The Grinch didn’t deprive the residents of Trenton of their Christmas spirit, but he did give a heartless edict to the homeless.
NJ Transit has turned off the heat.
Temperatures soared to almost 20 degrees outdoors as a breeze spurred the teenagers on. Inside the TTC, commuters and commuters faced the chilly climate as no amount of heat bothered some people on their journey.
The New Jersey State Traffic Police did not comment on the cold weather. One officer pointed to a maintenance worker who could answer about the lack of heat.
The worker agreed that the cold front was passing through the terminal, which usually serves as a resting place for people experiencing housing problems.
The transit center attracts many homeless people, especially during periods of bad weather. A recent overnight visit revealed that more than 50 people had found comfort for the night in the heated building.
In the past, when the Trenton Transit Center experienced heat problems, officials installed portable fans that raised the temperature inside the TTC.
Calls to New Jersey Transit yielded no human contact or response. One thing is certain: Trenton Mayor Reed Guschiora, who has been reluctant to act on the issues surrounding the Code Blue emergency, must address the situation.
Or Gov. Phil Murphy should use his power to convince NJ Transit to turn on the heat. It is freezing outside and inside the transport center.
How a government cares for its disenfranchised and troubled residents matters.
L.A. Parker is the Trentonian columnist. Find him on Twitter @LAParker6 or email him at LAParker@Trentonian.com.
