THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN
New Haven is facing critical challenges that impact public safety, education, fiscal stability, and the well-being of our inner-city communities. As a Republican candidate for mayor, I must address violent crime and drug overdoses head-on by supporting our first responders and prioritizing safety for all residents. We must also overhaul our education system, ensuring resources will be used effectively to reduce class sizes and improve student outcomes. Fiscal responsibility is essential to stop the cycle of rising taxes and financial mismanagement that burdens our community. Finally, we must invest in inner-city youth programs, mentorship initiatives, and support systems to break the cycle of poverty and empower the next generation. It’s time to put people over politics and work together to build a safer, stronger, and more prosperous New Haven.
PUBLIC SAFETY
The foundation for economic development has and always will be public safety. Public safety has no party affiliation, as we all want the exact same thing for our community. Whether you’re a Republican, Democrat, or Independent, it’s paramount that we provide a safe environment for everyone. If your city isn’t secure, who will move there? If your city is riddled with crime and drug,s who will want to establish a small business there? How will we bring in top doctors in order to open up establishments? Do you think teachers will want to teach our kids, or will they go to other school districts where they feel safe? If juvenile crime is a significant issue, why would anyone want to send their children to schools within those communities? Unfortunately, the City of New Haven has continuously experienced elevated crime levels. New Haven is ranked #1 in violent crime within the entire state of Connecticut and continues to lead the state in fentanyl overdoses. We have a disgraceful crime index of 6, which means we are more dangerous than 94% of the rest of America. This is just one example of why we need to do a better job at better allocating resources to both our Police departments, which have a massive shortage of officers, and Fire departments, which have facilities in desperate need of repair. These are the first responders who ensure the safety of our New Haven residents.
EDUCATION
Without allocating the much-needed resources to ensure a proper education for our youth, how can we expect the next generation to become the future leaders of America? New Haven has incredible educators who care about their students, but how can they do their job effectively when they are not given the much-needed funding to ensure a future pathway to success? Teachers who are currently sitting in classrooms of 29 students. That student-teacher ratio makes it extremely difficult to educate and engage students properly. This needs to change immediately. As it sits right now, 92% of the 50 total schools in New Haven are below average in school quality. This problem must be addressed as these schools continue to take an academic plunge year after year. Only 17% of our children are proficient in math and 14% in English. We have a teacher shortage crisis with layoffs looming due to a $17m shortfall for the upcoming academic year. The irony is that New Haven spends the most per pupil within Connecticut, yet has the worst overall outcomes. We can’t keep putting Band-Aids in the system, where we offer programs like school choice, which only allows a small percentage of underprivileged children to attend a better school within their district via lottery. Why can’t we use our resources to FIX these schools and foster an environment for ALL children to succeed and ultimately thrive? There’s no excuse for spending $21,000 per year per child; our children are NOT proficient in math and English. With our city’s funding from Hartford, there is no excuse not to ensure that every possible resource is given to our children to ensure a bright future.
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
Where is the money going? Why does New Haven have $2.5b in unfunded liabilities, with almost a third by way of pensions? How does this happen? How are future pensions not accounted for when creating budgets? The constant failures in budget allocation and revenue generation continue to rest on the shoulders of its residents via year-after-year tax increases. Instead of developing ways to generate revenue in New Haven and eliminating frivolous spending, their solution is to tax its residents and sell off its property, which becomes tax-exempt. Ever wonder why New Haven has some of the highest property taxes in the state? Ever wonder why housing is becoming more unaffordable each year? When 60% of all the property in New Haven is tax-exempt, who do you think makes up the difference in what equates to over $120m in lost tax revenue for the city each year? What happens when tax-exempt property reaches 70, 75, or 80%? It will be your property taxes that will need to make up the difference. Taxes are a major contributor to the overwhelming increases in the poverty rate for New Haven and Connecticut. Connecticut is ranked number 1 for the most significant increase in poverty from 1990 to 2020 at a staggering rate of 88%, while New Haven alone has a poverty rate of 28%, which is unacceptable.
INNER CITY
With the poverty rate at 28% and half of our children falling behind by an unprecedented two grade levels, it’s never been more critical to provide strong inner-city youth programs and resources to stabilize the community. We need to continuously inspire inner-city children so that they can dream of a future that they never imagined. When children don’t have the resources to fulfill their potential, it isn’t easy to ensure a prosperous future. Juvenile crime in New Haven is the highest it’s ever been. Drug overdoses related to the current Fentanyl epidemic have hit unprecedented levels and need to be monitored and addressed. This is why New Haven is considered the “drug capital” of the state. New Haven desperately needs a call to action that encompasses youth programs and the mentoring of future entrepreneurs, as well as sports-based initiatives to empower the already talented youth within our district.
