by Mona Mahadevan The New Haven independent
…and so did Coco le Pere, though she was also concerned about Pittman’s Republican endorsement.
Matthew McCoy, who’s not “bothered” by the clinic, chose Pittman…
…and so did the Smiths, who worry that the clinic makes their children less safe.
Shauna and Victor Smith, worried about their kids’ safety near the APT Foundation’s Congress Avenue methadone clinic, voted for challenger Miguel Pittman in Tuesday’s Democratic primary for Ward 3 alder.
Shontay Stanley, concerned about the clinic’s proximity to her daughter’s school, instead backed incumbent Democrat Angel Hubbard.
Matthew McCoy, “unbothered” by the clinic, chose Pittman; Hannah Gellman, a strong advocate for recovery services, went with Hubbard.
Those varied perspectives — offered at the polls on primary day — reflect how APT’s clinic has ballooned into a defining issue of Tuesday’s race.
By late morning, around 55 people had cast votes at Hill Regional Career High School at 140 Legion Ave. Both candidates set up tents and tables just outside the 75-foot radius, with a handful of supporters in tow.
An additional 80 Ward 3 Democrats cast their ballots through early voting, and 20 voted absentee. There are currently a total of 1,091 registered Democrats in the ward. Whoever wins Tuesday’s contest will advance to the Nov. 4 general election as the official Democratic nominee for Ward 3 alder.
After voting on Tuesday, the Smiths said they no longer bring their young children to parks in the Hill because of the “needles on the ground.”
“Why do they choose to put the clinics here?” Shauna asked. Victor replied, “Because the community doesn’t speak up.”
They voted for Pittman, they said, because of his pledge to kick the clinic out of the Hill.
Hubbard became the ward’s alder one year ago after winning a close special election against Pittman. Pittman, a registered Democrat, is challenging Hubbard not only in the Democratic Primary but also as the Republican- and Independent Party-endorsed candidate in November’s general election.
Stanley, a Hill resident of 15 years, agreed that the clinic’s location is a problem, but voted for Hubbard instead.
“APT shouldn’t be so close to a school,” she said, recalling how her daughter would ask why people were “asleep while standing up” on their drives to Roberto Clemente Academy, located just 0.3 miles away from the clinic.
Aside from the clinic, Stanley said Hubbard also distinguished herself from Pittman through her “presence” in the community.
“She lives in the neighborhood. Her kids play with my kids,” she said. In contrast, Pittman is often “nowhere to be found.”
The methadone clinic wasn’t a top issue for all voters: McCoy said he supported “my man Pittman,” primarily for his visibility in the Hill.
“He knows a lot of people,” said McCoy. “He’s a good guy.”
The clinic doesn’t really “bother” him, he added. He’s more worried about the “cleanliness” of the neighborhood and hopes Pittman will organize clean-up days to clear the streets of litter.
Gellman, a Yale Drama student who voted for Hubbard, said Hubbard’s support of the methadone clinic factored into her decision.
Hubbard “wants to support people in the recovery process,” she said, adding that while the clinic’s location isn’t ideal, preserving “safe usage” and similar options is a higher priority for her.
Pittman’s endorsement from the city’s Republican Party was another reason to vote for Hubbard, she said, given “the state of the GOP.”
At Pittman’s table, in his closing pitch, he argued that his potential to receive support from all three parties — with just the Democratic remaining — signals that he’s the right candidate for the position.
“It’s time for a change,” he said, hopeful his election could spark a “ripple effect” that promotes an “atmosphere where people can go against the machine.”
He stressed that the APT Foundation’s methadone clinic has been a “disadvantage to [the] community” for over 25 years. If elected, he’d advocate for it to leave New Haven altogether or at least switch to mobile facilities.
Hubbard, likewise, called for relocating the clinic “away from schools” and “away from residential” areas, but she argued that New Haveners need recovery services to be easily accessible to them.
“I’m not here to judge them,” she stressed. In an ideal world, the clinic would be relocated somewhere large enough to have an indoor area where people can spend time “in privacy” rather than congregating on the streets.
Hubbard also highlighted the rest of her platform in a closing pitch, stressing her commitments to more affordable housing, better jobs, and improved educational quality.
Tuesday morning, State Rep. Pat Dillon came out in support of Hubbard. While she’s not able to vote in the Ward 3 election as she doesn’t live in the district, she said, “I’m here today because Angel has a big heart.”
The polling place itself, located at Career’s gym, was also quiet.
Outside the 75-foot radius, the candidates were doing some last-minute campaigning. (Pittman is the co-owner of soul food restaurant Sandra’s Next Generation.)
One voter, who didn’t want to be photographed, said talking to Hubbard Tuesday morning secured his vote for her.
Within a 75-foot radius from the entrance of the polling place, things were quiet mid-morning.