New Haven Independent

posted by: William Kurtz on June 11, 2010  12:16pm

Take this for what it’s worth from an observer who doesn’t live in the 96th district, but isn’t it a little tacky to show up at a candidate’s press conference, which is being held at a supporter’s home, with signs for an opposing candidate?  Yes, I suppose Ms. Hauser has “the right” but it still seems like bad manners, especially since no one really seems to be “protesting” anything in any kind of meaningful way.

posted by: Irish Mike on June 11, 2010  12:20pm

Long Live Lee’s Plants!

And kudos to Lemar for pointing out the obvious…you don’t bring outsiders to protest other community residents. Totally not cool.

For this reason, I am supporting Lemar. Its all about decency and respect.

posted by: Lora on June 11, 2010  12:23pm

As usual, Deb Hauser finds a way to make a little nothing into a negative something….why have your friends, who don’t live in Fair Haven, show up to essentially picket those neighbors that do?  How is that supposed to endear those neighbors to you? And to have them sit on the neighbor’s sidewalk, smoking and talking loudly on their cellphones while trampling the plants?  Disrespectful. This was not a big deal until you do something like that.

But at least Hauser isn’t ceding any ground…. According Goldson, above, she’ll be coming to insult Ninth Ward residents next.  Lucky folks.  In Ward 10, I had Deb Hauser show up at my house after 9pm this week.  I told her it was inappropriate to ring my bell so late.  She smirked and said “Oh, you are one of Roland’s supporters, aren’t you?”  I asked why she thought that- her response was ” I just assumed so because, well, will you support me, I’m more qualified and an independent voice - Roland is a nice guy,but he’s too young and too connected to DeStefano” I told her that I appreciated how he has worked hard for this neighborhood and gotten a lot done for me and my neighbors, even though he isn’t my alderman, and that he has stood up to City Hall on our behalf numerous times, and she should really stop telling that story, because almost everyone here knows differently.  She responded by telling me to “think about it more” and something about it “being a mans world unless more women get elected.”

I’m nowhere near neutral in this race, I’ll admit, but Deb’s campaign is a continuing disaster story.  She should re-evaluate and try again in a few years.

posted by: Greg Genecin on June 11, 2010  12:25pm

With no disrespect to Mr. Lemar, almost all of the Hauser supporters that came to the event live in district 96. I would also like to be clear that there was no protesting, merely a show of support for his opposition.  He is not running unopposed.

posted by: Lemar Supporter on June 11, 2010  12:47pm

With no disrespect to Mr. Genecin, it should be noted that he is not just a supporter of Ms. Hauser, but is her paid “personal assistant.”

posted by: Campaiging 101 on June 11, 2010  12:51pm

Mr. Genecin,

If you all are in fact voters in the 96th, I’m sure Fair Haven voters would have appreciated your using your time yesterday evening to knock on their doors and share your support for Deb Hauser (though I suspect your support is explained by your paycheck). Instead, well, the video speaks a thousand words. 

Deb, who constantly cloaks herself in the banner of community activism, should be ashamed to have endorsed a protest outside the home of a true community activist.

posted by: Hauser Supporter on June 11, 2010  12:53pm

Lora,

Name two times that Roland stood up against th administration. Just two. And don’t mention th executive raises, where he made a little noise and did nothing.

posted by: What a Stand on June 11, 2010  1:10pm

Oh yea Hauser supporters are truly taking a stand as they walk back and forth on their cell phones smoking cigs.

posted by: Lora on June 11, 2010  1:26pm

Hauser Supporter -

...  Deb has offered very little to this debate, and often is quoted agreeing with Lemar or changing her opinion to match Roland’s.  This isn’t a big deal, but your team seems to make a LOT of missteps that turn little things into big issues that don’t reflect well on Deb.  Its the main reason why I voted for Ray Saracco against her a few years ago. ... Regardless, I’ll quickly find a lot more than 2, just by searching this site- and even though you don’t think its important that Lemar stood up against the executive pay raises, he sure suffered the negative consequences of it… but anyway, here are a few occasions that I’ve seen, based on a quick two-minute search - 1) Lemar leads charge against City’s monetization plan.  2)Opposition to city’s approach to Whitney Avenue, Whitney Avenue re-do - better 2a) New Vision sketched. 3) Blowback- Stealth raises spark new battles 4)Marshals sweetheart deals targeted 5)Community Policing, minus the police 6)East Rock plowing gets an “F”....

