Crespo Seeks Sixth Alder Term

When Jose Crespo was 15 years old, he applied to his first job through the city’s Youth @ Work program with a note under the ​“hobbies” section of his resume that he aspired to be a ​“mayor, governor, president, lawyer — anything with service.”

Now, at 35, Crespo’s work experience includes ten years of such service as the alder of Fair Haven’s Ward 16, alongside a freelance gig as a resume editor.

He’s currently working on a different kind of job application: a campaign for a sixth two-year term as alder, to be reviewed and decided upon by his constituents.

This time, he is facing a competing applicant: Wilbur Cross educator Magda Natal, 51.

Crespo said he believes he’s the best candidate for alder because of his ten years of experience in the role, and the accompanying relationships with fellow alders and city officials he’s developed. ​“I have the know-how and the insight to do what the community needs. I’m not gonna have to learn how to build the rapport with other alders, department heads, and agencies,” he said.

He said he particularly wants to see through the projects he’s advocated for, including planned street improvements for Ferry Street, Blatchley Avenue, and Grand Avenue. 

Both Natal and Crespo are Democrats who have lived in Fair Haven for nearly all their lives. (Read more about Natal’s candidacy here.) The Democratic Party will formally endorse a candidate in mid-to-late July, and then the candidates will face off first in a Democratic Primary election on Sept. 9 as well as the general election on Nov. 4. 

A third registered candidate, Nelys Calcano, said on Friday that she plans to withdraw from the current alder race for personal reasons, but that she is considering running in future elections. 

In the meantime, Calcano said, ​“I want to continue working in the community — and support maybe Magda, but not Crespo.” She argued that Crespo is not sufficiently present in the ward as an alder.

This term, Crespo said during an interview earlier this week, ​“I’m willing to work harder and more diligently.” He announced that he plans to meet with constituents on the second and fourth Saturday of each month starting May 31. The meetings will take place at the police substation at 295 Blatchley Ave. from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and he said he is willing to adjust the time if constituents prefer a different schedule.

To his challenger, he said, ​“I would recommend that they join my team. I’ll teach them the ropes” — and someday support them in return when he’s ready to step down.

Two decades ago, as a high school student, Crespo landed the Youth @ Work job he sought: a role as the ​“printing press operator” at his alma mater, Wilbur Cross, in which he produced calendars and other paper products for the public school system. 

That job gave Crespo a life-changing sense of purpose. ​“I know what it is to live in a home and know that you might have to lose it,” he said. He was one of five kids being raised by a single mom. ​“Since I was 15 years old, when I had my first job, I wanted to feed my family.” He learned how to budget a paycheck, he said, along with life skills like ​“responsibility” and the ​“importance of working as a team.”

After two years at the ​“printing press,” Crespo said, Youth @ Work connected him to a new role assisting in Yale New Haven Health’s legal department, where he worked for nearly ten years. That experience deepened his interest in healthcare. He has spent the intervening years working at various nonprofits, including currently as a community engagement coordinator at Latinos for Educational Advocacy and Diversity. This spring, he graduated with a B.A. in general studies and a minor in healthcare management from Albertus Magnus College.

In his coming term, he hopes to push for more police walking beats in the neighborhood: ​“Fair Haven loves cops, Fair Haven welcomes cops, Fair Haven wants more cops.” He also hopes to advocate for Fair Haven Community Health Care to conduct outreach to sex workers and people openly using drugs in the neighborhood.

He said a priority of his is to protect undocumented immigrants in his neighborhood. ​“I am not going to leave without ensuring that they are protected and that they have a voice,” he said.

Additionally, as the school system faces a budgetary crisis that administrators say could lead to 129 staff layoffs, Crespo urged the school system to focus instead on consolidating schools and selling vacant buildings. ​“I believe teachers deserve better salaries,” he said. 

Currently, as alder, Crespo chairs the Tax Abatement Committee, a system that primarily forgives interest on residents’ property and vehicle taxes. He takes particular pride in assisting veterans who find themselves with overdue tax bills. What often ends up being a small write-off for the city can make a big difference in individual residents’ lives, he said: The committee helps people ​“keep their cars,” which enables them to ​“go to work” and ​“keep their homes.”

On the board, Crespo is known for his passionate adherence to Robert’s Rules of Order. He’s also become one of two alders consistently opposed to zoning legislation that allows for legal cannabis sales. While Crespo has previously declined to directly comment on why he opposed cannabis, he explained on Tuesday that his stance against the drug comes from his religious faith.

As an ardent Christian and a member of Iglesia Cristiana Estrella Resplandeciente de Jacob, Crespo generally sees Christianity as deeply connected to his role as alder. While there is ​“separation of church and state,” he noted that his ward comprises ​“a community large in being Christians and Catholics,” and argued that ​“the church has a voice” alongside other faith communities in a democracy.

He echoed that commitment to his faith when asked for the first line of a metaphorical ​“resume” he’d like to present to voters:

A dedicated community service professional. Willing to help those who require resume writing; navigating health care systems; knowing how to apply for state assistance, benefits, and social security; and also pray for them, as someone who is a firm believer in the Lord, ensur[ing] that their mind, body, and spirit remain healthy.