Feb. 23, 2011

Is it any wonder Kansas City’s 3rd Council District looks the way it does given the political circus that ensued at last week’s court hearing to determine His Lordship Michael Fletcher’s residency and ballot eligibility?

This issue ceased to be about residence and representation as soon as the ink was dry on the lawsuit. Now, taxpayers get to pay for more than 14 hours of testimony by the Brooks and Fletcher camps, dredging up the likes of Saundra’s, “I thought that appraisal was high,” McFadden Weaver and any number of Freedom Inc. lackeys.

Our pity goes out to the judge who had to listen to all this bile, too.

Tragically, for the residents of the 3rd District, the prospects of any measurable quality of life improvements after this election really aren’t that great.

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Funny isn’t it that every mayoral candidate in the field talks about neighborhoods, neighborhoods, neighborhoods.

But when it comes to supporting community journalism (neighborhood newspapers), especially in the city’s core neighborhoods, not a one spent a dime on ads in this community newspaper for the primary, which ought to give you an idea as to how “important” Northeast issues and residents really are to them.

This election isn’t about neighborhoods or citizen satisfaction surveys or delivery of city services.

Moreover, it’s about money and who’s going to control it and in what “blighted” area the next TIF project will be located in.

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Approximately six months ago, East Zone Command staff made big news by killing the CAN program and implementing a new and improved technique called TOPS (Target Oriented Police Squad).

Only problem is, we can’t find anyone in the community who’s given the officers any “targets” to work, much less seen the officers working “targets.”

This brings another question to light – who is it that assigns the “target” these new and improved officers are supposed to work?

We’re guessing, given the stark absence of these guys at any community meeting this news-sniffin’ canine has been at, that their “targets” are assigned by command staff instead of the needs arising from the community at large.

This confirms that under the arrogant “leadership” of EPD Commander Major Anthony Ell, community policing is as dead as a Mackerel.