You can take your endorsements and ...

In the Times of Trenton’s Thursday, February 27, 2014 edition, local consultant Irwin Stoolmacher offered up an opinion on how to elect better candidates in Trenton’s local elections.

Under the headline “Trenton residents need endorsements and voting records to guide election of next mayor”, Stoolmacher advises that endorsements are similar to campaign war chests. He implies that the more of either a candidate receives raises them to higher level than their opponents.

“However, endorsements, like campaign money raised, are significant as they can help to separate the top-tier from the bottom-tier candidates in a race with many candidates, such as the eight at present: Wiley Fuller, Jim Golden, Patrick Hall, Eric Jackson, Oliver ‘Bucky’ Leggett, Kathy McBride, Paul Perez and Walker Worthy.”

Stoolmacher asserts that sorting “can be helpful to the electorate” and requests many local officials to issue endorsements.

“For this reason, I’d strongly urge County Executive Brian Hughes, Rep. Rush Holt, Sen. Shirley Turner, Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, county clerk Paula Sollami-Covello, county surrogate Diane Gerofsky and the freeholders not to sit on the sidelines in the upcoming race for mayor. They should each make their views known as to which candidate they believe is best equipped to lead the city into the future and the reasons for their assessments.”

We suggest that Mr. Stoolmacher has not been paying attention. If he has, he would certainly know that Mercer County Deputy Clerk Walker Worthy has been endorsed by many of the very people he has named.

Endorsements are, indeed, coveted by candidates. Unfortunately, they really don’t give any evidence of a candidate’s qualifications or likelihood of getting elected. Nor are endorsements any kind of indication of how the successful candidate will perform in office. We only have to look at those who endorsed our recently convicted and removed from office mayor, Tony Mack.

The fact is elected officials offering up endorsements only give the electorate an excuse to not do their homework on the candidates.

Stoolmacher as much as admits this when he tries to place the weight of endorsements on the continuum of candidates’ qualifications for the office sought.

“I’m not suggesting that endorsements are more important than a candidate’s experience, position on key issues or performance in debates but, because they often garner significant press coverage, they can be significant.”

Because they often garner significant press coverage, they can be significant.

There you have it. Endorsements are a PR tool. Nothing more. Nothing less. And they let the electorate off of the hook by providing a shortcut to choosing who to vote for.

The voter’s thinking might be something along the lines of “Oh. If the newspaper/county executive/assemblywoman etc. thinks so-and-so is good, that’s all I need!”

To his credit, Stoolmacher does state that when elected officials endorse a candidate they should explain why. He says the endorsements should include the candidate’s skill set, experience, temperament, education, etc.

What about the candidate’s plans? What about who they associate with; surround themselves with; take contributions from?

These are important things to know. Why doesn’t Stoolmacher encourage the electorate to access the public information available via campaign report filings? Why doesn’t he suggest ways and means for the voters to research and evaluate for themselves? Better informed voters will get us the best choices.

The second suggestion in Stoolmacher’s opinion piece is for Trenton City Council to provide voters with objective information that would help them decide whom to vote for.

“I’d suggest it consider making candidates’ voter participation records available. Voting is a clear indicator of concern and interest in government. If a person believes in government, other than incapacitating illness, there is no good explanation for not voting.”

Stoolmacher’s reasoning is that “It takes a lot of chutzpah to ask constituents to vote for you when you have not taken the time to vote in the past.”

Agreed, but why is it up to the city council to provide this information to voters?

It is public information available from the county board of elections. It comes as part of the data set when you purchase the list of registered voters in the city. The data is extremely easy import into and manipulate with a spreadsheet program.

Yes, there is a cost associated with obtaining it, but any individual or group can purchase it, parse it, and publish it. Why does it have to be the city council? It is not in their job description. Or is the author suggesting that each candidate provide their own voting history as part of their campaign resume?

This doesn’t make a lot of sense and it really doesn’t matter.

We need an engaged, enlightened electorate. We do not need more spoon-fed, “show-up-at-the-polls-and-push-the-buttons-I’m-told-to-push”voters.

