New Haven Independent

Posted by: TrueBlueCT | February 3, 2009 4:35 PM

Folks should know that the socially conservative Amann:
1) Voted against Civil Unions in 2005.
2) Is non-committal on a woman's right to choose.
3) Backed Lieberman through the fall of 2006, against Ned Lamont who won the historic August primary.

If the choice is Malloy or Susan Bysiewicz, either is a reasonable candidate. Personally I believe Bysiewicz might prove more electable against Jodi Rell, but if the candidate were to be Malloy, Dems would be doing just fine.

But Amann is noxious, representing so much of the Old Boy school of politics, that I'd have a hard time voting for him, even against a Republican.

FWIW, and everyone should have their own opinions. But the next Governor will be very important to the future of Connecticut. (and we all should tune in.)

Posted by: City Hall Watch | February 3, 2009 4:44 PM

I love these interviews with the mayor - they paint a vivid picture in living color, just how twisted and disconnected his thinking is relative to how he sees his value to New Haven and how normal people see him; how we see ourselves and how he sees us. Let me dissect:

1. Declined to say whether he would run for Governor. You're toast mayor - Rell has already whipped you bad. Way too liberal and city ID card and unchecked spending/borrowing/finances will sink you as it did before.

2. You abandoned the city for two years or more for your last run for Governor because you didn't like being mayor anymore. None of the problems the city had before you left were solved; they're still not solved.

3. Don't feel you can do both a race and be mayor. That's an enlightened view and one I wish you had had when you ran for governor. We could have had somebody else in here by now.

4. Commenting on the state budget problems - he supports keeping higher taxes on the table. Of course he would. That's stating the obvious. That's what he does in New Haven - he plans a tax increase on homeowners and then counts on the state to fill in the rest. When the state number comes in below his expectations, he just comes back to us for the rest. Easy.

5. My personal fav DeStefano qoute: "The budget shouldn't drive what's important to our families. We should decide what's important to our families and the budget should reflect that."

Mayor John DeStefano has no clue, not one single inkling of what is important to our families. He knows what's important to his family - his raise, his car, his pension, his armoir; his wife's education job, her benefits, pension and so on. But, he doesn't know about us. If the mayor ever got out of his ivory tower, walked down the street and talked to real people - not political cronies, not the hoi poloi, the muckity mucks, elitists and hangers on who depend on him for a job - I mean real people who are directly affected by his endless and uncontrolled spending; marginal performance in the schools and more, he'd find out that what he thinks is important to our families, and what we know to be important to our families are two different things. The city budget with its 15% annual increase does not reflect what's important to us and neither does DeStefano.

Posted by: That's ridiculous | February 4, 2009 8:45 AM

City Hall Watch --

Your comments are ridiculous. You don't have to like DeStefano's policies but you don't have to make stuff up.

1. Everyone (even his critics) admits that DeStefano is accessible and that he has more than an "inkling" of what worries his constituents. If you choose not to support his decisions fine but why just make stuff up. The guy works more than 12 hour days, goes to every neighborhood and listens to people. He's the most accessible mayor in 50 years.

2. DeStefano is extremely honest. New Haven is the only major city in the state since he has been elected that has not seen a Mayor arrested or investigated (Malloy got investigated for something that still looks pretty suspicious.) Again, not liking what deals he makes is one thing but no one thinks he is taking something off the top -- not even close. You insinuate such when you mention his wife's job -- she is not even a teacher in New Haven, she teaches in West Haven.

3. He may never get elected governor but that's because he's too liberal for the rest of the state. In a liberal city, that's not surprising or bad. The New Haven Independent is not a voting booth, it's a place where everyone's voice gets amplified. Don't assume that because everyone can't ignore you here that your views are mainstream. The last two serious opponents the Mayor had he beat them 2 to 1. In a democracy where he has to get elected every two years, he may eventually lose but not because you yammer on incessantly about made up nonsense.

Posted by: One Hand Clapping | February 4, 2009 8:37 PM

DeStefano neither confirms or denies he will run again for governor. This means he will run when he sees who he will have to compete against. Last time he declared 3 years before the event and ran against Rell, not Rowland. This time he'll declare at the last minute. Everyone knows this, and thats why this story got no comments. If he had any chance at all he would get endorsements on this sight. 3 comments only. Please wise up, Johnny Boy.

Posted by:  City Hall Watch | February 5, 2009 9:52 AM

That's ridiculous:

You are welcome to your view of the mayor and I appreciate your comments with the exception of the one where you made the heroic leap to alleging I think the mayor is dishonest as in "taking something off the top."

I don't "insinuate" anything, I just say it. I've never said or implied the mayor is dishonest in that way. The mayor doesn't always tell the truth. He shaves it, obfuscates it and works around it. (Remember the 9% vs. the real 15% property tax hike this year?) He sets up straw men and argues against fake opponents. He blames others when the blame is his. It's intellectually dishonest.

I also don't worry about my views being mainstream. They're just my views. If others like them, fine. If they don't, that's fine too. But you may be surprised how frustrated the direct taxpayers are as they bear the ever increasing burden of paying for his policies and his stubborn reluctance to make the changes necessary to bring the city's fiscal house in order and have a government we can afford. This year, he is scheduled to take another $17 million from our families.

Posted by: O.M.G | February 5, 2009 8:29 PM

The possibility of another governatorial race between Malloy and DeStefano is frightning. Last time Malloys ads had JDS in a blue dress. Do we get him in a blue bra and frilly pantys next time??? These contests always get worst as the years pass.

Posted by: Observer | February 5, 2009 10:42 PM

OK, let me get this straight. DeStefano runs against Rell and gets crushed by the biggest margin in Connecticut electoral history. And why is it that the Democrats or anyone other than a Republican would put him up for a rematch?

Posted by: Brian V | February 6, 2009 9:28 AM

Hey JD
I will vote for you for Govenor (again) for no other reason but to just get you ... out of New Haven.
Go be govenor or work for AFLCIO or Yale (they owe you for all the property you've given them over the years- Right?)

Go John Go. Don't go away mad, but DO GO AWAY.

BILL DYSON gets my $ and vote for Mayor of New Haven!