Mr. Joseph Bishop seems like a typical New Haven resident. The son of a Yale Law School professor, he moved to East Rock as a child in 1963. Bishop escaped New Haven briefly to earn an undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and an electrical engineering degree from the University of Wyoming before returning as an adult. He lives in his childhood home in East Rock, works for a small family-owned business in the electric utility industry, and travels regularly, including a five-month stint working in Iraq on a power generator.

Bishop’s lawn, however, is not a typical New Haven lawn. For the past month it has boasted a sign that promotes an East Rock secession from New Haven.

“Our property taxes are twice the state average, three times the national average, and six times California’s,” Bishop said. “These do not represent the costs of government for a community like ours.” He is opposed to paying such high taxes when much of the money aids regions of New Haven outside the East Rock community.

On the website that he launched six weeks ago, www.EastRockSecession.org, Bishop cites a study compiled by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) that shows how much larger New Haven’s property tax is in miles (per 1,000 dollars of property value) than other local and national rates. According to the study, the median amount owed due to property taxes on a 400,000-dollar home in New Haven is 11,818 dollars, whereas in Fairfield country the average is 4,384 dollars and the United States average is 3,856 dollars. Bishop even points out that a homeowner in Niagara County, New York, which has the highest median property tax of any county in the country, would owe only 11,248 dollars.

Bishop argues that citizens have a right to secede if property taxes are too high. “If new borders are drawn, commercial areas which pay large taxes and consume few resources, are not a resource to be divided up by anyone,” he stated on his website. “The decision to be part of a seceding area belongs to the owner of the property.”

Bishop stresses also that his movement is not self-centered or proprietary. “The Left often takes for granted that those who oppose excessive transfers of wealth don’t want to make the world a better place,” he pointed out. “There are many ways to make the world a better place.”

It’s not just New Haven’s property tax that bothers Bishop. He is passionately against the construction of the New Hooker School, which he argues is constructed on too small a tract of land to allow for all the facilities that must be included in a school. The bigger issue is that he wants New Haven politicians to be “more willing to think outside of the box” because, he said, “New Haven’s politicians are fixated on the failed solutions of the past.”

Bishop envisions a City of East Rock that would function like any other Connecticut city. “Democratically elected officials would make all decisions,” he said. When asked if he would like to hold public office, Bishop answered no. The borders of the new city would be decided according to how many citizens joined in the secession movement. He outlined that “with proper public support, this might include the East Shore and/or large parts of the tax-beneficial areas of Hamden.”

On his website, Bishop has publicly asked Mayor John DeStefano, Jr. what percentage of East Rock citizens would need to support the secession for it to occur. Bishop suggested that “secession would require a super-majority of residents, probably two thirds or 66 percent.”

Bishop elaborated that another section of New Haven, the East Shore, was also host to a secession movement about 20 years ago. “At a neighborhood meeting at that time, I shook hands with John DeStefano and listened carefully as he dismissed their concerns, saying simply that ‘It’s not going to happen.’”

Mayor DeStefano was unable to be reached for comment for this article.

So far, Bishop has not found many outspoken allies for his cause. “A few people seem to have said it’s a good idea,” he shared. “Others have had negative comments.” What is most important to Bishop is that others treat his decision fairly. As he simply stated, “I respect their views, and I expect them to respect mine.” Bishop has, however, received a few blog entries that have “crossed the line.”

Bishop is honest with himself. He recognizes that no one else has joined him in putting an East Rock secession sign on his lawn. He admitted, “Secession is not likely to happen, at least not this time around. You’ve heard it from the horse’s mouth.” Despite his sobering realization, Bishop will not stop spreading awareness of his campaign.

“The web site [is] very clear that no changes are advocated without ‘broad public support,’” Bishop said. “I am a private citizen who has put an idea out there for my fellow citizens to consider. Without an indication of such public support there would be no ‘next step.’”