Bain-Diebold: Same mayor, different flavors

There is a summary on mayoral candidates' self-promotions in the Advocate today. It is interesting because it demonstrates how far out of touch are both candidates with what citizens want from city (or any) government.

Both of them talk nearly the same talk - as though "safety," paving and other programs involving the so-called "infrastructure" are about the only big problems on the minds of citizens. They speak of "economic development" as though this is a goal for the general population (people who pay money into city government), rather than for businesses (people who profit from city government).

They speak the same type of BS and only the flavor is different, but not by much. Both candidates have been buried behind the doors in city government for so long they can't recognize the real-world Newark.

They can't possibly know that people want government at all levels to be accountable to citizens - not political cronies and not businesses. They want the folks in city hall to stop BS-ing and be open and honest in part and in whole. That's one thing.

But more than anything else, citizens want government to stop with the never-ending rise in taxes and fees. They want a mayor who will be an ally, not an adversary. They want a mayor who will use taxpayer money wisely, who will use his influence to LOWER taxes and fees. They want a mayor who will consider - for the first time in a long time - the welfare of the taxpayer above the welfare of city employees.

Just now all that looks pretty hopeless. Just now, it's a choice between flavors of the same old bull shit.