Let My Fingers Do The Talking

Let's just recap all the events of the past week in Trenton that have left my hands exhausted from typing:

The week started with the discovery of a video produced in the manner of a movie trailer for an action film that touted the accomplishments and credentials of our own Mayor Douglas H. Palmer. The video was made by the US Conference of Mayors, a lobby group that Mayor Palmer currently presides over. It was filled with in-jokes and padded with TV and film clips. A DVD with the video plus a longer, more serious one was sent to select individuals in the area.

From this viewer's perspective, the video was in poor taste considering the state of our city. We'll comment on that at a later date.

Following on the heels of the release of the video, the September issue of Esquire hit newsstands. Inside was a pictorial shot at the Conference of Mayors Convention in LA in June. And there was "Dapper Doug" with a full page photo modeling a very expensive suit, shirt and tie.

More inflated that the cost of the clothes were the self-serving quotes that accompanied the image.

In a newspaper article reporting on the Mayor's Publicity Blitz, Mr. Palmer feigned humility and embarrassment at all the attention. A few days later the editors of the same publication called him on it by suggesting he could simply say "No" to these TV appearances, magazine layouts, etc.

On Thursday came the revelation that Dennis Gonzalez, a self-described "loyal employee of Mayor Palmer" sent a letter to a private citizen threatening to sue for libel and slander unless that citizen offered up a spoken apology at that night's City Council meeting followed by publishing newspaper ads with the same apology. And all the Citizen had done was ask for an status update on the various and sundry development projects that had been proposed since Mr. Gonzalez had become a city employee.

Imagine being sued for asking questions of your local government!

And to cap off the week, a dedicated and effective Police Detective was notified (while on vacation no less) that he was being reassigned to patrol in a seemingly deliberate attempt to weaken the Police/Community relationship in the City's South Police District.

Yup, folks. There is plenty of fodder for conversation in the events of last week.

Meet me out on the stoop and we'll talk about 'em.

Can We Be Honest, Just Once?

Capital Health System has announced that it is interested in developing a first class, tertiary care facility in Trenton. (Think Cooper Medical Center in Camden) This would mean an investment of hundreds of millions of dollars in the City. Some of the money would come from the State of NJ which, by the way, has expressed an interest in just such a facility.

Mayor Palmer says, "No thank you. I want St. Francis (Medical Center) to build it. Downtown."

Well Mayor Palmer, how about some full disclosure.

How about you are trying to prop up the sagging fortunes of St. Francis Medical Center which is in need of some tertiary care itself. Even after you "suggested" this plan to St. Francis' management, they have not done the necessary planning nor do they have even have the proportionate amount of funding that CHS does to put toward such a major development. (Translation: more government investment)

How about the fact that old friend and confidant Bill Watson is on the Board of Trustees for St. Francis?

How about you tell the truth and the whole truth. Just once.