Markeshia Ricks Photo
Morris Cove Alder Sal DeCola, who spoke against the Tweed expansion resolution.
With just 48 hours left to get a bill that would expand Tweed-New Haven’s runway out of this year’s state legislative session, alders threw a Hail Mary, passing a resolution in support of the airport’s future growth.
The majority of the members of the Board of Alders — over the objection of neighbors who live near the airport and the handful of alders that represent them — Monday night voted in favor of supporting the Harp administration’s push to convince the state legislature to allow Tweed to pave its runway another 1,000 feet in hopes of luring more commercial service.
The vote comes after a flurry of public meetings and Mayor Toni Harp’s endorsement of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ned Lamont.
Dwight Alder Frank Douglass made the case for supporting the resolution, citing the potential of a longer paved runway attracting more jet service to destinations like Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Florida. He noted that the airport currently supports 500 jobs and has a $55 million impact on the Greater New Haven area.
Proponents of the runway claim additional jet service has the potential to add another 300 jobs and increase the economic impact by an estimated $32 million while fueling the growth and retention of New Haven’s key industries such as healthcare, technology, education and the arts.
“It’s time for a change and it’s time for us to look to the future,” Douglass said.
Morris Cove Alder Sal DeCola championed the cause of his neighbors who he said are already living daily with enough planes — three from U.S. Airways and 47 from Robinson Aviation. He urged his colleagues to vote against the resolution.
“The impact of the traffic and noise will greatly diminish the quality of life for my neighbors,” he said. The resolution passed in a voice vote, with the majority of the board present and voting supporting the resolution. DeCola said that Alders Jody Ortiz, Rosa Santana and Gerald Antunes voted against the resolution with him.
Allan Appel Photo
O’Brien at a recent Tweed meeting.
In advance of the meeting, DeCola had some lobbying help from Morris Cove neighbor Sean O’Brien, who led a walk-out of neighbors at one recent public meeting. He sent alders a letter blasting the lack of community input and transparency in the introduction of the bill before legislators this session.
Monday night’s resolution supports State House Bill 5537, which would eliminate a provision in state law that restricts Tweed’s runway to 5,600 linear feet and open the door for a pilot program for shared solar power are under consideration by the state General Assembly during the session that ends Wednesday at midnight. The bill made it out of committee but has yet to be taken up by the House. In addition to making way for the Tweed runway expansion, the bill also would close the second smaller “14 – 32” runway.
The Harp administration pushed for Monday’s nonbinding aldermanic vote of support the bill to help get it over the goal line. Even with the alders’ vote, the state bill is expected to meet turbulence in the quest to pass this session.
“The BOA [alders] has not been given sufficient time or information to vote in support of Tweed airport’s expansion,” O’Brien wrote in his letter Monday. “The ‘plan’ contains no timelines, financials, or concrete details and has been rushed to support a bill at the tail end of the Connecticut legislative session.”
He also pointed out that while the Harp administration and airport officials have said that only another 1,000 feet are needed, the state bill contains no new runway restrictions to prevent further expansion in the future. O’Brien noted additionally that East Haven has been virtually silent on this runway expansion, and conflicts between New Haven and it’s neighbor have resulted in legal troubles in the past.
“The BOA has no control over the fate of HB 5537 in the CGA and was also not consulted before the bill was introduced,” O’Brien wrote. “Furthermore, the ‘community benefits package does not express the wishes of Ward 17 or Ward 18, containing the neighborhoods that will be most affected by Tweed’s expansion (the East Shore, Annex, and Morris Cove).”
After Monday night’s vote, Tweed New Haven Airport Authority Chairman John Picard issued this statement: “Tweed Airport is poised to become a major asset and economic engine for New Haven and the entire region. Now is the time for the Connecticut State Legislature to take action on Tweed and help retain and grow jobs in Connecticut. I commend the New Haven Board of Alders for their supportive vote last night and call on Senator[Martin] Looney and the entire legislature to vote yes for jobs and economic growth for the State of Connecticut and vote yes for Tweed.”
