Laughter tethers some City-of-Trenton-sponsored events as administration officials offer self-indulgent grand reviews. City-wide cleanups collect monumental mountains of garbage. National Night Out proved the biggest. The candiest (poetic license) Halloween party in Cadwalader Park rolled out as the most attended ever. (There’s been just two). City officials trumpet the Christmas tree in front of City Hall as gargantuan wrapped by a matrix of the brightest lights that could help Santa and Martians find Trenton in a flash. Sorry to dash away all this President Trumpish pomposity and circumstance but Trenton remains the red-headed stepchild of New Jersey cities, freckled by crime, stagnated by a challenged education system, creased by corruption, blotched by blight, and pulverized by poverty. The capital city faces hard times as government officials massage residents with free turkeys, free toys, and free candy. Gratis lists as the opiate of Trenton masses. Add an alleged 10,000 undocumented residents to the Trenton poverty mosh pit, a situation that could mean a reduction of federal financial support for this sanctuary city, and reason exists for Trenton officials to monitor every dollar. Rainy days and ominous clouds linger on horizons as President Trump and some Republicans will make every effort to negatively impact New Jersey cities, especially after the gubernatorial victory by Democrat Mikie Sherrill. Many non-profits have already witnessed a reduction in federal support. In October, Trenton Business Administrator Maria Richardson attempted to rein in spending with a memo sent to all city departments. Richardson requested cautionary spending on T-shirts for events but made valid points that if expanded show promise. “The City of Trenton is currently operating under significant financial constraints. As stewards of public resources, it is our collective responsibility to ensure that all expenditures are necessary, reasonable, and aligned with the City’s core priorities,” Richardson wrote. The director made clear that some purchases must be pre-arranged by her office and that final approval will also be required through the Department of Community Affairs (DCA). Considering the Richardson intervention, a reasonable request hopes that city officials offer information regarding monies spent on National Night Out, a Halloween celebration at Cadwalader Park, and more recently, a Christmas parade that rolled through all four wards. At some point, someone should inquire about the cost of these activities, including the amount of money being spent on police and employee overtime. A press release stated city officials planned to give a present to any child along the Christmas parade route. Lots of toys were also available for children outside city hall. From what rifled pockets did money get pulled to pay for the gifts? What did the DJ make? Obviously, the Department of Community Affairs, the hand that allegedly controls city spending and rocks the cradle of Trenton civilization, signed off on these events. Trenton needs fiscal responsibility desperately, a departure from these dreadful spending sprees that fuel instant but temporary gratification and supports a cultivation of dependency. Trenton should inherit a smart-poor agenda with persons understanding that tightening belts and budgets can deliver the kind of policy change necessary to impact wasteful government spending. Many people from various ethnicities in Trenton hold stories about sacrifices made to escape being poor. Support through hard times resonates as acceptable but not for an entire lifetime nor for generations. Make the right choices and commit to a plan of action should extract individuals and governments from poor-mouth excuses. Consider this. City officials spend thousands of dollars to rent portable lighting machines for the Halloween Trunk Or Treat event at Cadwalader Park. By the way, the Trenton Police Department held a separate Trunk Or Treat event. Anyway, if city officials moved their celebration to the daylight hours of the Saturday before Halloween, tens of thousands of dollars could be saved just on light rental machinery, not to mention reduce issues regarding public safety. Finally, Trenton offers a free item guaranteed to change lives, leads to homeownership, car purchases, vacations, stocked pantries and refrigerators, fine clothing (if that’s your thing) and many other finance-based opportunities. Learning to read proficiently by third grade produces a foundation for life success. Ladies and gentlemen, shift your eyes to the center of civilization, observe the one (kind of) free item that knocks out poverty, extracts people queued for government cheese and moves individuals into supermarket lines where they can purchase their own freaking turkey or ham — Education. Education. Education. Hope for the one fine day when Trenton leaders boast about our public schools being highly successful filled with students in love with learning. L.A. Parker is a Trentonian columnist. Find him on Twitter @LAParker6 or email him at [email protected]. ...read more read less