The mayoral campaign, showing signs it was going to begin early, takes a step in that direction this week as a Democratic challenger opens her headquarters.
Democratic Mayoral Candidate Nancy Rossi will officially open her campaign headquarters on Friday, and is inviting the public to view and discuss her campaign platform and vision for West Haven. The headquarters is located at 232 Captain Thomas Blvd. in the Savin Rock Parkade (former Subway). Food and refreshments will be served.
Rossi, who has been critical of Mayor Edward M. O’Brien since her days as the councilwoman from the city’s seventh district, is focusing her campaign on what she believes is faulty economics by City Hall, and a continuing deterioration of the city’s financial structure.
Her campaign is taking the financial question head on, and is expected to dominate her platform when it is finally released. Visitors to her opening will get an early peak at the details.
“Nancy Rossi is a Certified Public Accountant, and understands the magnitude and severity of the problems that face West Haven. Her first priority will be to create a culture of fiscal responsibility by presenting and maintaining honest and balanced budgets,” said Michael Last, a former councilman-at-large and part of the Rossi team as candidate for city treasurer. “One of her campaign mottos is ‘West Haven’s Future Success Starts with a Balanced Budget.’ Nancy continues to warn Mayor O’Brien and the City Council members of the many consequences from their lack of fiscal responsibility, but unfortunately her warnings fell on deaf ears.”
Rossi has been especially vocal during the just-completed budget process, which was defaulted into law earlier this month. A 6-6 tie on the City Council’s attempt to pass the budget ordinance meant O’Brien’s $162.77 million went in as proposed.
Most recently, Rossi has taken the administration to task over its inability to project revenues and expenses in previous budgets, leading to an expansion of the city’s 12-year-old operating deficit. Three previous budgets have come under projections, adding to the city’s red ink problem.
“Mayor Ed O’Brien has yet to balance a budget since taking office in 2013. His administration has produced operating deficits of $700,000, $1.7 million, and most recently a $2.5 million shortfall in fiscal year 2016,” Rossi said. “The cumulative deficit now stands at an alarming $16.8 million. West Haven has so much potential, and our citizens deserve competent leadership. The city continues in decline, and the mayor has no plan of action. It’s a real shame” concluded Rossi.
Rossi and O’Brien do agree the city should bond in order to pay off the longstanding budget gap, but she has asked the state’s Municipal Finance Assistance Committee (MFAC) to review budget just passed in order to see if its numbers will balance out. She expressed her fear that paying off the $16.8 million only to have another shortfall next year will put the city in worse condition.
Rossi will also host a town hall-style meeting on Saturday June 3 at her headquarters at 10 a.m. to distribute and explain her platform, which she announced tackles fiscal responsibility, transparency in city government, economic development, education, public safety and quality of life issues.
“I am looking forward to meeting people and discussing the issues and our plan to make West Haven more business friendly and competitive” said Rossi.
It is expected that Rossi will have to primary O’Brien by means of a petition after the Democratic Town Committee meets to choose its slate in July.
Meanwhile, the city’s Republican Party had a recent fundraiser for its candidate, Councilman-at-large David Riccio. Riccio, who has served several stints on the council going back to the Minichino administration in the early 1980s, announced his candidacy a year ago.