Reality Bites by James Norton

Who cares about the money when the real theft has been from the public trust

   I was thinking this past weekend about all the silly stuff thats been going on lately around this great city of ours.  In all honesty it was the whole money in the desk that was thrown out (would I be a hack if I called it ‚ÄúDesk-Gate‚Äù?) embarrassment that prompted me to think about it a little more than I normally would have.

   Sure there are other things that have been happening that don’t help the matter.
The seriously prolonged and not concluded investigation into the Traffic and Parking theft hasn’t helped.  In mid-2006 it’s tough to swallow that with all the damned technology of today (forget watching CSI or Law and Order on TV for a minute) we can’t figure out who lifted a small handful of money out of a deposit bag.
And don’t give me that crap about it’s easy to criticize then you’re not a cop either ‚Äì that’s a weak argument and I’m just not buying it.  How about in the meantime throwing us a bone ‚Äì tell us something ‚Äì tell us that new  procedures to secure money are in place and it would be impossible to happen again.  Public trust is important ‚Äì positive information and reinforcement helps ‚Äì what is so difficult about that?
How about the whole teens assault cop/cop assaults teens fiasco?  Sure, it depends on which side of the issue you talk to about what really happened.  Without trying to comment on what happened or choosing a side, at the end of the day it doesn’t matter much about who you believe.  Again, it’s all about perception.
Maybe I am biased about some things.  I guess when it comes down to it, I’m entitled to my opinion, like everyone else.  At The Somerville News we try really hard not to be sensational and headline grabbing.  Sometimes it’s tough to walk the line, but I think we do a pretty good job at keeping things local.
Yes, we were the first to report about the cash in the desk silliness.  That’s a good thing ‚Äì people want to know what’s going on, they have a right.  Do they hate it when it gets outside the city and people start laughing at us (again), yes.  That’s the hurtful part.
There lies the true theft.  The theft of public confidence.  It’s based on a combination of things ‚Äì events, people, situations ‚Äì sometimes all three.
Blaming the Mayor because he is at the top of the municipal food chain isn’t always the answer.  Oh I know I will get blasted on the weblog and in my email box for that last statement, but give the guy a break ‚Äì look at the baggage you walk into when you walk into that public office.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again ‚Äì I wouldn’t want that job ‚Äì and I doubt most of you would either.
It takes time to turn things around ‚Äì to make things work right.  Maybe he needs to open the process up a little and take some ideas from a number of non-politically motivated local people.  Men and women (and in some cases, children) can contribute to the ‚Äúwell being‚Äù of the community as I like to call it.
We need a more open process and more radical thinking.  People assume I’m a conservative when it comes to political issues.  Why?  Because I don’t agree with liberal ideals and old-school Democratic policies founded in the early to mid 60’s?  Give me a break.
I’ve written in the past about long term mixed-use development and condo conversions, I’ve mentioned opening up or creating long term ‚ÄúSteering Committees‚Äù in the areas of local development and education.  I’ve mentioned changing the City Charter and eliminating the School Committee as an elected body.
This city has a bad reputation because of the perception that it’s only ‚Äúold school‚Äù thinking around here.  That’s where the real theft has been ‚Äì the public trust and confidence in our leaders, whether they be National, State or Local.  That’s the real problem and we have nobody to blame but ourselves.