It isn't over when the election ends

by: DBK

Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 12:27:57 PM EST

Mayor Jun Choi gave a State of the Township message last night to about 100 people.

He addressed the issues of police department reform, overdevelopment, and the town's $10.1 million budget deficit. He also addressed community division and ethnic diversity.

DBK :: It isn't over when the election ends

It is interesting that, following so hotly contested an election as the mayoral race in Edison, a mere 100 people took enough interest in the town to show up at the new mayor's State of the Township address, especially when there was really nothing of interest on television last night, not even a football game.

Most of us take an interest in politics when there is an election on, but the rest of the time we tend to forget about it completely. This is how the government is able to do things to which we object: because we don't object until it is too late. It doesn't take much to take a look at what it going on and what is coming up in your township. Get involved and pay attention. If you don't you shouldn't complain afterwards when it is too late.

Tags: Jun Choi, Edison, (All Tags)

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It isn't over when the election ends | 3 comments

Word travels slow... (0.00 / 0)

The problem here in Edison is that the word doesn't get out to the 100,000+ residents quick enough. Unless you read THNT everyday (which I do, but most people do not) its difficult to be aware of what is going on in Edison Township. Look at our township website and be appalled. www.edisonnj.org

-- Mitch
ManzellaNews.com

by: mitch @ Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 19:45:38 PM UTC

must have been 150 at the January 23 Council meeting (0.00 / 0)

to discuss the redevelopment of the Ford site by Hartz Mountain. Angry, informed people who were not happy with the 2.8 acre open space donation H/M are proposing, the Sam's Club (ummm, that's Wal-Mart's low end outlet), and the inadequate traffic plan.

So Edisonians are not indifferent to the quality of life in town.

IIRC, this is not an official function, but a Chamber of Commerce event. Isn't this the event that the Wal-Mart opponents picketed last year when Spadoro was Mayor?

by: sayitaintso @ Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 20:20:14 PM UTC

My apologies (0.00 / 0)

I didn't mean to imply that Edisonians in particular are apathetic. I was trying to make a general point about how people are very concerned with issues until the election is over and then they stop paying attention. Yes, a lot of people show up at a town council meeting when there is an issue that concerns them, but town council meetings are generally under-attended. It is important that the people we elect know that we're paying attention.

On the other hand, for a town with 100,000+ residents, 150 people showing up does not indicate a high level of interest, even when it is higher than normal turnout. In my town, with a pop. of around 55,000, there was an eminent domain case two years ago that filled the seats. I have been to many council meetings since then and you hardly see anyone. The meeting that was full was the last of the meetings on the issue and it had been discussed in the open council meetings a couple of times previously.

Anyway, please don't take it personally.

DBK

by: DBK @ Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 20:35:40 PM UTC