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Common Nonsense
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Business New Haven
10/1/2001
By: BNH
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In this issue we set out to determine whether Republican mayoral challenger Joel Schiavone would and could mount a credible challenge to Democratic incumbent John DeStefano Jr. Schiavone, after all, has paid his dues here in New Haven and indeed in 1990 mounted a credible candidacy for governor of Connecticut.
While most observers argue that a Republican candidate has no chance in New Haven, we note that in a city of more than 100,000 people, Mayor DeStefano was able to muster fewer than 10,000 votes in a primary election that many predicted would be close. Clearly, not that many voters were particularly committed to a DeStefano victory.
To us it is quite clear that a candidate that proposes real change, honest government, better schools, and sound fiscal and development policy would be seriously considered by voters - regardless of party affiliation.
It seems very unfortunate that Schiavone would rather make headlines than run a real election effort.
Schiavone's call for a so-called living wage, among other things, demonstrates either that he is engaging in the age-old tradition of electoral pandering that has historically undermined this city or he has confused any idea with a good idea.
As a businessperson, Schiavone learned that paying higher wages brought better workers to his employ. His proposal to mandate a wage by employers with more than $5 million in annual sales of perhaps $12 or $12.50, as he suggested, makes any business support for his campaign dangerous to the welfare of the city and the citizens he would hope to support.
There was some suggestion that his real goal was to embarrass Yale for its inadequate pay structure. We would agree that many workers at Yale, and elsewhere do not receive wages adequate to living costs.
There is tried and true mechanism to address low living standards, and we are squarely behind evaluating the success of government based on the success of its citizens. An adequate education system and a more urgent economic development model would be a better start.
Schiavone has complained that businesses are not moving into the city. With any mandated wage system, Yale would be one of a handful of employers that would remain - and virtually no company would consider locating in New Haven.
That Schiavone would advance this proposal now while the national economy appears to be falling off a cliff says to us that Schiavone is indeed a Don Quixote who has fallen off his horse. And while we may like him, we can't stand for him.
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