Ave Atque Vale

Since Sunday afternoon, I've thinking of how to write about my good buddy, Dion Clark.  We did not always agree, but we never argued.  Yet we often did agree.  Dion was never on an ego trip.  When he spoke out, it was because there was a problem, not because he wanted his name in the paper.  He had lovely manners, of the sort rarely seen these days.  So I decided to go with KISS. 

Rest in peace, Dion

Cars & Freebies

Good morning, Blogolanders.  As you know, or should, the city owns several cars (maybe even too many) and department heads often get assigned a vehicle to drive to and from work.  The logic is if there is ever an emergency, a vehicle is available for them to hop in and drive to whatever emergency there is.  I've long dismissed the argrument as so much dreck.  Fortunately, Councilman George Muschal started to investigate this.  And, surprise, surprise, he found what appears to be an abuse of this priviledge.  Department heads using city vehicles (and city gasoline) to buy groceries for the family, take the family on sports outings, and speed along the interstate (one vehicle was clocked at 88 mph). 

So the councilman started to ask very pointed questions.  Some departments responded.  A few did not.  And here's the problem - there are city regulations REQUIRING a response.  We have department heads in violation of city regulations and except for Mr. Muschal no one seems to give a damn.  Well, I do.  And you should, too.  This city is broke - like having no money.  Anything that is not necessary must be cut out.  And using city vehicles for personal errands and outings and racing is something that is not necessary. 

So let's all get behind the councilman and DEMAND answers to his questions and even better, take the damn cars back.  If a department head has trouble getting to work, suggest using the bus. 

And, by the way, such employee benefits are taxable.  How many Trenton department heads report this use of a city vehicle on their tax returns?  If any IRS agents read this blog, maybe some returns should be audited.  And if one uses a personal vehicle for city business, that is tax deductible - when I was working, it was 12 cents a mile. 

Let your councilpeople know you stand behind the Muschal investigation.  This is your property being abused and your tax money paying for it. 

Announcement

Good evening, Blogolanders!  The city council meeting scheduled for tomorrow has been cancelled.  Illness, injury, vacation, and the heat all conspired.  Stay cool.  Love your A.C. unit. 

Jumpin Jo-Jo

Jo-Jo Georgianni is back in the news.  He wants to go to Florida!  When he didn't get his way, he made terroristic threats to an officer of the court, a federal court at that, without punishment.  I don't why it happened, but that pisses me off.  If I had done it, my ass would be behind bars. 

Blogolanders, Jo-Jo tends to fake.  I know because my lungs are shot.  He shouldn't be going to Florida in the summer as the hot, humid air will do him no good.  Maybe the mountains.  Further, when he starts to hyperventilate, he makes things worse by breathing heavily.  There are breathing techniques to calm down which he should know. 

And someone of modest means should not own a condo in Florida; if he does, he should be renting the damn thing out.  Jo-Jo claims to need money. 

This guy is nothing but a bullshit artist and a not very good one either. 

It's Worth a Try

I was not at city council last evening, but I read the reports in both papers.  After a second cup of coffee, I asked myself, "When will the Seven Argives develop a set of brass ones?"  Just what are they afraid of?  George Muschal almost always votes, "no."  Lately, Zachary Chester has been asking really hard questions.  And apparently, Ms. Caldwell-Wilson and Ms. Holly-Ward asked a few pointed questions last evening. 

I for one am tired of listening to Mr. Hutchinson dance around the issues.  Usually, he's followed by my favorite mealy-mouthed city employee, Elena Chen.  Neither seems able to answer a straight forward question.  And damn it!  These are public funds under discussion - our tax money. 

My advice to the Seven Argives when they next meet is to vote, "NO," on all financial requests.  Perhaps that will get the attention of the Honorable Mayor and his minions.  If there is bitching and moaning, then here's the perfect answer -- "Mayor, your future may hold a federal prison; my future holds a re-election campaign."

Does anyone want to make book on this scenerio?

The More, the Scarier

Back again, Blogolanders.  I'm having a quiet day as all the people, and that includes The Kid, I'd want to spend the day with are treating themselves to a four-day weekend.  I've been thinking about next year's mayoral race.  Another hat in the ring - Oliver, "Bucky," Leggett.  So far, we have Patrick Hall, James Golden, Eric Jackson, Walker Worthy, Paul Perez, maybe Kathy McBride, probably Tony Mack and now Bucky.  Eight people looking for maybe twelve thousand votes.  So, Blogolanders, we will face the same mess we did in 2010.  Too many people after too few votes.  If I were running the show, I would tell four of them to forget it.  If they have a desire to serve their fellows, go volunteer at the soup kitchen. 

Why?

Two of them ain't got the brains.
One of them has too much baggage
One hasn't been heard from in years (I didn't know this person was still alive).
One has a nice, safe position; why gamble with it?

Yes, that adds up to five, but one fits into two categories. 

Please, please Blogolanders, take this next election seriously.  Forget where they were raised, where they went to school, what sort of awful childhood they had - ask them how they plan to solve the problems here in Trenton. 

Freedom?

