Posts Tagged ‘Trentonian’

In its October 22^nd editorial, “Furthermore…. Harsh Urban Truths”, The Trentonian lays out what we in the activist community have known for some time:   Trenton is a sick city and our primary care physicians like it that way.

We’ve pondered for years the very same ideas The Trentonian brings up.  We’ve considered embarking on a journey to change our government philosophy including changing our charter. We even proposed a simple change to stagger elections that the incumbents hated.  We’ve noted author Jane Jacobs’ ( The Death and Life of Great American Cities) philosophy that government power is destructive in cities.  We’ve pointed out every bad union contract (4 on 4 off police contract), government subsidized boondoggle (Rush Crossing, LYDC Hotel) and widespread dysfunction (lack of tax base, terrible graduation rate and top ten murder rate) in Trenton.

But perhaps the biggest favor The Trentonian has done is to crystalize and put in print what’s really going on.   Something that, for the most part, we only talk about amongst ourselves.

The “Ruling Class” likes Trenton just the way it is!

People and politicians can indeed get rich on the carcasses of dying cities.  I’ve called Trenton a “company town for the underclass”.  If you can invent a program that feeds on the guilt of the wealthy and has a populist pull for politicians, then Trenton is your spot.  If you can then work the system to abuse the rules (Kahan, Mack, Penrose Properties) then you can make some money.

A poor and uninformed voting base works in your favor.  If Trenton all of a sudden had an “average” per capita income, then that money would dry up.    The opportunity for corrupt officials and the developers, contractors and others that seek to keep them in power would go away.

There are those in Trenton who are part of the “underclass economy” and think they are doing “good”.   Isles thought it was doing “good” when it developed subsidized affordable housing in the Hanover / Academy area, instead they created a ghetto.  I’m sure there are some at the Trenton Housing Authority that think they are doing “good” when they build another over-priced, out of control housing project.  I’m sure the people running methadone clinics and halfway houses think they are doing “good”.  In total, they are making Trenton a mecca for the poor.   They’re concentrating poverty in Trenton, the one place in Mercer County that can’t afford it.

But Trenton’s working and unemployed poor love it. They love subsidized housing.  Some love an overwhelmed police force.  So when a politician tells them “what there government will do for them”, promises a block party or perhaps pays them to vote or work on the campaign, they love it.  There are thousands of voters in Trenton that are easily swayed by hope and promise or maybe even a little cash on Election Day.   Thousands more trust ministers with interests that may conflict with a healthy economy, after all you can’t get a government grant to help the poor in rich cities.

We all vote with our wallets and many Trenton voters are simply voting in their interest to keep Trenton as a mecca for the poor.  So we keep electing leaders that will feed their addiction to government and non-profit support.

The only way this will change in 2014 is for three things to happen.

1)      Credible Mayoral candidates with revitalization on their minds will have to run

2)      Trenton’s tax paying middle class will need to vote in large numbers

3)      A sensible message will need to be made that shows why it’s in the best interest of the poor to vote to improve Trenton’s economy

In my opinion we’re doing pretty well on #1.   We have at least 3 candidates who appear to be honest and hell bent on revitalization with at least some approach in mind to make it happen.   This is light years beyond where we have been in the last 12 years.

As for #2 and #3, we’ll see.  It’s going to take a great campaign from each of these candidates and perhaps even a united front against the pretenders that may enter the race.   I’m hoping for a three-horse race.  I’ll support and work for one of the candidates but I won’t be crushed if either of the other two wins either (More on this later).

For the first time in a long time, I’m optimistic.

 Not every big revitalization idea takes big money.  There are low cost policies that Trenton can either implement on its own or begin lobbying for that will fundamentally change how our city works.

I’m hopeful that our current city council will be inspired to act on these ideas as it has shown signs of willingness to move in a new direction.  I’m encouraged by many of their private and public comments especially around the subject of refocusing our economic development efforts on attracting disposable income.  Read the rest of this entry »