by | Mar 4, 2021 1:01 pm | Comments (22)
The following was submitted by presidents of four city government unions:
The “Crisis Budget” proposed by Mayor Elicker containing program and service cuts will undoubtedly inflict harmful impacts if passed.
Continue reading ‘Opinion: Tap Yale Rather Than Slash City Budget’
by | Mar 2, 2021 1:51 pm | Comments (19)
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New Haven State Sen. Looney at Tuesday’s virtual presser.
Now that the state legislature has overhauled how Connecticut distributes aid to municipalities that are home to tax-exempt colleges and hospitals, will that same body fully fund the new need-based formula to the tune of $137 million each year?
At stake is a roughly $50 million annual boost to New Haven’s teetering city budget.
by | Mar 1, 2021 2:06 pm | Comments (41)
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Mayor Justin Elicker proposed two budgets Monday for the upcoming fiscal year.
One would raise taxes 7.75 percent and close the Whitney firehouse, Mitchell library, and East Shore senior center.
The other would keep taxes as are — with an additional $53 million coming from the state and Yale.
by | Feb 24, 2021 11:35 am | Comments (16)
Christopher Peak pre-pandemic photo
Carabetta’s Muniz: Tax break makes project “pencil out financially.”
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Roth: Builder should pay more.
A proposed tax break for a failed Dwight housing co-op on the brink of demolition and reconstruction moved ahead — after debate about how it fits into efforts to promote affordable housing and avoid a local tax hike.
Besides tax forgiveness, the overall project includes a $1.5 million “development fee” for the co-op’s buyer and $400,000 in federal anti-poverty block grants along with a building contract for a construction affiliate.
by | Feb 16, 2021 4:49 pm | Comments (14)
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New Haveners testifying Tuesday included (clockwise from top left) Martin Looney, Harold Brooks, Kelcy Steele, Jenna McDermit, Hyclis Williams, Abby Roth.
Sen. Martin Looney’s office
Teachers, preachers, politicians, and presidents of local unions sent an urgent plea from New Haven Tuesday to the state legislature: Change how you reimburse us for revenue on property owned by our tax-exempt colleges and hospitals.
At stake is a roughly $50 million potential annual boost to the city budget — and, advocates say, a more equitable means of distributing state aid to poor, historically marginalized communities.
by | Feb 15, 2021 4:45 pm | Comments (11)
New Haveners will have an opportunity Tuesday to weigh in on whether or not the state should send more money to poor cities that can’t collect property taxes on land owned by tax-exempt hospitals and colleges.
by | Feb 9, 2021 1:56 pm | Comments (7)
Thomas Breen Pre-Pandemic Photo
Board member Larry Conaway: Focus on students not showing up.
Should schools get more dollars based on how many English learners attend? Based on low test scores? The number of chronically absent students?The New Haven Board of Education raised these questions Monday night as part of its first full look at a proposed $198 million budget for the coming fiscal year.
by | Feb 3, 2021 2:39 pm | Comments (9)
Thomas Breen pre-pandemic photo
At a fire in Fair Haven.
The Board of Alders vote 29 – 1 transferring $2.9 million towards firefighter overtime — with the sole dissenting voice warning that such a move might hurt the city’s long-term efforts to control a part of the city budget that has been consistently struggled under deficits.
Continue reading ‘Alders Transfer $2.9M To Over-Budget Fire OT’
by | Jan 28, 2021 4:28 pm | Comments (166)
City of New Haven
“Grey” area represents fixed costs that, according to mayor, can’t be cut.
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Mayor Elicker: Crunch “nearly impossible to fix.”
As of Thursday, next fiscal year’s projected city deficit looks $25 million bleaker than it did on Wednesday, thanks to a slate of new estimates and recommendations regarding how the city funds its pensions.
by | Jan 12, 2021 10:39 am | Comments (4)
Thomas Breen photo
Chief Alston: Current OT budget “never was” enough.
New Haven Fire Department
A recent history of NHFD OT.
Fire Chief John Alston came to the alders with a familiar plea: Firefighter overtime is well over budget, and — yet again — in desperate need of millions of dollars in life support.
by | Jan 5, 2021 2:38 pm | Comments (2)
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Monday night’s Board of Alders virtual meeting.
The Board of Alders unanimously signed off on a four-year, $322,142 human resources software contract that the Board of Education claims will improve the school system’s recruitment of Black teachers and will streamline the onboarding of new employees.
by | Dec 22, 2020 10:49 am | Comments (1)
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Board of Alders virtual meeting on Monday.
The city received an unexpected holiday season gift from the state budget office: $3.1 million in state-allocated federal funds to help cover municipal public safety and public health costs related to Covid-19 the city’s response to Covid-19.
by | Dec 15, 2020 12:04 pm | Comments (11)
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Hill Central literacy teacher Bee Marshall at a July rally.
