SOME PRIMARY THOUGHTS

Less than a week to elections; the local one has been marked by the paucity of material from one candidate, although it is surmised that there is a well organized political base including the PMUA leadership, members of the local Nation of Islam mosque, as well as her own large religious congregational affiliation.

Wednesday Dan Damon raised several questions about expenditures for the Teppers condo (aka unused basement) authorized by the present administration. Unanswered have been similar questions related to the QuadTech fiasco.

In 2010 the City submit an application to the state's UEZ grantors requesting $800,000 in project funding to implement 'Phase III' of the city's proposed closed circuit surveillance system for the downtown business district.   (R291-10), this year there was a proposed tabled ordinance for capital funds that included funding for the “camera surveillance to be placed in the renovated basement of the Police Station. Note that there were overruns in that contract because an unknown wall and room were not (?) on the building plans.

How much money has been spent on this project along with ShotSpotter during the bb past 4-5 years?

These are just a few of the large sum items that have not generated positive results to date. One thing in common; in all cases there has been a void in personnel responsible for fiscal oversight.

On another scale; at the State level although on both the Republican and the Democrat ballots there are two candidates for the Governors nomination. Remarkably all the preprimary TV and Radio campaign spots from both Christie and Buono have been directed at each other as if this would be the deciding election between the two. We do have 5 months before the general election.

Please be advised (sounds formal) that Thursday night through Sunday I will be entertaining my Roanoke daughter, son-in-law and Slapshot their new puppy. Mick will be hiding under the bed, stray shoes will be hiding in the closet etc. I doubt that I will have any time for a pre-election post until Monday but may be able to slip one in.