If, as Stoolmacher closes out with, the Mayor Tony Mack fiasco has taught us anything, it’s that who is elected really matters.

Relying on the same elected officials to tout their favorites, as they have done in the past, is not going to improve our outcome. Choosing based on somebody else’s recommendation is how the city of Trenton got to where it is today.

Looking at and critically evaluating what a candidate proposes, what they’ve done, and who they choose to surround themselves with is what the voters need to do.

Dude, where’s my car?

Mayor loses wheels while courting civic group

Mayor Tony Mack pulled a surprise visit to the Old Mill Hill Society monthly meeting last night at the Mill Hill Saloon.  But the OMHS had a surprise of its own.  The group didn’t have a quorum so there was no official meeting. 

Instead, the Mayor reiterated the points made in a letter tothe neighborhood delivered after the re-dedication of the newly refurbished Ike Williams Center in Clay Street Park.  The hoopla celebrated the completion of work begun stewarded by collaboration between the city recreation department under former Mayor Doug Palmer and various neighborhood residents.  Some of those residents, rightfully, took umbrage at the initial press release that left the impression the project was entirely the doing of the Mack administration.   

The fact is that most of the work being in done in parks around the city has been on the drawing boards for some time and funding set aside for it.  Those funds were about to expire if work wasn’t at least started this spring and the Mack administration wasn’t shy about touting all the projects from the earliest days of the Mayor’s term.

Public safety also came up at the meeting, giving the Mayor the opportunity to trot out another of his favorite ideas: taking police officers out from behind desks and putting them on the street.  Nobody has ever been able to answer the question: who will be left to investigate crimes and manage the department if you return all of the detectives and desk jockeys to the streets?

At some point during the meeting, the Mayor was notified that his car was being towed.

Apparently, Mayor Mack drove himself to the meeting…presumably in his personal vehicle. (And if that is truly the case, we give him props).  Seeing an open spot across Market Street from the Mill Hill Saloon, the mayor parked and ran in to court the OMHS members. 

Guess he didn’t see this sign. 

Or this one.

And his car was removed from the premises for being illegally parked.

Now, this might be funny and kind of charming.  Except for what came next.

The Mayor, apparently trying to figure out which of the two towing companies made off with his wheels, approached one of the Mill Hill residents who was standing at the bar and accused her of calling to have his car towed.

No rhyme or reason to it.  He just walked up and in more than a serious tone asked her point blank “Which number” she had called to have his car towed.

He asked the question three times as the woman and those around her stood in total disbelief. He never offered an explanation or an apology (obviously not Mayor Mack’s strong suit) to those who had witnessed this bizarre turn of events.  He just walked away.

Uh, Mr. Mayor. You forgot something.  Your manners.

You just can't get it right, can you?

A turkey of an idea

Dear Mayor Mack and staff:

 

1. In a city that is broke and broken, do we really need, can we afford, should we have a city sponsored (ie; paid for) parade? It was a bad idea in the waning years of the Palmer administration and yet here you are, the "we're going to do things differently" crew doing just the opposite.
2. Was the Thanksgiving holiday moved from Thursday to Saturday? If it was, it somehow escaped our notice. If it wasn't, then the parade on Saturday is not really a "Thanksgiving DAY Parade, now is it?*
    

Yet again, your lack of common sense is stupefying.

 

 

 

*Before anyone raises the point...we have the same feeling about St. Patrick's Day Parades that are not held on St. Patrick's Day. Regardless of whethere they march in Trenton, Hamilton, Robbinsville, or on the Moon.if it isn't on March 17th, it is NOT a St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Just another nightmare...

Once upon a time there was a city run by ego maniacal joker in expensive suits. He hand picked all the representatives to the various boards and commissions in that city, including the trustees for the library system.

The library system was the first in the state, founded by a local leader some 250 years ago with money that came out of his own pocket. It was such an enlightened and selfless gesture that a branch of that very library system was named in that individual's honor.

Now the well-dressed joker had allowed an old family friend to run the board of trustees of the library for way too long. She ran off some very competent professional library directors as well as concerned and dedicated members of the board of trustees.

