(TRENTON) — Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson) had the following published recently in The Press of Atlantic City:
“We could have avoided much of this had the governor simply signed bills to help Atlantic City resolve tax disputes with casinos. The Legislature passed three versions of that bill, including two recommended by the governor himself. In fact, the Assembly passed one after I worked directly with the governor’s chief counsel on the measure, yet the governor still vetoed it.
“Atlantic City was instructed by the state to put $33.5 million in its budget from the casino payments. Yet the governor reneged on this promise.
“Meanwhile, the city cut $25 million in 2015 and $25 million in 2016. More than 300 employee positions were eliminated. Atlantic City followed almost every single one of the emergency manager’s recommendations. The police department downsized from 315 police officers to 285, an annual savings of $5 million. The fire department budget is $7 million less than it was in 2010.
“It’s time for the governor to stop blaming others in between his out-of-state trips and do his job…”
To read the rest of the Speaker’s op-ed, click here.