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Wednesday, July 29, 2009

When does Camden get to run itself?
Mayor Gwendolyn Faison might go to court over state oversight of Camden.

When the state took over Camden in 2002, it was clear that there would be no quick fixes to turn around the troubled New Jersey city. But that doesn't mean the state should remain in charge for 30 years.

Theodore Davis, the chief operating officer the governor appointed to run Camden, wants the state to retain control until 2030 to give the recovery time.

Three decades seems like an awfully long turnaround, even by government standards. At some point much sooner than that, the state needs to let Camden stand on its own.

The state has already stayed in Camden longer than first planned. Initially, the 2002 law that gave Trenton sweeping authority over city operations was to last for five years. That was extended to 2012, with an option to go to 2017.

Under the takeover, the state provided the city with $175 million to prop up its sagging finances and essentially assumed control of the local government and school board.

Mayor Gwendolyn Faison was stripped of her authority, and the COO - Davis and his predecessor, Randy Primas - were given control over the purse strings.

Relegated to cheerleading from the sidelines, Faison now is threatening to sue the state to end its oversight. Frustrated city residents have likened the state oversight of the impoverished city of 79,000 to a dictatorship.

Things were supposed to get better. But seven years later, there are few major signs the city is on the road to recovery.

Davis blames the city's slow progress on negative press and local elected leaders who don't have the "guts" to make unpopular decisions.

Those excuses don't wash. Shooting the messenger is a canard. If Davis and the state are in control, it seems a stretch to blame the powerless local leaders.

Instead, the state should focus on grooming local officials to take over. A good indication of Camden's future may come with the next mayoral election.

State Sen. Dana L. Redd, the Democratic front-runner for mayor and likely winner, has been silent on whether she would support extending state control over the city. She should demonstrate that she has a plan for Camden to manage its affairs sooner rather than later.

Posted by Inquirer Editorial Board @ 1:55 AM  Permalink | Post a comment
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