Finally, with the library system on the brink of collapse, the woman retired from the board.

A few months later it was announced that there would be a grand celebration thanking this woman for her years of dedicated service to the libraries; the very same libraries that came to be in total disarray under her tenure. And to further honor her, the very branch of the library named for the founder of the system would be changed to the name of the woman who nearly destroyed them.

Now it comes to pass that invitations to the party were sent to a specific list of people by one of the board members, who happens to be the sister of the sharply attired ego (aka "the Mayor"). The date of the party listed on the invitation was different than the one originally touted in the press reports. And the invitation stated that there was a $40, cash only fee to attend the party. (Better than having the cash-strapped library and/or city pay for the fete, we suppose).

More importantly, the phone number listed for the RSVP was incorrect. It was a non-working number.

After trying the phone number unsuccessfully several times, a potential attendee called the library to get a correct phone number. The ever diligent library staff put the caller through a background and credentials check worthy of the deepest recesses of the Pentagon before passing the call along to someone "who could help."

It was at this point that the caller learned that the event had been postponed until a future, as yet undetermined date.

Could it be there was too little interest in "honoring" the retired board chair?

Was there too much grumbling and grousing from the public about celebrating this failure of the system?

Only in Trenton, my friends. Only in Trenton.

Out of the mouths of puppets

Council Prez urges residency amendment

Paul Pintella, Trenton City Council President and recognized puppet of the Palmer administration, last night asked his colleagues to adopt an ordinance that would allow the Mayor to grant residency waivers for city employees.

This is nothing more than an attempt to legitimize the long-time Palmer policy of looking the other way regarding the residency of favored sons and daughters while prosecuting those who have somehow fallen from grace with his majesty, the emperor and his consorts.

Hopefully this request to do the Mayor's bidding thinly veiled as a suggestion from the idiot prince Pintella will fall on the deaf ears of a council that has started to find its own voice in such matters.

Just say no!

Tuesday’s City Council Conference session will include a presentation from Baltimore-based Landex Corporation. This is the group responsible for the Cityside apartments in various locations around town.

According to a report in the Times last week, Landex has proposed a property swap with the City of Trenton. Landex wants the City to turn over 14 buildings it owns in exchange for 22 Cityside buildings around Passaic and Spring Streets. The 22 Cityside properties currently each house 2 rental units, but under the proposed plan, the homes would be converted to single family, owner occupied units. Landex also wants a Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreement, as well as a commitment of some Regional Contribution Agreement (RCA) monies as part of the deal.

Speaking for Landex, Chairwoman Judy Siegle admitted that renting to Section 8 tenants here in Trenton has not worked out as planned for the company.

Council President Paul Pintella and Council Vice-President Cordelia Staton both commented on the lack of quality in the current Cityside buildings.
It appears that under the proposed deal, Landex will utilize the RCA money and PILOTs to fund the conversion of all the properties into owner occupied units.

In essence, this failed corporate landlord that has been sucking up government money in the form of Section 8 rental payments, now wants the city to underwrite its exit from the rental business and support its development of properties for sale.

Once again, we have a would be developer coming to the city with its hands out looking for a contribution/financial support from our depleted coffers.

If Landex’s business model didn’t work out in the first place, what makes us think this new enterprise will succeed?

And what of these Section 8 tenants, where will they live? If they need rental assistance, they surely aren’t going to be able to buy one of these new homes.

Even if they could somehow finagle a deal to purchase a home, if they were “bad tenants,” how are they going to fare as property owners?

Nope. This seems like another bad idea that needs to be shot down.

We keep hearing that things have changed in Trenton and how developers are seeking out opportunities here in the city. But it always seems that they are seeking opportunities to get public funding, at least in part, for their projects.

One bad idea after another is presented, and there always seems to be a member of the administration ready to go to bat for the developer.

When will we learn to just say no?

Ok Kids. Recess is over let’s get back to work.

Apparently the death announcement of the K. Hovnanian project proposed for the former Champale site in South Trenton has brought out the worst playground behavior from some members of City Council.

