Nothing is more important to Atlantic City’s recovery than the safety of visitors, residents, and businesses. With the threat of severe cuts to police and fire staffing levels, the New Jersey State AFL-CIO in partnership with PBA Local 24, IAFF, Teamsters Local 331, AFSCME District Council 71 and ACWCPA have launched a website and Facebook page to educate the public about the impact of the state takeover on public safety.
To lend your voice to the effort, CLICK HERE to send a message asking your legislators to support A-4556.
This bill would establish a $2 per occupied room per day surcharge on hotels in Atlantic City over the course of the next two years. The funds raised would be dedicated to funding the city’s public safety services to ensure community safety. Be sure to share this action with you friends and members.
Atlantic City is visited by over 27 million people every year, but the city is protected by Fire and Police departments already strained by budget cuts. Now the bureaucrats in charge of the state takeover of Atlantic City are ready to impose even more drastic budget cuts that that will reduce the firefighter force from 225 to 125, the smallest firefighting force in the history of Atlantic City. The police force is facing a reduction to 250, losing over 100 officers since 2010. This would be the smallest police force in the city since gambling was legalized in the early 1970’s.
This reduction of first responder positions will result in unsafe staffing levels and longer response times, putting the lives of the residents and visitors to Atlantic City at risk. Please CLICK HERE to join us in the fight for Atlantic City’s public safety and economic recovery.