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A freshman alder who emerged as an outspoken opposition figure has resigned his post six months into the term.
The alder, Michael Stratton, a Democrat who represents Prospect Hill and a portion of Newhallville (Ward 19), announced his resignation Monday in a letter to Board of Alders President Jorge Perez.
The text of the letter follows:
Dear President Perez,
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve on some of the most interesting committees of the board of alders. We alders have learned many facts this past term that give New Haven the opportunity for a very bright future. While I would love to assist in that transformation over the coming year, I have reached a point where responsibilities to myself and my family must come first.
I will always love this city and do what I can to help, but for now I leave the positive transformation of this city to it’s new mayor, and its hard working alders. And I ask those residents who have the will and capacity to step forward and help with its transformation.
Recognizing that I have exceeded the limit of my personal capacity to do this job, the responsible thing to do is to resign from the board effective immediately which is what I hereby do.
While resigning is painful for me to do, I thank you, the mayor, the other alders, and the residents for providing me with a life experience that leaves me much more connected to the city in which I was born and hopefully will always live.
So carpe diem Jorge and city residents. Thank you for the chance to serve.
Mike Stratton
Alder Ward 19
Stratton declined to comment further on the resignation.
In his near-six months on the board, Stratton organized an opposition bloc on the board, called the People’s Caucus. He raised repeated questions about city spending in this year’s sometimes stormy budget deliberations, especially about spending by the Board of Education. At times Stratton’s behavior was criticized as confrontational or erratic, including a couple of shouting matches with his colleagues during or immediately following budget hearings; one alder, Jeanette Morrison, called for a formal hearing on his conduct.
A special election will be scheduled for his seat.
“I wish him the best of luck,” Perez remarked Monday.