By Michael Clark The Press of Atlantic City ATLANTIC CITY — Aides in Gov. Chris Christie's office might want to start screening their phone calls. Mayor Lorenzo Langford, in another day of public opposition to a state plan to take over parts of Atlantic City, put a secretary in the Governor's Office on speaker phone Thursday to demand a...
Clik here to view.
Gov. Chris Christie, left, and Atlantic City Mayor Lorenzo Langford exchange greetings during happier times. Langford invited community leaders and the media to watch him call Christie's office and put the governor's secretary on speaker phone Thursday.By Michael Clark
The Press of Atlantic City
ATLANTIC CITY — Aides in Gov. Chris Christie's office might want to start screening their phone calls.
Mayor Lorenzo Langford, in another day of public opposition to a state plan to take over parts of Atlantic City, put a secretary in the Governor's Office on speaker phone Thursday to demand a meeting with Christie while community leaders and members of the media listened. Langford called the brief call "important." The Governor's Office labeled it unnecessary political theater.
The mayor's call marked a formal request for a face-to-face meeting with Christie before he signs legislation that will establish a new Tourism District in the resort that will be controlled by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, a state agency.
During the news conference, Andy Weber, a trusted Langford attorney, approached the mayor with news that the governor's chief of staff, Rich Bagger, would be available to speak with him in 10 minutes.
"Call him now," Langford demanded publicly in front of gathered media and a room filled with community figures.
A phone was set up in the mayor's conference room, and Bagger's office was called on speaker phone.
"We're simply asking that the governor meet with us face-to-face before signing this legislation," Langford told Nancy Langevin, secretary to the chief of staff. The mayor then insisted that Langevin pass on his request for a meeting to the governor.
"I will make sure of that," she replied.
The Governor's Office did not seem to receive the request well.
"We are perfectly open to communicating with the mayor, but without the silly theatrics we saw today," said Michael Drewniak, the governor's spokesman.
Local opposition to the Tourism District legislation has been building since last month, when Langford formally came out against the plan that calls for control of the city's high-tourism areas to be controlled by the CRDA. On Thursday, Langford assembled a group of community leaders showing their support for the mayor's stance. Langford said he won't meet with the governor without them.
Meanwhile, residents attended a town hall-style meeting Thursday night. Many argued against the state's plans and alleged a lack of respect from New Jersey leaders.
"You come into my house when I invite you," resident Joseph Hicks said. "You don't come through at night like a thief and take the best part of it. Whatever you have to do, I want to be a part of it."
The meeting featured comments from Thomas Carver, CRDA's executive director, who pledged to hold meetings citywide and in the six individual wards to hear residents' concerns as the district is formed.
Carver agreed with the sentiment of many in attendance that those who crafted the state's plan knew little about Atlantic City.
"If you had a thimble and you filled it with all of their knowledge of Atlantic City, that thimble wouldn't be full," he said. "Could it have been handled better? Absolutely."
But Carver, flanked by the CRDA's chief officer, Susan Ney Thompson, tried to convey the opportunity the CRDA has to alter the state's plan once the governor signs the legislation, and that the agency will listen to the residents before moving forward.
Carver and Thompson ended up being the only state officials in attendance Thursday, despite a laundry list of state officials invited, including the governor, state Sen. Jim Whelan, D-Atlantic, and Assemblymen Vince Polistina and John Amodeo, both R-Atlantic. The legislators were in session Thursday in Trenton.
"The only thing missing tonight are the people who want to come here and run our town," said Councilman Aaron "Sporty" Randolph.
The debate over whether the state's plan to revitalize the city's tourism industry is really a takeover has been argued since Christie first proposed the plan in July. The majority of residents in attendance Thursday agreed the plan is a takeover; one of many similar attempts in the city's history, some noted.
"This takeover attempt is not new," said Linda Steele, an Atlantic City veteran who now lives in Galloway. "The state is taking a great interest now. The casino industry is suffering, but they suffer because of their own greed. Casinos always made out well, while the workers and the residents got crumbs. We need to start asking for more. We need to start asking for a seat at the table."