A new teachers union contract that would trade a pay freeze this year for no layoffs or medical premium increases over the next three years advanced towards a final full Board of Alders vote later this month.
Continue reading ‘Teachers Contract With Pay Freeze Advances’
by | Dec 8, 2020 10:57 am | Comments (6)
Allan Appel file photo
School nurse E.J. Antinozzi on the job before the pandemic.
Every school will have a nurse — whenever schools reopen for in-person learning — thanks to an $850,000 budget transfer approved by the Board of Alders.
by | Nov 30, 2020 6:50 pm | Comments (24)
Negotiators, clockwise from top left: Fernandez, Weisselberg, Alvarez, Gormany, Piscitelli.
Mayor Justin Elicker has dispatched a team with both long governmental experience and youthful perspective to hammer a deal with Yale for greater support for the city.
by | Nov 24, 2020 4:51 pm | Comments (28)
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Flyer left on doors across town this past weekend.
Just in the past week, this news site revealed that the mayor is engaged in clandestine discussions with Yale University concerning its financial contributions to the city.
In addition, just this past weekend I received a door hanger reminding me of the value of Yale’s tax exemption as part of a campaign organized by New Haven Rising, an extension of the Yale unions.
The demand for more financial support from Yale has repeatedly come to the fore in New Haven for decades, particularly during tight budget times, without any clear resolution. I propose that we change how we frame the issue — and try some new strategies for getting Yale to pay its fair share.
Continue reading ‘Opinion: Time For A Yale “Fair Share” Pivot’
by | Nov 13, 2020 4:46 pm | Comments (19)
Thomas Breen photo
8 Legion Ave.: Pricey parking lot.
Yale New Haven Hospital purchased the above-pictured Legion Avenue surface parking lot and one beside it for over $4.5 million. The city taxes it as though it’s worth just over $126,000.
Continue reading ‘Lot Sells For 35 Times City-Appraised Value’
by | Nov 10, 2020 1:00 pm | Comments (53)
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Yale’s Harkness Tower and New Haven City Hall.
Thomas Breen Photo
Elicker: Will Yale now “accept its responsibility?”
Yale University has posted a $203 million operating surplus for its most recent fiscal year.
Meanwhile, the city is staring down a $13 million projected deficit — with dozens of job cuts in the rearview, and plenty of pandemic-induced uncertainty ahead.
Continue reading ‘Yale Posts $203M Surplus; City Projects $13M Deficit’
by | Nov 10, 2020 12:12 pm | Comments (3)
Allan Appel file photo
School nurse E.J. Antinozzi on the job before the pandemic.
Covid-19 may have one positive — if temporary — impact on city schools: Each building should finally have its own dedicated school nurse.
Continue reading ‘Every School Would Get A Nurse Under Budget Transfer’
by | Nov 9, 2020 2:01 pm | Comments (8)
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Sen. Blumenthal (right) with Mayor Elicker at Monday’s presser.
Richard Blumenthal made a post-election pitch to his Republican colleagues in the U.S. Senate: Start negotiating now over a new Covid-19 relief package worth at least $2.2 trillion.
Families and small businesses and state and local governments hurting during the pandemic cannot wait a minute longer.
Continue reading ‘Blumenthal To McConnell: Pass Covid Relief Now’
by | Oct 6, 2020 10:53 am | Comments (4)
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Monday’s virtual Board of Alders meeting.
The Board of Alders voted unanimously in support of transferring $100,000 in city funds towards paying for a planning study for a new social worker-centered mobile crisis response team.
Continue reading ‘Alders Transfer $100K For Crisis Team Study’
by | Sep 16, 2020 10:26 am | Comments (27)
City of New Haven
The city’s pitch.
A new mobile crisis response team that would have social workers rather than cops respond to certain 911 calls won a vote of support, as committee alders unanimously endorsed transferring $100,000 in city funds towards paying for a planning study for the program.
by | Sep 15, 2020 12:25 pm | Comments (14)
DANIELA BRIGHENTI PHOTO
High-schoolers help prepare the Escape before work stopped.
The perennially-stalled and never-opened “Escape” youth homeless shelter lurched towards its formal demise at a city government hearing Monday night.
by | Sep 9, 2020 9:25 am | Comments (5)
Thomas Breen photo
Budget chief Gormany, ed board prez Rivera at announcment.
A newly published financial report shows that the city ended last fiscal year with a $1.9 million budget surplus, even as Covid-19 interrupted just about every aspect of city life starting last spring.
by | Aug 14, 2020 10:38 pm | Comments (22)
Thomas Breen photo
Youth leader Jeremy Cajigas urges Mayor Elicker (right) to defund the police.
A “Defund the Police” rally held outside Mayor Justin Elicker’s house turned into a wide-ranging conversation about City Hall’s policy priorities amidst the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement.
Continue reading ‘Police Protest Sparks Dialogue At Mayor’s House’