Posted by: What? | May 9, 2008 7:00 PM

Almost anybody but JD for mayor

http://www.newhavenadvocate.com/article.cfm?aid=7741

Posted by: In The Hood | May 9, 2008 10:54 PM

There are a lot of very angry voters in New Haven this weekend. Let's hope that by August when the campaign season begins for state legislators...we are all feeling lots better...But I seriously doubt it.

Posted by: steve beck | May 10, 2008 11:06 AM

With the upcoming campaign season and general election remember that Smart Growth is a possible answer for what ails New Haven. 1000 Friends of Connecticut champions Smart Growth and we want places like New Haven and Bridgeport to be dynamic places. There will be candidates running for election who support Smart Growth and they should be elected. Remember that candidates will respond if their constituents demand that they respond. It is basic Democracy 101.
Visit www.1000friends-ct.org. Join the Grow Connecticut Smart Campaign. There are loads of opportunities to participate. And it will make a difference. It is time that citizens take back control of their government. Kind of like the Iraq situation; we broke it, we own it. I think it is the same in New Haven. It is our responsibility to fix Iraq - we need to fix New Haven.

Posted by: Bill Saunders | May 10, 2008 2:01 PM

Word in the trenches is that in the upcoming years, the Mil Rates will increase in New Haven, Brigeport, Hartford, and Stamford, and Waterbury will enjoy having the lowest tax rate for a major city in the State. (Waterbury's budget is approximately 100 million dollars lighter than ours, with ten thousand fewer residences. They are also currently burdened with paying for their past fiscal irresponsibilities, so........)

This anonymous source is a reliable newspaper buddy of mine who, btw, accurately predicted this years $15 million NH budget shortfall last July -- citing 10 million in overestimated PILOT as the prime contributor.

So, Esbe, those might be the mathematical realities, all political facts aside.

Posted by: DJH | May 10, 2008 2:08 PM

Why has no one bothered to ask the mayor why these cuts are needed, if aid to municipalities is going UP even under the existing biennial budget? How is it that this has not been investigated?

Posted by: Deep Throat | May 10, 2008 8:41 PM

A budget was made in late December or Early January at the BOE with large cuts. It was not included in the Mayors budget. There are two outcomes. The mayor really did think he could get more money from the state and tried as much as he could. The mayor cinically waited to let the bad news out till he could blame the Governor. As there are no childs left behind in New Haven they can decide for themselves

Posted by: strangerthanfiction | May 11, 2008 11:33 AM

I appreciate the need for everyone to make sacrifices, and I know that it's good politics to come after city workers. But DeStefano acknowledged that the team there right now is essential, working hard and doing a good job. But yet he's asking them again to make givebacks as he has in almost every contract. A contract is a contract. The mayor negotiates and agrees to contracts. Why does he find the need so often to basically re-open agreed upon contracts to ask for more. It's like if you bought a car and because of gas prices you later go back to the dealer to ask for some of your money back because gas prices have gone up.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | May 11, 2008 2:29 PM

In The Hood
I agree....the key is people that do understand to go out and educate the people that don't. Other wise we will be stuck in this for a long time. COME OUT ON WED people 6:00 165 Church street the 2nd floor!!
this is a public hearing so when you walk in the door of the aldermatic chambers sign the list on the table so you can but your 2 cents in. WE NEED everyone there!!!! If you want to make change bring your whole street!!!!
Story on last weeks meeting which was canceled!!
http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/05/tax_pressures_o.php#comments

Remember all the cuts that have been made can be reversed at this meeting so if you want and even bigger tax increase than the 12% we are gettin already then don't come but if you want them to lower the mill rate WHICH THEY CAN DO then come!! Bring signs so they know we are there for that!!!

Posted by: Andy Ross | May 11, 2008 6:04 PM

It is a step in the right direction. Did it have take an act of the State saying no no no to you to finally come to your senses and start the hard work of sacrifice? Mayor, you always want to be a hero. I guess that is human nature, but for Gods sake take into the account of the people that have to pay for your image.

You have bee a big spender foe too many years. It is time to pay the piper. This would not have been such a sad and emotional day fpr you and upsetting for the resident id you were honest from the start.

I a do not only mean honest with the people, I mean honest with you.

Get down off of that high hoarse. You are only the Mayor of a small tow that requires openness and honesty.

Posted by: evst1 | May 12, 2008 4:40 PM

Hmm...let's see. A school in a poor section of New Haven is closed and others under construction, also in poor sections are delayed. I don't see the new Worthington Hooker school being delayed. Can you say "elitist"?

Posted by: tj | May 12, 2008 6:20 PM

rember there is Not a middle class in this country or city of new haven for that matter the rich(the well to do ) and the poor(struggling to get by)they say middle class makes about $50.000 annually.....i work full tome and make $16.500 annually . tried for food stamps and they offered me $10 a month...yes i think i am in the poor class of america.....$4.00 a gallon for gas why don't the candidates do something about it now,not in january....they could do it now but they don't want to..election year blame one another...they say if i win we can do this or that..DO IT NOW..THEN I WILL VOTE...

