Wilmington Mayor’s Race — Gloves Coming Off Edition
There is a crazy amount of campaign material that is coming in my mail on a daily basis and I probably shouldn’t admit that I look at all of it. Mainly to assess campaign strategies and wonder at the fact that I sometimes hear more from candidates who are supposed to represent me via these crazy mailings than I do in RL (*cough* Bob Marshall *cough*). Anyway, yesterday’s mail produced the first real hit piece I’ve seen for the Mayor’s race — there may be others that I don’t get, but this one made me chuckle.
(Click images for REALLYBIG version.)
What do you think?
Tags: City of Wilmington, Mayor Race
I heard a rumor Dennis P. Williams left the police force on disability for a broken finger and that he’s been collecting disability while a state legislator. First, I’m wondering if this is true, and second, I wonder if that broken finger will impede on his ability to be mayor?
Well, it’s paid for by some anonymous PAC.
While his tax issues are fair game, IMHO, I sure would like to know who’s behind throwing this shit up on a wall.
Don’t hide behind anonymity.
A finger injury would have crippled Baker, especially if it was the middle finger
That is funny – I wonder how effective these kinds of campaigns are in a mayoral race – if you aren’t on the list (or here now) you don’t see it, also wonder how many others are out there aimed at other candidates. It looks like someone was having fun in Photoshop.
Kind of confused about the above comment. That’s the whole point of political mailers. They are targeted.
Well I have gotten none so no one is targeting me. Not sure why questioning the efficacy of this kind of thing is confusing–I am curious as to how effective they are here.
These things tend to be targeted for sending to certain types of voters, often voters with a consistent track record of voting or certain groups of voters tend to be valuable. Everyone says that they hate negative campaigning and ads, but it is indisputable that negative ads can move the needle.
I forgot to note that this was from a PAC that seems inscrutable. There have been a few pieces in favor of Bill Montgomery from a PAC recently, too.
Are you kidding ME!!! When did Dennis P. Williams raise my city taxes???? Bill Montgomery who also is responsible for this article wants to raise my taxes 15 per cent. He has changed that from a one and done to “In my first year in office” so I guess we better hold onto our wallets if he is elected.
If you want High taxes and High Crime, vote for Bill Montgomery or Kevin Kelley. As for the tax issue everyone on this web site has had a family member who at one time was bankrupt, on drugs, alcohol, divorce, alterative life style behind on their taxes. So what is the big issue this is just as I said before Desperate time’s calls for desperate Measures.
Get ready & hold on! Between now & Nov. this is all we will see on TV. Thank God, for DVR. Though I’m a Dennis Williams supporter, from a marketing perspective they are good, I would never sink this low or flat out lie. Dennis never said he would raise taxes, that was Montgomery. Did I hear something about a law signed outlawing these, but it doesn’t take effect until January??? So, these are unethical, maybe illegal, though effective & someone is very affraid Dennis will win. Typically, when I see these type ads, I find no credibility in the sender & it gives me reason to vote for the candidate they are bashing. Just My Opinion…
Is it fair if the ad, though negative, is factual on an incumbents record, as far as keeping campaign promises?
Does that type of ad also give you reason to vote for the candidate the ad targets?
“As for the tax issue everyone on this web site has had a family member who at one time was bankrupt, on drugs, alcohol, divorce, alterative life style behind on their taxes.”
What does an “alternative life style” have to do with Dennis Williams not paying his taxes? I’ve had family members go through all sorts of personal problems, in places with far higher property taxes than Wilmington, and none of them ever strung out paying their taxes as long as Williams did.
Fail. Again.
What is interesting (and clever) about the taxes claim is that they specifically cite bills that DPW voted on to raise State taxes. If you click on the first image and look at the larger image you can clearly see the footnotes for that claim. There’s no claim that he’ll raise taxes now. Rather, this piece pointedly wants you to know that DPW has been very cavalier about paying his tax obligations while voting to raise yours down at Leg Hall. So they haven’t lied about anything here, really.
