by | Apr 16, 2014 12:34 pm | Comments (10)
In a budget season in which school spending has taken center stage, Alder Michael Stratton is floating a new proposal to examine the Board of Ed budget more deeply.
Continue reading ‘Stratton Calls For Panel To Probe Schools Budget’
by | Apr 10, 2014 12:24 pm | Comments (30)
“Do you want to change your testimony about these numbers?” asked the trial lawyer.
No, replied the witness.
by | Apr 2, 2014 8:14 am | Comments (13)
(Updated with Stratton response) Mayor Toni Harp responded Tuesday to Alder Michael Stratton’s accusations that the city’s schools spending is “illegal.”
You’re wrong, she said. And don’t try to “balance our budget at the expense of our children.”
by | Apr 1, 2014 8:03 am | Comments (55)
After six hours of painstaking budget deliberations, an argument over adding new staff to the mayor’s office reached its rhetorical peak:
“You should be embarrassed!”
“No, you should be embarrassed!”
Continue reading ‘Amid Taunts, Harp Goes 3 For 7 On New Staffers’
by | Mar 31, 2014 4:09 pm | Comments (8)
(UPDATED: 4:15 p.m.) A trial lawyer who makes his living collecting workers compensation from cities found himself on the other side of the table — looking for a way New Haven can pay less than $9 million per year on employee injury claims.
by | Mar 28, 2014 6:18 pm | Comments (27)
Thomas MacMillan Photo
People’s Caucus budget mastermind, Alder Michael Stratton.
(Updated with city, schools response.) Slash the finance department in half. Cut $583,000 from city libraries. Take $40 million away from public schools. Cut taxes by 5 percent and create a “WPA” jobs program. And become more like Lowell, Mass.
by | Mar 27, 2014 6:56 am | Comments (56)
Thomas MacMillan Photo
Alder Michael Stratton took his critique of the mayor’s proposed budget to a new level Wednesday. It’s not just a bad budget, he said; it’s against the law.
Continue reading ‘Stratton Demands Probe Of $40M In “Illegal” Board Of Ed Spending’
by | Mar 26, 2014 5:12 pm | Comments (10)
Thomas MacMillan Photo
Controller Daryl Jones said the city’s computer technology is so “antiquated” that city workers sometimes can’t even open messages received from more newfangled email systems.
by | Mar 21, 2014 8:48 am | Comments (20)
Thomas MacMillan Photo
Mayoral staffers looking to convince lawmakers to create a new four-person grant writing department faced a question from East Rock Alder Anna Festa: Why not try it before you buy it?
Continue reading ‘Harp Administration Grilled On New Positions’
by | Mar 14, 2014 12:11 pm | Comments (1)
The People’s Caucus, a dissenting bloc of seven members of the Board of Alders, has postponed a public meeting planned for Saturday to unveil an alternative to Mayor Toni Harp’s proposed new $511 million city budget.
Continue reading ‘People’s Caucus Postpones Public Session On Budget’
by | Mar 13, 2014 3:08 pm | Comments (17)
Thomas MacMIllan Photo
Perez: What about leasing trucks?
Why does the budget assume an extra $2 million from the state? Why isn’t the Livable City Initiative expected to collect a single penny in fines? And what’s this about short-term borrowing for cash-flow purposes?
by | Mar 7, 2014 9:22 am | Comments (76)
Mike Stratton didn’t get to say as much as he wanted during a hearing Thursday night on the proposed new city budget, but he held forth at length afterward, sharing the details of a plan he claims would save taxpayers $105 million.
by | Feb 28, 2014 5:25 pm | Comments (87)
Thomas MacMillan Photo
As she unveiled a proposed $511 million budget, Mayor Toni Harp asked New Haveners to pay more taxes, so the city can move from short-term fixes to a “sustainable financial future.”
by | Feb 26, 2014 5:38 pm | Comments (28)
Thomas MacMillan Photo
Two days before unveiling a budget proposal, Mayor Toni Harp Wednesday gave New Haveners the tools to explore why their tax bills may go up.