posted by: Hauser Supporter on June 11, 2010  2:24pm

You wrote - “Lemar leads charge against City’s monetization plan.”

How in the world can you honestly say that Lemar “led” the charge against the parking meter plan? I bet their are many aldermen who would take offense at this comment. There was wholesale opposition to this plan on the Board of Aldermen, and many aldermen cam out against it before Lemar did. In fact, Lemar and the rest of the Finance Committee did not kill the plan, but instead tabled it (put it on hold) for later. I guarantee you that his committee will revive the plan at the mayor’s request when the election is over.

You wrote - “Opposition to city’s approach to Whitney Avenue, Whitney Avenue re-do”

Lemar led the Whitney Avenue redo, he did NOT oppose it. In fact, he led the administrations charge through the committee he chaired.

All of the other stuff isn’t worth responding to. Perhaps you guys would do better by not trying to give Lemar credit for everything that has happened at the Board of Aldermen, it will eventually come back to bite you big time.

posted by: 96th Resident on June 11, 2010  2:25pm

I don’t understand what the Lemar people are so angry about. Someone was smoking a cigarette, so what? They were outside. Looking at the video, no one was disrespectful, maybe a little disorganized, but it was hardly a “protest”. Did anyone shout anything? was anyone disruptive? This whole event looks like it was rather mundane, not an episode in “a continuing disaster story”

Stepping on his plants was a little rude, but then, we’re not talking about an intricate flower bed. All I see in the video is a shrub and a tree…Also, wasn’t this supposed to happen in the middle of Chatham Square park? I have been following the candidates on facebook, and the event invitation says to come to the “Center of Chatham Square Park”

Much more important than the presence of Hauser supporters, to my mind, are the issues. One thing mentioned in this article is transportation.  Transportation is a huge issue. How exactly would Lemar or Hauser address this?  I’m glad that Lemar recognizes it as an issue, but there is nothing on his site about it.  At least Hauser mentions regional cooperation. 

I am not sure who I will vote for yet, but I would like to see some more substantive discussion (and perhaps proposals for) of issues.  The debate last week only really discussed taxes in depth. Hauser and Lemar agreed that transportation and regionalism are important, but I would like to see some differentiation in their proposals.

Frankly, what I take away from this is this: I find it heartening that so many young people cared enough to come out at all. Everyone involved deserves praise for separating themselves from the masses of apathetic non-voters that are happy to remove themselves from the democratic process.  Next time there is an event like this, I may come out to see the commotion.

posted by: Hauser Supporter on June 11, 2010  2:37pm

Also to Lora:

The Hauser people were not “picketing” or “protesting” the Lemar event. Lemar sent out a Facebook and other web based announcements of a community meeting at Chatham Square, a public park. Because of the rain, he moved the event to a covered porch. But I didn’t have to tell you that, you know it already, don’t you?

We went to the event to 1. Hear what Lemar had to say, and 2. To let neighborhood folks that may have turned up for the community meeting to know that there is another candidate for this election. We stood by silently and respectfully, as you know.

It seems that the only Lemar person not whining is Rodriguez, who I now have a new found respect for.

If you guys don’t want the opposition around, perhaps you should change the democrat system so that only the mayor’s anointed candidates get to run. Until you do so, expect to see us around.