Council President Paul Pintella has indicated that delays caused by “extending courtesies” to South Ward Councilman Jim Coston led to the projects downfall.

Is Mr. Pintella stating that the deal collapsed from working with rather than strong arming the elected representative of the South Ward to achieve a deal that was satisfactory to all?

Perhaps more interesting, is Councilwoman Cordelia Staton’s assertion that it was delays stemming from negotiations over “property values and assessments” that killed the deal. Trentonian reporter L.A. Parker characterized the Councilwoman’s stance as blaming “homeowners for challenging eminent domain procedures.”

Is she really suggesting that it was the residents who were against the government land grab of their private property who killed the deal?

For his part, Councilman Coston has reported that it has been his feeling for some time that the Administration desired to have a project done in Trenton by a nationally recognized developer such as K. Hovnanian and would do what was necessary to achieve that goal. Coston asserts that a remark from a high ranking administration official indicated that if this project did not get done, the land would remain undeveloped for the duration of Doug Palmer’s tenure as Mayor.

In other words, he was threatened to do it the administration’s way or suffer the consequences.

While not prone to accept all the rampant conspiracy theories that fly up and down the local grapevine, there is some history here that may just support Coston’s hypothesis.

In what may be a coincidence but is still interesting to note, Mr. Pintella mentioned at a TCCA meeting six or seven years ago that Trenton needed to attract developers like K. Hovnanian and/or Toll Brothers to town.

Since he is kept in Mr. Palmer’s expensive suit pocket, could it be possible that this was one of Pintella’s frequent bouts of verbal diarrhea where he let slip a little hint about something that might have been in the earliest discussion stages?

A little foreshadowing to indicate just how prescient an elected official he is?

And when the project was first proposed, it fit the footprint of the existing redevelopment site. It wasn’t until after the initial public approvals came in and some community meetings were held that the plans started to change and more land “might be needed.” At the builder’s request, the redevelopment area was increased to include privately held properties, thus paving the way for the use of eminent domain, “if needed.”

The city was so anxious to amend the redevelopment plan to comply with Hovnanian’s wishes that it was later determined by a judge that procedural errors were made which necessitated a “do over” and delayed the process further.

Of course, neither Mr. Pintella nor Ms. Staton mentioned that when they sought to blame someone for the failed project.

Hovnanian’s own fiscal troubles started to mount as the housing industry slowed. Was anyone really surprised that the company would give second thoughts to building in Trenton?

And is it equally unexpected that the Palmer administration, faced with losing yet another “high profile” project might try to quietly work toward a resolution…like a last minute request to extend the Payments In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) payments?

It is completely plausible. This administration has proven so inept and challenged that it is desperate to have a name brand project as part of its legacy. To this end, the blame game will be utilized to deflect the harsh light of public disapproval from shining on the inadequacies of Mr. Palmer and his chosen few.

While others may have wished Councilman Coston had held a harder line against the expansion of the Hovnanian project from the get go, he at least tried very hard to serve and work with his constituents.

Mr. Pintella and Ms. Staton would do better to serve the people who ostensibly elected them to office than to the puppet master who continues to control their actions and words.

They need to stop these childish games of “I didn’t do it. He/she/they did it,” and get back to the business at hand.

Something doesn't add up

The city of Trenton is facing a $25 million budget shortfall.

The state of New Jersey will give Trenton $21 million (above and beyond the $16.5 million already being paid to Trenton "in lieu of taxes" on the state properties within the city limits).

The money comes with "strings attached" and the Mayor doesn't like it.

He doesn't like the fact that he's at the Governor's doorstep, hat in hand, asking for help, but might have to rein in his profligate spending practices and file monthly reports with the state in order to keep the city solvent.

Hmm.

Mayor Palmer was quoted as saying "For them to ask us to sign this is laughable and unfair."

The Mayor went on to say that the conditions attached to the money are usually reserved for municipalities who have mismanaged their finances but implied that wasn't the situation in Trenton. Rather, it is the state's fault for not paying it's fair share of property taxes to the city and for having no other mechanism in place to hand over $21 million dollars to a city that...has what? Mishandled its finances?

