It appears the proposed amendments will not be voted on in this current legislative session which ends on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 and 12:00 noon, but rather in the new session which begins thereafter.
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Mayor Don Guardian and other officials were caught “completely off guard” by Sweeney’s call Monday for a far-reaching takeover of Atlantic City government – the fourth version of such “drastic” state intervention to overtake the Boardwalk since 2010.
Emergency Manager Kevin Lavin has suggested that yet another set of amendments get added to the bill prior to PILOT heading to the Senate for a vote.
“He wants to defend his record in New Jersey as one where the state has moved forward and he wants to highlight that he can work and govern in a bipartisan fashion, ” Zelizer said.
But there’s a good chance neither will advance to Gov. Chris Christie’s desk, if the unblinking stances taken by Democratic leaders of the state Senate and Assembly remain in place.
“For the last six years, we’ve done it differently in New Jersey”, he continued.
Alan Oberman, who has said his John Brooks Recovery Center in Atlantic City will have to close in April because of financial issues, said the initiatives announced by Christie are good news.
In a forceful State of the State speech, Governor Christie focused on areas with national resonance – the economy, drug treatment and education – and targeted “union bosses”, state Democratic lawmakers and, injecting the partisan rhetoric he’s used as a presidential candidate courting conservatives, President Obama.
Sweeney acknowledged the already high level of state control over Atlantic City.
Atlantic City has eight casinos after four closed in 2014.
The bill’s passing is the first step in a long process of having a casino built in North Jersey.
Sweeney’s bill would require that both casinos be owned by existing Atlantic City casino operators, though he softened that stance to permit outside companies to partner with Atlantic City operators and own up to 49 percent of a new casino. That is aimed at stabilizing Atlantic City’s tax base, which has been eviscerated by casinos’ declining value because of competition from neighboring states. Sweeney maintained that such an arrangement will foster more cooperation and less of a competitive division between the new casinos and those that remain in Atlantic City.
If the proposed constitutional amendment passes the Assembly and both chambers in the next session, it could go on the 2016 ballot for voters to decide. Opening up casino gambling outside AC requires amending the state’s constitution, which can only be done via voter referendum. Sponsors either have to win a simple majority in two consecutive years, or a supermajority in one to get their proposal on the ballot.
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If the legislature does not act on the forthcoming plan quickly, “I will support a declaration of bankruptcy for Atlantic City”, Sweeney said.