And by the way, that phony story about Hauser knocking on your door stuttering and being disrespectful to you doesn’t hold water. Stop with the negative campaign stuff.

posted by: Lora on June 11, 2010  2:58pm

Hauser supporter- This isn’t about me and you.  I wasn’t at the event last night, but I wish I was. Who cares in the end?  Re-read my last post - i wasn’t trying to give credit or anything - I did a quick search, found a few articles and posted them. ...

posted by: streever on June 11, 2010  3:26pm

Hauser Supporter:
“You wrote - “Opposition to city’s approach to Whitney Avenue, Whitney Avenue re-do”

Lemar led the Whitney Avenue redo, he did NOT oppose it. In fact, he led the administrations charge through the committee he chaired.”

Excuse me? Roland, Justin Elicker, and myself organized the opposition. Roland was an integral part of the process, involving more residents and officials than I or Justin could have on my own. Roland gave direction, organized, and helped with every aspect & took virtually no credit for his work.

I’m sorry, but I don’t remember you helping with the event. I’m sorry that you think you know better than the organizers who did what.

—

I’m a volunteer for Roland’s campaign, and I will be excited to see another campaign won on the conviction of volunteers beliefs, and not won by paying for it. Ms Hauser is paying Mr Genecin and others to work for her campaign. That they could find the time to protest at Lee Cruz’s house because they were paid is hardly news-worthy. That so many volunteers will head to the streets for Lemar, however, is.

posted by: Not Whining on June 11, 2010  3:51pm

LMAO

posted by: What I Think is Strange on June 11, 2010  10:39pm

Hey, why would Lemar post a video of Hauser’s supporters instead of one with he and his supporters? Why wouldn’t he post something that has him outlining his issues? Very strange indeed.

posted by: Loves the Old Movies on June 11, 2010  10:49pm

Streever, seeing that you are so committed to Lemar, I thought you ... might like this quote from Casablanca.

Captain Renault: In 1935, you ran guns to Ethiopia. In 1936, you fought in Spain, on the Loyalist side.

Rick: I got well paid for it on both occasions.

Captain Renault: The *winning* side would have paid you *much better*.

Streever, perhaps you should join the winning side….LOL.

posted by: The Professor on June 12, 2010  4:30am

Hauser must have gone to the Goldson/Teabagger School for Ridiculous Campaign Stunts.  Hauser absolutely has the right to pull stunts like this, just like she has the right to make thinly veiled appeals to female voters based on pure gender-baiting.  But merely having the right do do something doesn’t mean that it’s productive.

I think this just underscores how petty Lemar’s opposition is.  I’m not going to sit around and pretend that Lemar has no political ambition of his own—I’m sure he’d love to be Mayor or more someday—but at least he has shown he knows how to behave like an adult and get results.  Meanwhile, Hauser and her ilk apparently spend their time trying to figure out how to disrupt productive exchanges between others who are interested in more than just evening political scores.

Hauser and her supporters seem to have zero interest in actually productively engaging the community.  This action speaks volumes about her fitness for office.

posted by: Claudia Herrera on June 12, 2010  11:59pm

Paul I would like to asked you (and is not like I have any experience as a reporter) Just as a reader. Please trying (and asked to you reporters) to focus on the news as is happening in terms of contest and information, action and what is more important the intention of what’s happening in the moment. Unfortunately in many occasions I feel while I reading some articles; is like the author of the story is interpreting his version of how he understood the story (very personal) and wants to guide you to his path. Those comment of step on some bodies’ plant, being aloud etc.., please I don’t think you needed a video to make them feel ridiculous for supporting heir candidate. Did you cover any report from the other candidates?
As a reader I think it is extremely important for the readers to get the news from a neutral point of view.

My point of saying all this is because, that day that I have the chance to meet Lemar I really wanted to go to talk him and asking a few questions, But that day I have to be in four parts at the same time and I choose to be in two; my son’s activity and one of three community activities.

Now, saying all that. It is important to know who of our leaders are supporting Lemar because I can get to the phone and asked to my alderman why he’s supporting him. In the other hand yes, we need to know who’s else is in the raise and what are they are doing (were are their meeting) and have the options and hear from them too.

