Mathes Wasted His Best Opportunities

Camden Courier-Post – July 10, 2003

Opinion

Former Camden Council president could have been a role model, but became a failure and a felon.

With the conviction of former City Council president James Mathes on corruption charges, we hope Camden finally has closed the door on its worst days.

Pray we’ve seen the last of politicians who not only conduct business badly in public but also apparently betray public trust once they think no one is looking.

As sadly as Mathes’ political life ended this week when a federal jury found him guilty, even the peak days of his power were not so good. During his tenure as council president, the council approved substantial pay raises for six municipal department heads and tried to fill 40 new and existing jobs — while simultaneously asking the state for $29 million in Municipal Revitalization Program aid.

It was a time of budget problems and tax problems and an economic revitalization that didn’t quite take.

Then it turns out that, while he should have been focusing mightily on these issues, Mathes was accepting jewelry from a mob boss and trying to steer city business to Mafia-backed firms.

What positive spin could we put on this legacy? That he was ineffective, but made up for it by being corrupt?

It didn’t have to be that way. Mathes was an inspiring story when he first gained office 30 years ago. He was arising young educator who had grown up in North Camden with nine younger brothers and sisters. Despite his working class roots, he earned a bachelor of arts degree from Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C., and a master’s degree in education from Rutgers University. In 1973, he won a seat on the school board as an independent and proceeded to master Camden government — also becoming the school district’s affirmative action officer.

Politicians all make mistakes, of course. But you don’t have to be perfect to be honest. In that most crucial way of all, Mathes fell short. His fall means the end of an era – we hope.