Roland Laird for the North Ward

My name is Roland Laird and I’m running to represent the North Ward on the City Council because we need a new path forward to lay the groundwork for Trenton’s resurgence.  I’m not a career politician. I’m an entrepreneur and coalition builder working every day to make life better for the people around me.  It’s time to move beyond the divisive politics of the past and start bringing people together to build real and lasting economic opportunity for the North Ward. 

We need an all hands on deck approach that taps into the spirit of self-reliance that I’ve heard on the lips of many Trentonians as I’ve walked door-to-door the past few months.   Our strength as a city has always come from our people.  More than anything, your representative should have his or her ear to the street, listening to folks to identify the issues at their front door, and looking to address those issues to the full extent of his or her power.  The North Ward was once the center of Trenton’s middle class and has a rich history.  Rebuilding our community is a complex challenge, but I have no doubt that together we can make it happen.

Yet for all the promise and positive energy that Trenton has, I’ve also seen its negatives first hand.  As a resident of the North Ward, I’ve been a victim of three crimes.  Crime reduction is as important to me as anybody; yet when we speak about crime reduction, we also have to speak about jobs.  Most crimes in Trenton are committed by repeat offenders.  When the young man that invaded our home completes his time in prison, he’ll need a job.  Similarly, the idle young people in our communities need employment as well as recreation.  You can’t talk about crime reduction without talking about economic opportunities.  In fact, you can’t talk about Trenton’s resurgence without talking about economic opportunities, particularly in the under served black and brown communities of the North Ward where unemployment runs as high as 30%.

But talk is cheap, and in many ways citizens can say they’ve “heard it all before”.  How can we believe candidates when they tell us they are going to make the schools better, the streets safer, and the economy more robust when they can’t be found to ask about fixing a traffic light or getting snow cleared from our streets?  We citizens can never feel completely empowered if we don’t see our elected officials as accessible and accountable.  As your next Councilperson, I can promise that everyone in the North Ward will know how to get in touch with me, what I’m working on, and the status of our progress.  I expect you to hold me accountable for creating a new path forward for Trenton and the North Ward.

Sincerely,
Roland Laird
Candidate for Trenton City Council - North Ward