New Haven Independent

Posted by: facChek | April 25, 2008 4:23 PM

"Casanova was not the only success story Jefferson brought along to persuade the commissioners to re-authorize the school for its next cycle of students. That re-authorization was for $214,000 for the next year of training cycles".

"The commissioners also reauthorized $130,000 for the Commission On Equal Opportunities to continue its enforcement of policies in the hiring of minorities, women, and low-income people on city and HANH construction projects".

Sounds like double taxation, the city budget already includes 817K for just three(3) positions to accomplish it's enforcement policies city-wide. HANH is federally funded by taxpayer money. Why should the HANH, which is located in the city of New Haven, pay an additional $130K for the same basic service?.

If it sounds like a rip-off... it is!

Posted by: William Doriss | April 25, 2008 5:31 PM

I doubt Francine Casanova is earning #37.50 an hour as a union laborer in Ct. I know a union laborer in W. Haven and she makes $20-something,... low twenties. $37.50, by some stretch, may be the total hourly value of the package "with benefits," but not anywhere near what you or I will see in the paycheck.

The last time I checked, journeymen carpenters in Westchester County were making $32-37 an hour, and they, along with N.Y.C., typically make the highest in the country.

Another thing: There's a pretty high burnout rate in the construction industry. If you make pension (10 years) or twenty years, you're doing pretty good. If you avoid a major accident or injury, you're also doing good. When you come home at the end of the day, you're shot.

Don't forget: You generally don't work in inclement weather. When you don't work, you don't get paid. When there's a work slowdown or recession, you "sit on the bench" for months at a time, sometimes years. but you keep paying your "dues."

That's the Amerikan way.

I dropped out of Westchester after 15 years. This story is a bunch of whooey. There are qualified carpenters and laborers out work, and they're training more so that some social program can make quota. I don't buy it.

Posted by: True New Havener | April 25, 2008 6:17 PM

This is awesome.

That's the only fact check I needed.

Posted by: write&wrong | April 27, 2008 8:00 AM

Mr. William Doriss,

You should be ashamed of yourself for posting this rant. What I hear is a bitter, sour, old man who is stuck in 1960s. Get over it. New Haven and Connecticut needs trained workers in lots of sectors. Period.

I applaud the work of the Commission and hope they will continue to produce a diverse and talented base of workers for our economy to grow.

Write&Wrong

Posted by: robn | April 27, 2008 12:08 PM

W&W has a good point that job training is great, but WD has a good point that a good hourly wage doesn't necceesarily translate into a good annual wage because of the discontinuitites in construction work and also union hierarchies (senior guys get the work before junior guys).

It would be a good follow-up story for the NHI to research the average annual incomes for a range of union construction workers, beginner to senior...and how many are new Haven residents. Since the current administration in New Haven has bent over backwards to support unions (I.E. this program...Shartenberg) it would be good for taxpayers to know the net positive or negative affect.

Posted by: Esbe | April 27, 2008 6:27 PM

Yale is spending $600 million a year on construction. Add in the public schools rebuilding program, also add downtown construction projects, and the total amount of construction just within the city limit of New Haven must be way over 3/4 of a billion dollars per year. The workforce for these projects, overwhelmingly, does not live in New Haven. Yale and the state ought to pony up to increase the size of this training program -- we want these dollars to stay in town.

Posted by: rome | April 27, 2008 10:00 PM

wow talk about stepping it up. I personally know that these programs do much for all involved, not to mention that the skills acquired by the trainee's are priceless and theres for a lifetime. An as for Francine Casanova she is probably one of the most hard working woman you could want working with and for you. I have been amazed at her level of professionalism while working at Ikea and I was a customer there on a few occasions. so Go Frannie, and thank you New Haven for giving this industry another good employee.....

Posted by: William Doriss | April 28, 2008 10:22 AM

Hey Frank Lloyd Wrong,

You're Write,... I am a bitter old man, handsome too! As a Ct. native, I have nine years of higher education, including a doctor's degree. As mentioned above, I'm also a Ct-trained journeyman carpenter, qualified in all phases of building construction. I also had my own legal and lawfully registered business in New Haven for over ten years. I was all over the city like a rash and know the city better than some born there, including your so-called mayor.

No love lost between me and Mr. DeS. (That's another topic.)

I'm also the father of two lovely daughters, and a grandfather with one on the way. I'm also a veteran and the son of a WWII hero, part of a family where every male member served his country for the past 125 years. (Can U say the same?) I'm also a former member of PAI, New Haven, attended vigils for Malik Jones, and otherwise participated in activities designed to reform the criminal justice and corrections systems in Ct.

Last but not least, I am now the sole plaintiff in a multimillion dollar lawsuit agains the City and State,... and happily retired on Cape Cod. The City and State may be finished with me, but I am not finished with them. Put that in your own rant and smoke it, dopey-face. Now put your own resume up there for the whole world to see,... if you have one.

Posted by: write&wrong | April 28, 2008 9:00 PM

Old Man in Cape Cod:

Let's see if I can impress you... I think if we were to meet in person, you would find we have lots in common. So in order of your second rant...

I am also a CT native. (See how much we have in common already!)

I have over seven years of higher education. But I am young....and could easily swing a PhD, JD, MBA or another Masters and still retire earlier and richer.

I have been working full time (even while in school) for the past 23 years (all in legal and lawfully registered businesses...like you!)

I also have a business (it's a success...just in case you were wondering). Only been in the ground for 5 years, but it is a start and keeps me busy. I don't have to work late, hammer nails, or even get my hands too dirty. But I make lots of money doing something I believe in and command big bucks. No I am not a lawyer!

I have no rashes.

I usually am in line with the Mayor... But like you...that is another story.

I have children too! (Again, another strange coincidence)

I admire your family's commitment to our country. That is impressive. I will not make any disrespectful comments here.

I have been to plenty of vigils, peace rallys, activist marches, funerals for kids gunned down on the street; I don't think it is anything to brag about.

I also am involved in criminal justice and correction issues in CT and nationally. I bet we know lots of the same people. Even been to a meeting, conference or workshop together. What a small world.... Wouldn't want to paint it!

I have never been sued. Nor have I ever sued anyone. I sleep well at night knowing that. I wish you luck in your endeavors, if in fact you are entitled to a multimillion dollar lawsuit. How long has that been going on...since 2004?

Finally, I saw you on YouTube. Ranting about the court case you were going to win. I hate to say it, but your not handsome....rant over.

Write&Wrong

PS: I am going to have Francine Casanova send her tax returns for this year to you so that you can crunch the numbers and get her hourly wage settled once and for all.

Posted by: Glassjawgeorge | April 29, 2008 4:13 PM

Dear William and Facchek,
Its too bad that you have to think of ways to try to discredit people just trying to help others. $37.50 an hour probably does include benefits, but benefits count as part of your wages. Are you trying to say someone deliberately attempted to deceive the reader in some way? C'mon ! And the part about coming home "shot", lots of us go home just as "shot" and we're not in construction. As well, ALL Americans are facing similar "lay-off" possibilities every day, and suffer the same maladies from recession. The last time I checked, gas was $3.85 a gallon for ALL of us, not just people in construction. Why dont you really check out the good things the Commission on Equal Opportunities are doing, instead of making up "possibilities" in your mind? One more thing. About inclement weather. If no one works in inclement weather, how are all of these new schools going up ALL year round? And Billions of dollars are being spent upgrading scholls that have historically been under-funded? C'mon. There's a lot of good going around. It's easy to sling mud. Why don't you try to believe that people can help others? It's ok. Hey, what 3 positions are paid $817k to enforce the city's policies city-wide, anyway?