A taste

On Monday, July 2, 2012, the City of Trenton hosted a celebration of Giuseppe Garibaldi birthday celebration.

The refreshments for the reception after the ceremony were provided by Amici Milano in Chambersburg.  The city paid $2,550 for a hot buffet for 150 people. See the invoice and purchase order here.

The purchase of the food was paid for out of the Economic Development "Profession Services" budget line.

The event was announced in this June 18 Press Release.

While we have nothing against the celebration of the many ethnic groups that have made Trenton what it is, we have to question this expenditure.

Why did the city, after over 100 years of presence of Italians and Italian-Americans, decide, in one of the worst fiscal years ever, decide to foot the bill for this extravagance?

Is the following sentence from the press release a clue?
Letters of friendship will be signed by Mayor Mack and the Italian delegation, establishing a bond between Trenton and Sicily.
Sicily? With all of the connections Trenton has with Naples, Casandrino, San Fele, etc. why all of a sudden are we "establishing a bond between Trenton and Sicily?"

Could it be because Tony Mack confidant, supporter and, now, co-defendant, JoJo Giorgianni is of Sicilian ancestry?

And why Amici's? Not that we have anything against Jimmy and his restaurant, but wasn't Amici's the place that put on the evening reception after the January folderol regarding the Mayor's Commission Committee on International Business Affairs? The one that supposedly sent a letter to the city stating the cost of the reception was donated only the city could never produce said letter?

It doesn't really matter.

What does matter is that a broke and broken city can't afford this kind of frivolous luxury.

Why did we spend $2,550 of tax payer dollars on this? And did anyone take a head count? Did we actually provide food for 150 people?

While we have learned to expect and revile this type of foolishness from Mayor Mack, didn't we expect that BA Sam Hutchinson and the DCA would put a brake on this kind of spending?

The only economic development to come out of this event was the money that went into Jimmy Kamies' pocket.

Good for Jimmy. Bad for the city taxpayers?

Whaddaya think?

Below is the text of the purported Executive Order 10-11 creating Mayor Mack's Commission on International Business Affairs. You can find a pdf of the original here. You read it and then get back to us with answers to these questions:

• Does it make sense?
• Is this something the city of Trenton should be doing right here, right now?
• Is this even "legal"? 

Let us know what you think.

City of Trenton

EXECUTIVE ORDER 10-11

Executive Order by Honorable Mayor Tony F. Mack

Mayor's Commission on International Business Affairs

September 20, 2011

An Executive Order establishing the Mayor's Commission on International Business Affairs to encourage the development and implementation of policies, programs and practices specifically intended to improve conditions affecting the cultural, social, political, educational, health and general well-being of African and Caribbean immigrants, refugees and asylees residing in the City of Trenton, Mercer County. The commission shall make recommendations with regard to the Mayor and /or his designees, all relating to the improvement of conditions in the City of Trenton, Mercer County for International Business communities.

WHEREAS, Several international and humanitarian and international faith based organizations intervened in Africa, Europe and Asia refugee's crisis by arranging to resettle many refugees from these countries Liberia, Sierra Leone, Eritrea, Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Sudan, Somalia, Italy, Russia, Ukrainian, Poland, and other Eastern and to communities within the United States; and

WHEREAS, Beginning in the 1990's and continuing until today, several African countries have undergone severe civil war and political unrest, leading to genocide of many ethnic and religious minorities, as well as the exile of former government leaders and their families, creating hundreds of thousands of refugees and political asylees; and

WHEREAS, At the same time, political unrest throughout the Caribbean, especially in Haiti, created an additional refugee crisis within the Western Hemisphere; and

WHEREAS, Similar umbrella Organizations will be created to represent the Italian, Polish, Russian, Asian, Central and South American Communities etc.

NOW, THEREFORE, by the power vested in me in accordance with Article 5, Plan D 3-­9 of the city of Trenton Charter, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION

The City of Trenton, Mercer County Mayor Commission on International Business Affairs ("the Commission") is hereby established in the Mayor's Office, which office shall pay, from appropriations made to it, all the expenses of such commission

Section 2. FUNCTION OF COMMISSION

·         Host monthly interactive Commission Meetings to promote and inform the African, Caribbean, Italian, Polish, Russian, Asian, Central and South American Immigrants of activities occurring within the Trenton Immigrant Community.

·         Collaborate with African, Caribbean, Italian, Polish, Russian, Asian, Central and South America affiliated organizations in providing support to events such as; health fairs, college fairs, cultural programs, political events, galas, and roundtable discussions on current issues.

·         Make representation at conferences locally, state-wide, and nation-wide and internationally to promote education, job security, and cultural enrichment and immigration issues.

·         Promote business and trade agreements on behalf of the African, Caribbean, Italian, Polish, Russian, Asian, Central and South American Communities.

·         Organize Trade Missions, International Trade and Business Shows and Forums and promote Exports

·         Engage in neighborhood improvements and revitalization programs

·         Assist Immigrants with accessing city services through the office of the Mayor.

Section 3. COMPOSITION OF COMMISSION

Each Independent Commission shall be composed of nine (9) members, who shall serve without compensation. The mayor shall appoint members of the commission as follows:

(a)    The President of City Council or his or her designee;

(b)   The Executive Director /Chairperson of each cultural division

(c)    Two (2) other members of the community appointed by the Mayor

(d)   Five (5) other culturally diverse professional, business owners and faith based community members from the City of Trenton appointed by the commission.

Section 4. COMMISSION OFFICERS

Commission Chair and all other officers of the Commission will be elected in accordance with the process outlined in the bylaws.

The commission will develop and implement bylaws and create a mission statement that supports and reflects the needs of the African and Caribbean immigrant community in the City of Trenton.

Section 5. This order shall be effective immediately.

And, if you check the original document, you will see it is signed on October 19, 2011...one month after the date the order was issued.  Really?

We know one thing, if we were one of the "advisers" to this endeavor listed on the city website, we would be screaming to have our name removed from any and all documents pertaining to this mess.

Fundraising for the commission

It looks like another round of "Hey, kids! Let's put on a show!"

Yesterday's big news was the creation of Mayor Mack's Commission for International Business Affairs. This august body was reportedly the result of an executive order issued by the mayor last fall. While we still haven't seen a copy of said order, we do have some questions about this situation.

Can a public body be created by the mayor via an executive order?
What powers would such a body have that require them to be "sworn in?"
How is this commission being funded?

Well, on that last point we have at least a partial answer.

Seems as though after Friday afternoon's "swearing in" ceremony at the Marriott, there will be a special dinner held at Amici Milano restaurant in Chambersburg. Want to attend? Just cough up $250 and you can!  At least that's what the invitation says.

Makes one wonder though...

You're having a ceremony at the hotel which has a ballroom and is fully equipped to handle a large affair, but you are going across town to a restaurant that is much smaller, for your fundraising dinner.

Our guess is that, like the "swearing in ceremony" itself, the idea of changing locations for the dinner is all about making a display.  Just picture it, a motorcade of limousines flying little flags from their fenders and ferrying the diplomats and such wending it's way through Friday evening rush hour traffic from the Marriott to Chambersburg.