NHCAN Steering Committee Members submitted a request for an opinion on whether BOA member Sergio Rodriguez is in violation of the Hatch Act. You can read our press release or the letter we submitted to the Hatch Act Unit, U.S. Office of Special Counsel.
Several voters interested in the Democratic primaries have asked us to identify the primary candidates NH CAN feels best meets the objectives of fiscal responsibility and open government. IN response, we have prepared a list of candidates whom we feel best represents our objectives. Some are incumbents, others are new faces.
Ward 2 Challenger Frank Douglas over Gina Calder
Ward 3 Incumbent Jacqueline James over Ira Johnson
Ward 11 Incumbent Robert Lee over Virginia Ginger McHugh
Ward 12 Incumbent Gerald Antunes over Bernadette Barbour
Ward 19 Challenger Cleven Johnson over Alfreda Edwards & challenger Lamont Moye
Ward 21 Challenger Patricia Brooks over Katrina Jones
Ward 22 Challenger Lisa Hopkins over Gregory Moorhead & challenger Cordelia Thorpe
Ward 23 Challenger Barbara Fair over Yusuf Shah
Ward 26 Challenger Alan Felder over Sergio Rodriguez
Ward 30 Challenger Tilda Morrison over Michelle- Edmonds Sepulva
Democratic Primary Election TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2007
(Municipal Election: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2007)
Its a bad financial picture for the city. And the BOA just passed a back door raise for the city executives that should have been a part of the budget discussions. We need to begin discussing measures of success. What are we getting for the money we spend? Should we not reward executives based on the money saved or actual services delivered, rather than the money spent? See the numbers on where we stand and ask your alderperson and the mayor how they plan to address this financial picture?
We are planning to continually update the website about fiscal responsibility in New Haven. We have added info to the BOA Accountability Project including info on how each Alderperson voted on the 2007-2008 Budget, their Ethics Disclosure Forms, as well as some facts on the budget in our White Papers Section. Please explore the site.
Check out the NHI:Dollar Deal.
The city wants to give away the Shartenberg site for $1.00. This is concerning during a time of unlawful deficit spending in the city. Call your alderperson!
We believe:
New Haven CAN be greater! New Haven CAN do better! IF
NH Can cut the budget
NH Can be fiscally responsible
NH Can root out wasted dollars
NH Can reign in unnecessary spending and dubious programs
New Haven Citizens Action Network (New Haven CAN) is a citizens action group comprised of New Haven taxpayers concerned about rising taxes and lack of fiscal responsibility in City government.
These New Haven taxpayers decided to form the New Haven Citizens Action Network (New Haven CAN) to raise public awareness of these issues. Every citizen of New Haven is encouraged to join and help make New Haven an affordable City in which to live.
This issue directly affects property owners AND tenants. While property owners see a direct impact on their costs, renters pay these same taxes as a portion of rent. With this huge increase landlords are forced to raise rents significantly. You can find out more about NH CAN at our website: www.nhcan.org
Last night the New Haven Board of Aldermen held a Special Budget Meeting and approved the budget for the 2007-08 fiscal year. The passage of the budget translates as higher spending and a significant escalation of taxes. Those increases will be reflected in the first half of your tax bill due in July 2007. You can see the results of roll call votes here: http://www.nhcan.org/boa-accountability-project/
Analysis:
It was encouraging to listen to the discussion about the budget and its potential to be trimmed. However, in the end, very little was cut and the results are major tax and spending increases for city residents and property owners.
There is a glimmer of hope with an amendment proposed by Finance Chair and major presenter Alderman Sergio Rodriguez requesting the Mayor report back to the BOA by September 1st on a plan to increase fiscal responsibility through performance based budgeting and changes in employee benefit plans. However, we feel the Finance Committee efforts ended as an appeasement to all of the citizens who hoped for substantial budget reductions. Ironically, those who voted for this favorable amendment, including Alderperson Rodriguez, also voted against very modest proposals to cut about $4MM from the budget.
These cuts would not have affected any services or cut any staff since the proposal by Alderman Jorge Perez simply eliminated funding for positions that must, for technical and practical reasons, remain unfilled.
Yet the majority of the Board voted this amendment down. Some offered explanations — Alderman Mattison objected to the lack of sufficient notice ( NH CAN knew about these positions by attending workshops and public hearings). Alderman Roland Lamar felt it would be “irresponsible” of him to cut these minuscule amounts without knowing the full impact on the performance of these departments (If these positions are not filled and won’t be how can performance be impacted?). We find this rationale lacking and insufficiently based on facts.
It was encouraging to hear Alderman Robert Lee inject some realism into the discussion by declaring that while this amendment did not propose staff reductions, the NH BOA should be prepared for these too. He aptly noted that private industry eliminates jobs all the time, especially in difficult times.
In the final votes amendments aimed at trimming the budget failed. The budget was approved almost exactly as proposed by Mayor John DeStefano and his Department Heads.
Out of almost three-quarters of a BILLION dollars in the City’s expenditures in the General Fund ($445 MM), the Special Fund ($134MM) and the Capital Fund ($137MM), our elected Aldermen could not find even $4MM to cut from programs and from personnel not yet hired. New Haven taxpayers will now face higher tax bills in June. Spending has has now reached about $717MM or approximately $5,700 PER PERSON!
We specifically commend those Alderpersons who voted against the budget, against increasing your taxes: Smart, Colon, Jackson-Brooks, and Lee. Thank you for refusing to be a rubberstamp for overspending. Thank you for placing your responsibilities to the taxpayers ahead of personal loyalties and fear of political retribution.
In addition to the above four Alders, we thank Alderpersons Perez, Paolillo, James, Lee, Atunes, Chen and Castro for voting for the budget cutting amendments.
The Budget passed overwhelmingly. This results in an increase in city spending and an increase in taxes. Read about it at the NH Independent and see our BOA Accountability Project.
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