Now, let's recognize right off that the problem of the state paying its fair share of property taxes has been an issue as long as Doug has held office (and before). He's known about it, talked about it and made noise about how it needs to be changed. At the same time, his financial people have known about it and had to deal with it. Yet the spending continued as if "the money were there."

So what does our city's chief executive do? He cries poor and throws good money after bad on neon fire helmets; out of town gang consultants; and stipends for non-resident cabinet level directors.

Four years ago he tried to sneak raises for himself, his directors and city council after having frozen department budgets and asking for cutbacks. When the public found out, a fuss was made, but the raises stayed.

While the Mayor (and his pet, the Police Director) have demonized the Police Unions and cursed the four-on/four-off police schedule, the number of cops on the force has decreased, homicide's have increased and overtime spiraled out of control.

They installed, touted and then cursed a video surveillance system that has failed to perform the promised crime fighting miracles (although it is reported that video footage from one camera did help in the recent solving of the Eure homicide, how many other crimes occurred under the blind eye of the faulty system?). For what purpose all this spending?

So Mr. Palmer and Mr. Santiago can point and say they are doing something. But it is just throwing money at a problem, not solving anything.

The city is losing businesses every day: restaurants, cheesecake bakeries, hardware stores, auto body repair shops. In large part this is due to the reluctance of people to shop or dine in the city out of a sense of discomfort with the less than clean streets; frequent panhandling; lack of suburban style parking convenience and increasing number of abandoned or poorly maintained buildings (including city owned ones).

The administration, through an act of city council, gives hundreds of thousands of dollars to one "connected" developer out of the Urban Enterprise Zone monies that could be better spent bolstering the small business that exist here and need help to survive.

Our hotel, financed with bonds backed by the taxpayers of the city of Trenton, was to be sold. And as part of the deal, the financing burden was going to be shifted from the wallets of Trentonians and spread to New Jersey's taxpayers as the state agreed to substitute its bonds for the city's. Sale or no sale, we're all still on the hook for the financing of the hotel.

Most recently, the Mayor proposes to sell off the part of our water distribution system that serves non-Trenton customers. It's a relatively short term financial fix at the cost of losing one of the city's greatest financial assets (or at least one with great financial potential in the coming years...if managed and maintained properly).

At the same time, the City of Trenton is cashing in it's limited financial stake in the TriGen co-generation system downtown. Again, a one shot financial fix from the sell-off of a potential future revenue source for the city.

The list goes on.

The City of Trenton is not only poorly managing it's finances, it is poorly managed.

To belittle some common sense conditions placed on the state money is irresponsible of the Mayor.

That is to say, "It is laughable and unfair."

Another bad deal for Trenton

This morning's Times carried an article by staff writer Andrew Kitchenman about the continued delays in getting Performa Trenton's "Foundry" project off the ground. This time, it's the lack of closing on the loan from Citibank to finance the project.

To catch everyone up, Performa is a management/development entity headed by one John Elkington. Mr. Elkington and company's sole claim to fame is/was the management of the city-owned Beale Street entertainment district in Memphis, Tennessee. Several years ago, Mr. Elkington decided to leverage his "success" in Memphis by taking on the development of similar projects...mostly around the south. During the later years of the Bob Prunetti led County Administration, Performa proposed a development in Trenton. Originally set for the former Apex Lumber site and adjoining properties along S. Broad Street, the project was shifted up to the area opposite the Sovereign Bank Arena and encompassing the sole surviving building of the old American Steel and Wire Company plant, "Building Four" (this was to be the location of yet another failed development scheme earlier on in the site's history).

The project has been subject to numerous make overs as the developer has sought $10 million in public money along with a $21.8 million dollar loan from Citibank. While we are continually assured that this is a go and ground breaking will occur in this month or that month, nothing has happened.

Well, nothing that is except the failure of Performa Trenton LLC to make a tax payment of $16,800 on part of the property. "An oversight," Performa Trenton LLC partner and spokesman Lindsay Burbage said at the time.

