Opinion: Ansonia Republican questions Malloy visit to city

Editor's note: Henri, a Republican, is running for alderman in the 6th Ward. He submitted this column Wednesday prior to Malloy's visit to Ansonia City Hall to announce a $400,000 grant from the state Department of Housing to rehabilitate 12 houses.

By Patrick Henri
Guest column

Why is Gov. Malloy in Ansonia today? 

Ostensibly he will be paying a visit to discuss the Small Cities Housing Rehabilitation Grant Program that Ansonia has successfully applied for over the past three years. 

However, Ansonia residents could be forgiven if they suspect an ulterior motive.  After all, Ansonia has received this grant for three previous years. Where was the governor on those occasions?

The Housing Rehabilitation Program represents a great success story for Ansonia. It has brought in a total of $900,000 to the city since 2010. 
That amount is expected to exceed $1 million with the next round of funding. The purpose of the program is to rehabilitate housing in Ansonia’s most needy areas.

Ansonia’s successful participation in the program is due to the efforts of a rejuvenated Economic Development Commission re-established by Alderman John Marini, R-7, in 2010.  The Commission – which included a mix of Republicans and Democrats – deserves credit for reversing an abysmal track record of failed Small Cities Grant applications extending back to the early 2000s.

It remains to be seen if Gov. Malloy will give proper credit for the Housing Rehabilitation Grant.  It is interesting, however, that the timing of Gov. Malloy’s visit coincides not only with Ansonia’s most recent grant application, but also with a certain mayoral election.  It also occurs just months after Ansonia has realized the one of the highest mill rates in the Valley and one week after the Ansonia Republican Town Committee has put up a full slate of candidates for the November municipal elections.

Is Gov. Malloy being brought in as a lifesaver for the Della Volpe administration?

If so, Ansonia residents will not be fooled. Gov. Malloy has the distinct privilege of governing a state with one of the highest employment rates, worst economies, worst business atmospheres, worst roads and on and on and on. This “dog and pony show” photo op isn’t going to gloss over those facts or decrease Ansonia’s taxes.

Gov. Malloy is not a “lifesaver.” He and his administration are an anchor that continues to drag the state down into the briny depths of high taxes and anti-business policies.

Crisco announces $300,000 housing-rehab grants

State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr. , D-Woodbridge, today announced the award of two $300,000 grants – one each for housing rehabilitation projects in Ansonia and Derby.
Crisco said the grants are part of the federal government’s Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program, administered in Connecticut by the state Department of Economic and Community Development.

Crisco worked on behalf of both the Ansonia and Derby applications while they were under consideration by DECD officials. Projects to qualify for funding through the Small Cities Grant program usually include economic development initiatives, construction of affordable housing, and improvement of municipal facilities or community centers.

“The Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program is vital to the well-being of small cities like Ansonia and Derby, this year allowing them to pursue general rehabilitation projects that simply must be completed to improve the quality of life for residents, and completing them without increasing local property taxes,” Crisco said. “I’m grateful for the favorable consideration by DECD officials of these local applications.”

In a general sense, the collaborative federal/state program provides financial assistance to low- and moderate-income applicants for a variety of housing rehabilitation needs including window and roof replacement, other weatherization improvements, and heating system upgrades.

“In each of these cities, the plan to use these funds to rehabilitate designated housing stock clearly demonstrates the value of the state’s Small Cities Grant program, because if either city was left on its own, there simply wouldn’t be enough money in the budget to address the issue,” Crisco said. “It’s always very gratifying to see how these partnerships – in this case between all three levels of government – bring beneficial projects to fruition, bringing relief to residents and municipal budgets alike.”


The above is a press release from Crisco's office.