Two Telephone Numbers

Feel free to change this, or to write your own message. Just say something!

Mayor Tony Mack, 609-989-3030

“Good Morning, Mister Mayor. My name is ____________________, and I live in Trenton. No, I am not outside your office. Honestly! No, really!

“We put up with a lot living here in Trenton. The economy is bad, and the City has been broke for decades. We know you are not responsible for that. The underlying factors that led to the layoff of more than 100 police officers two weeks ago were at work long before your Inauguration.

“That being said, the decisions you announced this week regarding the dissolution of the city’s Tactical and Vice units, and assigning those officers to foot patrol, are nothing short of dangerous. Crime is already on the rise due to the reduction in numbers of officers serving in any given shift. Eliminating these two units, with a strong demonstrated record of pro-actively stopping crime, getting weapons and drugs off the street, and developing intelligence on devleoping situations, will not stem that increase. Putting these officers on the street, which some citizens profess to want, will not make them more efficient. Relying on ‘public opinion’ for this kind of move is a poor excuse, Mr. Mayor. People are increasingly emboldened to carry weapons, and use them!

“The reported behavior last night shown by you and your Acting Business Administrator toward your Acting Police Director is nothing short of disgraceful, if accounts are to be believed. Your apparent use of Park Rangers as a kind of protective bodyguard for you is improper and wrong. Your continued punitive behavior against city employees not in your favor is clearly the hall mark of a bully. And your inability to recruit, retain or even trust talented senior staff leaves you with only those others as inept, incompetent and untalented as yourself.Too bad for us.

“We can’t go on much longer like this! Most immediately, the Acting Police Director well knows the limited resources he now has available to do his job. He has a plan to utilize them. Since you know nothing about policing, why don’t you stay the hell out of his business, and let him and his colleagues do their job?

“Thank You, and have a Good Day!”

Governor Chris Christie, 609-292-6000

“Good Morning, Governor Christie. My name is _____________________________, and I live in Trenton. Yes, people do live here. Over 80,000 of us.

“I hear you may run for President, after serving not even half of your first term. Well, you should probably know that as more people across the country pay more attention to you – voters as well as national and international media – they will want to know more about you and your record. Naturally, they will look at what things are like in New Jersey and your capital city. You should know, if they ask us about your record on Trenton we won’t say nice things.

“The way you have pushed onto cities and towns an increasing share of a crushing tax burden to pay for fewer actual services has particularly hurt a lot of cities with finances too fragile to bear a heavier load. Trenton, with its pitifully small tax rateables base,  is one of the hardest hit cities. Governor, since canceling Capital City Aid two years ago, you and your Administration have given up any pretense that the State of New Jersey bears any ongoing and regular financial obligation to this City for hosting the State’s buildings  on so much of our best property. You’ve abandoned Trenton, and we will be sure to let the rest of the world know.

“Fifteen months ago, the voters of Trenton elected Tony Mack as Mayor. We apologize for that. A number of us are trying to do something about it, although the Recall process that the Legislature made into law doesn’t make it easy. We think we will have it covered by the deadline in November; we’ll let you know how it goes.

“In the meantime, since your administration created Transitional Aid in 2010, the State has taken up formal oversight responsibility for the City’s government. To make a long story short, you’re letting Mayor Mack and his colleagues get away with too much. Too many poor personnel decisions in hires and promotions have been allowed. True, your Office of Local Government Services with the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) tries to do a good job, and has reversed some of the worst decisions. But there are far, far too many bad decisions coming out of City Hall, and too many of them have been allowed to stand. The recent announcement that former Business Administrator Eric Berry has been hired by the State on a “temporary” basis to oversee relations between the State and the City may improve the ability of DCA to control the worse excesses of the City. Eventually.

“But, Mr. Governor, for the last 15 months – over half of your term as Governor – your track record managing Trenton is frankly pretty horrible. We’ll be sure to let the media know all about that as they crawl around the city, if you decide to run for President. After all, if you can’t manage to rein in your Capital City, how can you say you can handle the Country?

“Have a wonderful Weekend!”