New Haven Independent

They also spoke with nearly a unanimous voice when they called upon the U.S. Congress to pass health care reform. The one holdout was the Republican alderperson on the board, Morris Cove’s Arlene DePino, who wondered aloud, Where’s the beef?

The pedal cab ordinance was up first at the Board of Aldermen’s Thursday night meeting. Fair Haven Alderwoman Erin Sturgis-Pascale, who sponsored the bill, stood to present it. “The aim of this ordinance is to create an orderly process” for the operation of pedal cabs, she said.

She outlined the lengthy list of requirements for pedal cabs and operators, including seatbelts, fingerprints, drivers’ licenses, registration fees, and bike skills certification from the League of American Bicyclists.

West River Alderman Yusuf Shah presented the anti-smoking ordinance, which he sponsored. The new law will prohibit smoking in the vicinity of St. Ray’s.

Unlike the no-smoking zone that the board created around Yale-New Haven Hospital, St. Ray’s will not include painted curbs showing the borders of the zone, Shah said.

The no-smoking proposal had originally included a parallel plan to prohibit smoking outside the Masjid al-Islam, located behind St. Ray’s. That measure has been separated out and remains in committee.

Later, the board considered Item 11d, a “Resolution from the Board of Aldermen, minus Alderwoman DePino, urging the United States Congress to implement comprehensive health care reform.”

The appeal calls for the reduction of health care costs, a guarantee of doctor choice, investment in disease prevention, and affordable health coverage for all.

“I am not in support of Item d,” said DePino.

She said, “I do support health care reform” but she wants more details about exactly what the board is asking of Congress. “For me this is a little bit too ambiguous.”

It’s like the aldermen were trying to make a sandwich, she said. “They brought the bread, the lettuce, and the tomato, but they forgot the meat.”