Mack vs. Diversity, Round One

The new Mayor of Trenton is digging in. His first appointments have been pulled out of the old Mayor's basket. He just pulled those old boys out, dusted them off, and propped them up on his shelf and... after they stopped wobbling, turned back for another look.

Maybe that is too simplistic. When Eric Jackson was salvaged, privately I cheeered!

This is a very bright and enthusiastic young man. I was once involved with excavating contracting and can relate to the challenges that the Roads Department faces and appreciate productive solutions. Listening to the one man pothole truck solution, with permanent results as opposed to three man temp patches...why I was just blown away. I am so glad that Tony Mack has him on board.

Now the Police Director business is another story. Irv Bradley was truly a find. He came into the Police Department helping to set up the new computer technology and became a very talented and savvy community minded interface between the Mayor and Police Department. I heard one comment that officers were so happy not to be looking over their shoulders or needing to "pay for promotions". Personally, our seniors loved him.

The new appointment to Police Director is a fellow brought out of retirement to help Mayor Mack. I am sure that he is a fine fellow but I can't help wonder if this temporary position may be to enhance pension benefits. Can someone update me on this possibility? I think the Police Director should be chosen on a basis other than living in the city of Trenton. Dipping down into his history, it seems to me to be a colossal step backward into the "old boy system".

L.A.Parker writes today that Mayor Mack is "under pressure to put as many of City Hall's best jobs into the hands of African-Americans families". L.A. is a stout defender of black interests and I was flabbergasted that he dared to say this. Since he has brought up the subject, and having hosted all those Meet and Greets for Mayoral and Council candidates, I can attest to the concern that black candidates and businessmen felt about losing some of their political clout with the change of administration.

For a while, Tony Mack even invited Frank Weeden to his transition team. You never hear about that. The sea of black faces at the inaugauration of Mayor Mack is reassuring to the black interests in town but it really does not indicate a progressive direction for this city.

I suspect that the latest census is going to show that the demographics for Trenton are over fifty percent Hispanic and Hispanic mixed, about twenty percent black, and about twenty percent white. That is not enough to support the white supremacy argument for Divine Allah, that is not enough blacks to support Mayor Mack's administration, that is a sign instead of a segment of the city that is not being represented.

Instead of worrying about paying off political debts, I implore Mayor Mack to look ahead and plan for the future. We must get a handle on the way this city feels about itself. We cannot afford to keep the same policies and procedures in place that so bogged down the Palmer Administration.

If we are going to present a desirable and marketable image to the rest of the world, we have to be inviting and safe for tourists. It seems obvious that the rest of the world thinks of Trenton as a sea of gangs and black faces.

There. I said it.

Diversity. Mayor Mack, what are you going to do about it?

Have a nice day.