As the Current Occupant of the Trenton Mayor’s Office sweats out the last few days before an all-but-guaranteed Federal indictment on criminal extortion charges, the race to get his job is on.
There are about 18 months before the next Municipal Elections in Trenton, in May 2014. We are starting to read pieces in the local newspapers about some individuals making preparations for running for Mayor. Some are forming “exploratory committees,” writing Op-Ed pieces and the like. Others are letting third parties throw their names out for them. The rumor mill is also starting to kick into higher gear, with a lot of informed speculation (and some speculation not-so-informed) about other people whose names haven’t yet hit print.
It’s 18 months out, and there’s already quite a crowd of candidates assembling. Unlike 2010, when a multitude of people ran for the mayor’s office upon the announced retirement of Doug Palmer, the gaggle of names now being talked about may run for an occupied seat. Normally, considering a run against an incumbent is a daunting prospect. In his last three runs, Mr. Palmer ran against opponents who really couldn’t be taken seriously. Of course, I include the Current Occupant in that number.
Now, of course, the CO is mortally wounded as a candidate. His multiple failures in Office, his criminal troubles, and not least the state of his campaign fund, have all caught up with him, and have all but ended any chance of being a credible candidate in 2014.
According to his quarterly financial reporting with the NJ Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC), the most recent of which dates to this past July, the man’s fundraising has collapsed. He hasn’t raised much cash in nearly a year, and nothing from anyone in Trenton NOT named Tony Mack since October of 2010. At the same time, his financial reports show a pattern of spending his campaign funds far faster than he’s been replenishing them.
His report for the most recent quarter, ending October 15, is a month late now. Since that period covers the FBI raids on his house and those of his brother and close associate, and Trenton’s City Hall; his arrest, and almost daily highly damaging reports in the papers and on TV; I really can’t imagine that it was a good quarter for him.
In fact, as of this past July, the CO became his own Treasurer. If a sitting mayor can’t find anyone else to serve as a campaign Treasurer, that surely ain’t a good sign!
So, politically, even if nothing else happens to him and he miraculously manages to last until June 30, 2014, Tony Mack is a dead man walking. That’s a fact. Of course, he may actually file for re-election, in which case he will simply be a dead man running.
This goes a long way toward explaining all the movement going on now. The CO’s blood is in the water, and that’s attracting several sharks.
I’m not going to talk today about any of the potential candidates out there; it’s a little too early. But it is definitely not premature to talk about some of the attributes I expect to see in credible candidates, and other factors I see as definite deal-breakers.
First thing to me, and probably among the most important: unless you’ve been involved, vocal and active during the last two years; unless you’ve been on the record against all the shit we’ve gone through; unless you have been on the record in some way; don’t even bother. There have been enough outrage, disgrace and shameful behavior – not to mention likely criminal acts – in this town under this Administration, that unless you have spoken or acted against this, don’t even try asking for my vote. Some politicians are like locusts who appear only every four years, and I have no use for them. Unless you have a damned good reason for being silent and/or passive during our Time of Troubles, don’t even talk to me.
Next: if you are interested in running for Mayor, remember that it’s an Executive position. Show me how you have run things. Show me people you’ve hired and managed, P&L responsibility you’ve had over real budgets, tangible accomplishments you can point to. Show me a solid record, in other words! Articulate it, defend it, be proud of it. It can be in government, non-profits or the private sector; all are relevant. But you must show me that you earned and exercised significant responsibility in an executive capacity, and that you acquitted yourself well.
Your record has to be credible. We’ve seen how a non-entity with a threadbare resume as a Mercer Freeholder; lackluster experience managing a small City department; and a short, failed tenure as a school district Business Administrator can bollocks things up mightily. We won’t be as gullible again. (I hope!) Mere political experience, unaccompanied by a positive executive record, is an absolute non-starter to me. Bottom line.
You must also possess achievable goals for Trenton’s future, a road map for getting there, and be savvy enough to be able to persuade others that your map will lead us to a good future for this town. Trenton is dirt poor right now, and the resources to rebuild will have to come from outside. We need new homeowners and their families willing to invest in the future. Businesses willing to gamble on local facilities, workers and services. A lot of other towns and cities will be competing with us for these same resources, and they’ve pulled further ahead of us in the last few years while we’ve been distracted by incompetents and criminals. You are going to have to convince us that you can make the case for our city and fight for our future, make up the ground we’ve lost and then some. Make us believe that you and the team you can assemble can do the job.
That’s a tall order, I know. But these are, at least for me, non-negotiable.
One other thing: in the immediate future, as you engage in your explorations and testing of the waters, show me at the very least that you know the game and can play by its rules. Case in point: the aforesaid ELEC, the first and most basic way you can demonstrate that you’ve brought at least some game.
As mentioned above, the CO has been filing quarterly financials since the last election, although he is late with the most recent one. That is a requirement of elected officials. State election law considers elected officials as automatic “candidates” for the next election, and requires regular, quarterly reporting.
Of our other current elected officials, as of today, December 4, 2012, the only members of Trenton’s City Council to have filed any quarterly reports for the next municipal election since 2010 are Phyllis Holly-Ward and George Muschal, although Mr. Muschal’s recent reports are inexplicably posted to the 2010 elections.
That means that, at least in this regard, that Alex Bethea, Zachary Chester, Marge Caldwell-Wilson, Kathy McBride and Verlina Reynolds-Jackson are all not as conscientious in their observance of the law as Tony F. Mack has been.
Let that sink in for a bit!
If these five council members can’t even satisfy ELEC requirements, you have to ask how well they can play this game, at all?
Welcome to 2014. Here we go.
Four shot near Spring Street and Nero’s still fiddling. For the good of the rest of us, he needs to go away and let a real leader start to manage this chaos.
It should be quite a ride.
Let us also forget where a candidate was born, raised, and educated. There is nothing wrong with a Trentonian born and bred, but it does confer special powers. And let us not, please, hear a debate as to who had the most difficult childhood.
Pat – You are right. I forgot (silly me) how important those things are to too many local voters. Not important!