By Pamela McLoughlin
The New Haven Register
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Greater New Haven NAACP President James E. Rawlings expressed outrage Tuesday over a new formula the city is expected to reveal for firefighter applications, as well as what Rawlings says is the city’s attempt to slide the plan under the public’s radar.
Rawlings is calling upon all “concerned citizens” of New Haven to show up at the meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the aldermanic chambers and let their presence be felt and/or opinions be heard. Rawlings said neither the time of the meeting nor the agenda were made easily available to the public.
“This is a public justice issue, a tax issue. ... I want to show the power of the community,” Rawlings said.
Rob Smuts, the city’s chief administrative officer, said the city will “present some ideas” while talking about recruiting of firefighters and police officers Thursday.
Smuts, however, would not disclose those ideas to the New Haven Register. He said people would have to wait for the meeting to find out.
Rawlings said he learned through a source that a plan allegedly will be announced to limit the number of firefighter applicants from New Haven to 50 percent, while the other 50 percent will come from outside the city.
“The NAACP is outraged by the issues going on relative to social justice and economic equity,” Rawlings said.
Smuts, who first said there would be a “public hearing” Thursday, then changed it to a “briefing,” said it would be impossible for Rawlings to be privy to the information that will be presented.
But Rawlings said his sources told him that is the plan, according to a union membership website. Rawlings also said the Firebirds, a group of minority firefighters, had not been told of the plan.
Rawlings said Smuts’ silence and a lack of public detail about the meeting, such as the time not being readily available or the agenda, either, is because the city is trying to diminish the NAACP’s input into the issue and put the general public at a disadvantage.
Rawlings said the goal should be to have 100 percent of the applicants from the city, because it’s important for the city to keep tax dollars here. In sheer numbers that would likely include many minorities since the city is 67 percent black and Hispanic, he said. He said if 50 percent of applicants are required to be from New Haven, that doesn’t mean 50 percent will be hired.
He said it’s not right to let noncity residents take much-needed jobs away from residents.
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