If you want to do attack pieces, just have the stones to run it from your own campaign. Bill Montgomery is hiding behind some secret third party group to do his dirty work because he can’t win the race on his real record of 12 yrs. of failed leadership and most violent city in America. Desperation time for ‘ol Bill…the same group ran two fluff pieces for him before the ‘anonymous’ attack on Dennis. It will only get Dennis team working harder and backfire.
I see what you are saying Cassandra with the footnotes, but it’s obvious the intention is to imply that Dennis will raise taxes in Wilmington which is untrue. What he has called for is a complete audit of the City books which is the most prudent thing to do. Finding waste & possible corruption may prove to be even more interesting and disappointing. A wheel doesn’t roll straight if it is not in balance. What is most interesting is that whoever is putting this together is afraid of what that audit will uncover. In 12 Days things may begin to be even more interesting! I need more popcorn…
Ads like these are designed to make people less likely to vote for someone, in this case Dennis Williams, than to make people more likely to vote for someone else.
So, I’m guessing that the target audience for this ad would be people who are leaning to Williams. If they stay home, it’s worth half a vote apiece.
In other words, this mailer is designed to drive down turnout for Williams.
Two fluff pieces on public safety for Montgomery and then a hit piece on Williams. I have no respect for these COWARDS hiding behind this shadowy group. Bill’s funders on this should have the guts to step up and say who they are–whether its big developers, vendors with current city contracts, Dem city committtee, certain labor officials, fat cat cronies in Highlands. Bottom line: This shows there is a lot of fear that change and reform may be coming to City Hall…
Definitely right El…from my understanding they are being sent to Wilmington’s poorest neighborhoods. I can say that Montgomery’s supporters are attacking on many levels & it is the same behind the back methods he used when COS. Not opinion, rather fact that several have made complaints about me. At least one did have the guts to confront me, but his Question: How can you support a candidate? Doesn’t the Hatch Act apply? Stunned by his ignorance, my reply: There is this thing called the Constitution! And I have never received money from the City, State & Federal Govt. I wish they would put money into my program. Yeah! I’d take it in a heart beat.
How does the saying go about a Wolf in a Sheep’s clothing? Seriously Camp Bill…get a grip
I had a nice conversation with Shayne, Dennis Williams wife last night, though irritated by these attacks, she was not upset. She explained how they are not rich people & the struggles they have had financially in taking care of family. And then today I see the letter in News Journal by Bill Warburton. I am so tempted to take the gloves off!
Will,
If the letter’s statement that the family takes home $150,000 a year is accurate, then they are rich in my book.
@SussexWatcher…I don’t know the exact # income wise. I do know how much out of pocket medical bills can be & nursing home care. My mother & stepfather had to pay for my grandmothers, none of the other family members would/could contribute. It was $5000 a month.
from my understanding they are being sent to Wilmington’s poorest neighborhoods.
This would be *quite* wrong. Yesterday, I heard from multiple friends definitely not in poor neighborhoods who got them.
Sure, medical bills can hurt, a LOT. I know that personally. But a family that takes home $150K is not middle-class, and definitely not poor.
The letter also brought up something I hadn’t known – Williams’ wife works for the city? How is he going to bypass that conflict of interest if elected?
Dennis Williams NEVER made a statement about raising taxes!
SW:
Re DPW’s wife — the easy way to avoid any conflict of interest would be for her to retire and perhaps collect a city pension. Seriously, however, (and I’m no DPW fan) look at how many of the legislature have spouses/family members working somewhere in state government. To my knowledge, no one has ever tried to disqualify them from running.
And, considering DPW’s case, let’s be realistic about the significance of any perceived conflict. Which would be the greater problem: a mayor whose wife supervises workers who write parking tickets, or a county executive whose wife clears the way for rezonings through the county’s land use office?
