What Rise ??

Jerry Green in his blog "A Community On The Rise" of Jan. 12,2009 as usual makes many hyperbolic statements for self justification. Here are three paragraphs (not in order) from that posting with my personal comments.

"I would now like to set the record straight regarding harsh and unmerited criticisms of Plainfield and its leadership that seeks to tear down the city without the thought of rebuilding it. Those who engage in this sort of injurious behavior are beginning to realize the tide which is turning in our City. I am happy to see for the first time in 20 years that the community as a whole is seeing through this sort of behavior and is no longer failing victim to it. I am seeing that as a community, we have turned the corner, and we will continue to move forward in progression and productivity."

In 1981 when Everret Lattimore became the first Afro-American and the first Democrat in 68 years Mayor of Plainfield, it was still a vibrant city and he left it two years later when he became Superintendent of the school system. Rick Taylor who subsequently also was mayor stated in 81 after the election that "Plainfield is now our city". A year latter one Jerry Green was elected to the Union County Board of Freeholders. Can Jerry honestly say that today's Plainfield is a better city that it was in 1982?

The Chairmanship of the Plainfield Democratic Party has been a powerful position for the last 28 years. Looking at Plainfield today perhaps those critics are right and if the tide is to change it will be because of new leadership.

We continue to lose tax rateables. What was once the prime business district in Central Jersey is now a disaster area. For fifteen plus years Plainfield has been promissing its Seniors a center. While other communities have delivered, Plainfield is still waiting continuing to present and then change one unsatisfactory substandard plan for another. The Seniors are still using rented space. That has been a failure of party leadership.

No, criticism does not tear down a city, it is leadership hat has not listen to its critics and have failed to rebuild the city. After three years of the present administration the streets have reach such a degree of disrepair that no one in their right mind would consider the city ideal for a new start. To understand what our streets are like go to this article from the University of Wisconsin; epdfiles.engr.wisc.edu/pdf_web_files/tic/manuals/Asphalt-PASER_02.pdf -. This will give the reader an understanding of the level of our damaged roads. It also shows the causes and preventive measures to preserve the streets.

To be fair all administrations in the past twenty years have to share responsibility. On of the worse examples has been South Ave. which began to fail within a year after it was reconstructed.

"The political climate of change that is sweeping across America, beginning with our President Elect Barack Obama, and manifesting itself here within our city, dictates a message to those who look to undermine and harm our community to ‘Put Up or Shut Up’. For, these same individuals, if asked for their contributions to SOLUTIONS and not just criticisms, would not be able to supply ONE initiative that they have promoted"

Perhaps Assemblyman Green can supply us with the names of individuals who have been critical of him and the city government about specific situations who have been asked and have refused to contribute to "SOLUTIONS" or have been unable to supply any initiative. Has he or the 2008 city government enlisted the aid of any of the local citizens who proposed solutions to Plainfield's Health Care Crisis or any other civic problem?

No, it is that author who failed to put up to save the hospital. His solutions all were designed to implement Solaris' plans. Five months after the city was left without a quality facility we continue to hear horror stories about JFK.

"Unfortunately, we still have people in the city who do not want to give the Mayor and Council credit for moving the City in the right direction in terms of crime prevention and containment. I recently was afforded the opportunity to talk with law enforcement agents on the State and County levels, and they conveyed feelings of pride and satisfaction in the way in which Plainfield’s leadership has been dealing with issues of crime".

On Jan 14 the area network news prominently aired a story about 4 youths being arrested in the High School (according to the paper one was on the street) for having a loaded gun and a kitchen Knife in their possession. The inference was that there was supposedly going to be some "gang" activity after school. Plainfield has been and still is listed as one of the hotbeds of street gangs. The school was listed as dangerous. Although there have been arrests of certain gang members during the past year it seems that they still have a powerful impact upon Plainfield.

It would also be interesting to learn how two weapons were inside the school despite metal detector screening. Where was the break in security?

Yes Jerry I think change is comming. I hope it will start with the members of the 2009 Council, and the Plainfield voters. The June elections will tell part of the story.