A move to change the form of Atlantic City’s municipal government under state law has brought out a tough response from the city’s current mayor and council, even though much of the running of the city is now under state control.
Members of City Council were joined by community leaders at a news conference at City Hall to oppose the change. Meanwhile, a letter from council has been sent to the state Office of the Attorney General and the recently created Office of Public Corruption requesting an investigation into the petition effort and its legality because of the involvement of casino executives in the city’s political process, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
Council President Marty Small Sr. said the petition effort was an attempt to “undermine local government” and “usurp” the authority of duly elected officials.
The petition seeks to change the government to a council-manager form—one of several models allowed for municipal governments under state law. The form eliminates an elected mayor in favor of a professional business manager.
The drive is being led by Unite Here Local 54—the city’s largest casino workers’ union—its President Bob McDevitt, former state Senator Ray Lesniak and Resorts Casino Hotel owner Morris Bailey.
McDevitt, an Atlantic City resident, told the Press he’s wanted to alter the form of city government for “over a decade.”
“We’ve had the same form of government since the late 1970s,” he told the paper. “In all those years, we have not moved forward.”
The city is under state oversight following the 2016 Municipal Recovery and Stabilization Act which gives the state Department of Community Affairs final authority over fiscal matters, contracts and ordinances.
The act also allows the DCA to treat referendums in Atlantic City as advisory and gives it the authority to reject a ballot decision regardless of the outcome, according to the Press.
According to information obtained by Council, the petitioners are shooting for an August 13 referendum on the change. However, they haven’t submitted a petition for the referendum to the City Clerk’s office. The petition needs 1,097 signatures before it can be submitted to the clerk for certification.
