New Haven Police Chief Anthony Campbell's recently announced plans to leave the department has brought the city's budget woes into focus, as well as its contentious brand of politics.
The police department is down to 395 officers, Campbell told city alders earlier this week. That's 100 less than called for in the department's 2019 fiscal year budget, he maintained.
Campbell said he's joining the exodus for fear of losing his health care benefits. He also lambasted some city alders for the disrespect they've shown the police force during an ongoing contract dispute.
This week, we are live from New Haven. We examine the city's fiscal plight, the political infighting, and the mayoral race coming up this fall.
Meanwhile, at the state level, Gov. Ned Lamont is taking a less confrontational approach to addressing budget shortfalls. At least so far. He's invited Republican state legislators to a Valentine's Day get-together at the governor's residence. And he's trying to keep both labor unions and the business community involved in working toward solutions.
Will Lamont's efforts unravel once he unveils the details of his state budget proposal next week?
We also assess the turmoil at the nation's oldest continuously published newspaper. After a recent staff downsizing at the Hartford Courant, the remaining journalists are looking to unionize.
GUESTS:
- Paul Bass - Editor of the New Haven Independent (@PaulJBass)
- Dr. Khalilah Brown-Dean - Associate Professor of Political Science at Quinnipiac University(@KBDPHD)
- Dr. Jonathan Wharton - Assistant Professor of Political Science and Urban Affairs at Southern Connecticut State University (@PreppyProf)
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