I was surprised to see headlines in this morning’s edition of the Star Ledger regarding our Mayor Robinson-Briggs and her security detail. To clear the air, the reason our Mayor embraced the security detail was because of the DEATH threats she received early in her administration when crime was running rampant. The writings on the wall left by the past administration were that of out-of-control crime, gang-infested streets, and a higher rate of murders in our city. This unbridled crime menagerie was enabled by the past administration’s laissez-faire approach, thus encouraging criminals to proliferate within our community. That very mindset unfortunately, took the zing out of law enforcement agents on all levels in dealing with our city; they lacked the aggression needed to combat the criminality that had in fact, engulfed our city. These factors, coupled with the threats on her life that OUR mayor received gave way to the advice of OUR law enforcement agency to dispatch a security detail to sustain the well-being of our mayor.
In that same regard, with the crime running free in our streets at the end of the previous administrations term, Mayor Briggs pressed the initiative of cleaning up our city, our streets, ridding our community of the crime wave that was drowning our community. Her mayoral efforts fostered an effective and esteemed relationship with all enforcement on all levels, realizing that in order to gain BACK control of the city from gang members, she felt this relationship was important not only for her safety, but for the safety of OUR community.
Some fruits of our Mayor’s ardent stance and attack on criminality in our city are evident in the major drug busts that our city has accomplished. Gangs and guns have been swept off our streets, lowering the rate of incidences of violence. The Prosecutor’s Office has been working diligently and vigorously to identify and dismantle gang activity in our community. Both the Star-Ledger and the Courier have lauded our efforts and intolerance to crime and community degradation. Moreover, RECENTLY, the city of Plainfield has received POSITIVE press in out collective efforts in fighting the crime in our city.
I believe we have accomplished A LOT within our community over these past 3 years. Yes, we still have a ways to go, just as any other city that has crime issues, but we are running in the right direction! I can honestly say that our community feels safer than it did 5 years ago, due mainly to the fact that the ENTIRE community is at the forefront of our Mayor’s mind, and not just specific wards. In the past, the game of favorites was played, helping one ward while not aiding another. Mayor Briggs , through her sound records of action, defeated the favoritist-mindset that was instilled by the past administration, and has moved to reconnect ALL four wards of the city, promoting community growth and a united front on criminality. Evidence of her efforts in action is shown in how the public displays a renewed faith in out police department.
In being State Chairman of Housing and Local Government, I am exposed to and can see, constant abuse in the systems of civil service and unions. Both facets are excellent establishments, wherein I support them both, but individuals with their selfish ambitions tend to turn honest achievements, into directed blunder. Unfortunately, SOME of those who earn tenure take it upon themselves to place themselves, unjustly, above rules, laws, and guidelines, therefore wasting valued resources. These individuals not only waste taxpayer’s dollars, but they also ignore the fact that they are accountable to a bigger structure.
Due to the severe Wall St. meltdown, budget cuts are eminent across the board, from the federal level down to the local levels. All municipalities then, I hope, should look to their budgets, and ensure that those being paid tax dollars, are in fact, DOING their jobs. Case in point, Dan Damon, who worked for the past administration, was paid $65,000 a year from the department of economic development. The problem here is that NO ONE is really clear on just what he was doing for OUR community, meaning you and me. Thus, it is very odd that when this current administration goes out of its way to ENSURE that our money, tax-paying dollars, are NOT misappropriated, we have a group of people who try to sling mud upon her. It is very sad that they decide to avidly take part in this sort of behavior against the mayor, because Mayor Briggs in fact, represents ALL of us Plainfield! This sort of behavior is exactly why I am in support of legislation on the state level to avoid and deter purposeless spending, spending that hurts and deprives our community of its resources.
Let us, Plainfield, continue to unite and strive towards moving from good, to Better, to BEST!
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