Look at it that way and, really, it’s hardly a big deal.
@cassandra…if they are going other places then it makes me scratch my head why? I see each candidate as having strong support in different parts of the City with pockets in each. If they are going to areas that are more probable to support Bill or Kevin then they are worthless. I don’t see any candidate having broad support, each has support in all socioeconomic, but no one commands any. The results should be interesting & may be shocking. At this point, I’m studying strategy of each. I heard Bill’s radio ad today, poorly produced. Not picking at Bill, it’s just in a town where there are a lot of talented marketing & creatives, social media guru’s, all the campaigns are C- at best in that area. It looks like old fashioned on the streets is the only thing working.
If it comes down to old-fashioned on the streets, it’s going to be neck and neck between Kevin and DPW, and I’d give the edge to Kevin because he’s more affable.
As for Bill, the only streets he’s got are in Midtown Brandywine. Oh, and he’s great in the highrises … but most of the folks who work there don’t vote in the city.
Many of the voters are still undecided, regardless of where they live, from what I have seen and heard. Even supporting one candidate over the other doesn’t necessarily mean that is the man a supporter now will vote for ultimately.
What does seem clear across the board is that there are three major contenders and given the vote splits for whatever reasons (the neighborhoods, the debates, the messages, the perceived qualifications) I imagine lit drops and mailers (again regardless of message) are still an attempt to keep someone out or keep someone else in the game. And those drops needn’t target one segment of the population at this point.
What’s DPW doing with an ad on cover of the NJ’s Crossroads section today?
Premium pay for special position, and I would guess that 80-90 percent of NJ readers are not voters registered in Wilmington. Looks like highly inefficient use of resources. Maybe his campaign has money to blow, but he won’t have that if/when he’s mayor.
Kiki’s right — there does seem to be a decent number of undecideds and there are previously decideds who are thinking of sitting this one out. A few of my neighbors saw the Channel 28 debate and were pretty disgusted by it. Most people are still targeting pieces to people who have a decent habit of voting in primary elections, and I imagine this piece was similarly targeted.
Williams is a democrat, he’s safe.
Now if he were a Republican, under the bus he’d go.
I can respect shrewd, but I have no respect for sneaky. The recent mailings by supporters of Bill Montgomery & his saying he knew nothing about them…I don’t think anyone is going to accept that. Glad everyone has the opportunity to see the Bill I know. In my Opinion: Montgomery is done. It is a two person race, Kelley & Williams.
Now, if there was a debate between Kelley & Williams,that I would love to see. The Final Two in an all or nothing match.
The recent mailings by supporters of Bill Montgomery & his saying he knew nothing about them
People might not accept that, but Montgomery does have to say that, you know. He or his campaign aren’t supposed to be coordinating (or seen to be coordinating, more like) with this kind of PAC.
@cassandra….”If you ask me, I have to say No, but if I don’t know about it”, seem familiar to you?
It sounds like every other politician disavowing whatever his or her PAC is doing.
@cassandra…Disavowing is Dishonest? In comparison to the other races, the mayoral is small, but to all of us it is the most important. It will determine the future of our City. Personally, I don’t need a PAC from Texas trying to influence & if my candidate accepted such behavior, I would walk immediately.
How do you know this PAC is from Texas? The return address on these pieces is Union St in Wilmington.
And if your candidate had a PAC, he’d be doing EXACTLY the same thing. Because legally you aren’t supposed to know what this PAC is doing. Even though I don’t think anyone believes that. It is called Plausible Deniability.
