cards a way for undocumented aliens to gain access to city services and bank accounts (reducing undocumented immigrants' potential to avoid bank fees and interest, while also providing that they don't have to hold large amounts of cash, which made them and people who looked to criminals like undocumented immigrants targets for theft), while critics considered the cards an encouragement to illegal immigration. Proponents pointed out that the undocumented immigrants are already living in the city, and are the responsibility of the federal government, and that these cards would serve to bring people out of the shadows and under a small degree of government supervision. The city began issuing the cards, dubbed the "Elm City Resident Card", on July 24, 2007. DeStefano focused his tenure as mayor on improving education and public safety in New Haven, as well as on economic development. Notable initiatives included the Livable City Initiative, begun in 1996, which promoted homeownership and removed blight, and the Citywide Youth Initiative. In 1995, DeStefano launched a 15-year, $1.5 billion School Construction Program, already half finished, to replace or renovate every New Haven public school. DeStefano was President of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities and President of the National League of Cities. In 2008, DeStefano announced massive budget cuts to balance the city's $456 million budget, including the potential closures of an elementary school, police substations, and senior centers. In 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against DeStefano in the discrimination case of Ricci v. DeStefano. The city had been under a court order to promote 19 white and one Hispanic firefighters who had been denied promotions on the basis that the civil service test they took had been biased. Justice Samuel Alito's concurring opinion suggested that DeStefano had been motivated by improper political considerations in denying the promotions. DeStefano currently teaches an undergraduate seminar, entitled "Making Public Choices in New Haven", at Yale University. See also Connecticut gubernatorial election, 2006 References External links New Haven Mayor's Office John DeStefano for Connecticut – official campaign website Mayors Against Illegal Guns homepage |- 1955 births American people of Italian descent Connecticut Democrats Living people Mayors of New Haven, Connecticut University of Connecticut alumni