by Laura Glesby The New Haven independent
“Experience counts,” said DiDi Strode, summing up a sentiment heard again and again inside Westville’s Kehler Liddell Gallery on Wednesday evening.
Strode was explaining her support for incumbent State Rep. Pat Dillon, who is running to continue representing the 92nd General Assembly District, having served for over four decades in the role.
Around 50 people, ranging from political stalwarts to artists to environmental activists, had gathered for a campaign event to show support for Dillon.
Attendees were asked to provide a $5 donation to the campaign, as Dillon works on amassing enough small donations to qualify for the state’s Citizens’ Election Program.
Dillon has represented the district since 1984. At 77, she is facing challenges from two fellow Democrats — former New Haven alder Eli Sabin, 26, and former Hamden council member Justin Farmer, 31, whose campaigns have been interpreted as bids for generational change.
Dillon’s campaign fundraiser Wednesday took place at the same time that Sabin and several supporters walked the Hill to talk with business owners and residents. It also occurred on the same day that Farmer announced he had raised enough money to qualify for public financing.
Dottie Green (right) with Curlena MacDonald: Dillon is a “civic servant” in a “political world.”
Inside the gallery on Wednesday, attendees made the case that Dillon’s decades of experience in her role are a vital asset for New Haven, far from a drawback.
Over and over again, they echoed versions of the same sentence: “I’ve known Pat for a long time,” or “I’ve worked with Pat for years.”
Many attested that those years have been marked by hard work and trustworthy leadership on Dillon’s part.
“We are living in very uncertain times,” said Richard Furlow, who represents parts of Westville, Amity, and Beaver Hills on the Board of Alders while serving as the Democratic Majority Leader.
“We need stability,” Furlow told the room. “We need someone with focus. We need someone with established relationships.”
“What this is about is making sure we have steady leadership” in Hartford, he added.
Christine Bartlett-Josie, Thea Buxbaum, and Janis Underwood.
In remarks to her supporters, Dillon spoke to how much the job landscape has changed for young people just now entering the workforce.
“I can remember, actually, working at Macy’s,” she said, describing one of her first jobs. “Where do young people get their experience now?”
She noted that several local systems of support for young people, including the Solar Youth jobs and after-school program and the homelessness services organization Youth Continuum, have recently shut down.
One way she envisions working to retain and create opportunities for young people is by supporting the sciences, which she called a “growth area” for the city.
As the federal government withholds funding for scientific research, Dillon promised to advocate for state support for the sciences. “I would like to see the state provide some bridge funding,” she said.
Former Mayor Toni Harp and environmentalist Laura Cahn.
Several attendees cited Dillon’s support in fostering the work of the Greater Dwight Development Corporation and the Montessori School on Edgewood.
Others pointed to her successful fight for assistance for residents of Amity and Upper Westville whose houses had begun to crack and sink into a water table.
Environmental advocate Laura Cahn touted Dillon’s record on the Connecticut General Assembly’s Environment Committee.
For instance, Dillon is currently working on legislation to ramp up enforcement against illegal tire dumping, which can result in toxic chemicals infiltrating water sources and harming wildlife. Cahn recently sent Dillon a photo of 20 illegally discarded tires in the neighborhood.
“I need Pat’s great work,” said Cahn. “I tell Pat about issues. I give her the facts. She does something about it.”
Former Mayor and former State Sen. Toni Harp recalled legislating alongside Dillon, and later working with her from the helm of City Hall. “I don’t know of a stronger advocate,” she said, describing Dillon’s role in fighting for more funding for the city.
“Pat Dillon is probably one of the best,” said political strategist Christine Bartlett-Josie. “She’s the person young people go to for mentorship.”
“We’re in such a political world, versus a civic world,” said Dorthula “Dottie” Green. “She is a civic servant.”
Thea Buxbaum, one of the event’s organizers, described Dillon as “extremely competent.”
“Her life experience lets her really appreciate the stories of her constituents,” Buxbaum said.
The campaign supporters were surrounded by art of Tom Edwards (pictured) and Gar Waterman, whose work is featured in Bird / Seed, an exhibition at Kehler Liddell running through March 15.