By Brenda Flanagan
Correspondent
Atlantic City residents and officials prayed for inspiration and passed around petitions opposing the proposed 15-year state takeover at St. James AME Church.
“No one needs to take over AC. We can take care of our own town,” petition signer Hazel Coles said.
“I love AC — and the state don’t need to takeover AC. AC can do better,” petition signer Deborah Jerkins said.
“It might be David and Goliath, but a lot of the time David wins,” Atlantic City Councilman Kaleem Shabazz said.
Officials admit that in this high-stakes political game they hold few aces, and they acknowledge the city teeters on the brink of bankruptcy. But, they call the state takeover sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney, a violation of their civil rights — state bullying tactics.
“This is going to be a national issue if Sen. Sweeney doesn’t watch out. It has overtones of being a civil rights issue,” Shabazz said. “In the state of New Jersey the areas the state takes over happens to be disproportionately African-American.”
“This is fundamentally undemocratic — small ‘d’ democratic. People get to vote for their leaders — municipality, county or state — and all of a sudden you’re going to take that away from AC,” Sen. Jim Whelan said.
AC’s Emergency Financial Manager Kevin Lavin issued a report Friday that stopped short of calling for takeover or bankruptcy. Among its recommendations — cut the workforce even more, privatize the fire department, regionalize the police and privatize Boardwalk Hall
and the Convention Center.
Lavin said, “Unfortunately, our momentum has been stalled by parochial politics that continue to inhibit progress, all to the detriment of the taxpayers of Atlantic City.”
“The city has followed the recommendations and directives of the division of local government services as handed down by its state monitor. We couldn’t mismanage a paper clip without a review,” Guardian said.
Guardian says the state’s unfairly withheld millions in promised financial aid, and that other cities get far more aid than AC.
“The confederacy didn’t lose the war. They lost because they were starved out,” Guardian said.
The city council says it will meet to begin implementing the Lavin report’s recommendations immediately — including selling off
its municipal cars. But, while it will conduct belt-tightening and financial restructuring, it will not acquiesce to a takeover.
“We have mobilize people. We have to shut down some things. You going to have to be bold enough to do that because they don’t believe you will in Trenton,” Sen. Ron Rice said.
City officials vowed to push for public hearings on the proposed takeover in AC. People demand the right to be heard on the record.