If I read the News Journal article correctly http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20120831/NEWS02/308310030/Mailers-promote-mayoral-hopeful-through-loophole?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Local
I’m as inside the Williams campaign as you can get & I can say with all honesty that there is no PAC. Dennis has been completely honest with me & straight forward. I don’t agree with Dennis on all issues & that is good, sometimes you need to argue to get to the best solution, but there has never-ever been a dishonest moment. And I have never had to say, don’t lie to me. Because he says what he believes & yes, says it in a tough manner, he is put down. Yes, that part of Dennis needs improvement. Honesty & integrity are the qualities I demand if I am to support. Maybe this is a game to everyone in politics & there is no place for “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington” anymore. I still believe in traditional values. After the elections & they are in office, isn’t that what we want?
This web site is starting to sound like Fox News. Next thing we will know is that Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly will be posting on here next.
Taxes records and Sealed Records what next a birth certificate! This is a total raciest article and a personal attack on this person.
Let see Timothy Geithner had tax problems and he is now United States Secretary of the Treasury.
Also look at the attacks Barack Obama faced over sealed records. But he still because President.
So to all of you Fox News fans what’s the problem?
Also concerning the crossroads section today? I received my crossroads section in the mail today and saw the Dennis P. Williams add. I later called a friend who lives outside of the city and asked him if he saw it in his crossroads section, of course he didn’t because the crossroads sections are set for specific areas. So this was a highly effective use of resources and very cost effective
As a resident of the city I have only received the fluff pieces for this address and not the tax one. So this should prove that certain demographic of the city are being selected. So this would be considered raciest to me. But the funniest mailing was the one I received the other day was the Safe Street mailings with pictures of a fire engine and a police officer on it. But Bill Montgomery was instrumental in cutting the fire department and laying off firefighters and police officers. So how does that make our streets safe?
@Will — I see now. I hadn’t had a chance to rad the paper this AM. No one is accusing DPW of having a PAC, but you can bet your bottom dollar that if there was some group spending thousands to help get him elected he would sound JUST like Bill M in that article.
@saveourcity — I haven’t a clue of what you are babbling about, but I find it hard to credit a piece as racist when it has had distribution in the 8th too.
The Crossroads are selective. When I worked for the University of Delaware Development Office, one of my duties was to update our website demographics data of ‘friends’ and alums, often by reading through the local news.
This was before news was online. I tried to get the paper to send me all of the different Crossroads editions because the Newark edition was missing so much of the published information.
Cassandra:
“No one is accusing DPW of having a PAC, but you can bet your bottom dollar that if there was some group spending thousands to help get him elected he would sound JUST like Bill M in that article.”
So now you read minds? It might be legal but its offensive and Kochesque. Welcome to the dark side:
No, it’s just cynical. And DPW isn’t special enough or gifted enough or honorable enough as a politician to do anything but follow the usual script.
But thanks for adding your hypocrisy to this thread today!
“Welcome to the dark side”
Apt words from someone fluffing KWS and Tom Gordon.
In the fullness of time some of your choices are going to look suspect, honey:)
Says someone whose choices look suspect, NOW.
I will revisit this on 9/12. However, the hypocrite here on the Montgomery piece vis a vis Williams is you. Your guy benefits so you justify. In my view its kochesque but if you research DOE records in ’02 and ’04 you will see that I had a PAC and I did exactly that. So my position is that its offensive and in order to get my guy over the top I may well have done it. But that’s me, you have no basis in fact to impute that to Dennis. And it tarnishes your holier than thou persona.
Winners:
Stewart
Williams
Gordon
McDowell
Townsend
Staton
@cassandra…”Now, there you go again” Maybe I wasn’t speaking clear enough for you to understand. “Dennis P. Williams has not accepted PAC support, has said NO & will not accept” No plausible deniability needed. You can think whatever you want & try to pin him as you want. The difference is I know the truth & I do not lie or fabricate. So, you will need to discredit me on this. If Dennis told me tomorrow he was going to accept PAC support, I’d drop him so fast & I would tell you why. I’m not sitting on the edge of my seat worried, I know he won’t.
Bill Montgomery’s support has been most notable among Republicans who are switching their registration to vote in the primary. So does it surprise anyone to see him using Republican campaign techniques?
