Carfora Waxes On Industrial Park Face Lift In Advance Of Debate

Opinion written and submitted by East Haven Democratic Mayoral Candidate Joseph Carfora:

"Approximately 25 years ago, the Town of East Haven established its Industrial Park. With its proximity to I-95, the airport, and the harbor, it promised to be a vibrant hub where this town’s already-existing businesses would move to and thrive. It also held the promise of attracting new businesses which could further help strengthen East Haven’s tax base. Fast forward to 2019, and we need a facelift for the Industrial Park. We need to move forward with a Phase II Industrial Park. Moving one (1) new business into the Industrial Park in the past few years isn’t enough to accomplish either a facelift, or a Phase II either. The streets in the Park are not cleaned. The front of our own Town Dump which is clearly visible in the Industrial Park, is not cleaned either, creating a horrible first impression. Even something as basic as the lights that greet visitors at the entrance to the Park are not lit at night, or they are broken. We all want the SAME things that improve our quality of life in East Haven - good schools, low crime, safe playing fields. Those things get done with the economic development of places like Main Street, Foxon Rd. (Rte. 80), and yes, the Industrial Park. We do this by making these areas more attractive to businesses. We clean up the blight through stronger enforcement of our Anti-Blight Ordinances. We do this at the Industrial Park, by considering the re-configuration of the roads there that would make it easier to connect Commerce Street with Proto Drive, and the airport, thereby attracting a transportation terminal that would benefit this Town. We have the tools to do this, just like every other Town around us has successfully done with their own Industrial Parks. We just need to use those tools in a better way than we have done in the past. We can do better. The taxpayers of this town deserve no less than that."

The East Haven mayoral debate is slated for Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. at the East Haven Senior Center, at 91 Taylor Ave.