New Haven Independent

The encounter took place at the State Capitol Thursday. Social service agencies struggling to restore budget cuts set up tables in Room 310 and did whatever they could to lure state legislators in to hear their pitch. It was “New Haven Lobby Day.” Two celebrated groups that took especially hard hits from Gov. M. Jodie Rell’s budget — the LEAP youth program and the Arts & Ideas Festival — were especially focused on making a good impression.

City Hall staffers reported that 70 of the General Assembly’s 151 representatives and 36 senators (not to mention about 100 lobbyists and legislative aides) were drawn into Room 310 by the aroma of the 32 pizzas the city’s own lobbyist, Chris DePino, schlepped up to Hartford, still warm.

Elliott Donn (pictured), a sessional staffer in the House, happily chowed down.

State Sen. Rob Kane (pictured in photo at top of story), Republican of Watertown, said, chuckling, that he showed up “because Chris grabbed me and dragged me here.” (DePino, before starting his own public relations firm, was a Republican representative from New Haven’s East Shore and is a former chair of the state’s Republican Party.) But Kane added, as he munched on a slice of pie, “I love New Haven. I try to get there as often as I can.”

He walked over to one of the tables.

“So what do you guys do?” Kane asked Christine Bartlett-Josie, the development director for LEAP (pictured on the right). She explained that LEAP is a youth mentoring program founded in New Haven about 15 years ago; it has served as a national model. The program had expanded to four other Connecticut cities, but due to funding cuts has shrunk back to its original home — and is now facing losing its entire state budget contribution of $807,000.

Bartlett-Josie said state funding held steady for years at $852,000, then was reduced last year when Gov. Rell made her five percent across the board budget cut in response to the state’s fiscal crisis. The rest of the $2 million budget comes from individual donors, corporations, foundations, and $135,000 in federal funding.

Asked if he would consider voting to reverse some or all of the funding cuts to the groups represented in the room — LEAP, Junta for Progressive Action, the Arts & Ideas Festival, the Shubert Theatre, Tweed New Haven airport, and others — Kane replied, like a practiced pol even though he’s only in his first full term, “It’s obviously a very difficult budget year. The governor has a budget proposal, we as a Republican caucus have a budget proposal; the Democratic majority has a proposal. I think if we could build something out of all three, then hopefully we can satisfy everyone. There’s a way to give everyone a share in the pie as well as a share in the burden, and it works best for everyone. The ideas have to come from all three.”

The legislature’s Democrats have proposed restoring the funding. But as Rep. Richard Roy (pictured), Democrat of Milford, said between bites of pizza, “I think [the cuts] will be only partially restored, because we have less money coming in. In that case I think what you do is trim back everybody.”

Roy, too, said he loves New Haven. He grew up next door in West Haven. The city has always been a family destination for cultural events, dining out and other pleasurable pastimes.

While most of those at the tables tried to lure legislators over with homemade goodies, Arts & Ideas executive director Mary Lou Aleskie worked the room like a pro. She’s pictured here with New Haven State Rep. Juan Candelaria checking out some of the positive national press the festival garnered last weekend. She said the festival generates $19 million in economic impact, so it’s a good investment of the state’s $1.5 million over two years.

As the event drew to a close, Mayor John DeStefano said he thought Lobby Day was a worthwhile and important event. “I think it’s always good to put a face on the city and the issues of the city.” And of course, New Haven pizza is what gets people in the room.

DePino (pictured on the right, goofing with New Haven State Rep. Bob Megna, who replaced him in the General Assembly), said, “Up here, there are three things that control votes: Democrats, cannolis, and Pepe’s pizza.”

When asked by a reporter if he was looking to intensify the war of the pizzas in New Haven by promoting just Pepe’s — and not Sally’s or Modern — he demurred. “I’m a big Sally’s guy. My grandma’s a Consiglio,” and a distant cousin of the Sally’s founder, he said. But he said Sally’s isn’t open for lunch, so he couldn’t take his business there.

When asked the cost of the pies, DePino said he was not including the $490 tab in his lobbying fee. “The city’s been good to me,” he said. He added that maybe next time he could work out the timing to bring Sally’s pies to the Capitol.