@Will — Do you even *read* what people write here are are you just posting up the talking points your people send you in here to write? You can provide a link to where I claimed DPW has a PAC or accepted PAC support or you can stand down from this BS.
The ethical quandary surrounding any candidate’s use of a PAC is one thing to debate. But I’m with Cassandra (again) regarding your comments Will – she never said Williams had a PAC, she said hypothetically IF he did he would categorically deny knowledge of it for legal reasons. Semantics.
Yea you just prononced that he would if he could, in your standard condescending tome. The Williams suporters on here are no match for your crap because they are just trying to support their guy in a straight forward way. You, my dear are the essence of horse hockey. Don’t make any plans for the Mayor’s innaguration I doubt Dennis will be inviting you:)
Your winners card looks to be short indeed.
@cassandra…You made no comment that Dennis has a PAC. You made it quite clear if given the chance he would accept. I’m telling you as Fact: He would not!
Talking points people send me to write??? Seriously, that’s your best? Anyone who has ever heard of me knows that’s impossible. I guess stand down means I will be banned from this blog for exercising freedom of rational speech.
Well at least you admit I didn’t claim DPW didn’t have a PAC. And Bill W said what ANY of them would have said if they had independent expenditures on their behalf. Just because the Williams supporters are naive, doesn’t mean I need to be. But then again, I’m free to say what I like as I’m not taking checks from any candidate and don’t have any ambitions to either be at an inauguration or restore any delusional political cred.
@Will — reading what people actually write is progress. And not it is you in the mindreading business.
@cassandra….reading what people actually write is progress. And not it is you in the mindreading business.
Can you write that in english? My grammar is not great, but I don’t understand that at all.
unless you are a fortune teller… are you?…. you CAN NOT know that honey:) that’s 1001 check references….. go for 2k….. as to delusional I am not pronouncing what other would, could or might do….maybe you are the real witch:)
@cassandra—I live in the 8th and the tax piece was not delivered in my area. You have to realize the 8th district has changed. I know the piece was not delivered to people who live in certain areas of the 8th district do to their income levels. So their again they only selected certain people of a certain income to receive it. As for babbling if you really took the time to read the post and did your research on the information you who have a clue.
Now to add more I jsut heard there was another shooting in Wilimgton at Grotto’s on PA Ave. Which is in the 8th district so the cancer is coming. Really how are you going to vote on 9-11 for less crime or more crime?
What would make a voter think their vote will have a lick of value towards the end of reducing crime? Has any candidate EVER run on the “I will raise crime platform” ?
@saveourcity have you researched any candidate beyond Williams for their crime-reducing plans? Just curious. I find it interesting that anyone not supporting of Williams is seen to be supportive of crime, or that a vote for any other candidate somehow equals a vote for more crime.
I live outside the city and have no vote, but I was taken aback by Williams’ ugly statement about Kevin Kelley being an “empty suit.” Excuse me? In a city full of empty suits — I’m pretty sure Ted Blunt’s picture is beside the dictionary entry — Kevin Kelley is anything but.
Mr. Williams, you’ll notice, is not selling any “plan” at all for fighting crime. He apparently thinks being a blustering asshole is all the message he needs.
http://www.delawareonline.com/videonetwork/1814903892001/Street-Wars
Wow Geezer, I guess you aren’t taken aback by your own language. I don’t think Dennis’ comment was approprite either. Kevin is not an empty suit. Here is a link to Dennis’ Safe Neighborhoods Initiative
http://www.williamsforwilmington.com/vision
@Kiki…This time I agree with you. In my opinion each of the candidates believe crime is the major problem in Wilmington & they are qualified. Not a doubt in my mind they all truly care about Wilmington.
