Booker Versus Rice: The Remix?
January 19, 2009
Booker Versus Rice: The Remix?
by Kris Seals
Sunday January 18, 2009, 6:50 PM
On January 10th, West Ward Councilman Ron C. Rice delivered his first State of the Ward address. He laid out plans to improve the ward in the future as well as what he has done so far. On stage with him was his father Senator Ron L. Rice, Council President Mildred Crump, Newark Schools Superintendent Clifford Janey, as well as other dignitaries.
Rice spoke of matters ranging from new community resources to the official introduction of the West Ward Collective. The motto of the venture is, ‘One Ward, One Family’. Despite all of this, there was one matter that really got the crowd at West Side High School intrigued, and that was his stance on landlords. He is looking to start a bad landlord list, to be presented to media outlets for penalizing such owners.
“We’re going to put slumlords and absentee landlords, like the young people say, ‘On Blast’”, said Rice on this initiative. “If you do not do what you are supposed to do, don’t try to buy another piece of property in Newark.”
In the crowd, there was a bit of murmuring centered on one question, “What about Mayor Booker?” Ward residents were wondering this, especially with all of the other public figures who were on stage to support the councilman. Booker ran against and defeated Senator Rice in 2006 for the position of mayor in Newark, so there could be a little animosity between the camps in theory. However, there have been plenty of situations where officials who did not like each other made themselves present at a function.
So, therein lies the question: Will there be another Booker-Rice showdown in 2010?
Newark police chief job on its way out in favor of director
January 9, 2009
Newark police chief job on its way out in favor of director
by Ralph Ortega/The Star-Ledger
Thursday January 08, 2009, 8:00 PM
Newark Mayor Cory Booker is expected to approve an ordinance next week that abolishes the position of the chief of police, and leaves the authority of the police director unchallenged.
The ordinance was sent to Booker today, according to the city. Booker is expected to sign it next week, according to a city spokeswoman.
Once approved, Police Director Garry F. McCarthy will have sole authority over day-to-day operations. The ordinance also strips the police director, as well as the mayor, of their ability to chose a new top cop for Newark.
“We’re taking that power away from them,” said Councilman Augusto Amador, just before the ordinance was passed by the city council on Wednesday.
With no way of resurrecting the post, Booker and McCarthy will avoid the appearance they might try to replace the former police chief, Anthony Campos, who resigned in October.
The ordinance offers a compromise after tensions arose between Campos and McCarthy, who signed on with the city during the first year of Booker’s administration in 2006.
City officials first agreed to a settlement with the Superior Officers Association, a union representing sergeants, lieutenants and captains, that sued to block McCarthy from assuming the responsibilities handled by the chief. Booker later called for abolishing the chief’s position, leaving McCarthy sole authority over the department of more than 1,300 officers.
Campos also was offered an olive branch: He remains with the department as a deputy chief, and now serves as a public safety adviser to the mayor. He also works with the city’s Office of Emergency Management, Taxi Commission, crossing guards and special police officers.
Despite attempts to ease frictions, there were others in law enforcement who still voiced objections to the ordinance. “It’s appalling what they’ve done,” said Edward R. Brannigan, president of the state Fraternal Order of Police.
Brannigan, a retired Newark detective, spoke briefly at the meeting, and was unable to persuade the council against approving the ordinance.
The president of the Superior Officers Association, John Chrystal, who also was in attendance, left saying he would ask the state attorney general to help the union watch McCarthy closely.
“We’re going to petition the attorney general and ask them for their assistance in this matter to make sure the duties of the police director don’t run afoul,” he said.
Without oversight, Chrystal said there is little to stop a civilian leader from blurring the lines of what can be done. State laws, he said, prohibit a civilian from exercising police powers and performing police duties, but the supervision of operations and administration is allowed.
Coming Soon
October 14, 2008
Another Sample 5
September 14, 2008
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