By David Cruz
Correspondent
Resplendent in red polo and gold bow tie, Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian unlocked the ocean and opened his city for business at the start of the Memorial Day weekend. But the dramatic arc of events that led to this weekend’s symbolic opening have left political scars and raised questions about the political future of the man who forced the compromise.
“I think what the speaker did, not only damaged Atlantic City, and damaged the Jersey Shore, but damaged the opportunity for North Jersey gaming for his political purposes and the political purposes of the people he supports,” summed up Governor Christie.
But, that’s not the way things went down in Speaker Vincent Prieto’s mind. He says the state was heavy-handed and tried to bully its way into a total takeover, including blowing up existing union contracts and having a fire sale of Atlantic City assets. On the day of the final vote on the compromise bills, Prieto was eager to turn the page.
“This is part of a healthy debate,” countered Prieto. “Listen, we don’t have to agree on everything — we have to come somewhere at the middle of the road.”
But, make no mistake about it, the compromise comes at what could be a great political cost for the speaker. He divided his party – and at times his own house – for what his critics say was a political errand for Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, who is considering a challenge to the Senate president for governor next year. The result, many observers predict, is that someone else will be speaker when the Assembly next reorganizes. Senate president Steve Sweeney seemed exhausted by the whole thing.
“I’m not saying anything negative about the speaker today,” sighed Sweeney after the Assembly vote. “I’m really not. I’m frustrated with the local officials in Atlantic City. I’m very frustrated with them.”
As for winners and losers in this test of wills, Sweeney may have won the war, but the battles have chipped away at his armor, and the man who is counting on major union support in his run for governor, was seen by some as working against union interests. Prieto’s main victory was securing any grace period for the city, at all. For that alone, they may build a monument to him on the boardwalk.
“He’s been a champion for Atlantic City and as they say ‘charity begins at home.’ I wish we had some of our own legislators take the interest in the fight like he did,” commented Councilman Marty Small.
As for Steve Fulop — he faded into the background after his role was called into question by the governor and others. He now appears to be backing away from supporting gaming expansion in the north. That effort may be the other victim of all this. Polls had already showed only lukewarm support for north jersey casinos, but after the Atlantic City mess, the public may have even more reason to think twice about casino expansion.
“I think its hurt it temporarily, but I think now that this is cleared up, we’re going to have a campaign for north jersey gaming that makes sense for Atlantic City because it will provide hundreds of millions of dollars for development there and will also provide jobs and the economy for north jersey, so it works out for both parts of the state,” suggested Assemblyman Ralph Caputo.
The governor was walking the boards down the shore as the holiday weekend began; he wins by letting lawmakers bloody one another while he admonished them to act like adults, knowing full well that in 150 days he may get exactly what he wanted all along, a chance to put his fingerprints all over an Atlantic City revival, tough as that is to imagine given the events of the past year.