In addition to learning how much their taxes may rise, New Haveners can now click on a colorful line graph and …
Continue reading ‘Web Surfers Invited To Dive Into City Budget’
by | Feb 25, 2014 9:15 am | Comments (9)
Melissa Bailey Photo
COO Clark and board President Carlos Torre.
The school board voted to ask for an extra $5.3 million in city taxpayer money to keep the schools running next year — and prepared to make cuts if that money doesn’t come through.
by | Feb 21, 2014 1:42 pm | Comments (50)
Melissa Bailey Photo
New Haven Mayor Toni Harp issued an advance warning to city taxpayers Friday: the mill rate may soon go up.
by | Feb 13, 2014 1:51 pm | Comments (22)
Allan Appel Photo
New Haven has $457,500 to spend on new signs. Should we buy one, trend-setting big LED sign that reveals the exact number of free nearby parking spots?
Or a bunch of traditional signs for drivers at major intersections like Ella Grasso Boulevard and Route 34? Or on neighborhood thoroughfares like Grand Avenue?
Or newfangled maps to direct walkers, to let visitors know that it’s only a short walk to from downtown to Frank Pepe’s?
by | Feb 13, 2014 12:14 pm | Comments (17)
THOMAS MACMILLAN PHOTO
Alder Morrison asked where the money would come from.
Faced with the new mayor’s first big request, city lawmakers refused to get on board — until the administration can explain why it needs seven new staffers, and how it will pay for them.
Continue reading ‘Alders Balk On Approving Harp’s New Positions’
by | Feb 11, 2014 9:14 am | Comments (18)
Melissa Bailey Photo
Harp & Harries Monday night.
Mayor Toni Harp rejected a new school spending plan as soon as it was proposed, arguing city taxpayers cannot afford to spend an extra $5.3 million a year on education.
Continue reading ‘Harp Frowns On $5.3M Schools Budget-Hike Ask’
by | Feb 6, 2014 9:34 am | Comments (22)
Thomas MacMIllan Photo
Harp chats with aide Tomas Reyes at a storm meeting Wednesday.
When the governor opens the new legislative session Thursday, he will propose millions of new dollars for New Haven — and, according to one person familiar with the plans, an $8 million statewide boost in “PILOT” reimbursements.
“It looks like a pretty good budget,” New Haven Mayor Toni Harp said Wednesday.
Continue reading ‘Harp: Guv’s Budget “Pretty Good” For New Haven’
by | Jan 21, 2014 9:11 am | Comments (12)
Paul Bass Photo
Mendi Blue.
New Haven Mayor Toni Harp is planning a new four-person grant-writing office that she expects to pay for itself.
by | Jan 8, 2014 1:14 pm | Comments (1)
New funds will wash into the city’s depleted “rainy day fund,” thanks to a vote of approval by the Board of Alders.
by | Dec 24, 2013 5:32 pm | Comments (7)
Melissa Bailey Photo
$82 million. Not $186 million.
That is now the official assessed value of the eco-friendly 32-story apartment tower at State and Chapel Streets, the DeStefano administration agreed — ending one last piece of rancorous unfinished business in its final days in office.
by | Dec 23, 2013 4:58 pm | Comments (10)
Thomas MacMillan Photo
Looking over the city’s electric bill, Giovanni Zinn noticed something odd: United Illuminating was charging New Haven three times more than Connecticut Light & Power would to keep streetlights lit.
by | Dec 12, 2013 3:33 pm | Comments (2)
Savings today would mean “dissavings” tomorrow.
An aldermanic committee voted to recommend a plan to restore the city’s depleted “rainy day” fund — using dollars borrowed from the year 2020.
Continue reading ‘Rainy Day Fund Fix Saves Now, Pays More Later’