The 2018 Agenda
| Bill # | Status | Summary | Sponsors |
|---|---|---|---|
| HB 5001 | In Committee Died on the Floor | To impose a fee on transactions involving virtual currency. | Pat Dillon |
| HB 5031 SB 4 | In Committee Committee Approved Sent to the Floor Passed Gov. Signed | To allow students to have equal access to institutional financial aid. | Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee |
| HB 5082 | In Committee Committee Approved Died on the Floor | To provide state funds to assist hurricane victims from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands who are living in Connecticut. | Juan Candelaria |
| HB 5126 | In Committee Died on the Floor | To increase funding to boards of education and family resource centers that provide assistance to students and families from Puerto Rico. | Juan Candelaria |
| HB 5112 | In Committee Sent to the Floor Died on the Floor | To permit the retail sale of marijuana and tax such sale to raise revenue for the General Fund and to fund substance abuse treatment, prevention, education and awareness programs. | Juan R. Candelaria, Angel Arce, Josh Elliott, Steven J. Stafstrom, Jeff Currey, Susan M. Johnson, Chris Soto, Patricia A. Dillon, Roland J. Lemar, James M. Albis, Christopher Rosario, Kim Rose, Robyn A. Porter, Edwin Vargas, Matthew Lesser, Gregory Haddad, Joshua Malik Hall, Ezequiel Santiago, Diana S. Urban, Toni E. Walker, Robert Sanchez, Alphonse Paolillo |
| SB 1 | In Committee Died on the Floor | To expand the sick leave program to provide earned family and medical leave to certain individuals employed in this state. | Martin M. Looney, Bob Duff, Timothy D. Larson, Steve Cassano, Beth Bye, Terry B. Gerratana, Gary A. Winfield, Ted Kennedy, Catherine A. Osten, Marilyn V. Moore, Edwin A. Gomes, Mae Flexer |
| SB 62 | In Committee Died on the Floor | To provide tuition-free community college for Connecticut residents. | Martin M. Looney |
| HB 5182 | In Committee Committee Approved Sent to the Floor Died on the Floor | To require building officials in certain municipalities to establish and assess a fee for the commencement of certain work without a necessary permit. | Planning and Development Committee |
| HB 5210 | In Committee Committee Approved Sent to the Floor Passed | To (1) mandate insurance coverage of essential health benefits, (2) expand mandated health benefits for women, children and adolescents, and (3) expand mandated contraception benefits. | Insurance and Real Estate Committee |
| HB 5084 | In Committee Died on the Floor | To encourage the recycling of nip bottles that otherwise frequently litter urban areas. | Roland J. Lemar and Juan R. Candelaria |
| HB 5350 HB 5537 | In Committee Committee Denied Sent to the Floor Died on the Floor | To create a pilot program for shared solar facilities at municipal airports. The bill also would delete the provision that dictates the length of Tweed Airport’s runway. | Energy and Technology Committee |
| HB 5475 | In Committee Committee Approved Sent to the Floor Passed | To amend statutory provisions concerning a police officer’s viewing of a recording from body-worn recording equipment under certain circumstances. | Judiciary Committee |
| HB 5515 | In Committee Committee Approved Sent to the Floor Passed | To permit a zoning commission to regulate the brightness and illumination of advertising signs and billboards. | Judiciary Committee |
| HB 5540 | In Committee Committee Approved Sent to the Floor Died on the Floor | To ban guns without serial numbers and regulate those which are sold in a form requiring the purchaser to finish assembly or that are homemade and to permit local authorities to interview immediate family members as part of a determination of an applicant’s suitability. | Judiciary Committee |
| HB 5542 | In Committee Committee Approved Sent to the Floor Passed | To ban the sale or transfer, possession, manufacturing or use of bump stocks or other accessories to increase the rate of fire of a firearm. | Judiciary Committee |