Friday, June 10, 2016

Dunn Sinks, SRB Surfaces in Quirky Election Year

The 2016 City Council election season may go down as one of the oddest in recent memory, starting with the rejection of Jeffery Dunn's petitions and continuing with former Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs filing as an independent for the Third Ward seat

Dunn filed on April 4 to run for the Third Ward seat, but a challenge revealed he had voted giving his First Ward business address and only changed to his parents' Third Ward address on the filing date itself. A requirement to run for a council seat is one year's residency in the ward the candidate wants to represent. After a hearing, his petitions were declared null and void, leaving Charles McRae and Alma Blanco as Third Ward candidates.

Blanco chose to base her campaign at first on support for Police Lt. Ken Reid, who was facing an internal disciplinary action. Even though no details could be made public, supporters rallied for Reid in public comment at City Council meetings and public events. A Spanish-language newspaper with a blaring headline, "Tears for Lt. Reid" had a cover photo of a prayer vigil for Reid but no story inside. It was passed out at the end of a council meeting where incumbent Third Ward Councilwoman Gloria Taylor called for a council investigation of the police division, based on Reid's situation.

It wasn't until Mayor Adrian O. Mapp revealed that five officers - three white and two black - were facing disciplinary action in the Reid case, contrary to Taylor's allegations of racial discrimination against Reid, that Blanco and others fell silent on the matter.

It was ill-considered from the beginning for a prospective council member to meddle in an internal police matter and to elicit emotional reactions from others in the absence of facts in the case. Officials could not properly reveal details to the public without violating the rights of all involved.

Robinson-Briggs herself took part in the outcry, even though as a former mayor she should have known better. She came to the microphone at a public meeting with a basket of candy on her arm, a trademark of her tenure in City Hall.

Reid, second from left
 Reid had served as one of two bodyguards she used for a time and was one of her earliest supporters in 2005.

Robinson-Briggs filed as an independent on June 7, the same day that voters rejected Blanco for the Third Ward seat and incumbent Tracey Brown for the Citywide at-large seat.. Going into the Nov. 8 general election campaign, Councilwoman Rebecca Williams is now unopposed for the Citywide at-large seat and Robinson-Briggs will be running  for Third Ward seat off the line against Democratic Party choice Charles McRae.

--Bernice

20 comments:

  1. Why was Jerry Green driving around the polls on Election Day and only talking to Brown supporters? At Evergreen school he was openly telling voters to vote for Brown. Did all the money for Brown's last minute campaign pieces and paid election day workers come from Jerry wheeling money? The question is will Jerry be supporting SRB by providing her with the same amount of money he wheeled to Brown? For the Democrat county chairman to actively support Brown who was in Column C with a Tea Party Democrat who was running against Congresswoman Coleman shows that he was the one not supporting Hillary. He must be mad that he wasted all that money. Do the state a favor and dump Green please.

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    1. Jerry Green got Sharon a job working for the county (Vera and Bridgette too). This is how Jerry controls his people and their families - with jobs. When Jerry's people are supporting or running against Line A democrats it means they have Jerry's support.

      Green was told by the likes of Lesniak and the crew to stay out of Plainfield politics. He has not - he can't be trusted. He must go!

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    2. I hope Jerry gets canned. He lied when he promised to stay out of Plainfield politics. He lied to people more powerful than he is politically and should be removed as County Chair of the Democratic Party, and I hope at the next election removed from Trenton. I know I will not support him and will actively campaign for anyone opposing him. "He had 'his' chance."

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    3. I don’t get you people, why would anyone believe that Jerry Green would keep his word and stay out of Plainfield politics? Mr Green was, is and will be a snake till the bitter end. His primary goal is to destroy Mapp. I do know one thing, as Chairman of the Union County Democrat Committee with an office and residence in Plainfield we are fully expecting him to contributed campaign dollars to Charles and Rebecca for the general election. If Green wish to support Brown and/or Robinson Briggs by throwing good money on losing candidates so be it, it’s what I expect from him. Green needs to know we are expecting contributions from the UCDC for Charles and Rebecca’s general election campaign so he needs to be ready to ante up!

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    4. Racist overtones, Such as lesniak TOLD green.To stay out of Plainfield politics. all these allegations about him are just unproven gossip.

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  2. Here we go again!!! Trying to obstruct progress. SBR, just shut up!!!

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  3. Bernice, do you know if the residency requirement is as of filing date or as of primary date?

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    1. The City Charter says the requirement for residency is "at least one year prior to his election." So that would be the general election.

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  4. The Democrats in the third ward made the right decision when they chose Charles McRae. Charles is an independent thinker that knows the issues that face the third ward and the city.

    As a past PTO President and parent of two children that he and his wife raised here in our city (both his daughters now hold doctorate degrees) he knows how important it is to have the City and the School system working together to improve our schools and provide opportunity for our youth.

    As a volunteer member of the Zoning Board of Adjustment he understands that as a City we must provide tax relief to our residents, improve services and create job opportunities. And we can accomplish this by developing smartly around our train stations, getting a handle on our abandon houses crisis, and bringing our vacant properties back on the tax rolls.

    Just last week there was a ground-breaking ceremony on the west end for a new development. This project is on a non-taxing paying vacant parcel that the city had foreclosed on years ago. The development has a commercial and residential aspect to it. And we keep a thriving roof supply company from leaving our city.

