(ATLANTIC CITY) – Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo (D-Atlantic) on Thursday released the following statement after the conclusion of the Governor’s Atlantic City Summit Part III, during which the governor announced the appointment of an emergency manager for Atlantic City:
“Throughout his time in office Mayor Don Guardian has worked in a bipartisan manner to do what is necessary to cut wasteful spending to help fix Atlantic City’s broken fiscal climate. The appointment of an emergency manager is not something that I support, but I will work with him and his team in a cooperative manner to fix and reform Atlantic City’s dire property tax situation. We need to relieve the burden on Atlantic County’s hard-working middle-class families, seniors and businesses.
“Even with the appointment of an emergency manager – and some questions about his powers and what he’s going to be able to accomplish – the need to reform and stabilize the Atlantic City tax structure is still the most pressing fiscal issue facing our region.
“The PILOT program has bipartisan support from all levels of government here in Atlantic County and it is my hope that we will pass this legislation and that Gov. Christie will sign it into law. Massive cuts and restructuring in Atlantic City are more than necessary, but it’s meaningless if casinos are awarded tens of millions in tax appeals annually. The PILOT program is still necessary for Atlantic City, Atlantic County and every single person and business who pays taxes.
“As the County Executive said earlier this week in the meeting with the Mayors Association, ‘This will stop the bleeding… We are better with the PILOT then without it.'”