John Halle (G), New Haven Alderman, 9th Ward.

Frequently Asked Questions on the Ward 9 Election
July 10, 2001

What is the Green Party?

The Greens are an international political party defined by a strong commitment to the environment, economic justice, civil and human rights. The Greens in New Haven, founded in 1985, were one of the first active Green Party chapters in the nation and ran strong candidates for city and state government in the mid 80s, most notably the candidacy of Richard Wolff which captured nearly 20% of the city vote. In several wards, Green Party candidates for the Board of Alders were only narrowly defeated by the Democratic machine.

I only moved into New Haven recently. Can I register to vote in this election?

Yes. Present identification at the Registrar of Voters office at 200 Orange St. before 12:00 noon on Monday, July 9 and you will be able to vote in this election.

July 10th is a strange time for an election. Why is one being held now?

Because the current Democratic Alderman Gerald Garcia resigned to take a job on Wall St. with the investment firm Solomon Smith Barney, a subsidiary of Citigroup.

Who is the ninth ward candidate, John Halle?

John Halle is an Assistant Professor of Music at Yale, a pianist, a composer and an author of articles on music and politics. Originally from Boston, he and his wife Marka Gustavsson, a professional violist, have owned their own home on Eld St. since 1997. He is Treasurer of the New Haven chapter of the Connecticut Green Party, the originator of the Green Party Saturday morning community issues forum series, a member of the Mill River Watershed Association, and a member of the GESO (graduate student union) faculty support committee at Yale.

Why should I vote for the Green Party candidate?

Because the Green Party represents the needs of the average working people and neighborhoods of New Haven. John has lived in the neighborhood for five years and works at Yale. He takes seriously the 25% childhood asthma rate in New Haven, the dangers of excessively fast automotive traffic on side streets, the equitable provision of city services to all neighborhoods, the rights of bike riders and pedestrians, and the need for development which will enhance, not devastate, the neighborhoods and small businesses of New Haven.

Why are you running?

I am running to initiate a challenge to the half century long stranglehold of the Democratic machine on New Haven politics. While machine politics has had some positive benefits for the city, it has also led to dangerously degraded air quality, scandal as a way of life in City Hall and ineffective city agencies presided over by patronage appointees whose chronic lack of responsiveness and more than occasional arrogance, is emboldened by their awareness that they face no competition. I am running to issue a strong challenge to business-as-usual politics and cronyism in New Haven.

Who are the other candidates?

The Democratic candidate is the head of the State Street Merchants1 Association, an organization representing area restaurants and bars (several of which have become a serious neighborhood nuisance). He is also site developer for Walgreen's, a major national drug store chain. The Republican candidate represents the party of business. In short, John is running against a business- oriented Democrat and the party of business.

But if you win, you will have no power and influence on the board. Isn't my vote for you a wasted vote?

Since the incumbent has resigned, whoever wins the current race will inevitably become the most junior member on the board. Effectiveness under these circumstances has much more to do with one's ability to negotiate, to stand up for principle and to work with other members of the board. Party status is largely irrelevant. Furthermore, third party members have historically been inordinately more, not less, influential on legislative bodies due to their independence and their ability to function as swing votes. Bernie Sanders, the third party representative to the US Congress from Vermont is a notable case in point.

Won't the Democrats retaliate against the ward for failing to elect a Democrat by denying the ward services?

There is no rational basis for believing this. The Westville ward presided over by the sole Republican member of the board, Nancy Ahern, has generally received more, not less, than its share of city services.

I'm a graduate student in at Yale. Local politics doesn't affect me. Why should I vote in this election?

Because local politics does affect you. The likelihood that you will be run down by a speeding motorist on a side street, the noise and annoyance emanating from the bar down the street preventing you from studying at home, your not being able to find parking on your street because of the local businesses1 pressure to remove residential parking zones, your suffering from allergies or respiratory conditions (now or in the future) due to the seriously compromised quality of New Haven's air, local government can either alleviate or aggravate all of these conditions. Furthermore, as a graduate student you are likely to spend a significant fraction of your working life within this community. Indeed, with the increasing casualization of university employment, it is entirely possible, albeit regrettable, that this may be one of the longer residences in any location. You make a contribution to, benefit and suffer from the conditions in New Haven whether you choose to recognize this or not.

Will there be other Green Party candidates in November?

Yes.

Where can I find out more about the New Haven Green Party?

Come to our office at 161 Park St. (above Viva Zapata's), call us at 777-0627 or
visit our website at www.ctgreens.org/newhaven/.