nothin DeStefano Won’t Seek Reelection | New Haven Independent

DeStefano Won’t Seek Reelection

John DeStefano, the longest-serving mayor in New Haven history, is calling it quits.

DeStefano, who is 57 years old, plans to announce Tuesday afternoon that he will not seek an 11th two-year term.

The mayor sent out a group email Monday afternoon stating that he and his family will be making an announcement at 5 p.m. at The Russian Lady at 144 Temple St. (the former Playwright), the site of past election victory parties. The intention is to cast Tuesday’s announcement as a celebration, a capstone of a successful political career.

Then he made phone calls informing people around town that he had decided that after 20 years in office, he had served long enough. DeStefano told people he is excited” and happy” and very comfortable” with his decision. He told people he wanted to give everybody time to think about what comes next in New Haven.”

DeStefano, who over the past few years sold an investment property in town and bought a second home in Florida, declined comment Monday night. He testified at the state Capitol Monday afternoon in favor of gun-control measures; he has been speaking out nationally about that issue. He skipped Monday night’s Board of Education meeting as he touched base with longtime allies to share his news.

Since DeStefano won his first term in 1993, no challenger has won more than 45 percent of the vote against him. However, he got a scare two years ago when he faced an unexpectedly strong challenge from a first-time candidate with little money, name recognition or organization. Already this year, two more experienced candidates, state Rep. Gary Holder-Winfield and Alderman Justin Elicker, have begun mounting challenges. With the incumbent now out of the way, and decades of suppressed political ambitions now released, many more potential challengers can be expected in the weeks ahead.

Elicker formally announced his candidacy last week
. Holder-Winfield Monday night said he intends to formally announce his candidacy by week’s end.

Listen I had some disagreements with the way he did some things. But I think he had 20 years of service to this city. Over time many of us thought he wasn’t able to hear people any longer. The city was slower to react to issues than it needed to be,” Holder-Winfield said, citing school reform and community policing.

Overall, despite a slower pace of progress in recent years, Holder-Winfield added, I think the city’s a better place than it was 20 years ago, undoubtedly. You have to give credit to people who were leading. John DeStefano has been a leader.”

I’m as surprised as anyone else” at DeStefano’s news, Elicker said Monday night.

Asked his view of the mayor’s legacy, Elicker responded: He had a lot of challenges. He’s done overall a good job. He’s done some good things for the city. Obviously there’s a lot I think we can be doing better as a city.”

State Sen. Toni Harp, who has at times backed DeStefano’s challengers, offered an upbeat appraisal of his legacy Monday night.

I think we have to do is look around at all the new school buildings that we have. I guess you can say he’s been the education mayor,” she said. The fact that he was able to work out a deal with AFT [the teachers union] and chart a new course with teachers in our town is really historic. If you think of all the cities in Connecticut that have the demographics that we have, New Haven is a vibrant city. Despite the fact that I may not have agreed with the way everything was done, I don’t think anybody can disagree that it is a city that is alive and vibrant and thriving compared to others in our state.”

Thomas MacMillan File Photo

Gov. Dannel Malloy (pictured) Tuesday morning applauded Mayor DeStefano’s work on education and the relationship he built between Yale University and the City of New Haven.

DeStefano and Malloy, a former mayor himself, ran against each other in the 2006 governor’s race.

New Haven has in many ways blossomed under his leadership,” Malloy told a small group of reporters Tuesday morning after an event in Hartford. The relationship that was formed between Yale and the city was very important to both the city and Yale.” He said it allowed the community and the university to move forward.

He’s got a lot to be proud of,” Malloy said.

Malloy also applauded DeStefano’s more recent work on education reform. He said in the last few years the focus on improving education has been in the classroom” and prior to that rebuilding the classrooms.

DeStefano has earned national recognition for policies welcoming immigrants to New Haven and more recently launching a school-reform initiative that includes the teachers union as a partner. Click on the play arrow to the video at the top of this story to watch DeStefano discuss his legacy recently upon passing the record for holding the mayor’s office.

DeStefano cited school reform and community policing in the email he sent inviting people to his important” announcement Tuesday at the Russian Lady, while he didn’t mention the pending retirement in the announcement.

The announcement read:

Please join me and me and my family for an early State of the City’ briefing and reception tomorrow at 5 PM, January 29th at The Russian Lady, 144 Temple Street (formerly The Playwright).

Our college graduation rates are up 10% in the last year. Promise scholarship students are sticking in college at encouraging rates. Community policing is driving crime down and there is more to come.

Me, Kathy and our boys look forward to seeing you tomorrow for this very important event.

Very truly yours,

John”

Christine Stuart contributed reporting.

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