December 14, 2000
Press Release

CONTACTS:
Tony Santini 203-389-6240
Tom Sevigny 860-693-8344

CT Green Party members celebrated yesterday's news that the proposed Long Wharf Mall in New Haven has been defeated. The CT Green Party was a vital member of a large community coalition that defiantly challenged the misinformation and outright lies perpetuated by the project's supporters. The Green Party in particular was able to bring statewide attention to the issue when it invited Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader to meet some of the small business owners who were fighting the project and to speak about the issue to a large crowd at the Yale Co-Op. The Green Party also hosted a large anti-mall rally in July on the eve of the last public hearing.

According to Glenn Mirmina, a member of the Green Party's New Haven chapter, "This is the second time (following Stop the Stadium) that the Green Party has helped the citizenry of Connecticut stand up to a wasteful project that was considered a done deal. The Green Party, along with other coalition members, helped to sway public opinion based on the facts and that is what ultimately finished this project."

Tony Santini, Green Party candidate for State Representative, believes the defeat of the Long Wharf project, "frees up the city of New Haven to pursue more appropriate forms of economic development that will be based on community economics and controlled by the people of the community. Hopefully the people of New Haven can now rest control of community development from the hands of politically connected developers."

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