Letters: Atlantic City residents should rule

ISSUE | ATLANTIC CITY

Let residents rule

Gov. Christie's plan for an immediate state takeover of Atlantic City is putting the city at risk ("Lines in the sand," May 15). If no one blinks, Atlantic City will become the first municipality in New Jersey since the Great Depression to miss a debt payment or go bankrupt.

Christie was not elected prince of Atlantic City. In a democracy, residents elect their government leaders, and Mayor Don Guardian is standing up for this right.

As leaders of the New Jersey chapters of the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP have noted, "The governor's and Senate president's plan would essentially dissolve local government by providing the state . . . with the authority to dismantle any of Atlantic City's municipal authorities or contracts and veto any City Council vote."

Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto also argues that the takeover would go too far by allowing the state to break unions' collective-bargaining contracts. He should be applauded for supporting our hardworking police officers and firefighters.

|Alejandro Beltran, Atlantic City, emailab1@yahoo.com