The final recommendations to the New Haven Board of Aldermen from the Blue Ribbon Citizen’s Panel on the Budget is ready. Its a worthwhile read. Thanks to all the panelists and city staff that contributed to its construction.
Archive for the ‘BOA’ Category
Blue Ribbon Budget Panel Reports to BOA
Tuesday, June 30th, 2009Former Mayor Disapproves Rubberstamping
Friday, May 22nd, 2009Read Mayor Daniels’ OP-ED piece in the New Haven Register. I believe he is right about the reason the citizenry does not show up at meetings. It is not because people don’t care, they believe the process has already been decided before hand. It is the citizen’s responsibility to speak up and to be better organized. There are small ways for busy people to be heard and the people are beginning to do so on a fairly wide scale.
Please Contact Your Alder About Tweed
Friday, February 13th, 2009There’s been a healthy debate in the city in recent weeks over the funding of the Tweed-New Haven Regional Airport. The Airport Authority recently requested a $160,000 mid-year appropriation that would restore 2/3 of the dollars cut from the subsidy from the current budget. The threat is that, if the Authority fails, the city will have to run the airport itself, possibly at greater expense than the Authority does.
NHCAN recognizes the value of the airport for the region, but we do not feel that it is being run effectively. We have two suggestions:
- All city and state elected officials in New Haven should work together to get true regional or state support for the airport. Currently, New Haven bears the majority of the costs, with help from the state. This should be an urgent priority for everyone who represents the citizens of New Haven.
- The Airport Authority should cut costs and raise its general aviation fees to make up most or all of its operating deficit. There are clear opportunities to do so, but they are not being seized.
If you share our view, we ask that you contact your alderperson about Tweed. The Board will vote on the mid-year appropriation at their February 17, 2009 meeting.
For a concise summary of both sides of the recent debate on Tweed, click here to download a one-page PDF.
Where are the Disclosure Forms (Still)??
Tuesday, July 15th, 2008A month ago, we asked where the disclosure forms are for our alders. Some new ones were finally turned in but several still have not done so which were due MARCH 2008
Here’s the list:
Turned them in. Thanks
Ward 3 – James
Ward 4 – Jackson Brooks
Ward 5 – Perez
Ward 6 – Colon
Ward 7 – Clark
Ward 8 – Smart
Ward 9 – Lemar
Ward 11 – Lee
Ward 13 – Rhodeen
Ward 14 – Sturgis-Pascale
Ward 15 – J. Rodriguez
Ward 16 – Castro
Ward 17 – Paolillo
Ward 19 – Edwards
Ward 21 – Jones
Ward 24 – McCormack
Ward 25 – Silverman
Ward 27 – Lehtonen
Ward 28 – Sandman
Ward 29 – Goldfield
Where’s your form???? 3 1/2 months overdue and counting
Ward 1 – Plattus
Ward 2 – Calder
Ward 10 – Brison
Ward 12 – Antunes
Ward 18 – DePino
Ward 20 – Blango
Ward 22 – Morehead
Ward 23 – Shah
See the disclosure forms turned in.
Where are the disclosure forms?
Friday, June 13th, 2008Most of the BOA have yet to turn in there disclosure forms which are due back in March 2008. Here is the list of who did and didn’t turn them in yet 2 1/2 months later.
Here are the 2008 BOA Ethics/Disclosure Forms that have been turned in.
Turned them in. Thanks
Ward 3 – James
Ward 4 – Jackson Brooks
Ward 5 – Perez
Ward 6 – Colon
Ward 8 – Smart
Ward 9 – Lemar
Ward 14 – Sturgis-Pascale
Ward 15 – J. Rodriguez
Ward 16 – Castro
Ward 24 – McCormack
Ward 25 – Silverman
Ward 27 – Lehtonen
Ward 28 – Sandman
Ward 29 – Goldfield
Where’s your form????
Ward 1 – Plattus
Ward 2 – Calder
Ward 7 – Clark
Ward 10 – Brison
Ward 11 – Lee
Ward 12 – Antunes
Ward 13 – Rhodeen
Ward 17 – Paolillo
Ward 18 – DePino
Ward 19 – Edwards
Ward 20 – Blango
Ward 21 – Jones
Ward 22 – Morehead
Ward 23 – Shah
Budget Deliberations Debacle
Thursday, May 8th, 2008The aldermen said we needed to demonstrate to them that people care about the tax issue and we turned out 100 people. They promptly canceled the meeting after it started. Why couldn’t they deliberate about the cuts they want to make, the future cuts and savings?
