Atlantic City mayor terms N.J. takeover plan 'fascist dictatorship'

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Atlantic City mayor terms N.J. takeover plan 'fascist dictatorship'
Reuters
By Daniel Kelley
1 hour ago

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (Reuters) - Atlantic City's mayor has called a state plan to cede control of the fiscally distressed gambling hub a "fascist dictatorship," a sharp reversal of his previous position on the proposed takeover.

Details of the proposed legislation, released last week, would deny residents their civil rights by stripping municipal powers from locally elected officials, Mayor Don Guardian said on Monday, echoing previous concerns from community activists.

"The final piece of legislation that the state presented to us was far from a partnership," Guardian said, addressing hundreds of residents and city workers at an outdoor news conference next to City Hall. "It was much worse. It was absolutely a fascist dictatorship."

The plan calls for the state to appoint an official who would have the power to make unilateral decisions about canceling collective bargaining agreements, selling city-owned assets, entering contracts, terminating employees and vetoing city council minutes, Guardian said.

Read more: https://news.yahoo.com/atlantic-city-mayor-terms-n-j-takeover-plan-202748078--business.html

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[center]

Mayor Don Guardian[/center]

[Person 2713]

1. Isn't this how Michigan went down?

[BumRushDaShow]

7. The difference is

the Michigan legislature is Republican and the New Jersey legislature is Democratic... Which really underscores why this doesn't make sense...

However AC has had a century's long history of problems, including a number of corrupt mayors and a continual wave of a boom/bust economy, which eventually lead to the tragedy the city is facing today. If anything, the availability of gambling here in PA pretty much sealed AC's fate as the busloads that used to go "downuh shore" from Philly are going up to the Poconos or are staying right here and going downtown to Sugar House along the Delaware River near Penn's Landing.

IMHO, they need to bring back the (often tacky) glory of the piers and their arcades & rides and try to compete with Wildwood or something... and stop banking on the casinos. Vegas had to make a decision to change up when more states and notably, reservations out west, were opening up casinos.

[JustAnotherGen]

2. He's correct

[Akicita]

3. Maybe the trains will run on time now.

[LiberalEsto]

4. This is the Koch/ALEC formula of unaccountable emergency managers

that caused the disaster in Flint, Michigan.

[Justice]

5. Trump bears responsiblity for AC - he should be asked about this.

[houston16revival]

10. How true

Once the region gets rolled, there's insufficient dreams and disposable income
to support casinos, so they move on

What a business - lifting income from working people and families to pay jackpots
and moguls

I don't think a Bunny ranch could save Atlantic City now

[Scalded Nun]

6. And this is just how the GOP would have us all living our lives

And as far as I'm concerned (my opinion, mind you) Hillary would be no better.

[The Second Stone]

8. Well, your opinion is like a Butterscotch Lifesaver!

That doesn't mean you have to share it with everyone.

[nomorenomore08]

9. "Everything dies, baby that's a fact, but maybe everything that dies, someday comes back..."

Off-topic, I know, but the mention of Atlantic City got the song stuck in my head...