New Haven passes the pain on

I'VE BEEN following SocialistWorker.org's excellent coverage of the economic crisis facing many workers, and I thought the city of New Haven might be an excellent example of the ongoing economic turmoil.

In July, it was announced that the city was planning on massive budget cuts, mostly from education, homeless services and other vital city services. In addition to announcing $30 million in cuts from the schools' construction budget and cutting about $1 million more from the regular education budget, the mayor is now demanding $6 million in benefit givebacks from members of the city employees' unions. With an already bleak job market, the city is passing its budget woes onto its workers, and eliminating 150 jobs.

But the crisis doesn't stop there. A recent re-evaluation means that the average homeowner will pay an additional 9.8 percent in property taxes, and rates for utilities like natural gas and electricity have increased as much as 15 percent in the past year. For tenants, the price of apartments has risen, as landlords pass these increases on to them.

With all these cuts, one would think that Mayor DeStephano might feel the pinch, but instead, he took a $16,000 raise and bought an armoire for his office to the tune of $3,450.

DeStefano claims that the city's resources are stretched beyond their capabilities, with record numbers of calls to police in recent months, but he doesn't seem to see the connection between joblessness and crime. As shelters close, and programs aimed at helping the unemployed suffer budget cuts, people face increasingly desperate choices when in need of food and shelter.

DeStefano has nothing but contempt for those suffering from his cuts, saying in a July 12 press conference, "We continue to have to deal with a population that taxes our resources"--as if the people of New Haven were to blame for this economic catastrophe.

Amid all the city programs being slashed, and talk of an increasingly tough job market, I was unpleasantly surprised to find there's still one institution actively hiring these days. It's the New Haven Police Department, with banner ads across major thoroughfares inviting applications.

With schools and jobs up on the chopping block, the priorities of DeStefano and the political establishment are clear--lining their own pockets, and filling our jails with those left behind.
Becca Lewis, New Haven, Conn.