Mayoral Challenger Calls For Tax Cut

KDW is aware New Haven was in a deficit from the past two failed administrations...or does that not include her..

How about those pensions under Destefano and Harp that never was properly funded?

🍿Ready for the comments!

Elickler's response to the yale negotiations question is as weak as KDW's critique to lowering the mill rate by one mill.
This article is not worthy of my response.
Comon Karen.

I've tried to be open to DuBois-Walton, and to give her the benefit of the doubt.

But my god, she'll say absolutely anything in her quest for votes! Bottom line is it's getting harder and harder to take her campaign seriously.

This is BREAD AND CIRCUSES, plain and simple. Offer the addled public whatever sounds great to buy their vote. KDW is very quickly going low.
Let's face it-- anyone who ran the NH Housing Authority has to have a lot of gall to dare to say they are competent to run our city!

I feel anyone could run against elicker and win. His platform was to disgrace the Harp administration about raising taxes, and he turned around and raised taxes. I say give KDW a chance, cause at this point what do we have to lose

Dear Aprillevine-- I think we have a lot to lose with KDW as mayor. She is more of a machine pol than Elicker and one look at her tenure at the NHHA should tell you what she can do. I wish the Republicans or Greens would run someone. These parties on a local level are much more in tune with people and should be distinguished from the wacky national level folks!!!

LEFT WING RIGHT WING THE BIRD IS THE SAME.Both of them work for The ruling class. Whoever wins the Democratic Election for mayor.Will owe paybacks to all the fat-cat campaign donors.

New Haven homeowners: there is a property tax reevaluation scheduled for this fall. Regardless of who wins the election, your taxes will go up due to the over heated real estate market right now. The mill rate should be lowered, yes, but the property evaluation happening during a huge real estate spike is the big problem and it will negatively affect everyone (unless you're on the verge of selling your home).

The new tax reevaluation needs to be postponed. If this is a bubble, prices will settle down.

Please, start asking mayoral candidates about the reevaluation and their willingness to postpone it. House values across the city have suddenly shot up 10-30%. So will your taxes.

Correction to my prior statement @FacChec on July 8, 2021 8:22pm

After reading the NHR this AM the press conference covered by the Register provided a more inclusive analysis into KDW statements regarding possible mill rate cut, couple with Elicker's response that the federal cares act does not allow pandemic funds to be used to reduce taxes. While this is true, it is does not say that other areas of the budget cannot be reduced(cut). I would suggest to KDW and Elicker both that the FAC is: the city has been closed for a year and 3 months with full payroll and benefits honored, however, of the 39-41 operating depts. no less than 1/2 fund a line item called "contracted services" to the tone of thousands of dollars in the current 20/21 and 21-22 budgets. Contract service for the most part did not perform, therefore, monies should have be in surplus not reported by the finance dept. Another area to look for savings would be in the capital fund budget for years 20/21-21/22 many of the same operating dept did not perform their task or spend their bonded allotments. Both KDW and Elickler, especially Elickler, should look into this non-transparent spending.
Secondly, Elickler did not responded weakly or not, to the matter of Yale negotiations for $50M, however, more likely budgeted @ $5M not yet agreed upon but already budget active and approved by the recalcitrant BOA.

https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/DuBois-Walton-No-New-Haven-tax-relief-is-a-16302280.php?src=nhrhpdesecp

Our taxes are too high. But they won't get any better by continually kicking the can down the road. Pay down our long term debt. Pay our unfunded liabilities. And make real changes to minimize them in the future. A one percent reduction is the mill rate is ridiculous. Can we talk about fixing problems and end the school yard banter?

I can have little respect for any candidate who will condemn and criticize actions and policies of an incumbent, and refuse to disclose what BETTER, FAR SUPERIOR alternatives they have to propose.
It's like Republicans attacking Obamacare repeatedly, yet never coming forward with their own better program to replace it.

"DuBois-Walton declined to propose any specific cuts to the city budget to accommodate lower taxes. Instead, she argued that the mayor should have been able to find "efficiencies" based on changes to City Hall operations during the pandemic. DuBois-Walton also refused to identify any specific "efficiencies" she would implement if she were mayor."

• enough with the vague, non-specific, no details "pie in the sky" deceptive rhetoric. If you cut taxes then you have to cut services. The federal pandemic relief funds can not be used for the standard city budget items. The PILOT change in calculating compensation for state mandated tax exempt properties helps the city from having to raise taxes and cut services. Look at the two city budgets proposed and the budget ultimately adopted in anticipation of the PILOT change (it did happen,) and Yale potentially donating more money to the city (wishful thinking.)
  
