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Hauser, Lemar Square Off On Homelessness
by Allan Appel | Apr 27, 2010 11:03 am
(7) Comments | Commenting has been closed | E-mail the Author
Posted to: Politics, State, East Rock
In their first public debate, two candidates for state representative clashed over how to solve the city’s homeless problem.
Debra Hauser declared moral outrage at the city’s failure to keep the Columbus Avenue shelter from closing early this year; Roland Lemar defended the city and called for statewide tax reforms.
That was one issue Hauser, a former Democratic co-chair in East Rock’s Ward 10, and Lemar, the current alderman in East Rock’s Ward 9, discussed before 20 Yale College Democrats in the common room of the university’s Branford College Monday night.
It was the first and only scheduled public debate between the two contenders for the Democratic nomination for the 96th District General Assembly seat, which is being vacated by Cameron Staples as he runs for attorney general. The two have emerged as the sole contenders after a third candidate, Hamden’s Michael D’Agostino, recently dropped out of the race.
The candidates gave brief opening speeches, then took questions from the undergrads. The candidates agreed on many issues. On most questions, Hauser, appearing in her first-ever candidate forum, gave general answers; Lemar, who’s been an alderman for over three years, gave specific policy solutions.
One student asked how to reduce the number of homeless people on the street.
“I have three solutions to homelessness: housing, housing, housing,” Hauser replied. In an impassioned response, she took aim at the city: It has failed to live up to its moral obligation to fund Columbus House, she said.
Lemar countered, saying the problem didn’t lend itself to a “one-stop solution.” He cited those with long-term mental health issues, and others such as abused women who needed perhaps two weeks or two months of transitional housing.
Lemar defended the city, saying New Haven does more than many cities to help the homeless. He called for statewide property tax reform that would give urban centers relief from shouldering the burden for regional problems like homelessness.
The debate was Hauser’s first formal appearance as a candidate running for beyond-the-ward office, and she admitted to being a little nervous. She spoke passionately of a sense of mission to make government work far better for kids and families.
Describing her many visits to Newhallville as a staffer with the Yale Child Study Center (she’s a clinical psychologist), a volunteer at sub-station programs, and mom going to pick up her 14-year-old daughter at friends’ houses, she said, “I felt unmistakably called to do something about the hopelessness in the eyes of [many]kids in Newhallville.”
Hauser said that her campaign is premised on “essential fairness and equal opportunity for all.”
Asked to choose a single issue on which to make progress, she chose the economy. “The way to grow jobs is to make business welcome.” She cited the extremely high utility costs, and the state’s being 49th in the nation in job creation.
Lemar said education is his top priority. “Education is job growth,” he said, as well as quality of life.
While he hailed the city’s school reform effort as an important first step, he several times called attention to a bill State Reps. Gary Holder-Winfield and Jason Bartlett are shepherding through the legislature, which he said, would recast the way the education issue is discussed.
“Education is a social justice issue,” Lemar said. “We used to make excuses, but Achievement First and Amistad proved it wrong. Individualized assessment, wrap-around services,” and approaching teaching as a serious profession are taking the fear out of the discussion of the schools.
“It all has to be on the table. We can’t improve the economy without doing this first,” Lemar said.
By “this” he meant bringing more equity to the Educational Cost Sharing formula, and in general restructuring the state income tax to make it more equitable so that municipalities don’t rely on the property tax alone to fund schools and just about everything else.
When freshman Luke Hawbaker (pictured in foreground) asked the candidates about their approach to curbing street violence, Hauser pointed to her resume: She cited her leadership in the National Center of Children Exposed to Violence, and the need for “early detection or access to mental health services.”
Lemar, on the other hand, recited chapter and verse of the programs currently in place: Youth at Work, which hires some 1200 kids a year; the Street Outreach Workers program, and some additional monies expected for young people’s employment from the feds.
Hawbaker said he was impressed with the passion of both candidates, but he thought Lemar had more “well-thought out and specific” answers.
After the friendly debate’s conclusion, Hauser gave her own candidate assessment of her first public foray. “I think I did okay. I didn’t faint. I loved the questions. I’m not an alderman so I don’t know all the issues. But I’m in it for the right reasons. I’m a quick study and I’m in it to make Connecticut a better place.”
