The Ruins of Trenton

Mayor Douglas H. Palmer has contradicted himself yet again in defence of ousted Police Director Joseph Santiago.

This time he directly mischaracterized the zeal with which his administration has gone after city employees who skirt the city's residency law, in statements made to the Times of Trenton Tuesday.

"We have better things to do than be the residency police," said Mayor Palmer to the Times Tuesday, in a statement that just goes to show how far this misguided mayor is willing to go in lying and talking out of both sides of his mouth in his drive to save Trenton's controversial Police Director.

The facts of Mayor Palmer's dedication to the residency law and its enforcement are well known.

The mayor has used city funds to investigate and prosecute over 20 city employees for residency violations during his tenure, frequently using private investigators and other surveillance tactics in investigating residency violators and drumming them out of city service with great fanfare.

Right now, at least one city employee and likely several others are being actively prosecuted for breaking the law, which serves to reinforce the city's fragile economy by keeping high-paid city employees living in Trenton.

In that fashion, they both contribute to the tax base and spend their disposable income here.

Mayor Palmer's comments came in a response to the revelation last week on this Web site that he had sent a letter* out to City Council effectively threatening them with being responsible for the termination of additional city employees, who have apparently been spared from the usual Palmer residency treatment by Trenton's vindictive executive.

Mayor Palmer did not elaborate on the nature or number of the alleged residency violators, while simultaneously pursuing an appeal* of the court decision that ousted Mr. Santiago.

He apparently is willing to hedge his bets, especially while dealing with a City Council that has increasingly shown backbone in rejecting his frequently idiotic executive policies.

What Mayor Palmer's statements amount to is only additional evidence of a mayor who is willing to aggressively enforce city law against some employees, while sparing others.

That amounts to the unequal application of the law, which is something that is so obviously anti-American that the mayor now deserves the swiftest rebuke from both City Council and the registered voters of the city.

*Click download to view letter.