    (And folks don't be fooled by the lies put out by Tracey Brown and her supporters claiming that there have been tax giveaways to developers. This is simply not true. These PILOT programs, some people falsely call them tax abatements when they are actually tax deferrals, start the developer out at the same tax base that the property currently pays. The new assessment (the tax increase) for the improvements comes into play as the building is occupied. The Banks will NOT lend to developers without such programs. Developers will not invest in Plainfield, we will not get out roads paved and our infrastructure improved without new tax revenues).

    Charles also knows how important it is for the health of our city to bring back medical services at the Muhlenberg site. And he supports the Mapp Administrations current progress to redevelop the site with an emphasis on Health Care services.

    We all know that Sharon Robinson-Briggs loves her city. She too has served its residents, but as Jerry Green mentioned to me when he choose Mapp for Mayor "she had her chance". Let us not go back to stagnation, let us move Plainfield forward. Let's all get behind Charles McRae.

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    1. An interesting sidelight is that ABC Supply, that 'thriving roof supply' company that is now not going to leave our city, is owned by Diane Hendricks, Wisconsin's wealthiest woman and Vice-Chair of the Trump Victory fundraising committee.

      http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/beloit-billionaire-posts-string-of-zeros-on-state-returns-b99740692z1-382311081.html

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  5. LOOKS MORE LIKE A GROUP MUG SHOT

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  6. It looks like Sharon can't take a hint, so I hope she doesn't get her feelings too hurt when she is rejected again. The people of Plainfield have spoken several time in elections that they are tired of the Jerry/Sharon ticket and want to move forward. Thankfully, we are moving in a good direction and I for one want to keep up the momentum.

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  7. Jim, very well said. Sharon left our city financially crippled while she was Mayor. She showed a basic lack of understanding of her job, and now she wants to get back into a position where she can recklessly spend our money again?

    Sharon carrying her candy basket was absolutely perfect! It visually demonstrated her lack of understanding of what a Mayor's responsibilities are, and how during her administration, Plainfield was looked upon as a joke. No more Sharon in any capacity!!!!

    People in the third ward need someone who will represent ALL of them. Not only those who suit Sharon.

    One last thing - isn't that the shot of Sharon with her bodyguards paid for by the renters and taxpayers of Plainfield?
    As I recall, there was no proof brought forth that she ever had threats made against her (but the body guards were taken off the street and escorted her throughout the day - All paid for with the hard earned money of Plainfielders).

    My vote goes to Charles.

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  8. Who ever gets a legitimate petition and runs for an office I say ....... "Good for Them". Like the person or not this is our system, and yes there is none better, but many worse.

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  9. Will people stop talking about a shamed former mayor running in the November election during a Presidential year as an independent like it's a real thing? ZERO chance. Let's move on. Why even discuss her candidacy?

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  10. Beloit billionaire Diane Hendricks, the richest woman in Wisconsin and a vice chair of the Trump Victory fundraising committee, didn't pay a dime in state income tax from 2012 through 2014, records obtained by the Journal Sentinel show.

    Hendricks, 69, has a net worth of nearly $5 billion, according to an estimate by Forbes Magazine, which this month named her "America's Richest Self-Made Woman" — edging out Oprah Winfrey, who the magazine said had a net worth of $3.1 billion. Judy Faulkner, founder and CEO at Epic Systems Corp., a Verona health care software company, came in third with an estimated net worth of $2.4 billion.

    Hendricks, co-founder and owner of ABC Supply Co. — the nation's largest supplier of roofing — also owed no state taxes in 2010, meaning she paid no Wisconsin income taxes in four out of five years. The company, which she founded with her husband, Ken, in 1982, posts annual sales of about $6 billion. Ken Hendricks died in 2007.

    ...

    Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus in May named Hendricks to the leadership team for Trump Victory, a committee that will raise funds for Donald Trump's presidential campaign, the RNC and 11 state GOP committees. She has been a major ally and contributor to Gov. Scott Walker, pouring $5 million into a super PAC that was formed to support the Republican governor's failed presidential bid. She also gave $500,000 to Walker's 2012 recall campaign.

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    1. I don't know aht Hendricks has to do with anything. We have jobs and a much needed improvement on the West Side. What this does for Plainfield is more important than someone's politcal affiliation.

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    2. Is it suggested that we should reject the project because Hendricks is a successful woman? Not paying State taxes is probably do to exemptions for depreciation on investments made within the State. Evil conduct; providing jobs, paying Corporate taxes, both State and Federal on investments, real state taxes on properties, employer side benefits and taxes for employees, while accepting risks of loss inherent in any business adventure. A 35% Corporate tax and 50% personal tax. Let's do it the Bernie way, raise corporate taxes, already the highest in the world, and personal taxes to 80%. Remove the incentives for investment and growth with the concommittant result that more industries will flee overseas and southward. More people will workoff the books which has become the norm. Perhaps the blog subliminaly suggests that we should reject the proposed warehouse altogther because the investor does not fit a profile acceptable to the politican and social ethic of the Plainfield populace? Let the property lay fallow, let another town acquire the jobs and receive the property tax. Great solution. Bill Kruse

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    3. Is your point to show Trump is bringing jobs to Plainfield?

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    4. Bernice,
      I have to cringe and laugh every time I see the picture of the former shady mayor and her Police body guards. The moral character of her choice's are really suspect. Far left: Sgt Wilfred Whitley - arrested for soliciting prostitution. Far right: PO Richard Brown - arrested for stealing money for the Plainfield PBA. Rear: Lt Kenneth Reid - forced to retire because of still undisclosed illegal action(s). What an upstanding representation of the Police Division.

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