Hillhouse Principal Kermit Carolina formally kicked off his mayoral campaign with a new idea for fighting gang violence and a no-thank-you to the city’s most politically powerful union.
At an official launch party Wednesday night for his campaign to become New Haven’s next mayor, Carolina floated the idea of using a “gang injunction” to crack down on violent criminals.
He also officially withdrew his name for consideration for endorsement by Yale’s UNITE HERE Local 34 union, decrying a “sham process” in which he said union leadership is trying to impose its political will on the rank and file.
Carolina made those comments in front of some 120 people gathered at the Community Outreach Center on Orchard Street.
Carolina is one of seven Democrats vying for the mayor’s office, which will be vacated at the end of the year when John DeStefano leaves after two decades in the post. The primary election is Sept. 10.
A “New Way”
Carolina made his appearance with his family, accompanied by a loop of the eponymous lyric from Drake’s “Started From The Bottom Now We Here.” From behind a podium, Carolina spoke from prepared remarks saved on his iPad.
He said he plans to usher in “a new way of doing business” in New Haven.
“Gone are the days of keeping the well-off and connected even more well-off and connected,” he said.
“DeStefano acted more like a real estate agent than a mayor,” Carolina said. DeStefano put a “For Sale” sign in front of City Hall and rewarded developers who contributed to his campaigns, Carolina argued. Carolina is one of four Democratic candidates committed to running as part of the voluntary public-financing Democracy Fund, which seeks to limit the influence of special-interest money on government; candidates qualify for public money under the system if they agree to cap individual campaign donations at $370 (rather than $1,000) and swear off contributions from outside committees.
“This campaign is about bringing the issue of poverty to the forefront,” Carolina said. Poverty leads to a “vicious cycle” of lack of parenting, failure in school, teen pregnancy, unemployment, crime and incarceration, he said.
On the issue of education, Carolina called for “prenatal to age 8” programs, to make sure expectant mothers know how to teach their child to read. He called for “high-quality” pre-schools. And he said he would reduce the number of administrators in the school system.
On development, Carolina said he’d like to merge city government’s economic development department with the Department of Arts, Culture and Tourism to form the Department of Community Development and Tourism. He said he’d like to open “small-business incubators” on the “major avenues of distressed neighborhoods.” He said he wants to “enhance the waterfront” with trails for cyclists and pedestrians, a pier, and aquarium, a history museum, and shops.
“New Haven has to benefit New Haveners,” Carolina said. He said that, as mayor, he’d work with the state legislature to make a residency requirement for all city employees. He said he wants to look into the possibility of a commuter tax. He called for a “forensic audit” to account for “every dime spent” by the city and the Board of Ed.
On the issue of crime, Carolina praised DeStefano’s return to community policing. He said he’d pursue the possibility of a gang injunction against the “worst offenders.” Carolina later compared such an injunction to a restraining order against proven gang members. It could prevent gang members from hanging out in certain areas, or associating with certain people.
“A known pedophile can’t hang out at Chuck E. Cheese’s,” Carolina said. “Why should violent offenders” be allowed to hang out in the neighborhoods where they’ve committed crimes?
Bob Pellegrino, Carolina’s press secretary, said gang injunctions have been used in California and elsewhere and have stood up to legal challenges. Carolina said he doesn’t yet have the details of how the plan would work out. He said he’ll form a task force to look into it.
Carolina said he will not have trouble balancing his duties as principal with those of a mayoral candidate. He said he’s done a “pretty good job” so far of keeping the two roles separate. “My campaign begins after I’m off work.”
“I have unused vacation time I’m going to make use of over the summer” as the election gets closer, he said.
“A Sham Process”
After the applause following his kick-off speech died down, Carolina announced he had a special announcement. He said that “after careful consideration” he is withdrawing his name from consideration for union endorsement by Local 34.
The union supports the most organized vote-pulling operation in town and in 2011 helped chart a takeover of the Board of Aldermen. A majority of the board’s seats are now held by labor-backed lawmakers. The union, along with Yale’s Local 35, has the resources and manpower to be a defining force again this election year.
Carolina said he took part in the union’s endorsement vetting process by being interviewed last week, then came to the conclusion that the “voices of the rank and file are being ignored by the upper echelons.” Suburban union leadership has already decided which candidate to endorse and is disregarding the will of New Haven union members, many of whom support him, Carolina said.
“I cannot and will not be part of a sham process,” Carolina said. He warned people to be wary of an “attempt by outsiders to manipulate the process.”
“I have inside sources telling me exactly what is going on,” Carolina said later. “I’m not going to legitimize this unfair process.” He said he will make his case for mayor directly to the rank and file, without the endorsement of union leadership.
Laurie Kennington, president of Local 34, said she was “disappointed to hear” Carolina had withdrawn his name.
“He may be making assumptions, since [mayoral candidate and state Sen.] Toni Harp has a 20-year record” of strong support for unions, that she’s already been chosen as the labor candidate.
Kennington said the union has not yet made a decision on whom it will endorse, but is set to begin deliberating. She said the executive board will discuss it and make a vote, “the same process we’ve always used.”
Kennington said that the executive board is “disproportionately” made up of New Haven residents. New Haveners comprise almost half of the executive board but only 1,000 of the union’s 3,600 members, said Kennington, who lives in Fair Haven.
Scenes
The Community Outreach Center was outfitted with circular tables decorated with balloons for Carolina’s kick-off.
Attendees were treated to a healthy helping of campaign swag: Kermit Carolina buttons, bracelets, stickers, fans, tote bags, and pot holders, along with postcards and donation pledge cards reading “I got you Kerm.”
People feasted on chicken, ziti, meatballs, fruit, crackers, and cheese. The walls were lined with images of each of the city’s neighborhoods.
Defense attorney and civil-rights activists Mike Jefferson, a “key advisor” to the Carolina campaign, was in the house.
Carolina’s brother-in-law, magician and motivational speaker Nana Danso, started things off with some prestidigitation. He made red balls appear in the hand of Anne Lozon, the Westville woman who plans to campaign for city clerk as Carolina’s running mate.
Teacher Jack Paulishen was the evening’s emcee.
“We’re going to assume we’re not going to get the Democratic nomination,” said Bethany Watkins, director of field operations for the campaign. She said everyone needs therefore to get ready to collect signatures to get Carolina on the ballot.
Edgewood activist Eli Greer looked on as Carolina spoke.
Former West Rock Alderman Darnell Goldson applauded Carolina’s speech.
City clerk candidate Alderman Sergio Rodriguez joined the receiving line to shake Carolina’s hand.
Small wonder he has such a strong following: so much of what he said is spot on.