BY THOMAS BREEN The New Haven independent
Outside the Shubert, in front of College Street Music Hall, with CT Mirror’s Mark Pazniokas: New Haven is cultural capital.
On the first official day of his third-term reelection campaign, Gov. Ned Lamont stopped by downtown to talk about what a great job he thinks Mayor Justin Elicker is doing to support the creation of new housing — and to receive Elicker’s endorsement for his bid for another four years in office.
Lamont, Elicker, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, and Lamont’s wife, Annie, gathered on a brisk, windy Friday morning on the sidewalk outside of the Omni Hotel on Temple Street at around 11:15 a.m. to talk with the press before walking over to BAR for a pizza lunch.
Friday marked the first day of Lamont’s reelection campaign, as the 71-year-old Greenwich Democrat — one of the most popular state leaders in the country — tries for the first time since John Rowland to become a thrice-elected Connecticut governor.Lamont’s reelection campaign stopped in New Haven after making a morning visit to Bridgeport, and before scheduled stops on Friday afternoon in Groton, Hartford, and Waterbury.
The downtown Lamont-Elicker walk took place one day after the state Senate approved a revised version of a housing bill that encourages towns across Connecticut to build more places to live — after Lamont vetoed a similar effort in June, enraging and confounding many members of his own party. Thus far, the only announced challenger to Lamont’s bid for the Democratic nomination for a third-term is progressive Hamden State Rep. Josh Elliott. Republican challengers so far include Greenwich State Sen. Ryan Fazio and former New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart.
“Undoubtedly, we’ve had our differences,” Elicker told the press about his relationship with Lamont — a reference to sharp words exchanged between the two over what the Elicker administration has consistently framed as inadequate state funding for public education. But the differences “aren’t about what direction we’re going. It’s about how fast we have to go.”
Elicker praised Lamont for appointing state department leaders who are “incredibly responsive to our needs” in New Haven; for supporting a $300 million investment state in early childhood education; and for pouring tens of millions of state dollars into the development of new housing across the city.
“Don’t forget about the $50 million for quantum,” Bysiewicz chimed in.
Lamont and Bysiewicz singled out Elicker as “a role model,” as Bysiewicz put it, for being a local elected leader who supports the construction of new housing.
“New Haven is happening thanks to Justin Elicker,” Lamont said. “Look at the number of people that want to move here,” at the growing eds and meds and life science sectors, at the transit-oriented development planned for Union Station.
“Our cities are growing,” he said. There’s “a lot of vibrancy.”
He told the Independent that he started his New Haven walking tour outside of the Omni in part to hear more about an ongoing rezoning effort spearheaded by Downtown/East Rock Alder Eli Sabin — who took time away from law school to attend the walking tour.
“Downtown’s getting younger, more vibrant,” Lamont said in support of efforts to allow for more housing to be built in the city center. He also said that the housing bill passed by the legislature during this week’s two-day special session lets “towns take the lead” in promoting the development of more housing. He said Elicker exemplifies the type of local-led, pro-housing approach supported by such a bill.
What does he say to Connecticut voters who like Lamont — but don’t like the idea of him, or any other governor of the state, seeking a third term?
“Let’s talk about the next four years,” Lamont replied. “This is about keeping the state growing.”
Asked what he’s keeping in mind to avoid making any third-term mistakes — ones that come with being in office for so relatively long — Lamont pledged to keep “look[ing] to the future.”
Elicker said that, when thinking about the city’s relationship with the governor going forward, there’s more work to do on school funding, on Tweed airport, and on maintaining “labor peace” in New Haven — as Yale’s UNITE HERE unions are embarking on a new round of contract negotiations with the university.
What does Lamont think needs to happen next with Tweed?
Lamont described the Morris Cove airport as “incredibly successful. … Look at where it was seven years ago, 17 years ago.”
“We’ve got to figure out the terminal,” he said about a long-delayed plan to build a new larger terminal on the East Haven side of the property. He told the Independent that likely means East Haven and New Haven sharing some of the traffic burdens associated with a larger airport.
As for the unions and labor peace, Bysiewicz added, “we have a history of working very closely with UNITE HERE.”
Annie Lamont, Ned Lamont, Justin Elicker, and Susan Bysiewicz.
Alder Eli Sabin (right) talking up “Downtown for All.”
Lamont campaign Press Secretary Lauren Gray.
New Haven DTC Chair Vinnie Mauro with Elicker on Friday’s tour.