Sections

Neighborhoods

Features

Follow Us

NHI Newsletter

Some Favorite Sites

Government/ Community Links

D’Agostino Out; Lemar Targets Reentry

by Melinda Tuhus | Apr 19, 2010 8:27 am

(11) Comments | Commenting has been closed | E-mail the Author

Posted to: Politics, State

Melinda Tuhus Photo (Updated 11:25 a.m.) After learning that a main competitor is dropping out of the race for New Haven’s one open state legislative seat, Roland Lemar collected small donations in Fair Haven and vowed to press the state to help the city deal with released convicts.

Lemar is one of two New Haveners seeking the 96th State Assembly seat being vacated after 16 years by Rep. Cam Staples, who’s running for attorney general instead this year.

Lemar, a New Haven alderman, had been facing Hamden Board of Education President Michael D’Agostino, setting up a potential fight between Hamden and New Haven Democrats in the one district that straddles both communities. But D’Agostino has now decided to drop out because of a demanding law practice that requires international travel. Hamden Dems will support whichever New Haven candidate is chosen, according to Town Chairman Joe McDonagh.

“As you well know, any candidate running for the 96th Assembly seat—a district populated by a well-informed, active electorate—needs to campaign by going door to door,” D’Agostino stated Monday in an email message. “It is what the voters here deserve and require.  Unfortunately, in my job as lawyer, I am currently handling a case in Iceland and Europe that will require me to be out of the country for extended periods of time over the next several months.  I will, therefore, not be able to campaign in the manner both I, and the voters, would expect.  I wish both candidates the best of luck.  The district cannot lose, no matter who is chosen. 

The news buoyed Lemar Saturday as he schmoozed over wine and pizza with 20 supporters (including John Bontatibus Sr., at left with him in above photo) gathered in Fair Haven activist Lee Cruz’s home on Clinton Avenue.

Lemar spoke about his vision for a sustainable city, including improved inner city and regional transportation, and job growth.

Then a supporter asked Lemar to comment on Mayor John DeStefano’s oft-repeated assertion that most of the perpetrators and victims of violent crime in the city—which has experienced 11 murders so far this year—are ex-felons, and that the state drops off 25 newly released prisoners in the city every week.

Lemar praised the efforts of City Hall prison re-entry coordinator Amy Meek and the Re-entry Roundtable in contacting ex-felons as soon as they arrive in New Haven—rather than waiting for problems to crop up—and describing options for housing, job training, and substance abuse counseling.

He said since most of the services ex-cons need are in cities, it makes sense that they’d be dropped off in New Haven, Hartford and Bridgeport. But he said the State Department of Correction needs to do more during the last few months of inmates’ sentences to prepare them for reentering society. He said he’d read recently of a Midwestern state (he couldn’t recall exactly which one) where the corrections department works with inmates weeks in advance to line up job coaches, housing support professionals, workforce development, addiction services, and other ways to ease their transition.

Then West River activist Kevin Ewing spoke up, saying his neighbors pride themselves on building a caring neighborhood. “But maybe we care too much,” he said, because it seems that every empty house in the area turns into some kind of social service program. He said neighbors don’t object to hosting many of those services, but they’re starting to feel unfairly burdened.

“Why do we always have to accept that New Haven should have all these things?” chimed in Christel Manning (pictured). “Why should we lay down on this issue?”

“As a state representative, I’d push the Department of Correction to be more engaged, to be more effective at reorienting people before they enter our communities,” Lemar responded. “It shouldn’t be that we’re scrambling to try to find ways to service people as soon as they’re released from prison. It should be, instead, that the Department of Correction is preparing each of the individuals to reenter society in a manner that is conducive to them getting their lives back together and leading productive lives.”

He maintained that public transportation in cities helps recently released felons to navigate the services they need, but he agreed that it’s unfair that they are so concentrated in urban areas. “It’s too much for New Haven to have to do alone,” he said.

“I’m very concerned about community safety but I also think the planning for prison re-entry should begin in prison,” Debra Hauser said when reached later. “Discharge plans need to be made before a prisoner is released, or everybody just takes their changes that they’re going to make it. I think it’s a moral issue.”

Lemar acknowledged that this was not a topic he had thought as much about as some of the sustainability issues he’s taken a leadership role on at the Board of Aldermen.

