The Ruins of Trenton

Getting involved in a lawsuit against the City of Trenton and Police Director Joseph Santiago's non-residency is one of the greatest actions to which I have ever affixed my signature during my 25 years of existence.

Through it all, I continue to believe one thing about this wonderful city on a hill: Trenton SHOULD be a happening place, and a place that bucks the trend of downtrodden New Jersey cities.

It has everything going for it, like the presence of state government, waterfront properties, wonderful housing stock, and an impressive transportation network.

But all those factors seem to have been negated because the most important factor determining the welfare of a municipality is the conduct of its government, and in this respect the growth of Trenton is continually stunted.

We have an absentee administration from top to bottom, with multiple department directors doing the Santiago shuffle by failing to maintain a bona fide residence - and a bona fide interest - in our community.

Also bearing consideration is the continually shrinking tax base, disappearance of the middle class, and other symptoms in a city where people are afraid to live, work, and spend.

With regards to Mr. Santiago, I believe that a better public servant is one who understands the trials and tribulations facing a community.

But one who lives far away is one less likely to take the proper policy action while employed in public service.

Those policies and decisions need to be of the highest quality in Trenton government, simply because we face the most dire and extreme of all urban problems.

We cannot deal with a government that utilizes the petty seizure of power and bending of law at will, because the strongest and most empowered arbiter that could potentially fix our problems IS the government.

A government like that of Mayor Douglas H. Palmer's - which has become complacent, lazy, and accepts the status quo - cannot serve the public interest, and cannot begin to bring our residents out of the chains of crime and poverty that now envelop them, left and right.

This city is potentially on the cusp of greatness, but only with the removal of this governmental crutch can we begin to even develop, and then implement the way out of hardship.

It is time to begin that change.