Markeshia Ricks Photo
Former Alders James and Perez with newcomer Reyes.
Two alders representing the Hill neighborhood kicked off their bids for reelection at Trowbridge Square Park, while the nephew of a former longstanding alder sought to follow in his footsteps.
Alders Dolores Colon and Latrice James announced their campaigns for reelection alongside political newcomer David Reyes for three Hill seats on the Board of Alders. All three are Democrats.
Reyes, who is the nephew of former longtime Hill alder-turned state Banking Commissioner Jorge Perez, said that if he is elected that he will join in the fight for jobs and educational opportunities. He’s seeking his uncle’s former seat.
“When I’m talking to people on the streets, jobs are what’s big, especially here in the Hill where poverty is high,” Reyes (pictured) said. “People want to know about what opportunities are out there, what resources there are for education and training. I want to be a part of connecting people to those resources.”
While he might be seeking elected life for the first time, Reyes, 28, is no stranger to the Hill. He was born in the Hill and raised by his grandmother, who also happens to be Perez’s mother. He said he has been door-knocking with his uncle since he was 11 years old. He currently works as a business account executive for Verizon Wireless in Orange.
Reyes won’t be the only candidate for the Ward 5 seat. Kampton Singh also has filed to run for the seat, which is currently held by Alder Johnny Dye, a longtime neighborhood activist who agreed to fill the seat for the remainder of the term after Perez was sworn in as banking commissioner in April. An attempt to reach Singh was unsuccessful. (Click here to read a story about his neighborhood activism.)
Dolores Colon (pictured) knows all about running against an opponent and winning. She was appointed to the Ward 6 seat in 2001, and has withstood challengers twice in her tenure.
She said she’s running again because “the job is not done yet.”
“New Haven is still not a utopia,” said Colon, who works for Yale’s Beinecke rare book library. “With 20 percent unemployment and under employment in the black and Hispanic community, failing schools, we need to do better.”
Colon serves as the co-chair of the Board of Alders Black and Hispanic Caucus, which has been pushing big local employers like Yale to do more to hire qualified local employees so that their earnings stay in the community and help the city.
“We’ve made some very good progress, but we’ve done it slowly,” she said. “There is more to do, and I need more time to do it.”
Latrice James (pictured in the photo at right) also said she is seeking reelection “to finish the job she started,” since she was appointed to represent Ward 3 last summer. One of the main projects she’s looking to see come to fruition is the expansion of the Ronald McDonald House.
James said she’s also focused on the buzzword of the election season: jobs.
“I definitely want to be a part of moving forward with jobs and holding these large employers accountable to the city,” she said. “There are people qualified to work in the city and we want them to really look at and consider them.” James, a high school math and science supervisor, holds a seat formerly occupied by her sister, Jackie James, who left it to become the city’s director of small business development.