And now we learn that the major financing for the estimated $50 million dollar project has been delayed as the lender seeks more equity from Performa. Perhaps not an unwise move on the part of CitiBank considering Performa's track record elsewhere.

Performa has had little, if any, success outside of Memphis. The Winston-Salem, North Carolina project was dropped because the developer couldn't get as much control of the properties as he desired. Performa was literally kicked out of Shreveport, Louisiana's "Red River District" for failure to perform as promised. The Farish Street project in Jackson, Mississippi has run aground time and again and the Mayor there is reportedly unhappy. And in Birmingham, Alabama Performa is also running into delays in securing loans for a proposed project.

Meanwhile, back in Memphis, the City Council has gone to court again to force Performa to turn over monies owed the City from the management fees collected. Coincidentally, this violates a court order issued in 2002, the same year Performa announced it's Trenton project. It seems as though there are allegations that Mr. Elkington has neither paid the City of Memphis it's share of the money collected for managing the Beale Street district nor placed said monies in a court mandated escrow account. Some estimations place the amount owed Memphis in "the millions."

Further, it has been reported that over a quarter of a million dollars is owed to a contractor for labor and materials used to construct a club in downtown Memphis, near Beale Street, that Mr. Elkington is a partner in. Horizon Construction has filed a lien in the amount of $229,562.39 against the owners of Ground Zero Memphis. The owner of the club is listed as Lee's Landing Commercial LLC with an address at Elkington's Beale Street office.

Taken altogether, it is hard to ignore the fact that Mr. Elkington's Performa Empire is built on shaky ground. It may just be time for the Mercer County Improvement Authority (of which Mayor Palmer's wife, Chris Foglio is a member) to take a step back and start looking at ways to extricate itself from this bad idea.

Technology Turkey

Who gets the gravy?

Not surprisingly, Trenton's City Council once again swallowed the Palmer party line and approved a contract with Florida based E-Path Communications to provide a city-wide wireless internet system. The Mayor himself made an appearance before Council to show his sincere support of this proposal, presumably to secure any possible wavering votes from the body.

It comes as no surprise that the majority of Council demonstrated once again their lack of ability to think and act independently by approving this ridiculous plan without doing their homework.

Fact: E-Path is barely a year old company that was the sole respondent for the city's ill advised RFP for a city-wide wireless network.

Fact: Larger, more established and experienced companies have repeatedly failed to find workable business models for providing this service in other, dare we say more affluent and thriving, communities around the country.

Fact: Offers of free help and consultations from outside parties were spurned by the Administration.

In article in the Trentonian, Mayor Palmer is quoted as saying:

“We envision a network that brings widespread, affordable Internet access to residents, students and teachers — and adds another important amenity for existing businesses and future economic development. In addition, E-Path will build, at no cost to the city, a separate, secure, dedicated network that the city will use for police, fire and emergency services, communications and all other city services.”

Interestingly familiar rhetoric that sounds a lot like what was said when companies were vying to get lucrative municipal cable franchises. Remember the promises of "low cost" and "access?" What are you paying for your cable access these days?

All the optimism and hope in the world cannot make this turkey of a deal palatable.

We need to look at who exactly is "E-Path Communications;" what their real plan is and who stands to gain the most from this contract.

Probably not the citizens of Trenton.

Wi Fi Fo Fum...

On Tuesday Trenton's City Council will be on the receiving end of a presentation from the would be provider of a city wide WiFi wireless network.

Mayor Palmer touted this in his recent State of the City address so we might assume, judging from past experience, that the Mayor considers this all but a done deal. In fact, recent history tells us that if the administration wants it and City Council approval is required, so it shall be.

Of course the vendor-to-be will put its best face on and sell lots of sizzle to Council. Business Administrator (and part-time city resident) Jane Feigenbaum will note all the positives that adopting this technology will bring to city services. Non-resident Police Director Joseph Santiago, in his appearance before Council next-week, will no doubt tout the benefits of a City-wide wireless network to improve policing (like surveillance cameras that work?). To be sure, a strong case will be made for adopting this technology as a way to help bridge the "technology gap" between Trenton residents.

