Christie made the announcement at a press conference in Trenton with Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian. Guardian described the new bill as a “partnership,” rather than a takeover.
But Christie said the new
legislation will include giving the state power to restructure the
city’s debt, dissolve any municipal board or authority, terminate
collective bargaining agreements and consolidate or privatize municipal
services. Those are similar to the powers the state would have under the
previous “takeover” proposal by Sweeney.
The new bill will also include
the financial rescue package Christie rejected last week, Christie said.
The bills would end expensive casino tax appeals, allow casinos to make
payments in lieu of taxes and redirect funds to help the city pay down
debt and other obligations. Christie’s rejection left a $33.5 million
hole in the city’s budget and put the city at risk of running out of
cash by April.
“There will be things in the new bill that neither the city or state is going to like,” Guardian said.
Asked if this still amounted to a
“takeover,” Christie said the legislation still needs to be reviewed,
but added: “You can call it what you want to call it.”
Entire article at
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/new-atlantic-city-takeover-legislation-announced/article_e27f7d32-c451-11e5-b6d8-8b3bcff3feb0.html
Entire article at
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/new-atlantic-city-takeover-legislation-announced/article_e27f7d32-c451-11e5-b6d8-8b3bcff3feb0.html
1 comment:
Last week Mayor Guardian was vowing not to allow any "takeover" that involved the State getting the water authority and what an about face here. If he had any backbone he would have made some serious cuts that would have kept the state from being forced to step in.He apparently as I am hearing decided it was better to be at the table now rather than being served on a platter as the meal. He had no choice and neither does his government since they
have no way to prevent the state from entering this botched up sorry story of greed at the public trough and a pay later(if they ever do) attitude. No matter what he says it is a TAKEOVER with basically the same proposals Senator Sweeney presented last week. I wonder if Governor Christie brought his mop when he returned on Tuesday.
Post a Comment