New Haven – On Sunday afternoon, the Ward 9 Democratic Committee convened at East Rock Market to decide which of the four candidates running in the special election for the vacant alder seat would receive the party’s endorsement. After hearing from two of the candidates, the committee voted 7‑2 to endorse Maria‑Threese Serana, a co‑op science teacher and self‑identified democratic socialist.
Candidate backgrounds and priorities
Serana, a 21‑year resident of New Haven and five‑year resident of Ward 9, has spent a decade working as a paraeducator, substitute and teacher in New Haven Public Schools. She emphasized a grassroots approach, proposing neighborhood‑level leadership positions such as a street chair or block committee to give residents a direct voice. Her top three priorities are:
- World‑class public schools: faster building repairs, stronger teacher‑retention programs, and overall improvement of educational outcomes.
- Affordable housing: monitoring vacant properties and encouraging community ownership to curb rising rents in East Rock.
- Climate resilience: expanding pollinator gardens, planting more trees, creating compost sites, and adding safer bike lanes throughout the city.
Her opponent, biology professor Conor Gilligan, focused on revenue generation without raising traditional property taxes. Gilligan’s signature proposal is the creation of a Stormwater Authority that would bill property owners a fee proportional to the amount of impervious surface—such as asphalt or concrete—on their land. He cited Yale University’s tax‑exempt status as an example of non‑taxpaying entities that could contribute under the new system. Gilligan also called for line‑item budget transparency for New Haven Public Schools and stricter enforcement of the city’s housing code.
Endorsement vote and election timeline
The committee’s vote reflected a clear preference for Serana’s community‑focused platform, with two members casting votes for Gilligan. Ward 9 co‑chair Claudia Herrera noted that the other two candidates, Gavin Arnold and Blaise Berglund, were unable to attend due to travel and work commitments.
The special election is scheduled for September 15, just over three weeks away. The winner will serve the remainder of former Alderman Caroline Tanbee Smith’s term, which ends in December 2027. Because the endorsement occurs so close to the election date, no party label will appear on the ballot.
Context for the stormwater proposal
New Haven’s city council has debated a stormwater authority in the past, notably in 2010 and 2011, but the idea has not yet been adopted. Gilligan’s proposal seeks to fund flood‑management services by charging owners of non‑permeable surfaces, a model he described as “fair and just” compared with a traditional property‑tax increase.
Both candidates presented their visions for Ward 9, but the committee’s endorsement signals a tilt toward Serana’s emphasis on education, housing stability and climate‑friendly infrastructure as the guiding principles for the ward’s next alder.
Original reporting: New Haven Independent — read the source article.
