Finance Committee Update

We had another meeting of the Finance Committee on Thursday. The Board of Alderman were more fired up this week and asked a number of more tough questions. Kudos to Charles Blango who did a great job and who was much more challenging than last week. Jorge Perez and Roland Lemar also asked a number of questions to budget presenters. Ina Silverman was more active than last week and Al Paolillo and Mordechai Sandman also questioned presenters. The remainder of the committee was again largely quiet.

Finance Committee Members

• Rodriguez (Chair) (Ward 26)
• Silverman (Vice-Chair)(Ward 25)
• Perez (Ward 5)
• Jackson-Brooks (Ward 4)
• Colon (Ward 6),
• Shah (Ward 23)
• Blango (Ward 20)
• Shalek (Ward 1)
• Rhodeen (Ward 13)
• Sandman (Ward 28)
• DePino (Ward 18)

What To Do:

• Contact your Alderperson
• Talk to a neighbor and tell them what is happening
• Show up at the BOA Hearing on April 19, 2007 @ 6pm in the Aldermanic Chambers, 2nd Floor, City Hall
• Generate a list of ideas for the city to save money
• Contact your Alderperson
• Contact your Alderperson
• Contact your Alderperson
• Contact your Alderperson
• Download the Flyer and distribute it to neighbors
• Sign the Online Petition
• And, of course, Contact your Alderperson

Some News Stories

• Airport- $900,000 Tax Item Per Year
• Budget Hearing Update

Read the Budget

The budget can be found online:
Mayor's Proposed 2007-2008 Budget.

Why weren't they asking, "Where can we make some cuts?"

The finance committee meeting last night reviewed the mayor's proposed budget. From an audience's perspective, Only two Alderman (Jorge Perez and Alphonse Paolillo, Jr) seemed to have read the budget and only those two asked any real questions of the presenters defending their budget. The next person to ask a few probing questions was Charles Blango. The rest of the committee mostly just sat there throughout the 3.5 hour hearing (which allowed for no public comment). If you are concerned about the second largest budget increase along with the massive tax increase in a long time, you are not being represented in this process. We need people to attend the next Finance Committee meeting on March 29, 2007 @ 6pm in the Aldermanic Chambers, City Hall, 2nd Floor.

Why weren't they asking, "Where can we save some money?"

Did you know?
The NHPD spends 1/4 of a million dollars per month on overtime!
We spend $115,000 to train new police officers and they are under no obligation to stay once they finish training (they are free agents).
The NHFD spends $3 Million dollars per year on overtime

Learn so much more by attending the Finance Committee meeting on March 29, 2007 in the Aldermanic Chambers, City Hall, 2nd Floor.

Pass Out The Flyer!!!!!

Hello All:

As part of our efforts to organize people against the Tax Increase and Mayor's Proposed Budget, we are asking that you print out and distribute the attached flyer. Consider passing it out in your neighborhood, at church or social organizations. We are also interested in getting people to pass these out in front of City Hall from 12pm - 2pm Monday-Friday. We need to get people to attend the Finance Committee's meetings and hearing (see below) as well as people calling their Alderperson.

Don’t Know Your Ward? Check online!
http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/Aldermen/index.asp#WardMap

Sign the Petition Online:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/newhaventaxreduction

Keep Up-To-Date
Website: http://newhavenissues.blogspot.com/

Email List: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/newhavenissues

Show Up & Be Heard:
City Budget Workshops are open to the public in the Aldermanic Chambers
March 22, and 29, with a culminating hearing, if needed, on April 19.

Download the flyer!

News Coverage

Here are a few stories about the tax increase:

• The New Haven Independent: People Testifying at Finance Committee Meeting
  
• The New Haven Independent: On The Mayor's Budget
  
• The New Haven Register: Elderly Tax-Freeze Proposal
  

Neighborhood Group Meetings

Another way to get involved is through neighborhood groups. Here are a few:

The Downtown Wooster Square Community Management Team (DWSCMT) consists of members of the community who have organized to serve as a forum for problem-solving, information exchange, and decision-making centering around neighborhood quality of life and public safety issues.

http://groups.google.com/group/DWSCMT
Join our mailing list at DWSCMT@gmail.com

Come to our Monthly Meetings and interact with your fellow neighbors, aldermen, police, and many other city officials and agencies 6pm the 3rd Tuesday every month in City Hall meeting room 2

Common Ground: A Ward 8 Meeting which typically meets at Conte School on Chapel Street and with few exceptions, are on the second Tuesday of each month (except Jan, July and Aug usually).

The Westville / West Hills Management Team meets Tuesday March 20th at 6:30 at the Valley Street substation.

Cedar Hill Community Association meets the first Thursday of the month at 6pm at 1375 State Street, The New Flame Restoration Church has allowed us to use the all purpose room. The door is on the side were the book store is just ring the bell and we will let you in.

Please tell me about your group!

Evolving Plan

We need to have significant turnout at the below meetings or we will not sufficiently arrest the attention of the Board of Aldermand and Office of the Mayor. Please get people to attend the following meetings:

Public Budget Hearings - The next three city budget workshops are open to the public in the Aldermanic Chambers March 15, 22, and 29 , with a culminating hearing, if needed, on April 19. Each workshop will feature different City departments. For more info and a list of who is showing up when, contact Donald Hayden at the Office of Legislative Services at dhayden@newhavenct.net.

Volunteers Needed To Hand Out Flyers

We are seeking volunteers to hand out fliers in front of city hall M-F, 12-2 pm until the vote on the Mayor's proposed budget. If we could get three volunteers a day, the burden is not placed upon a few people. This can help us get the message out.

New Email List

We created a "newsletter" style email list for distributing important news to your email address. We promise to not send a lot of email and you can manage your subscription at anytime. This is not a discussion style email list to avoid a lot of email traffic. If you want to start a discussion, do that here on the website through comments. To join the email list, start here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/newhavenissues

Next Public Hearing

Another public hearing will be April 19th at 6 p.m. in the aldermanic chamber at City Hall (165 Church Street, 2nd Floor).

To calculate adjustments in a July 1 tax bill based on the proposed tax rate, use the calculator at the city’s Web site.

Mil Rate Petition

Mil Rate Reduction Petition March 2007

We, the undersigned homeowners and renters in New Haven petition the New Haven Board of Alderman to keep New Haven an affordable place to live with a significant reduction in the mil rate on Property Taxes. Major increases in energy rates coupled with new property assessments (often 200-300% increase) pose a severe economic threat to all those who live here.
We petition the Board of Aldermen to take immediate action to reduce the mil Rate overall and the Mayor’s proposed budget.

Sign the petition online:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/newhaventaxreduction.

We're Organizing

Please help us organize around the Mayor's 2007-2008 Proposed Budget. With the new property assessments and minimum Mil Rate change, we might all get priced out of the city leading to flight and blight.