By Desirée Taylor
NJ Today
Paterson City Council is considering a resolution that would ask the governor to declare a state of emergency. That could pave the way for additional state aid to help the city hire more police officers to crack down on crime.
“Gun violence is a health crisis,” said Paterson City Council President Anthony Davis. “We need more police presence.”
But Gov. Chris Christie seems unlikely to offer more state aid because he says Paterson officials have mismanaged the city’s finances. “They’re not going to get money from the state until they responsibly manage their city,” said Christie, during a press conference yesterday. “And that city has been managed disgracefully and they know it.”
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Davis admitted there have been “mishaps.” One example involved $50,000 in overtime payments city officials issued to several public employees, including the mayor, for their work during Tropical Storm Irene. A probe led to the dismissal of several city employees. Paterson receives $21 million in state aid.
There have been 11 shooting deaths in Paterson so far this year, about the same amount as last year. One hundred twenty-five police officers were laid off due to budget constraints. State police are offering help, but some residents say it’s not enough.
Paterson Councilman Andre Sayegh said he’s also concerned about crime. But he doesn’t support Council President Davis’ call for more state aid because he believes it will hurt the city’s image and deter potential investors and home buyers.
“They [investors] will come with better policing,” said Davis.