Dear Friends,

The 13th State of the City Address at City Hall addressed some pressing issues for New Haven:

- New initiatives in securing public safety in New Haven’s neighborhoods

- Affordable public housing throughout the city

- Improvements in New Haven’s financial profile and sources of funding

(The full text of the speech can be found on this website. Just click on the button - 'to read more' - at the bottom of this page and then you'll see a section - Major Speeches - on the left).

Before the Address, the Superintendent of Schools Dr. Reginald Mayo and I presented checks to two New Haven families that are evacuees of Hurricane Katrina. They each received more than $2,450 for rent. The checks were made possible by fundraising drives in the New Haven Public Schools and the subsequent creation of the Caring Kids First account. New Haven Public Schools have already given a total of $7,500 to five families from New Orleans with children attending New Haven Schools and the Caring Kids First fund has raised $12,500.

Some upcoming events:

Tuesday February 7:

As the first Tuesday of every month is the Mayor’s Night In, when residents can sign in between 5 and 6 pm at the Mayor’s Office and talk to me about any issues or concerns they may have. There will also be a Spanish speaker present. I hope to see you there!

Wednesday February 8:

Leshawna Murrell, a graduate of Jackie Robinson and a sophomore at James Hillhouse High School, will sing the national anthem at the Connecticut General Assembly’s opening legislative session. She is a student at one of the New Haven Public Schools' partners Neighborhood Music School where she studies voice and piano.

Other events of interest:

The Citizens Energy Corporation and my office have secured 4.8 million gallons of oil through the Venezuela-CITGO Heating Oil Program for recipients of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and the Contingency Heating Assistance Program.

- Eligible households will receive oil at a discounted rate of 40% per gallon.

- There are 4,000 eligible families in Greater New Haven and 24,000 across the State.

The unveiling of New Haven’s new website:

www.cityofnewhaven.com is online with new exciting features:

- centralized information allowing instant access to the city’s calendars, forms, and municipal actions

- LookUp tools to find trash pick up days, alderperson contact information, property tax and house appraisal tools and other information in one convenient location

- An online problem resolution portal allowing residents to report areas of concern in their area and on their street

- A Kids First page giving New Haven area students the power to make their presence known in a technologically advanced setting

- New Haven’s website receives more than 1 million hits a month, making it one of the most visited municipal sites in New England

Thanks for reading my Monday Message. I hope you have a happy and healthy week.

Very truly yours,

John DeStefano, Jr.

Mayor

[2/7/2006]