Word: newarkers
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...Leadership, but for How Long? Still, Booker's political future in Newark remains bright. According to an internal poll, he enjoys an 80% approval rating. More important, a strong opponent has yet to enter next year's mayoral election. Booker's victory looks like a foregone conclusion. "For the first time in my life, Newark is looked at more positively because of its mayor," says Steve Adubato Sr., a longtime local power broker, and former Booker foe, who runs a nonprofit in the city. "Newark is no longer a big joke." (Read "No Charisma? Don't Worry, You Can Still...
Critics, however, offer legitimate complaints about Booker's leadership. Many city workers earn a handsome living - Newark has 264 municipal employees who make $100,000 or more. Plus, during 2007 and through the first eight months of 2008, Booker signed some 160 executive orders either giving an employee a pay raise or starting a new hire at a salary above the minimum set by civil-service guidelines. Some orders gave low-level workers a more livable wage. Others were a bit gratuitous. For example, one aide went from making $107,225 to $118,607. Isn't 107 grand enough...
Booker staunchly defends the salaries. "I stand by any personnel decision I've made," he says. He points to a reduction of Newark's budget deficit, from $180 million to $73 million, according to the city, as a healthy return on his talent investments. A more professional and efficient city hall has helped Newark collect an extra $10 million in property taxes this year in spite of the foreclosure crisis. Further, Booker has proposed a 2% pay cut for all non-police and non-firefighter employees making more than $100,000 and is pushing for mandatory furloughs...
...this point, I'm committed to two terms, and at the end of those two terms, if I stay in politics, I will look at other offices." (New Jersey will have a governor's race in 2013, near the end of what could be Booker's second term as Newark mayor...
...about 9:30 on a warm June evening, after Booker has finished his radio show and is on his way to sell Newark to yet another philanthropist, I give him the ultimate no-win task. Grade yourself. Like any other good pol, Booker dodges. "It's very hard to feel you're doing an A performance when you still have a 12-year-old who gets shot," Booker says, recalling a recent incident (luckily, the boy has recovered). "But I do feel more hope and optimism than I've ever had in my life that we can get there...