@Kiki—Yes due to my position I was able to interview all the candidates including the lone republican who are running for the Mayoral seat. Some of their plans were a disgrace remember two candidate have been serving the city one as an elected official for over twenty years as a city council person the other for twelve years as the second highest non elected position in the city. So what has happen under their leadership? Has crime gone down? NO!!! Have they stood by and supported your safety? NO!!! They were both responsible for laying off Police Officers and Firefighters. Wilmington is at a crossroads WE are the County Seat and the Corporate Capital of the world. If this is to continue WE are going to have too joined together as citizens of this great city and “Say no to crime.” If not we are going to be the next Chester! Due you really what that to happen?
@saveourcity — Have heard back so far from 4 folks in the 8th who got that piece (2 in Wawaset Park) and 1 in the 2nd. So you would be wrong about this thing not being delivered in the 8th.
And the city laid off some first responders (and eliminated positions by attrition) as well as others in city government. Why did they do that? Because they couldn’t pay for more. City property owners have had to live with multiple tax increases to pay for city government. And I seriously do not think that people in the city want to just send all of their tax money to first responders. Even at their highest force strength, the WPD did not use those resources all that well. Besides, DPW isn’t proposing anything that the WPD isn’t already doing. See the last two paragraphs here.
Considering that the candidates to which you refer live in the city, with all that implies (paying taxes, raising children, enjoying recreation and nightlife here, etc.), and have spent years in public service to the same city, I don’t exactly feel they have stood by contemplating their navels while overjoyed at the rise in violent crime and problems with safety in the city where they have chosen to live with their families and be employed. Laying the blame at their feet is just noise and pointless rhetoric, especially when as Cassandra points out Williams’ proposals generally cover policies already in place at WPD, which if we follow your line of thinking are problematic and currently exist thanks to Montgomery and Kelley.
And as I have pointed out time and again, there is so much good happening in this city every day and night. Statistics aren’t run on that; the stories aren’t sexy and dangerous enough to be hyped everywhere. Many of the communities are fighting back under the current administration (and will likely not stop under the next regardless of who is elected) while continuing to enhance their neighborhoods and their city at large and the quality of life for everyone, every age, every race, who wants to live, work, and play here. It’s ludicrous to compare Wilmington as it is now to Chester.
MW: Montgomery is leading the lawn sign derby in many neighborhoods [including several in DPW’s district].
“Wow Geezer, I guess you aren’t taken aback by your own language.”
Now I question your reading comprehension. I used Ted Blunt as an example of an actual empty suit. IF you don’t think Ted Blunt is an empty suit, then I question your political judgment.
“Here is a link to Dennis’ Safe Neighborhoods Initiative”
Thank you. It sounds nice, it’s thorough and has some good, if vague, ideas for how to achieve its vision. If he had kept on articulating those ideas instead of resorting to inaccurate insults and quitting the field altogether, I wouldn’t be questioning the suitability of his temperament for the office.
JM:
Glad to hear the signs indicate that Bill is cutting into DPW’s turf. I like and respect Bill. That said, I wish he had distanced himself somewhat from Baker (and left the Baker team sooner than he did) and his attacks on DPW, however valid they might be, are not representative of how Bill has carried himself through most of his public service career. That disappoints me.
@Cassanda— “@saveourcity — Have heard back so far from 4 folks in the 8th who got that piece (2 in Wawaset Park) and 1 in the 2nd. So you would be wrong about this thing not being delivered in the 8th.”
The Wawaset Park area is in the 19805 zip code. My area is in the 19806 zip code so not every area in the 8th received the tax mailer. Again they are being selective on who receives the info by using zip codes. You should have been able to figure that out on your own.
@ Cassandra—“ Stop drinking the juice and read my post fully before responding” No firefighters and Police officers were laid off by attrition!! Real people were laid off and collect unemployment checks. CHECK YOU FACTS OR CALL THE POLICE AND FIRE UNIONS for the real fact or even better have to nerve after you identified yourself after your last posting that insulted every first responder in the city to ask one of the first responders you know the ones who protect your life if they have had layoffs in the last four years you will be surprised to find out that real people were off. That’s how I got my information by asking the first responders the ones you appear not to care about by you last posting.
