Teague: Let’s make a decision to work as one city | Paterson Times Paterson Times

Teague: Let’s make a decision to work as one city

By Corey Teague
Published: May 17, 2014

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As you are all well aware, the Paterson municipal election of 2014 is finished and the residents of Paterson have also spoken whether they voted or not.

Paterson’s municipal leadership experienced a paradigm shift. On July 1, 2014 new faces will emerge, taking claim to city hall from the Mayor’s Office to the City Council Chambers. While it is obvious that many woke up on Wednesday disjointed and unsettled about the results of the election, we must begin to work as one.

What we have to learn at this juncture is that Paterson is a resilient city. We have been in such positions before and we have always found a way to get through it. We must, at this point, come together for the good of the city of Paterson. We cannot just sit around and look for the worst. We are all here together and the time for bickering, name-calling and finger-pointing must come to a screeching halt if we ever plan on finally getting Paterson to a place we can be proud of.

This city doesn’t belong to one group of people or one ethnic group. It belongs to all of the ethnic groups which are indeed represented in this city from corner to corner. I believe that everyone deserves a chance to represent the community from which they are native as long as the representative remembers to represent the every other community as well. I believe it can be done and it will be done. What matters most is that we all find the resolve to live together in harmony.

Paterson, we have 2 choices. Either we can get up from where we are and commit ourselves to working with the newly elected leadership and do all that we can to make it work. Or, we can just sit back and watch with our arms folded and witness the city sink further into despair. I cannot speak for you, but I am opting for plan A. I want, more than ever, to see this city prosper. I want Paterson to become the city that my children can be proud to say they reside in someday.

Let’s not entertain any further negativity. Instead, let’s make a decision to work as one city and together we will make it a great place to live – for all of us. I want to wish all of the newly elected officials the best of luck. You can all count on me to help in any way possible. It’s about Paterson with me. It’s not about one racial group overpowering another racial group. I hope we can all get busy in helping to rebuild our city and cease from all acts of trying to tear one another down because…

Together Paterson will begin to stand; divided, Paterson will continue to fall.

Corey Teague
School board member


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