Andy Ross Eyes Ward 8 Seat

The first candidate has emerged to replace outgoing Wooster Square Democratic Alderman Michael Smart — and he’s not a Democrat.

Andy Ross filed papers Tuesday morning to run for the Republican nomination for the Ward 8 aldermanic seat in the neighborhood. He seeks to replace Smart, who’s leaving the post to run for city/town clerk.

Ross, a licensed real estate broker, is active in city life as a neighborhood volunteer and the leader of the Downtown/Wooster Square Management Team.

He vowed to be a check on the board to the Democrats, who currently hold all of the legislative body’s 30 seats. A minority-party candidate would automatically have representation on lots of aldermanic committees, because the charter calls for minority representation. Right now there are no non-Democrats to fill slots on committees.

“I know being a Republican is an uphill battle in New Haven,” he wrote in a letter to the Independent Tuesday announcing his campaign, “but I am sure that I can get the message out to people of all Party affiliation that it is time for something new in City Hall and I believe I can be that person to keep the majority in check.”

“I am looking forward to working on Ward specific issues while at the same time contributing a new voice to the conversation about where New Haven should be headed,” he wrote. “And how do we stem the tide of debt and other unpaid obligations.

“My primary focus will be to address the inequities that I see in the budget process and to rest New Haven’s financial affairs by balancing our budget without the need to sell off valuable assets to plug the gaps.”

Click here to read more details in his official platform.

Ross initially considered running for mayor, but decided not to: “My decision not to run is a personal family issue one which I am sure will be resolved soon,” he explained.

The general election for aldermen and mayor is Nov. 5.

So far, no one else has filed papers to run for the seat.

Alderman Smart said the Ward 8 Democratic committee met last week to talk about how to fill the vacancy. The committee is accepting applications from interested Democrats until June 20; candidates will be invited to appear at a Q&A with neighbors on June 24. Interested candidates can .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), the committee secretary.