Glad to see good constructive criticism here instead of the malicious attacks I’ve seen earlier.
@geezer…No comprehension problem, I just don’t call people names or judge how one fills out there suit. I will say I was never impressed by Ted & pleased when he backed out early as a candidate for Mayor. I was also disappointed when Paul Calistro dropped out.
@Kiki… I’m impressed! Thank you for turning conversation toward the positives, I’m sick of hearing all the negatives & disappointed in myself for being sucked into that talk. There are hard working great people in all the communities, all they need is a Mayor who will support what they are doing & concentrate on first the basics of what govt. is supposed to do.
@everyone…You all have some valid points & I’m sure even better ideas & vision. I’d love to hear more! As my job is to coordinate revitalization in downtown, I really need the community support, but more so the ideas & vision that come from interaction.
If any of you have the opportunity; Please come Downtown to the 700 block of Market St. next Friday at 2 PM when we begin removing the ugly exterior security gates on businesses you see at night as you walk from the Grand to the Queen. We will be restoring 27 buildings.
Gov. Markell & Mayor Baker will be there to help kick it off. (Don’t say what you think about that, its part of the job)I’ve also invited all the candidates, city council, big banks who funded the project & the public. It’s as much a Rally to Revitalize as it is Tearing down a negative perception.
After the elections it will be very important for everyone to lay down their swords. Pick up tools & start rebuilding. I hope you all will be part of that. I hope I will be as well.
SOC – You are a certifiable moron. She said that first responders were laid off AND positions were eliminated through attrition.
@SussexWatcher—Thank you, I glad I can rattle your marbles that easy.
@saveourcity:
The Wawaset Park area is in the 19805 zip code.
So what? The only thing that I noted was that people in the 8th (city Council District, since you weren’t clear) were getting the hit piece. You are the only one trying to restrict that to a zip code.
No firefighters and Police officers were laid off by attrition!!
And here’s another one who won’t read. This isn’t what I said as SW pointed out. Some employees were laid off and some positions were eliminated by attrition. No one is laid off by attrition, fool. I speak to first responders pretty regularly as a few of them are VERY good friends of mine — so I know how this works. AND the city got grants to get back most if not all of the WPD and WFD people who were laid off. But positions — as in head count — is definitely down. As is head count all over the city who continues to struggle to pay their bills.
@cassander—When it comes to layoff in Public Safety how much is the lives of your loved ones or friends’ worth? Detroit with in the last two weeks had a fire in which a father and son perished all because the fire station two blocks away was closed. When you cut public safety the dollars you save today only pay your lawsuit of tomorrow for not providing the service in the first place. So should Wilmington keep rolling the dice?
“When you cut public safety the dollars you save today only pay your lawsuit of tomorrow for not providing the service in the first place.”
FAIL. The government is immune from such lawsuits. And police staffing is well above the national average for cities of Wilmington’s size.
If Wilmington follows your advice, eventually only the first responsders will be living there.
Sorry the city is not immune from such lawsuits. Also the surviving spouse can also sue the city for not providing the proper protection to their spouse.
As for the first responders living in the city that is a issue for another time. Also I was speaking about the fire department so how did we get on the police department???
Many first responders don’t live in the City in the first place. But what is true is that the city can’t just spend its entire budget on first responders. What is even more fun is that saveourcity is supporting a candidate who says that tax increases are off of the table. If that is true, then how is the city expected to pay first responders, and their ballooning health care costs while doing all of the other things the city needs to do with no new revenues to pay for it?
Another interesting item — Wilmington has had a fair number of fires this spring and summer, yet it has been able to fight those fires well even with the dreaded rolling blackouts in place. So if you want t scare the bejesus out of people, don’t go to Detroit. Start with Wilmington scare stories if you got ’em. And don’t think I won’t check up on those stories, either.