For his part, Lemar said that people ask him if he’s crazy to be running for the assembly at a time when Connecticut’s best days are behind. “I’m not for the bleak picture,” he declared to the students. “The best of Connecticut [days] is in front of us. I firmly believe it. We just need to make the right decisions.”
Those decisions – on public education, a more progressive tax system, and correcting the economic inequities that make people want to leave the state, among others – will be left to new leadership that’s elected in November, Lemar said.
“I think I can hit the ground running. We face a crisis that is without peer. If we don’t make the right policy decisions in the first four months next year, we’ll [negatively] affect the state for the next 20.”
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Comments
posted by: Wooster Street on April 27, 2010 11:35am
I love how Hauser blames Columbus House closing on the city. Homelessness in New Haven is not a New Haven issue. It’s a state-wide issue. Homeless people come from all over to New Haven because we have so many services. The neighboring communities and state have to pitch in to help.
posted by: Good conversation on April 27, 2010 12:14pm
Roland’s got my vote but I am very glad to see a meaningful conversation between the two candidates. Will miss Roland on the BOA, but no doubt that he is ready and able to serve as our next State Rep.
posted by: Anon on April 27, 2010 12:30pm
Ms. Hauser how is that when New Haven spends more on homelessness than all other 168 towns/cities combined in the state that closing a shelter two weeks earlier than what advocates decry is as you say - a “moral outrage?”
Your answer of “housing, housing, housing” is a good one, but will the state pay for it? Why should resident, home owning taxpayers be the only funding source? How much money does NH get from the state for shelters? as compared to Hartford? As compared to Meriden?
So I ask you this: if you cannot get state funding from Hartford to pay for “housing, housing housing,” would you recommend that residents pay more in taxes to increase shelter occupancy and length of yearly operation?
posted by: get real on April 27, 2010 12:49pm
Give me a break…the youth with summer jobs are not the kids involved in the violence; Lamar find something to attach yourself to that you have shepard in; youth at work-already in place, street outreach-didnt bitsie find funding for this, homelessness-didnt you vote to cut funding for this Lemar? Does Debbie really think she was gonna get a fair shake on Yales campus? If she had the mayors support Lemar would of been the odd one out! What a shame this race is over before it has even started.
posted by: streever on April 27, 2010 2:42pm
I like Deb and am grateful that she’ll be on our Ward Committee here in 10, but think that Lemar has the right approach & the experience to do this job. I think they are both smart, talented people, and would love to see Deb run in a few years after she’s had the experience and found the support for her candidacy.
The hardest working alderman in New Haven is Roland Lemar, and if we send him to the state representative, we can only expect more of the same: A commitment to constituents, a strong legislative agenda, and the ability to bring home results to our city and region.
posted by: Townie on April 27, 2010 2:50pm
The one thing that would help “solve” homelessness is the creation of more jobs through the invigoration of private or cooperative industries. Not one of the candidates seemed to speak to the issue of economic recovery or, perhaps, alternative economic models for the city and the state. But, it’s business as usual for politicians; talking points, and rhetorical issues with little to no substance.
Meanwhile… I just read an article about an empty armory. Perhaps the city could use that as transitional housing for the homeless? The city could trade shelter for work. Homeless people would work a certain amount of hours for the city and in return they would be given a place to live.
Just an idea.
posted by: Erik on April 27, 2010 4:56pm
Are either of these candidates a Yale Grad ?
Roland won the Alder race in ward 9 after Alder Elizabeth Addonizio vacated the seat.His only opponent was Developer and 9th ward co-chair Alex Marathas, Marathas withdrew at the last moment and only Rolands’ name was on the ballot. Roland was stumping for Desteffano in a Democratic Primary before Addonizio announced her departure. ...
He probably has done a decent job as Alder,absolutely nothing of this superstar status that supporters and co-children of Yale University make him out to be.
The bigger issue, Is the soliciting of finance from the same developers from both camps. Some say campaign finance, the return of favors, The demands of these donors is the main ill with our State.
