Mayoral hopeful Jim Newton denounced incumbent John DeStefano for “targeting” neighborhood bars in African-American communities (including one run by Newton’s cousin) and applauded the arrival of Indiana Jones. (“I always liked that hat he wears”). Click on the play arrow above to watch him weigh in on the mayor’s lobbying effort against the Taurus Caf√©.
Note: “this guy” refers to Mayor DeStefano.
City Hall spent days lobbying the state—successfully—to block Newhallville’s Taurus Caf√© from renewing its liquor license. It was part of a wider mayoral campaign to stamp out a handful of “problem bars” the city sees as fostering crime. The bars named were: the Owl’s Nest, the Taurus, Newt’s Caf√©, the Cardinal Caf√© and Jack’s or Better.
For Newton, a Democrat challenging DeStefano, Jr. in a Sept. 11 primary, the issue strikes close to home: Newton’s first cousin is Ernest Newton, the man who owns Newt’s Cafe.
“He’s a wonderful guy and in my opinion runs a good business,” Newton said of his cousin.
Sitting down for an interview at a fundraiser at the Greek Olive last Thursday, Newton struck down the mayor’s bar-blocking campaign, calling it not “evenhanded.”
“Has there been any problems? Well, the answer is yes,” said Newton of Newts. But “if you look at any one of these places, you’ll find problems there too.”
The mayor should use the same “methodology” on problem bars downtown such as Toad’s Place, not target a few bars in African-American neighborhoods, he said.
Mayoral spokeswoman Jessica Mayorga denied that accusation. She said the “problem bars” were chosen because they have been home to a disproportionate number of police calls for violent crime, such as shootings, and because neighbors complained of fights in the bars and drugs being sold nearby. The lobbying effort to shut down the Taurus began with a petition signed by 50 neighbors, Mayorga noted. “It was not just the mayor, but the community saying this place is causing trouble, and we want it to stop.”
Newton did, however, agree with the mayor on one thing: Indiana Jones filming in town is a “wonderful thing.” He also agreed the new state tax credit that lures Hollywood producers into town is a good idea. Click on the play arrow to watch him make his case, and reveal who his favorite Indy Jones character is. (Hint: “tremendous acting ability” and a nice hat.)
Steven Spielberg’s decision to film Indiana Jones IV in New Haven shows the city is “artistically popular,” said Newton. “Hopefully, when I’m mayor, we can get them to do more movies.”
"Neighbors complained about drugs being sold nearby" Just fyi: ALCOHOL IS A DRUG. Just because the government arbitrarily discriminates against the users of some drugs does not make one drug "good" and another drug "bad". Anyone remember Prohibition? Now we have Reefer Madness and Meth Hysteria.