Good morning, Blogolanders.  As usual, my ignorance of technology brought me to a posting.  I tried to add a comment to L.A. Parker's column in today's Trentonian, and I couldn't make the freakin thing work.  Most of you know by now that L.A. wrote about an illegal immigrant, Martita; his point is that until ALL are free, no one is free.  An interesting theory which has holes in it. 

First, the most obvious.  Murderers who are imprisoned for life without parole are not free.  Does that in anyway reflect on our freedom?  I think not.  We are no less free, in fact we are probably more free since we can wander around with less fear for our lives. 

Now as for Martita who entered this country seventeen years ago without proper documentation,  the fact she lives in the, "shadows," has nothing to do with our freedom.  She knowingly entered this country without the proper documents, she knowingly violated a FEDERAL law showing little, if any, regard for the laws of this land, and continues to violate various rules and regulations. 

Apparently, in seventeen years, this woman has not consulted an attorney specializing in immigration law.  Do I feel less free because of her problems?  Hell, no!!  In fact, she scares me.  She admits she is driving without a license.  As someone wrote, she probably has no auto insurance so if she is in an accident....   Think about that.  Scarey. 

And before anyone gets upset, I favor immigration reform.  I also wish to hell that those looking for reform would get it through their thick heads that this problem must be solved in WASHINGTON!!  The Trenton city council and the state legislature can do nothing about this issue. 

Expungement?

Last week Councilwoman Kathy McBride held an expungement seminar at her constitutent office on Warren Street.  Not a bad idea.  In fact this is an issue with which I have had moral debates with my conscience.  Being asked on an employment application if one has ever been arrested or convicted (if yes, please explain) can be an immediate killer.  I doubt anyone reads the explanation.  So perhaps the problem could be solved by asking, "Have you ever been arrested and/or convicted of a first/second crime?"  Those are serious crimes- murder, arson, robbery, etc.  Then there are piddling crimes - 2rd and 4th degree - like contempt of court.  All of these can make trouble in the future.

When I was working, my caseload was pretrial interevention welfare fraud AKA Theft by Deception.  An interesting crime because rich, educated people lie to interenal revenue while poor, ignorant people lie to social services.  Same crime, really.  But, for the most part these are not dangerous people and are basically, very honest. 

Two of my clients faced this problem.  Both co-operated fully with the PTI program; in fact both were cut loose early because they did co-operate.  One tried to get a job in the school lunch program ladling out soup to kids who probably would not even say, "thank you."   She was denied because of her, "criminal background."  The next was a woman who got a job as a maid at the hotel (remember the Marriott?).  And she was a great maid; she did her job, everyone  liked her, etc.  BUT when the background check came back, she was fired.  The hotel lawyer pointed out that since she had a passkey to the rooms, and a history of, "theft," if anything turned up missing, the hotel could be sued."  She was a liability.  Both these women deserved better - and that's coming from a Goldwater Republican.

Obviously some people have to be restricted - no one wants an embezzler handling the books or an arsonist working as a firefighter - you get the picture. 

Now, let's go back to a war story.  When I was working and requests came in from people who wanted to get their voting rights back, the file usually landed on my desk because I was good at filling out the forms, getting the info, etc.  Sometimes it can be a pain in the ass.  One man had a criminal record in a Southern state.  So I called the venue in question and spoke with a very nice, helpful woman who announced, "I don't show anything for your perpetrator."  OK, I gave more info, numbers, everything  I had which led to, "Oh, that explains it.  This was a crime against property.  He served ninety days, paid a fine, and if there were no further incidents in five years, that file gets expunged automatically."  This man had no record in that state and didn't know it. 

He had been arrested and convicted.  But there was no record.  Did that mean he could check the, "no," box or would he have been lying?  That's where I have an moral issue.  Maybe I have too much time on my hands. 

I do belive that it is time to lighten up.  Ask only about first and second degree crimes.  Or better yet, folks - don't commit crimes. 

Beautfiul Dreamer Awake Unto Me....

Well, the Honorable Mayor has done it again.  Last week he held a, "fund raiser," to which about thirty-five people appeared most of whom I'm told work for Trenton having been hired by the Honorable Mayor.  So you don't bite the hand that feeds you, etc.  I'm not sure what the Honorable Mayor was raising money for - a campaign, legal defense, his property taxes, kids' college fund....  And the Honorable Mayor can probably get and keep his name on the ballot next May.  Yes, the trial is scheduled for January 2014, but the defense could argue for a change in venue.  That takes time. 
there is picking a jury - one good thing - this a federal trial so the jury pool is much broader so it should be easier to find people who have no knowledge, or even interest, in Trenton or Tony Mack.  But it is still possible to drag all of this out so the Honorable Mayor is still not  proven guilty of anything by the May election. 

But the Honorable Mayor announces he does not do weddings.  He calls in a minister for perform civil ceremonies.  I'd like to know what else he doesn't do.  He certainly doesn't consult with council.  He certainly doesn't use his brains (assuming his still functions).

What he does do is cling to some dream that he is a super mayor.   A dream that he is saving Trenton.  That he is building a better Trenton.  The man has a great imagination.