Contributed Photo
Walker & Harp at Wednesday night’s meeting.
State Rep. Toni Walker, who worked closely with Toni Harp in the state legislature, has endorsed Harp’s bid for reelection as mayor of New Haven.
Walker delivered the endorsement Wednesday evening at a community event in Beaver Hills.
Harp, a former 21-year state senator, is running for a fourth two-year term as mayor. She faces a Democratic mayoral primary challenge this coming Tuesday from Justin Elicker.
When Harp served in the state legislature, she and Walker were known as the “Two Tonis”: For six years they co-chaired the powerful Appropriations Committee.
In a conversation with the Independent, Walker praised Harp for championing a broad approach to public safety and to job development both in Hartford and now in the mayor’s office. The pair worked, for instance, to “ban the box” on job applications requiring ex-offenders to list their criminal histories up front. They championed a “raise the age” measure determining when teens could be tried as adults for crimes. As mayor, Harp’s administration organized a “YouthStat” program identifying teens most at risk of shooting someone or getting shot, and then working to keep them out of trouble. It also opened a job and small business center on Dixwell Avenue.
“Running a major urban city in the state of Connecticut is really difficult. I look at the complexities I see with all of them. Are there perfect solutions? No. Are there people who keep visions of understanding of where we can go? That’s what Toni has done,” Walker said.
Walker’s endorsement follows another from New Haven State Rep. Juan Candelaria. Other New Haven state legislators have remained neutral in the primary.
Walker announced her endorsement at a community meeting held at the Goffe Street Park community building at the corner of Sherman and Goffe. Alder Jill Marks, who has spearheaded a renewal of the park, organized the meeting. She invited city parks department landscape architect Katherine Jacobs to review possible upgrading plans with neighbors.