  " When asked about PILOT's big-picture purpose of lowering the local tax burden for residents of municipalities with lots of very valuable tax-exempt property, Elicker responded that the current roughly $50 million increase in state aid is being used to stop what otherwise would have been a significant tax increase. "As people who have followed the budget know, if we had not gotten this funding, we would have seen a very dramatic increase in taxes and a cut in services," he claimed.
  
  
• I agree with the comment by Birds-
  "New Haven homeowners: there is a property tax reevaluation scheduled for this fall. Regardless of who wins the election, your taxes will go up due to the over heated real estate market right now. The mill rate should be lowered, yes, but the property evaluation happening during a huge real estate spike is the big problem and it will negatively affect everyone (unless you're on the verge of selling your home)The new tax reevaluation needs to be postponed. If this is a bubble, prices will settle down."
  
• now that is a realistic proposal for taxes.

"I wish the Republicans or Greens would run someone." The Chair of the Republican Town Committee is echoing lunatic, racist and far-right rationales to disenfranchise voters across the country.

Dear BeHills--- what rants are you referring to? Can you be specific?
Local politics is different than national; which is why many smart people split their vote at election time. The trope you use is getting old. We need choice in NH-- one party rule is not good for democratic processes. I wish there were other alternatives but D, R, G is all we have at the moment

I know I just read this and have not let it sink in yet, but I think Karen just lost my vote and that is unfortunate. I have really tried to stay open during this campaign, but the looming fiscal problems should be priority number one for all candidates. Please let this talking point die and focus on goals that can be accomplished.

CityYankee,

Maybe you should also end your comments with #MAGA and defend republican efforts to implement voter restrictions?

Is that what the locals really want?

OK BevHills-- NH voters want more of the same according to you-- more of one party rule more dirty campaigns more do nothing candidates who are already bought and paid for. Try to look beyond your Leftist induced paranoia and think about what is best for our city. I did not mention a word about voter registration-- that is you trying to distract and avoid the real issue: a ONE PARTY TOWN IS ANTIDEMOCRATIC AND LENDS ITSELF TO CORRUPTION AND INCOMPETENCE. I want choice; you want Democrats.

CY,

By all means, party competition is fine. But a party as rotten, as racist, and as as bent on destroying democracy as the Republican Party cannot enhance democracy by winning elections.

KDW spent many years working for Mayor DeStefano and then went on to run the Housing Authority. In both cases money was spent like water (half million dollar public housing units) so her credibility on this subject just doesn't exist.

BevHills730: I am always amused when people who claim to be in favor of democracy oppose it when groups with whom they disagree win. Exhibit "A" is how the US wanted democracy in Palestine until Hamas won an election, after which the US refused to recognize Hamas's legitimacy. (Same in Iran.) Not everyone's values align with ours, but that does not mean that they are anti-democratic.

Karen just lost any credibility as a serious candidate. The number one issue is the fiscal sustainability of the city. Elicker delivered on a huge increase in PILOT. It's a first but significant step in shoring up city finances. And her response is to call for a tax cut? That's the kind of phony financial trickery that got us into this mess! And to top it off she can't tell us what services she would cut to enable a tax decrease. And she says that while busting his butt to save the city during Covid, Elicker should have used his free time to reorganize city government. Wow.

beyonddiscussion: KDW will create "efficiencies" in City Hall due to the pandemic, just as she has at NHHA, just as Reagan was able to deliver tax cuts and a balanced budget by cutting "waste, fraud, and abuse." It worked under Reagan, right?

"Just as during the previous Annex presser, DuBois-Walton declined to propose any specific cuts to the city budget to accommodate lower taxes."

It would be political suicide for Dr. Walton to expose the areas in which she should cut. The question that voters should be asking 'The Mayor Masquerader' Elicker is, WHY AREN'T YOU CUTTING TAXES??

This race between Dr. Walton and 'The Mayor Masquerader' presents a clear delineation. 'The Masquerader blames all of his countless failures on Covid, while Dr. Walton presents a proactive and tireless approach to solving problems. In essence, 'The Masquerader sees the city for what it is. Conversely, Dr. Walton sees the city for what it could be. Which is exactly the vision New Haven is in desperate need of during these trying times.

It is true that 'The Masquerader inherited a city that was in debt. But what did he do with that debt you asked? Great question! HE ADDED TO IT!! When 'The Masquerader' was sworn into office, crime was down substantially. Under his administration, IT INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY!! When 'The Masquerader' was running against Toni Harp for Mayor, he derided her for raising taxes. 15 minutes after he was sworn in, what did he do you asked? I'm glad you asked. HE RAISED THEM TOO!! He didn't tell the voters that she didn't raise them enough, because he wanted them to viscerally believe that he would lower them once he got in. Sounds pretty "Trumpian" to me. E.g., Remember this popular LIE, "WHO'S GOING TO PAY FOR THE WALL? MEXICO!!

