I just want to thank everyone who contributed to, encouraged, and helped with my write in campaign.
This exercise in democracy was an experience for all of us. The goal is and always has been to make Trenton better. Let us continue to work towards that end.
—-Jim CarlucciWith just under 28% of Trenton’s 39, 221 voters turning out, “Personal Choice” (the write-ins) received 448 votes or 2.18% of the ballots cast.
Thank you all for your encouragement and support.
| Trenton Council Person at Large |
| 51/51 100.00% |
| Under Votes | 11705 | |
| Over Votes | 0 | |
| Vote Count | Percent | |
| - Phyllis Holly-Ward | 2,593 | 12.62% |
| - Algernon Ward, Jr. | 1,842 | 8.96% |
| - Juan Martinez | 2,044 | 9.95% |
| - T. ”Missy” Balmir | 1,956 | 9.52% |
| - Donelle M. Presha | 594 | 2.89% |
| - Christine Donahue | 1,921 | 9.35% |
| - Ernest Perez, Jr. | 957 | 4.66% |
| - Alex Bethea | 2,879 | 14.01% |
| - Darren Green | 1,934 | 9.41% |
| - Kathy McBride | 3,382 | 16.46% |
| Personal Choice | 448 | 2.18% |
| Total | 20,550 | 100.00% |
Today is the day we have been afforded to make real changes in our city government.
Not only are we selecting those who will represent us for the next four years, we literally have in our hands the opportunity to shape Trenton’s future.
The orthodoxies of the past have led us to the brink of a complete and total failure of Trenton’s ability to function.
Do not be limited by the choices set before you on a printed ballot.
Do not choose based upon an individual’s rhetoric, but by his or her record.
Do not be swayed by slick literature or noisy motorcades.
When you step into the booth to cast your ballot today, do so with certainty that the ones you choose are the best for our city today and tomorrow.
VOTE!
The following is the text of a press release.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Our City Administration has spent over $175,000 in legal fees fighting your right to a referendum on the Trenton Water Works sale! Amazing!
And this is not the first time this Administration has used your money to fight you!
According to documents obtained through an Open Public Records Act [OPRA] request, Council at Large write in candidate Jim Carlucci has calculated that the law firm of McManimon and Scotland has billed the City $177,354.13 to fight your right to a referendum on the Water Works sale.
“Mayor Palmer claims the City is financially strapped and needs the proceeds from the Trenton Water Works/New Jersey American Water deal to hold down taxes. Then he spends $177,000 in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent citizens from having a say in the matter,” says Carlucci. “All the while, he points fingers at the citizens behind the petition and claims they are the cause of dramatic tax increases, when in fact it is the irresponsible behavior of the Mayor and the lack of independent oversight by City Council that has consistently cost the City money it doesn’t have.”
Just last week, Palmer was quoted in the Trentonian as saying, “I believe it’s in the best interest of the taxpayers to have a referendum. I’m asking that City Council waive their 20 days and since Mr. McGrath is here I’m making a request that he waive the 10 days.”
The next day the Times reported that, “Before the vote, Palmer asked them to waive the waiting period ‘so we can get this issue resolved and in front of the voters.’”
“Then why did he spend a year and all that money trying to stop a vote on the matter?,” Carlucci asks.
Incredibly, Palmer lost a similar case in October of 2006 when he tried to deny you your rights to a referendum on the elimination of the Deputy Chief positions in the City Police Department. How much of your money did he waste that time?
“The mayor should have known better,” Carlucci asserts, “and so should have City Council! This is what happens when we let ego and personal interest unduly influence the decisions of our elected officials. Think of all the money wasted by officials trying to circumvent the law: Residency cases, blocking referendums. It’s irresponsible!”
Was your money also wasted on defending the Administration’s abuse of eminent domain? Stay tuned!
Carlucci, in his third bid for a Council seat, is a strong proponent of a common sense approach to good government.
###
A write-in candidate is a candidate in an election whose name does not appear on the ballot, but for whom voters may vote nonetheless by writing in the person’s name.
Write-in candidates are a holdover from the time when ballot papers were blank, and had no names printed on them at all. Gradually, the ballots were arranged to have all the names of the candidates printed on them, with a “write-in” provision for latecomers.
Every voter should learn how to do a write-in vote. While not used very often in comparison to regular voting, it’s a basic voting necessity. This year, make it a point to learn how to do one.
Friday was a busy day. Lot’s of “nuts and bolts” work on the campaign plus hitting the streets to spread the word that there is an option other than the names on the ballot. It doesn’t leave a lot of time to write blog entries so I’m going to let some other people speak on my behalf today.
Last Sunday, May 2, the Times published this letter:
Write in a vote: Carlucci for council
As city voters make their decisions about the upcoming election for mayor and city council, it becomes apparent that the list of candidates is somewhat lacking in true leaders.
I suggest that those who agree with me cast a write-in vote for James Carlucci for an at-large city council seat. With Mr. Carlucci on city council, at least we’ll have one proven intelligent leader and activist to help us as we struggle to overcome very difficult times.
