This post is probably going to upset quite a few people, but that’s OK. It’s an important statement to make.
Local activists looking to shame Yale University hijacked Monday evening’s BOA public budget hearing, the Board of Finance was complicit, and our local media turned a blind eye to the truth.
I agree Yale can and should do more. And when the COVID crisis passes I plan to engage Yale in ways to work with New Haven. But, I take strong exception to the fraud that was perpetuated on the public at Monday night’s public “budget” hearing. It's not what was said, or who said it, or how. But rather it's the lack of transparency and reporting surrounding the hearing.
To read the stories in the NHI and NHR , you'd think that a group of unaffiliated, zealous New Haven residents, outraged at Yale University, spontaneously decided to appear via zoom and testify 'about the budget'. Nothing is further from the truth.
The people who testified Monday evening were organized, recruited, and prepped in advance by local activists looking to further shame Yale. I know because I received several emails from people notifying me of the effort. No surprise why most of the people who testified were speaking from prepared remarks and couldn't even pronounce some of the words they were reading. These people were coached. But this, in and of itself is not a problem. Groups organize and lobby all the time.
But what is worrisome is that the BOA was complicit in allowing anti-yale activists to hijack the "budget discussion". The Unite Here backed BOA sat back and appeared surprised by the turnout and testimony when in fact it was a made for TV, YouTube event. So many times in the past I've seen the Alders cut off and interrupt public testimony when it isn’t relevant. But, not last night; last night was reserved for anyone willing to jump on the Unite Here/Anti-Yale bandwagon and the Unite Here backed Alders rolled out the red carpet for its supporters.
It took a global pandemic to get the BOA to enter the 21st Century of communicating with the public by adopting live, interactive meetings. But, instead of using the opportunity to engage and inform the public regarding City Finances, at a time when the pandemic could push the City into bankruptcy, it ceded the stage to its political supporters. Sadly, none of this collusion comes as a surprise to those who follow New Haven politics. But what IS a surprise, and what is very dangerous is the complete lack of reporting on the issue from our local media.
I’ve read the NHI and NHR articles about Monday night’s theatre and nowhere have I seen it reported that (a) the turnout was organized by local activists (b) people were provided talking points and (c) a Google Form for “Public Testimony Prep” and (d) the BOA played along and relaxed the rules to allow people to testify. It’s possible the media doesn’t know this was a staged event, but if it did, and chose not to report it, that’s dangerous. Last night’s BOA Hearing was nothing like what it has been portrayed to be – and the public should know the full story.