One question I really wanted to ask Roland Lemar is If he is looking up for Fair Haven, What part of Fair Haven? And what is his understanding for ALL the resident that ACTUALY
ARE LIVING IN Fair Haven?. But I guess I miss my chance.

posted by: Darnell Goldson on June 13, 2010  1:44am

@ The Professor:

Goldson = Teabaggers….LOL…What a way to spin. I haven’t heard from you in a while, thought you might have forgotten about me. But as obsessed as you are with me, how could I ever think that? I knew it was too good to be true. I’m sure it won’t be long before you accuse me of being a KKK member…LOL…

By the way, exercising our right to attend a political rally advertised on the web ( I actually received an invitation via Facebook from Lemar’s campaign) to hear what they had to say can not be characterized as a “stunt”. If the Lemar folks had not given the Hauser people undue attention, no one would have even noticed we were there. We weren’t videotaping them, and then posting it on the web. We weren’t chanting slogans, or pacing on the sidewalk. We just stood and listened. Since when has that become a crime?

As someone so elegantly stated above, STOP WHINING!!!

posted by: robn on June 13, 2010  2:09pm

If Hauser supporters showed up to a Lemar event as “merely a show of support for his opposition” how is this not just crass, attention starved train jumping?  In other words, if Ms Hauser has a meaningful campaign, why doesn’t she just hold her own campaign events? If there was some radical point of contention that deserved a protest so be it, but Ms Hauser’s own personal assistant wrote on this very page that it was not a protest.

posted by: Not Whining on June 13, 2010  2:11pm

Maybe I wasn’t clear earlier.  Darnell and others: It’s pretty clear no one is whining.  They are quite rightfully questioning/making fun of a rather silly campaign stunt.  These kids look like they’re cutting class at some high-priced private school for kids who can’t get into the good private schools.  What are you all thinking?  Have your own events in the district.  Why show up at someone else’s events and, need I say it, whine about your candidates irrelevancy?

posted by: Claudia Herrera on June 13, 2010  6:59pm

How is this, how is that,etc.

Political strategies! one day one “looks mature experience and just in ther right track” and right to the next day no so much.

politics and politicians, equals better tastes to campaign?

What’s the real contest here?  What is really Mr. Roland Lemar is going to do a lot more different from the other two candidates for Fair Haven?
Yes, I read the “few” lines about his effort to help Grand Ave. and Front Street residents. Really? what about the rest of the Fair Heaven’s residents?
There is a lot more of “filing in” information about the event than what was the even about.