Reached Sunday night, Hamden’s McDonagh explained that his town committee usually does not endorse a candidate in a contested race (i.e., more than one Democrat seeking the office). Contrary to some reports, his committee had not endorsed favorite son D’Agostino. After the latter dropped out, he said, “There are still two excellent candidates and I’d expect that both of them are likely to be in a primary. In multi-town districts there is a convention to which delegates are sent from all the participating towns. We have six and New Haven has 10. Those six people will decide” whom to support at the state convention on May 25.

New Haven’s 10 delegates have lined up behind Lemar. That positions him to claim the party’s endorsement. But Hauser can then take him on in a primary.

“I’m excited about my race and prepared to run against anybody who’s going to run” Hauser said Sunday night. “Now I’m working very hard against Roland Lemar—and plan to win.”

Tags:

Share this story with others.

Share |

Post a Comment

Comments

posted by: One visitor on April 19, 2010  9:14am

I went to this fundraiser/meet & great because my neighbor asked me too.  I wasn’t expecting much, but since the price was $5 to meet our next potential State Rep (in all my time in Fair Haven, I’ve never met Staples), have some pizza and walk a few blocks home - why not?


I was impressed.  Lamar showed great command over a large number of issues, taking unprompted questions from the people in atte4ndance on a multitude of topics, great, well-articulated answers about the State’s budget crisis, trasportation and job grotwh.  I especially appreciate that he is using the Clean election program, unlike his challenger.

By the way Ms. Hauser, maybe you shouldn’t “run against Roland Lamar”, instead run for something you believe in.  Don’t just rely on “all the women to vote for you” like in said in the last article about this race.  When asked about your candidacy ina room full of voters, Lamar had nothing but wonderful things to say about you.  At the end of the day, we are all neighbors first, right?

posted by: Threefifths on April 19, 2010  9:55am

posted by: One visitor on April 19, 2010

I was impressed.  Lamar showed great command over a large number of issues.

Most snake-oil salesman are very good at impressing there mark. We must wake up and getaway from the two party system and demand a sytem of proportional representation Now.

posted by: To One Visitor on April 19, 2010  10:46am

What a bunch of crock. One minute you say you just went because a friend invited you, next minute you know all about the race and the opponent. You tell Debra H. to be nice, and then you insult her. You are clearly a Lemar plant. I expect before the end of the day there will be 20 more comments like yours “I’m new to this, I don’t know Lemar, but he sure sounds like to best candidate”. Yeah, right.

posted by: Fedup on April 19, 2010  11:07am

Lamar’s impressed by Amy Meek and the Roundtable?  Perhaps I missed something here.  What exactly have they done?  Those meetings have been a joke which is why so many folks have stopped going, and some folks who should be there are not invited. I hope Lamar’s impressionability meter rises in the future becuase we will need real solutions, not BS, to address the needs of felons coming back to New Haven.

posted by: Erin Sturgis-Pascale on April 19, 2010  12:12pm

I would encourage all voters in the 96th district to consider their choice in the upcoming primary with this in mind:  The current New Haven delegation ably represents a variety of social service constituencies—that is their specialty and they do a very good job at it.  What is missing in New Haven is a representative who fully grasps the economic and environmental impacts of decades-long, poor transportation investments in our region and the state.  Roland has a solid understanding of this complex issue and has the energy, enthusiasm and coalition building skills to bring solutions to the table.  New Haven and Hamden desperately need this kind of focused leadership for their communities as we are literally and figuratively chocking on our roads and highways.
This is not to say that Roland is a one-issue candidate.  As he demonstrated yesterday afternoon he is broadly informed and solidly expresses opinions on a variety of topics.  The momentum that he has built around his campaign is driven by his demonstrated commitment to the betterment of our communities.  This is a perfect example of the old saying:  “Cream rises to the top”.  Roland Lemar is certainly rising to this occasion.  I am proud to be a part of his team and encourage you to join us.

posted by: Jonathan Hopkins on April 19, 2010  12:51pm

If we spent what we spend on imprisoning people, policing drugs and failing schools, we could create so many jobs that we wouldn’t be able to find enough unemployed people to fill them and would have to start attracting out-of-towners. I think it costs something like $40,000 a year to imprison someone, why not spend some of that on an accelerated trade education program then put the person to work on public works projects with no pay until they have paid back the cost of their education and free housing, then start paying them $40,000 a year to do work that increases quality of life. That makes more sense than imprisoning people, which just amounts to us paying a huge bill for them to sit in a box and become unemployable for the rest of their lives. Jobs are the main solution to crime, poor performing schools, urban blight, high taxes, low quality of life and many other problems that effect cities today.