Here is the press coverage:
Thank you to all of you who came. Please come to the rescheduled meeting and bring some friends and neighbors.
Mil Rate 73.24: Coming To A Wallet Near You
Monday, April 28th, 2008We have heard from the BOA and City that there is nothing in the budget to reduce and that the budget represents mostly fixed costs. We also went to a recent budget panel discussion where this was also stated. So if nothing can be cut or reduced, we should be able to project taxes based on the current budget. Therefore, we looked at the recent growth in the budget and used very conservative growth/inflation projections assuming the budget will stay the same as the city said and projected the taxes. Take a look at our spreadsheet or PDF version of our projections and you decide. Send us your feedback.
Taxes are on course to rise with a mil rate of 73.24 in 2014 (six years from now). This translates into over $14,000 in taxes on a home worth $300,000 or around $400 per month for a renter of one floor in a 3-family in taxes to their landlord in a home worth $300,000.
Come to the final public hearing on the budget Tuesday, 4/29/08 at 7:00pm at City Hall.
2008-9 Budget Recommendations
Wednesday, February 20th, 2008(NHCAN) is pleased to announce the budget recommendations for the 2008-2009 Fiscal Year. We have prepared a list of recommendations including the ending of unsustainable subsidies, to the reorganization of departments, to the transformation of the budget document itself. Below you will find the link to the full document (2.3 MB), as well as, shorter versions of the document. We recognize that some of these recommendations may be impractical or even naïve. We invite you to consider these in the spirit in which it is offered and to offer superior alternatives for the general good. We look forward to continuing this discussion.
2008-2009 Budget Public Comments(2.3 MB)
Executive Summary Only (414 KB)
Full Document Without the Appendices (1.4 MB)
Appendices Only (2.0 MB)
Did Your Alderperson Show Up At Meetings?
Sunday, February 17th, 2008Being an alderperson is a tough job and requires a lot of time, not just for full BOA meetings, but for committee meetings, events, and responding to people in their wards. Some of them got 100% attendance at full BOA meetings in 2007. That is quite an accomplishment – thanks and congrats. Below is a table of the final attendance. Click here for the full spread sheet. How did your alderperson do? Happy, not happy? Contact them and let them know.
2007 Attendance (Listed by Ward)
- 82% Shalek (No Longer In Office)
- 73% Chen (No Longer In Office)
- 91% James
- 95% Jackson-Brooks
- 100% Perez
- 100% Colon
- 86% Clark
- 91% Smart
- 100% Lemar
- 77% Mattison (No Longer In Office)
- 100% Lee
- 95% Antunes
- 95% Rhodeen
- 100% Pascale
- 32% Reyes-Rivera (No Longer In Office)
- 100% Castro
- 100% Paolillo
- 95% DePino
- 77% Edwards
- 95% Blango
- 91% Jones
- 93% Morehead (replaced Drew King – 25% – in March 2007)
- 95% Shah
- 95% McCormack
- 86% Silverman
- 91% Rodriguez
- 95% Lehtonen
- 95% Sandman
- 100% Goldfield
- 91% Edmonds-Sepulveda
Finance Committee 2008 Schedule
Sunday, February 17th, 2008February 25, Monday @ 5:30 PM Joint Finance/CSEP
March 5, Wednesday Joint Finance/PS
March 12, Monday @ 5:30 PM Public Hearing on the Budget
March 25, Tuesday Budget Workshop (Overview)
Monthly Meeting
March 31, Monday Budget Workshop
April 2, Wednesday Budget Workshop
April 8, Tuesday Budget Workshop
April 9, Wednesday Budget Workshop Monthly Meeting
April 15, Tuesday @7:00 PM Deliberations on the Budget
April 29, Tuesday @7:00 PM Public Hearing on the Budget
May 7, Wednesday Deliberations on the Budget (If needed)
May 14, Wednesday Monthly Meeting
May 27, Tuesday Board of Aldermen Special Budget meeting
June 11, Wednesday Monthly Meeting
July 9, Wednesday Monthly Meeting
August 13, Wednesday Monthly Meeting
September 10, Wednesday Monthly Meeting
October 7, Tuesday @7:00 PM Monthly Meeting
November 12, Wednesday Monthly Meeting
December 10, Wednesday Monthly Meeting (If Needed)
All meetings will begin at 6:00 PM in the Aldermanic Chamber, City Hall, 165 Church Street New Haven, unless otherwise noted.
