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Good Luck!

Today begins the effort to heal Trenton. I wish Mayor Eric Jackson, members of City Council, and all of the current and future municipal employees and appointees of the new Administration nothing but good will and good luck as they begin today to – hopefully – reverse not just four years of mendacity and disaster, but several decades of drift and decay. Their success will be our success, and their failure will be our failure. How, then, can we hope for anything but good fortune? We would be fools.

At least one voice has been raised to suggest that there are such fools in this city, describing the presence of “detractors [who] hope for monumental or minuscule missteps. Or even failure.” Where there is one person saying these things, there are likely others with the same thoughts unspoken.

What a sad, angry and confused sentiment! “Hope for failure?” What could possibly be the benefit of that? Nothing but infinitely more grief, that’s what.

No one living in this city today, who has lived through the last several years, could sanely want to see anything but improvement in the city. Neither the Mayor nor Council may be the people we preferred, but that’s how elections work. The voters have spoken, at least the ones who showed up to vote.

The new Administration and Council have the support and best wishes of every Trentonian who truly wants the city to prosper. That includes me.

Future successes will surely be acknowledged and applauded, in the hope that they increase in number. However, be certain that problems, too, will surely be acknowledged, in the hope that they be few in number, and quickly contained with minimal damage.

We have the sad example of the last four years to show us the folly of failing to appreciate that, as circumstance warrants, both support and criticism of their government – from Day One – are essential for engaged citizens.  Our public officials deserve no less.

Today does represent a new act for Trenton, of a play already well under way. Mayor Jackson and our Council members will hear both cheers and jeers for their actions, as each are earned. I wish them, and all of Us, Good Luck.

4 comments to Good Luck!

  • ed w

    I 2nd your wish that Trenton has a turn around, however i have not heard any commitments from our surrounding governments(leaders?), county, state or federal.

    Trenton has had the equivalence of a sandy hurricane on a yearly basis for years, FEMA or its equivalent is sorely needed.

    peace

  • Michael Smith

    This comment may be considered blasphemy and a heresy.
    The matter is already a failure people are deluding themselves otherwise. Eventually the city debt [357 million] and counting incurred will have to be liquidated and/or bailed out.
    Wealth is not built or created by pyramiding debt. How else do you measure success or failure except by building and/or creating wealth?

  • .

    thanks for information!!…

  • ed w

    is the 357 million number correct? is that # including unfunded pensions?