Today is the last day for residents to pay their taxes without penalty. Despite these difficult economic times, the City of New Haven has been able to achieve high tax collection rates for several years, sustaining a rate of 98.3 percent last year. For residents who have not yet paid your taxes, I encourage you to take advantage of the Tax Office’s extended hours of 8am to 6pm today. You can also enjoy the flexibility and rewards of credit card payments for fees and taxes by calling 1-800-2PAY-TAX (1-800-272-9829) or visiting www.officialpayments.com. There is a nominal fee for using this service. Residents must use JURISDICTION CODE 1729 when making payments via the phone or email systems.

Here is what’s happening this week:

National Night Out at Quinnipiac Terrace

I encourage residents to attend Quinnipiac Terrace National Night Out on Tuesday, August 4th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. This gathering celebrates the 26th National Night Out, an event that promotes police-community partnerships; crime, drug and violence prevention; safety and neighborhood unity.

New Haven Leadership Council Presentation

This summer, an initiative launched by the New Haven Leadership Council collected data from over 700 youth participants about issues affecting kids in the City of New Haven. The objective of this initiative was to raise awareness around the challenges facing our community, the impact that these challenges have on youth, and to empower the City's young people to bring these issues to the forefront of our community. The Council will present their findings to parents, alders and invited guests on Wednesday, August 5th, in the Aldermanic Chamber at 6 p.m.

Nuclear Disarmament Day

On Thursday, August 6th, New Haven will celebrate our first official Nuclear Disarmament Day in remembrance of the 64th anniversary of the dropping of an atomic bomb in Japan during World War II. On Thursday, I ask that all citizens pause and reflect on the ways that we can do our part to bring about peace.

National Farmers Market Week

The number of Connecticut farmers markets is growing due to an increasing awareness of the health and economic benefits of buying locally produced food. Visit your own local New Haven farmers market and enjoy a freshly grown snack!

Prevention Awareness Day

On August 8th, a group of 10 New Haven high school students, Teens Breaking Barriers, will be hosting a Prevention Awareness Day beginning at 3 pm at Scantlebury Park, 157 Ashmun Street. The event seeks to raise awareness about risky behaviors that youth are experiencing in the City and to have fun without substances or violence. Various vendors and youth serving organizations will be invited to this event and parents are encouraged to attend this event with their children.

Mariposa Butterfly Release Party

Enjoy Spanish stories about butterflies, live music, garden tours and butterfly crafts for children on August 5th from 6pm to 8pm at the Mitchell Library. Bring a favorite Latin American dessert to share and a blanket to sit on to enjoy the live music! This event is art of the library's “Experience the World in Westville” series. For details call 946-8117.

Green Tip

Want to reduce your A/C bill? Try installing awnings and solar shades to reduce the sunlight hitting your house. An awning or solar shade can reduce 70-90% of the heat entering a window.

Is someone you know interested in receiving the Mayor's Monday Message? To join this list, please send your name and email address to: jmayorga@newhavenct.net. An opportunity may exist down the line to receive messages specific to your neighborhood. For this purpose, in your email, please tell us what ward you live in.

The Mayor's Monday Message list is not shared with any outside groups and is used solely for the purpose of delivering timely information about issues and events in the City from the Mayor's office to your inbox.

I hope you have a happy and healthy week!

Very truly yours,

John DeStefano, Jr.

Mayor

Contact Name: Jessica Mayorga

Contact Email: jmayorga@newhavenct.net

Contact Phone: 203-946-7660