Posted by: Bill Saunders | May 13, 2008 1:29 AM

Andy Ross,

This administration did not make any sacrifices, so stop giving them a benefit of the doubt. ? At this rate, a political step at a time, we will never make it to the top of the stairs. Have you seen any creative effort by Johnnie to not further burden the taxpayers

For instance, he could sell the 'trolleys to nowhere' to Yale, to replace their polluting buses.

He could cut some of the fat out of the Education Budget, but I guess we are Hindus in this city, and sacred cows are off limits. (I recently heard a story from a former board of ed employee, who stated that there was no shortage of glossy management presentation material lying around, while these same managers paid to have lines xeroxed onto blank paper, so our kids had something to write on).

He could make a lot of cuts that involve high level, under-performing managers (if you could get those performance appraisals)

This whole charade is insulting.
Give me a break -- if this isn't worthy of outrage, nothing is.

Posted by: NHPS Parent | May 13, 2008 1:34 AM

CHEAPEST SHOT EVER EVST1!

Yes, we can say "elitist"; your ELITIST, NIMBYist Everit Street cronies delayed that Whitney Ave. School for way too long, cheating hundreds of children out of decent facilities while forcing the city to spend precious tax dollars fighting your selfishness.

WHS elitism!? Their student body is probably the most ethnically, culturally and economically diverse student body on the planet and includes about 35% out of district children.

These children were about last on the list for decent facilities and thanks to the EVST isolationists, 265 3rd - 8th graders will have to spend the extra years, shoehorned into crumbling swing spaces, incl. the old Goffe and State Street sites.

Waaaaahhhh....more whining, this time re. alleged WHS 'discarded party paraphernalia'(?) EVST1 doth protest too much, methinks:
http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/01/hooker_groundbr.php

Keep your sniveling to yourselves:
http://www.zillow.com/search/RealEstateSearch.htm?addrstrthood=220+Everit+St&citystatezip=06511#view=ver%3D1%26op%3Dsearch%26scen%3Ds1%26map%3D%28Aw%3AAN72913580%21As%3A41328913%21Ae%3AAN72911031%21An%3A41330122%29%26mode%3D%28zoom%3A17%21sortANdir%3Au%21sortANparam%3Ax17%29%26citystatezip%3D06511%26addrstrthood%3D220%20Everit%20St%26loc%3Dmap

Better yet, move away to your very own moated suburban oasis.

Posted by: evst1 | May 13, 2008 9:58 AM

Dear NHPS parent:

You're the one who's whining. There are plenty of school choices available in the area. Why not Celentano? Furthermore, if you were a true "liberal", you'd send your precious children to the worst school in NH to bring up the scores and to set a good example for the rest of us. Best of luck in your future endeavors. WAH...WAH...WAH.

Posted by: Ned | May 13, 2008 10:00 AM

NHPS Parent:
So you have a few (1?, 10?, 13?) babies and then you're upset because other people don't heal to your demands that complete strangers pay for their education, feed them, re-arrange their lives to accommodate them, etc. - who's "selfish"? Not everyone has a baby fetish. Some people actually plan their families based on how much they can provide for their own children - like paying for private school, etc.

Posted by: westvilleguy | May 13, 2008 4:49 PM

For everyone's information, playing into this digression from the fact that the city at large is a mess, Worthington Hooker is anything but economically diverse. Look at the lunch application/e-rate/ title 1 data. THe school is home to some well off, comparitively speaking, people. There are 400-500 kids (at both schools combined) and 21000 in the whole district so I dont know where that 35% of the population comes from.

Anyway, there Free and Reduced (lunch eligibility I mean which is a direct indication of financial hardship) percentage is something like 25% while the district average is in the
70% range (state data).

Dwight closed because it was still in the "planning stage" of school construction. Barley any money invested. Also out there is New Haven acadamey and Vincent Mauro. So it was easy for the city to get out. With hooker it was already in design phase, the bonding had been approved and ground had been broken. They were pot comitted. School construction began with Hill Regional (magnet indeed, but less affluent), Wibur Cross, and Hillhouse (all poor 80% free and reduced). Hooker was at the bottom of the renovation list. To look at dwight closing as rich vs poor thing is way off base.

Those are just the facts.

Posted by: strangerthanfiction | May 13, 2008 5:08 PM

EVST1 - Hooker School was delayed by 5-10 years because Everit St. folks unfortunately fought it all the way to the State Supreme Court. It should have been built years ago. Presently the 3-8 graders are situated in inadequate temporary space at the old St. Stan's School on State St. These kids desperately need that school and have been incredibly patient! It is a remarkably diverse student body -- you should visit it sometime to see for yourself. Blind anger directed at Hooker School is very wrong and misguided.

Posted by: amazing | May 13, 2008 9:03 PM

This started as a news item on 102 unfortunate people at city hall that will be layed off because of DeStefanos and Rells fueding. It gets diverted to a fued on Worthington Hooker school. Well done the paid politicos from DeStefanos office who are paid fat cat salaries to do this using pseudonames here. The mayors office is where the staff cuts should be made. Not a chance. Some poor hard working stiff will go instead

Posted by: WHS Parent | May 14, 2008 12:30 AM

WESTVILLEGUY; Thanks for the information. The 35% # (of out of district WHS students) comes from the current student directory and the CT DOE.