While the recall effort fell short of the number of signatures required to put the recall question before the voters, it was a significant statement. Eighty five hundred people stood up and said, "Enough!"
The mistakes and missteps of Mayor Tony Mack are numerous and run the gamut from verbal gaffes ("Happy Pearl Harbor Day!") to complete disregard for common sense and good management.
It is plain as day that the Mayor cannot run the city. City council for it's part, has yet to take full advantage of the authority and power vested in the governing body under our city charter.
Can we afford another two and a half years of this fumbling and bumbling?
Let's tap into the power of those 8,500 people who signed the petition and change Trenton's course for the better before it gets worse.
4 comments:
OK! So what's the next move?
That is the question, isn't it.
As we see it, there are a couple of options open. One would be to start another recall effort. While the law states that if a recall ELECTION fails, no new attempt to recall the official can be started until a year has lapsed we never got to the election stage. It stands to reason that another petition drive could be started.
Another approach might be to look into changing the city's form of government. Perhaps the Manager/Council form of government would better suit Trenton at this time. This would put a professional in charge of running the city day to day and remove council from beneath the thumb of a Mayor and his/her political machine. There are some rumblings of this already.
Regardless of what the next move actually is, it is going to take the cooperative effort of what is becoming known as "the 8500"...those that actively supported the recent recall petition drive...to make positve change happen in Trenton.
fallycI've been looking into this city manager form of government; so far, it looks interesting. Before I jump on board, however, I would like a serious debate on the pros and cons of this form. Right now, I would like to see a serious attempt to locate an HONEST, CAPABLE, INTELLIGENT individual to run against our current honorable mayor in 2014. Lamberton Lilly
The first question is...can Trenton survive under Mayor Mack until 2014?
We hate to say it, but we don't think so. Yes, the city will be here but how much further down the rabbit hole will we have sunk?
It is nice to think that one knight in shining armor can ride up and capture the electorate's imagination but it is just not going to happen.
We had 10 candidates in 2010, how many do you think are going to pop-up in 2014? A dozen? More? And how many of them will come with everything needed to turn the city around?
We've had the current form of government for about 50 years and it has not been so good for the last 10 or more. Why not change it?
What is that definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.
If the voters truly want to do it, they can make that change before 2014. They can marginalize the current mayor and get a professional in here to do what needs to be done to get the city back on track.
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