Marge Miccio, TrentonWrite in Carlucci for council at large
As someone who is concerned about Trenton and its future, I have been looking closely at our city council race this year. With so many candidates, it has been hard to decide who is ready to lead our city and make the changes necessary to improve Trenton.
After reviewing the at-large candidates on the ballot, I have decided to vote for a proven leader who knows our city, its neighborhoods and is already working hard for all of us. He is not on the ballot, but I hope he will be if there is a run-off in June. That candidate is James Carlucci Jr. and I will be typing his name into the voting machine as one of my at-large council choices.
Mr. Carlucci ran in 2006 against tough odds, but unfortunately for our city, he didn’t win. If he had, we probably wouldn’t be in such a fiscal mess, with all the unchecked overspending that was done by the administration over the last four years.
Trenton will need strong leadership during the next four years. Mr. Carlucci has proven himself a leader by leading the South Ward Community Police Advisory Committee, helping to bring the Trenton Water Works sale to a referendum and taking stands on crime, economic empowerment, fiscal mismanagement and residency.
I ask my fellow Trenton voters from all of our wards to write/type in “James Carlucci Jr.” to be one of our three at-large councilpeople. Four years from now, they will be proud that they did.
Tamara Stokes, TrentonI’ll be at Cafe Ole on S. Warren Street this morning from 9:00 until about 10:45. Then I’ll be at a candidate’s Meet & Greet in Classics Bookstore, also on S. Warren Street.
Come on out and let’s talk.
City Council carries the legal responsibility to pass a timely and responsible budget. City Council carries the legal responsibility to decide whether or not to approve extra expenditures, be it for emergencies [such as disaster relief], for police overtime, or outside legal fees and consultants.
It is the legal responsibility of City Council to monitor the spending of the budget it has authorized. Are the appropriated funds spent effectively, legally and wisely? Can we say this about the City’s Public Libraries and schools? Can we say this about the frivolous litigations our Administration has fostered?
Obviously our City Council has failed in its most basic legal responsibilities!
Beginning in 2003, and running through 2007, the Police overtime budget went through the roof, yet City Council never questioned it…at least not until the public became justifiably alarmed.
In 2006, the police department spent over $5 million dollars to construct two unneeded police stations in the East and West Wards. City Council blindly approved this expenditure without considering the ongoing costs of operating these stations. Likewise, the City Council didn’t balk when those same stations were all but closed in 2008 due to the layoffs of the civilian police aids who manned them.
Late 2007, the contract for Barry Colicelli, the Mayor’s Special Aid in Gang matters, was up for renewal. It was revealed that there were clear irregularities in the billing and payment of his prior contract. Specifically, the contract for services signed by Mr. Colicelli on March 16, 2007 covered a one-year period from Dec. 15, 2006 through December 14, 2007. Now, Mr. Colicelli was to be paid $75 per hour for a maximum of $91,000. Prior to being awarded the contract Barry Colicelli billed the City of Trenton exactly $7,583 each month for services provided in 2007 for a total of $90,996. That is $91,000 max and $90,996 billed. I can’t speak of his gang knowledge but Mr. Colicelli certainly knew his billing! And he billed for services before he even signed the contract! Legal experts indicate that without an approved contract, payments to Mr. Colicelli were improper and possibly unlawful.* Once again, City Council failed to question this situation until citizens raised the alarm.
In the spring of 2008, City Council was being coerced by the administration to approve a contract to commit to buy $250,000 worth of services from E-Path communications. E-Path had already been awarded the rights to build a “ free WiFi internet” network. Fortunately, myself and other concerned citizens objected loudly enough to get the City Council to halt this frivolous contract.
In 2008 our City Council was also seriously considering the Administration’s demands to spend $200,000 for new guns for the police department. Holy sputnik, Batman! [Editor’s note - hyperbole has no place in polite political discourse] The maker of the guns then in use by our police force was offering to make a free, one-for-one swap for new guns. Once again, public alarm stopped our City Council from authorizing another wasteful contract.
In September of 2008, we found out that the City Library System had not had a proper audit done for years. How did we discover this? When the funding was cut to the point that the branches were going to close. Should City Council have known this? You betcha!
Earlier this year, City Council passed an ordinance on the use of city owned, non-emergency vehicles. The ordinance was brought to the Council by a petition from a group of citizens. Part of the ordinance that was adopted required the Business Administrator to generate an inventory, assignment roster, etc. You know, the basic controls necessary to prevent employees from using City vehicles for private use. To the best of my knowledge, these reports have never been provided to the City Council…nor has City Council requested them.
I could go on, but you get the point.
City Council members have the clear legal responsibility to ensure that the city’s business is carried out lawfully and sensibly. If they are unable or unwilling to uphold that responsibility, the potential for fiscal shenanigans and the waste of your money is very great.
What don’t we know? Yeah, that scares me as well.
When you pick up your checkbook to pay those tax bills that arrived in Saturday’s mail ask yourself – do I know where my money is going?
Next question -Who I am voting for?
May I suggest writing in Jim Carlucci for Council At Large. J-I-M C-A-R-L-U-C-C-I
*Reference on Colicelli stuff: http://www.trentonfacts.com/colicelli.htm