Folks, this guy ran to bolster his resume. Give him the same number of terms in office that we gave Trump, ONE!

@Brian L. Jenkins on July 11, 2021 2:23pm

When 'The Masquerader' was running against Toni Harp for Mayor, he derided her for raising taxes. 15 minutes after he was sworn in, what did he do you asked? I'm glad you asked. HE RAISED THEM TOO!!

Not quite Brian, it was not 15 minutes later after being sworn in, it was 6 months later. "In Harps last term the mill rate was 42.98, Elicker proposed an increase to 44.51, however the BOA approved and Elickler signed a budget mill rate increase to 43.88" (see both following links.)

https://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/elickers_proposed_budget/

https://www.newhavenct.gov/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?blobid=37613

A proposed one mill increase was hardly a tax increase to criticize.

Although:
The Fiscal Year 2021-22 (FY22) budget proposed by the mayor and amended and adopted by the Board of Alders keeps taxes flat at the current mill rate of 43.88. It also includes all $49 million-plus of the increased state aid towards funding city services and higher pension fund contributions, which the mayor has argued will result in a lower tax burden (and more sustainable public employee retirement accounts) in the future. The budget also assumes a $4 million increase in aid from Yale University.

The budget assumes a $4M increase in aid from Yale,without that assumption the city will face an additional 1.5Mill increase to the mill rate or the debt.

Try an rap our head around this one....Karen!

https://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/property_sales12/

What.. $152K to 470K to 1.17M for 34 level street... What..Really

To clarify,
On the first link see graph between paragraph 1&2

On the 2nd link see pg 1-23.

https://www.newhavenct.gov/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?blobid=37613

Sorry Mr.Jenkins didn't mean to send you fishing into link #2

FacChec: KDW's NHHA has removed several properties from the tax rolls. Elicker has support tx abatements for other properties, such as the Ninth Square. Both candidates seem content with New Haven's beggar status, dependent on the state for funding. They have little interest in making New Haven more self-sufficient by expanding revenue positive uses like industry and suppressing revenue negative land uses like subsidized housing.

@FacChec,

"A proposed one mill increase was hardly a tax increase to criticize."

I don't play word games! You call yourself "FacChec." DID ELICKER RAISE THE TAXES YES OR NO?

I'm amazed at how these 'Masquerader' lovers, enjoy giving him a free pass when he raised the taxes, but like the 'The Masquerader,' derided Harp when she raised them. At the risk of being Pollyannaish, I'll pretend that I do not really know why.

His sycophants dismiss his tax increases by calling them "hardly a tax increase to criticize." It's a huge issue for the working poor to criticize! It wouldn't mean much for those who live or are from New Canaan like 'The Masquerader,' but it is hugely significant for the vast majority of New Haveners!!

KDW will not talk about the specifics because she has nothing...and it is amazing the Georgia Peacher is so intriqued with New Haven Tax increase when it does not affect him...

Stacey Abrams is looking for you Brian🍑

Mr Jenkins I'm not about to get into a debate here, the facts are clear, however you wish to interpret them. During Harps terms especially 2017- 18 to 2018-19, the mill rate increased 4.30 mills, that's according to the NHI's reporting, not mine.
Now that's a real mill rate tax increase on the renting population you referenced.

@1644- 9th square was granted a tax abatement under state law for 17 years, after running out the abate renewal request when to harp, but the BOA did not approve it until 2020 during Elickler's first term.
Also HA properties are federally owned and therefore non taxable.

fachec: The Housing Authority's real property is held in its own name. Check the Land Records. Housing Authority are set up under state law, and are independent agencies like Boards of Education. If it were a federal, its land would be held by "United States", as the HUD properties were.

The Ninth Square tax abatement was set up by Harp, but endorsed by Elicker. Elicker said it was needed because otherwise poor people could not live downtown. Poor people don't live on St Ronan, so why do they need to live downtown, say I, but Elicker feels differently.

@FacChec,

I simply just asked you a question that's all. If you care not to answer it, that's fine with me. However, here are the facts, not the facs. Immediately into his first year, Elicker raised taxes. This is the same guy that derided Harp for doing the same thing. If Dr. Walton were to tell the voters that she was raising taxes in her first year or at all, 'The Masquerader's fan club would be going apoplectic. But she's running on cutting them, and we hear are crickets.

Stop making it look so obvious!