Paul Bass Photo
Henry Fernandez asked voters in Dixwell to choose him as the next mayor — but to vote him out if he fails in a crucial task, “dramatically improving public schools.”
Fernandez (pictured), one of seven Democrats seeking to succeed retiring two-decade-incumbent Mayor John DeStefano, returned repeatedly to the topic of dramatic school improvement during a question-and-answer session at the end of a campaign event Thursday night at Dixwell Congregational Church.
“One of the primary reasons I’m running for mayor is I want to be held accountable for the public schools,” he said, contrasting his position with opponents who have vowed to take a hands-off approach to the Board of Ed.
“If you elect me mayor, and we cannot turn around the public schools, don’t vote for me again.”
He was answering a question about how to better opportunities for people in poor neighborhoods. He called school change key to that quest. He said property values are so much higher in East Rock than in poorer neighborhoods because parents who have the money will pay more to place their children in the best-performing schools, which are in that neighborhood.
He cited the schools again when asked how he’d get more New Haveners jobs.
“Our schools are not preparing our young people to be able to get the jobs that are coming here” in sciences and health care, Fernandez responded. He said Yale-New Haven Hospital “goes around the world to recruit nurses because they have vacancies.” He praised Gateway Community College for training nurses for jobs that pay $40,0000 to $50,000 a year. “We need more of that,” including public schools that prepare kids better, he said.
Newhallville retiree Louise Anderson asked Fernandez about “young people running wild” and shooting up Newhallville. He vowed to create community centers in every neighborhood.
And he raised the topic of education, along with crime-reduction, in responding to a question about how to bring back neighborhoods like Newhallville and Dixwell.
“We keep trying to bring back factory jobs that aren’t coming back,” he said. “Our kids need to be scientists. Our kids need to be able to start a business. Our kids need to be able to become accountants. Our kids need to be able become president.
“That starts with great schools. We want to rebuild this neighborhood [Dixwell], we want to build my neighborhood in Fair Haven, it starts with great schools.”
Actor Danny Glover appeared with Fernandez at the forum following a day of campaigning together.
Carolina Gets $24K
Melissa Bailey Photo
In other campaign news, Democratic mayoral candidate Kermit Carolina received his first batch of money from the Democracy Fund, the city’s clean elections program. He and his field director, Bethany S. Watkins (pictured), accepted a check Friday afternoon from Maria Hunt (at right in photo) at the city accounting office.
The $24,530 check includes a $19,000 one-time grant, plus matching money for 207 small donations he collected from New Haveners. Candidates participating in the Democracy Fund agree to limit individual contributions to $370 (rather than $1,000) and forswear donations from outside committees in return for public dollars.
Carolina, who serves as principal of Hillhouse High School, said his team raised the 207 donations in just five days. Of the 207 contributions, 152 were in the smallest amount, ten bucks. Some came from people typically disenfranchised from politics, Watkins said, such as Brad Sutton, a 22-year-old man from the Hill who is juggling two jobs and just graduated from Gateway Community College.
Carolina is one of three candidates who have qualified for the Democracy Fund—click here to read more. Candidates Fernandez, Toni Harp, and Matthew Nemerson have opted not to participate in the system.
“Despite starting late compared to the other candidates, I still felt it was extremely important to participate in the Democracy Fund and represent the spirit of a clean election,” Carolina said. He said he wants to “send a clear message to the potential voters of this city that their interest is what matters — not the interest of special interest groups.”
Carolina is planning a campaign kickoff on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Community Outreach Center at 654 Orchard St. He also just launched a campaign website.
Nemerson Comes Out Vs. Tax Hikes
Mayoral candidate Nemerson doesn’t want to raise your taxes.
He issued a press release to that effect Friday. In it, he promised to make “holding the line on property taxes” his number-one priority if elected.
His stated strategy: Grow the grand list. “Modernize government.” And eventually, even make taxes go down.
“Everywhere I go taxpayers are telling me that they are struggling under the crushing weight of New Haven’s growing tax burden. Next year, we will be facing another 7.7 percent increase on top of the already steep mill rate on our homes and businesses,” the release quotes Nemerson as saying.
“First, we need to look at all of our city departments and conduct a comprehensive review of how to reduce costs, ease restrictive work rules, and reduce duplication. Second, we need to use technology to modernize delivery of government services and provide a higher standard of performance for residents and taxpayers. Finally, by consistently reducing taxes on residents and businesses, we will create a climate of private investment and growth.”
So Mini-me Fernandez says "don't reelect" him if there isn't dramatic school improvement. Here's the problem - the Big Me has been saying there is school improvement for at least a decade, and big gains in the last two years. The only measurement of such are test scores and those test are taught in the schools for at least a month before the tests. The kids aren't being taught critical thinking, problem solving and writing correctly. They're being taught the test and not much else. That's not much of a measure.
As for "re-electing" Mini-me - "electing" him is the first step and that is no sure thing.