posted by: One on June 13, 2010  7:46pm

For lack of a better activity I found myself stumbling upon this inane incident, clad in garments of bipartisanship.
So let me be clear, this was hardly a rally, but rather a congregation of ... friends and relatives under a porch. The Debra Hauser supporters showed up to gain exposure seeing as how a minute proportion of the voter population is aware of their candidate. End of story. Well, not quite. Apparently the conservative left aka ‘The Misnomers’, are opposed to an efficient market of candidates.
So the next of Lemar’s kin were holding signs pointed towards each other, I’m assuming to reinforce each other as to why they were standing under a porch on a rainy Saturday sans food or booze. Hauser’s supporter’s were loitering aimlessly, slightly shocked that they had spent their free time to attend this aberration of human behavior.
So upon arriving on the scene a Hauser supporter lit up a stogue. If I recall correctly, nobody gave a gopher’s pastrami sandwich that our president smoked during his campaign race but apparently some pseudo hipster at a democratic rally is suddenly an issue. Call yourself a liberal. Shame on you. 
I was equally baffled at at the intensity and severity of a discussion regarding a campaign race where the ‘victor’ will at their very best end up reluctantly releasing a disproportionate amount of funding towards an issue that doesn’t maximize the community’s resources, however the negation of which would result in a direct contradiction with the opening bullet point directly under their campaign slogan. It would seem that, people don’t lie as much as are oblivious as to the issues they’re speaking of. Lemar ...is a prime example.
... I’m sure he’ll possess the ability to push through policy with some degree of effectiveness, however the policies he’s promoting are likely to be as archaic and fixed as the system in which he’s attempting to run in. We’re dealing with an oligopoly of Aldermen, and although he’s running as a democrat conservatism is plastered all over this campaign. I’m just sayin, be aware, and when the time comes, don’t be surprised.
As for his issues, they’re slightly ludicrous. Firstly, he’s proposing we assume significant risk and invest in the green economy during the midst of the ‘great recession’. Green energy I firstly must inform you is barely profitable despite overly generous federal subsidies / tax breaks. If however, you’re proposing we morph East Rock into a ‘Centre of Excellence’ for green tech R&D, such as Cambridge is for pharmaceuticals, which will propel this micro economy of coffee shops into a dot com escque boom, godspeed.
Lemar’s also opting for clean elections. That is apparently one of his campaign slogans. Please bestow onto me your resources and vote for me so I may pay myself with your resources in the near future. Nothing more to add.
As for public schooling, I support that. However, the problem with public schooling has never been funding. Lets just be honest for a second, there are no entry requirements and students seem to hold a belief that is their constitutional right to attend a classroom. We provide little disincentive to students should they choose to slack off, education is not held sacred, yet merely abundant, and youth seems to hold a distorted perception of its value as a result. They are subsequently propelled into habits of immediate gratification and contribute to what might be the most short termist mentality in the world. I realize that such shifts cannot be conducted on a district level, so kudos to most candidates for picking the obvious. 
Taxation is also an issue. Well no s***. And what would you like to do? Reduce property taxes? Cool. And what will those property taxes help cease funding? State programs? Wicked. Why? Apparently they’ve failed to deliver. How? ...

posted by: One on June 13, 2010  8:07pm

* sorry people was a Thursday, not a Saturday. Apparently I’ve had quite the weekend..

posted by: Doyens on June 13, 2010  10:12pm

I’m not sure which is worst - complaining that the opposition is showing up at your event (very normal) or telling people what they want to hear to get a vote.

The EITC program will cost a lot of money. You are giving people refunds not against income taxes, but against other forms of taxation. In any case, it costs money. Where is it going to come from with a multi-billion deficit? The same is true with the availability of bonding for the waterfront? State bonding which just had it credit rating lowered, is going to be in short supply and only the most critical needs will be funded regardless of who is governor.

posted by: streever on June 14, 2010  11:06am

Loves the Old Movies:
As do I. However, I’ve never picked a side because they’ll win or because they pay anything at all—but rather, Lemar is an honest person with a lot of integrity who has supported and improved my neighborhood. I frankly have no other option available.

One:
“Lemar is a conservative” followed up by bashing him for thinking everyone should have a good education, by saying that only people who are already smart enough should be given education. That’s really out there, man. Imagine if tomorrow we told 20% of the population they can’t have an education. What would we tell them when they couldn’t get a job and needed state assistance?

If you deny people resources, it just costs more long-term.

posted by: One on June 15, 2010  11:29am

Streever.. thanks for your feedback. Two points.

Firstly, I mentioned my support for educational funding on a district level not once but twice and inserted my personal philosophy for kicks n giggles.

As for conservatism, Lemar is one of the mayor’s people (i mentioned this before but it had been edited out) and DeStefano isn’t exactly associated with a capacity for change.

...

posted by: streever on June 24, 2010  4:00pm

One, on the off chance you get notified about updates, sorry I didn’t write back sooner.

I had no way of telling by reading your post where/what you stand on/for, sorry, and this isn’t a criticism, but the lack of sentences/paragraphs really killed my brain.

As for “mayors person”, nothing could be farther from the truth. I think every Alder has a choice—be a rubber stamp, be an obstructionist, or just get things done and don’t sit around & worry about what the mayor thinks. That’s Lemar’s method.

Just look at how much money Hauser has given John over the years. You really think Lemar is his boy?