posted by: Are You Serious?? on April 19, 2010  2:50pm

Erin Sturgis-Pascale said:
“The current New Haven delegation ably represents a variety of social service constituencies—that is their specialty and they do a very good job at it.  What is missing in New Haven is a representative who fully grasps the economic and environmental impacts of decades-long, poor transportation investments in our region and the state”

Where do I begin?  This is such a condescending—if not thinly veiled racist—remark, that I can’t believe you actually put this in print!  So New Haven’s legislators, most of whom are people of color, “specialize” in representing the social service folks and “fail to grasp” the big economic development issues of the day?  So tell us more Erin, is it that they are too dumb, uninterested or indifferent to these issues?  What you didn’t say in your post was “let’s not despair, the Wonder White Boy is on the way to Hartford to make up for all these lost years!”  I can only imagine that Roland Lemar cringed when he saw your quote and probably said to himself that he wished you hadn’t said that.  At least he has some sense.

posted by: robn on April 19, 2010  3:35pm

AREYOUSERIOUS,

How does specializing in transportation issues (issues which disproportionately affect minorities and the poor) bad for or insulting to people of color?

posted by: Erin Sturgis-Pascale on April 19, 2010  4:11pm

Are You Serious:

Most of the New Haven delegation are not people of color.  If you look at our current delegation, you will see that they are a very diverse group of professionals.  You can choose to read racist innuendos into what I wrote, but that would be your opinion and not mine.

Please do not forgot the focus of the story about which we are commenting:  prision reentry and social services.  My comments should be interpreted within that context.

Having a legislator who brings a particular skill set to the delegation in matters of transportation economics would be a natural evolution in the changing awareness of many citizens in our community:  black, white, latino, rich, poor, old, young.  People have a growing awareness of transportation related issues and the time has come to see that reflected in our elected representatives.

We have elections so that our government can begin to respond to emerging cultural trends.

Finally, if you are going to use quotes, please refrain from crafting your own language to substitute for what was actually stated.

posted by: Doyens on April 19, 2010  10:33pm

What is Lemar’s position on increased taxes from the state? How does he intend to financially underwrite “sustainable cities?” What is his position on the city budget and the proposed 11 to 24% tax increase proposed by the mayor? What specific plans does Lemar have for economic development? These questions and their answers should give voters a chance to size him up on matters that directly and immediately affect our families.

posted by: Concerned Citizen on April 23, 2010  5:18pm

It is always best if when we invest our time and energy we do so thoughtfully and responsibly.  CT and NH need the best that we all have to offer. As a society we are in crisis. In the past 14 weeks little NH has lost 12 black men. We do not know how many more have been sent to prison since Jan.2010  

While Erin Sturgis-Pascale’s comments clearly has more than a passing self interest, it is a bit tunnel-visioned for the writer identified as ‘Are You Serious’ to make the knee-jerk reactionary comments posted.  How can you expect to be taken seriously when you make such baseless comments?  Have you really looked at the racial composition of the NH delegation?  Is it possible that you are the one guilty of assumptions based upon your own perceptions of who the delegates must be?

We need to be a little more careful and thoughtful.  Let us work at making positive and constructive contributions. The entire American society needs positive contributors on every level. No one benefits when all we are doing is tearing down each other.

New Haven will benefit most from the candidate who is best informed and most committed to helping to address the broad range of issues facing the city. That candidate must also possess the qualities needed to build positive coalitions in several important areas and industries, and get the support of key state decision-makers and of the broader district. 

Let us at every opportunity try to objectively evaluate which of the two remaining candidates best fits the requirements. Show up at the various forums where they are present; ask them questions; look at what the needs are in the 96th district, but also in all of New Haven. Forget about who we like for whatever reasons; think about who will be best capable of helping to solve the problems we face in 2010 and beyond.

get ANDI

Events Calendar

loading…

SeeClickFix »

Kids assaulting runner-jogger
May 25, 2012 10:36 am
Address: Peck And Front New Haven, CT
Rating: 1

wow, tough day in Fair Haven. Group of school age kids that hang around on that corner threw...

more »
Drug Deals
May 25, 2012 10:37 am
Address: 16 Hallock Avenue New Haven, CT
Rating: 3

Two days in a row, there has been a drug deal occurring in front of the Little League park on...

more »

Flyerboard

Sponsors

N.H.I. Site Design & Development

smartpill design