Really? Why don’t you point me to all the lawsuits of that sort that have been filed against Wilmington?
I don’t know where you hang your piss-stained pants, but so far your only contribution here has been to, well, piss your pants about public safety. Grow a pair or move to the suburbs.
Ah, yes, I had forgotten how hard Wilmington’s public safety unions fought to be allowed to live elsewhere. That campaign proved that they actually will work harder as long as there’s something in it for them personally.
@cassandra—-What is even more fun is that saveourcity is supporting a candidate who says that tax increases are off of the table.
You seem to have a very short memory which I can understand with all of your negative postings. First of all I have not endorsed any candidates so do not assume.
If you remember I’m a Republican who received the group letter from a certain person asking us to switch parties so we would have a say in the up coming primary election to vote for the candidate who now has promised to raise our taxes 15 percent which is only a small drop in the bucket for me with my income. Yes I may sound a little pompous but I have worked very hard for everything I have achieved in life.
But even as a Republican I have something you might not have its called human compassion. I know a large number of people can not afford the tax raise so now I have to reconsider all the candidates that is why I have contacted them and read everything on them and their records.
So I still have not endorsed any candidate for office.
@Geezer Really? Why don’t you point me to all the lawsuits of that sort that have been filed against Wilmington? I don’t know where you hang your piss-stained pants, but so far your only contribution here has been to, well, piss your pants about public safety. Grow a pair or move to the suburbs.
The City settles all lawsuits out court privately. So you would need a FOIA to view. As for the comment about piss-stained pants since your screen name is Geezer you would know more about them me. Still under 40:-)
It doesn’t settle any in which citizens complain that their complaints weren’t addressed in a timely manner, and you can’t find any because they don’t exist. A lawsuit must be filed before it can be settled, and it wouldn’t have to be FOIAed to be seen. I have never seen one filed over anything like that, and neither have you. It’s just more of your pants-pissing.
“Pissing your pants” is an expression used to describe quivering cowards (the administration of the site frowns on use of the female anatomical term). I’m not the one so afraid of Wilmington that I”m willing to throw how ever much money it takes at the police to make him feel safe. You are.
Anyone who believes the next Wilmington budget can be balanced without a tax increase must be a Republican, because only magical thinking can accomplish that.
Bill Montgomery might not have done the smart thing by telling that inconvenient truth, but then he won’t face the backlash your guy will when he finally acknowledges economic reality.
If Williams really thinks he can balance the budget without new revenue, ask him how. He hasn’t said, has he? In other words, he’s using the same “secret plan” strategy that Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are counting on. You’re Exhibit A why politicians pull that crap — imbeciles like you fall for it every time.
You seem to have a very short memory which I can understand with all of your negative postings.
Not a short memory — you are one of those whose only issue here has been how firefighters and police officers are treated. Which means that you are part of the cohort To Whom Promises Have Been Made. Or that means you are a Republican (as you admit) because only Republicans make their political decisions motivated by fear.
And nor do you seem to know much about how the WPD (or WFD for that matter) operates. So next time you want to talk about somebody pissing in their pants, do make sure that your extras are back from the dry cleaner or just stand down.
If you want to balance the city budget, fire half the city employees. Half of them are a bloated waste of space that do not know what their job description is. They are cronies of the same old same old crowd and I think it should not be my responsibility to support their government subsidy of a job.
@Grunt–
Did you think about what you wrote before you wrote it, or are you just talking out of your ass?
Firing HALF of the city work force might net a short-term savings, but it would create a disaster in the long term. City of Wilmington employees aren’t the hardest workers in the USA, but they perform necessary tasks.
Oh, you want a building permit/property inspection/rental permit/plumbing permit/whatever? Sorry, we’re half-staffed due to Grunt‘s idiotic policies. Your permit/inspection will be granted/performed whenever we survivors feel like it.