New Haven Independent

Posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS | May 9, 2008 2:14 PM

Staples should know better than to be on the same side as "Fidel" DeStefano. And while Fasano is more conservative on spending, he has no cred until he starts to demonstrate that he understands the connection that his constituents have with their urban neighbors.

Staples recognizes that the education system is abysmal here due to the absolute lack of vision and an unapologetic dedication to patronage in City Hall. But strangely he continues to aid and abet this regime by pleading for more and more money.

Cam, giving money to this guy is like sending more humanitarian aid right into the hands of the Burmese Junta. Don't you get it? The money doesn't get to the folks who need it, it only empowers the corrupt!

Cam, you have fed into the problems by getting the bonding passed that created this Taj Mahal school system. What connection has the $1.5 billion had at all with student outcomes?

You need to let the swamp drain, Cam. Help to build a better city when this guy is finally gone after he gets booted because taxes have risen and service has declined.

Good for Bill Dyson for staying away. At least he knows a tyrant when he sees one.

Posted by: facChek | May 9, 2008 2:28 PM

Typical back & forth blame game by Fasano and Staples... They just can't help themselves.

But to answer your question Paul
Who's to blame...
DeStefano, hands down. He proposed a witch hunt budget which he knew, or should have known, was not going to fly.

Rather than offer an alternative proposal, to the BOA in March, he went all ahead full and budgeted new spending beyond reasonable expectations.

Now, he has to back track, cut programs that were not increased or in his budget at all, then find the villain.

It's the man in the mirror John.

Posted by: robn | May 9, 2008 6:08 PM

Mayor DeStephano and Gov Rell are both wrong.

Mayor D should be cutting the school budget (almost half of our budget) to decrease the abominable 5 year 80% propoerty tax increases and Gov Rell should respect state statutes and not veto bills which fully fund PILOT.

Cam Staples nor Len Fasano are both right.

Cam is trying to get PILOT fully funded by allowing some locally controlled taxation. Len is trying to find smart ways (like early retirement) to make a true net reduction in the budget.

Posted by: nearingfan | May 9, 2008 6:52 PM

The educational outcomes in the city should reflect the size of the education budget.

Since the budget is huge and the outcomes are poor- we are just throwing good money after bad.

We need a grassroots educational revolution. The current institution-nation-wide-is a failure.

Stop bleeding the city and try a new approach.
New ideas for a new outcomes.

Posted by: Gary Doyens | May 9, 2008 10:43 PM

Fact Check is spot on - These cuts were known for months - all they needed was somebody to blame. Well, the fiscal chaos of New Haven is the fault of one man - John DeStefano, Jr. - who has been spending money faster than the state can truck it in. In the last several years, according to Speaker Amann, the state has forked over more than a billion dollars, and yet it's not enough.

Several years ago, Cam Staples and others passed the real estate conveyance tax to help the cities meet budget problems. The real estate business was hot, lots of flipping, lots of tax dollars for DeStefano in there. What did he do? He spent more. Now Cam and company are going to meet in special session so he can make sure DeStefano can keep on spending the equity in our homes and investments via a tax that was supposed to sunset and will likely be made permanent.

I also blame Cam Staples - the guy who famously told me he won't support cutting the hated car tax because not enough voters call him to complain about it. Staples wants to enable more DeStefano gross spending by supporting the half baked idea of a special sales tax on New Haveners - something that would hurt everybody, but especially the low, moderate and middle class families. Of course, it's never tied to lowering our property taxes - it's just to give DeStefano more money. It never ends, it never goes down.

Posted by: brickbat | May 10, 2008 7:25 AM

If Cam Staples had gotten his way and the PILOT grants were funded correctly, New Haven would not be facing the devastating budget cuts the mayor announced. Period.

Posted by: realdeal | May 10, 2008 7:49 AM

Mayor DeStefano, to this point, has not acknowledged any wrongdoing on his part in creating a budget not in check with the state and the economy. He continues to play politics in defense of himself trying to draw attention to other causes and impacts.

Mayor DeStefano needs to take SOME responsibility for his actions. Maybe he could soften the negative public attitude which is growing day by day by taking some responsibility. This is a hint Mayor if you ever read any of these comments.

Posted by: strangerthanfiction | May 10, 2008 3:49 PM

Great job Paul. This impromptu face-off between Staples and Fasano gave interesting insight into how this debacle came about and where the various factions stood.

Posted by: Da Hill | May 12, 2008 9:33 AM

Paul,

this is awesome...Thanks for keeping them honest.

Posted by: Gary Doyens | May 12, 2008 10:39 AM

Brickbat:

It's not about revenue - it's about spending. You've simply bought into the mayor's redirection of where the real problem resides. The mayor has championed spending based on wants, not needs - and in the good years, he raised spending beyond sustainable levels. He knew it, was warned about it and now, it's reality. These proposed spending cuts are hardly "devasting" - some are pure political theater, some are legit. Put all together, it's not enough by a long shot. At a minimum, another $10 - $15 million should be lopped off.