nothin Roth Wins Special Election | New Haven Independent

Roth Wins Special Election

Allan Appel Photo

Abby Roth won a seat on the Board of Alders, and she won a new ally, as well — her election opponent.

Roth, a Democrat active in local issues like traffic-calming and bike-friendly streets, defeated Republican Paul Phillipino in a special election for the Ward 7 alder seat by a vote of 174 – 19.

Counting a write-in ballot, that means 194 of the ward’s 2,922 registered voters participated in the special election, called to fill a seat vacated by Alder Doug Hausladen, who left to take a job as Mayor Toni Harp’s new transportation tsar. Ward 7 includes downtown and a portion of the East Rock neighborhood.

I appreciate people showing their support. I look forward to representing the ward well and being a force for positive change and working collaboratively with” her colleagues on the board, Roth said after the tally was announced.

She also said she looks forward to working on neighborhood issues with Phillipino. The two bonded as they stood outside in the frigid air all morning and afternoon and evening waiting for occasional voters outside the 200 Orange St. polling station.

I want to congratulate Abby. I look forward to getting more involved with her on the community management team,” Phillipino said Monday night.

The two already came up with a public-service idea: finding someone to tell visitors to the government building where they can find what they’re looking for. Throughout the day the pair fielded questions from passers-by like: Where can I get a birth certificate? And: Where’s the IRS? Where’s social security?

We were wondering,” Roth said, who does this when we’re not here?”

Roth, who works as a special assistant to the dean of the Yale School of Management, was asked Monday night how she plans to vote on Mayor Toni Harp’s proposed $511 million new city budget, which includes a 3.8 percent tax increase.

My current position is I do not support increasing the tax increase. I’ve heard a lot going door to door. people will leave the city and we won’t’ draw new people,” she said.

Where would she find cuts in the budget to prevent the tax increase?

I’ll look for areas of waste,” she responded. I’ll have to look more closely t the budget. My instinct is that new people for the mayor’s staff is not money we want to spend. I do support the mayor’s long-term changes” like bolstering the rainy day fund.

An earlier version of this story follows:

Monday Is Election Day

Thomas MacMillan Photo

Phillipino.

Paul Bass Photo

Roth, at left, with Democrat ward co-chair Alberta Witherspoon.

A Republican and a Democrat are actually running against each other in New Haven. And it’s not even November.

The two candidates — Republican Paul Phillipino and Democrat Abby Roth — are running in a special election Monday for alder in Ward 7, which covers downtown and part of East Rock. Alder Doug Hausladen resigned the seat to become Mayor Toni Harp’s transit tsar.

Voters can cast ballots at 200 Orange St. between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday. (If you’re not sure if you live in Ward 7, call the Registrar of Voters office between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday at (203) 946‑8035.)

Roth works as a special assistant to the dean of the Yale School of Management. Phillipino works for the Knights of Columbus. Both candidates are arguing that they present an independent” choice for voters — Phillipino as an alternative to Democrats, Roth as an alternative tot he two party factions currently on the Board of Alders.

Click here to read a story about Phillipino, here to read about Roth.

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