While these arguments and benefits need to be weighed, so too should the facts and experiences of other municipalities around the country who are considering WiFi networks as well.

The facts are pretty clear to even the least techno-savvy layman: the technology is not yet sufficient to provide a low-cost, wide-spread, consistent network. The cost of installation and maintenance are not insignificant and too high for most municipal governments to bear alone. For an outside vendor to provide cost-effective, profitable service the system must be supported either by advertising, subscription/access fees or some combination of both.

In neighboring Hamilton Township, there is free public access to wireless internet in Veterans Park. Before you can log-in you have to register (for marketing purposes) and there are ads on the access home page. And this is just to cover the costs of providing access in one limited area of the township.

Just downriver, Philadelphia's ambitious plan to provide wireless internet access across the city has been a less than glowing success. Some residents still haven't been able to achieve proper connectivity and Earthlink, Philly's service provider, has actually regrouped and stopped bidding on contracts elsewhere as they seek a build a better business model.

Before any decisions are made whether or not to approve a wireless internet package for Trenton, the contract should be reviewed thoroughly by an independent consultant. Of course, this won't happen.

The Palmer administration has already reportedly turned down on offer from a professional consultant (and city resident) to review any proposals from interested vendors. Admittedly the consultant is a frequent critic of the way the city goes about its business, but is that really a reason to turn down free, qualified help?

Lacking any real due diligence on the part of the Mayor's hand picked henchmen (and women), it is up to the members of City Council to do their own homework.

We should all encourage our elected representatives to study not only the "facts" placed in front of them but to also research how other municipalities are approaching this technological frontier? City Council has the resources and the responsibility to gather the facts independent of those spoon fed them by the administration.

...this may be an idea who's time has not yet come.

Trick or Treat?

This morning's Times ran an article about Full Spectrum's presentation to City Council on the long planned "Town Center Project." In the spirit of the season, From the Front Stoop has put a holiday spin on the saga:

Knock-knock.

City Hall: "Who's there?"

Some guys from NYC and elsewhere: "Full Spectrum from NYC and our friend 'Magic' Johnson."

City Hall: "Whaddaya want?"

Guys from NYC: "We want to invest in your city. We want to take over a complete block of downtown Trenton and remake it into a shining example of green development; we want to erect a humongous mixed use property that will revitalize your moribund city."

City Hall: "Really? Great! Where do we sign? When can you start?"

Guys from NYC: "We gotta talk."

City Hall: "Why?"

Guys from NYC: "Because we want to do this project, but we need some stuff from you."

City Hall: "What kind of 'stuff'?"

Guys from NYC: "We'll also need to work out parking off-site since our plan doesn't include enough for the projects tenants, let alone visitors, service people, customers, etc. Oh, and we'll probably need your assistance in acquiring some of the properties."

City Hall: "Get your planning board approvals and we'll get back to you."

Guys from NYC: "OK."

TIME PASSES

Knock-knock.

City Hall: "Who's there?"

Guys from NYC: "Full Spectrum."

City Hall: "Election's over. We're busy."

MORE TIME PASSES

Knock-knock.

City Hall: "Who's there?"

Guys from NYC: "Full Spectrum. We gotta talk."

City Hall: "Why?"

Guys from NYC: "Because we want to do this project, but we need some stuff from you."

City Hall: "We're busy. Tell it to the newspapers."

A LITTLE MORE TIME PASSES

Knock-knock.

City Hall: "What?!?!?!"

Guys from NYC: "Look, really. We want to do this project. But you have to sign off on the developer agreement..."

City Hall: "Let's see that."

Guys from NYC: "...and we need you to agree to some convoluted financing."

City Hall: "What?!?!?! You want us to grant you a PILOT* and we're not even sure if the market can/will support your project. Oh no.. unh-uh."

Door slams.

To be continued...

*Payment in Lieu of Taxes: a frequently granted incentive to given to developers to help the funding of projects.