Press of Atlantic City

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Corzine proposes to allow local governments to defer some pension payments

By DEREK HARPER Statehouse Bureau, 609-292-4935

Published: Nov 21, 2008

ATLANTIC CITY - Gov. Jon S. Corzine proposed Thursday to allow local governments to defer about half of their pension payments for three years to help municipalities avoid steep property-tax increases in the sagging economy.

The state's towns, counties and school districts would be able to hold onto about $540 million of the $1 billion pension contributions they are scheduled to make in April.

But in exchange, he suggested that few towns would be allowed to raise their budgets more than the state-capped 4 percent next year.

The grim afternoon speech at the New Jersey State League of Muni-cipalities conference here drew scarce applause as Corzine went through state cuts, expressed concern that these could translate to higher local taxes and said steep property-tax increases during a recession are "unacceptable." More

Nov 20, 2008

• Corzine wants 3-year break for town payments into NJ pension system

5:41 p.m. Update - ATLANTIC CITY – Gov. Jon S. Corzine proposed allowing local governments to defer pension payments for three years, allowing them to hold onto an estimated $540 million in a down economy.

Nov 20, 2008

• 'It's just a blessing': Community responds to shortages at food bank;

With charity list / EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP - The shelves and refrigerators of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey looked a little better Wednesday. The warehouse was bustling with activity when more than 100 people came to give money and supplies.

Nov 19, 2008

• Short season OK'd for Atlantic City track, but future course is muddy

3:02 p.m. Update - with issue poll / TRENTON – A last-minute agreement between Atlantic City Race Course and New Jersey’s racing industry resulted in a reprieve from a state-ordered 20-day 2009 racing schedule that track officials said would put the facility of business.

Nov 19, 2008

• Area food banks seek bailout

The scene inside and outside a food bank in Egg Harbor Township on Tuesday showed exactly how the slow economy is pummeling charities just before the holiday season.

Nov 18, 2008

• LATEST SPORTS: Sacred Heart boys soccer team wins state title

Click here for photos from the game

EWING TOWNSHIP -- The Sacred Heart High School boys soccer team won its first state title in program history Tuesday night with a 1-0 win over Gill St. Bernards' in the state Non-Public B final.

Nov 18, 2008

• Sinking economy leaves some boats abandoned

Boaters are abandoning their vessels at marinas and storage yards because they cannot afford the docking and storage fees during an economic meltdown.

Nov 17, 2008

• Ocean County doubles rate of foreclosure

STAFFORD TOWNSHIP - Cars line the curb and Halloween decorations still hang in the front yards of the houses on Reel Avenue, a short street in the Ocean Acres section of the township.

Nov 16, 2008

• Atlantic City Race Course racing toward possible finish

With 2 related stories plus issue poll - HAMILTON TOWNSHIP -The New Jersey Racing Commission will make a decision Wednesday that could put an Atlantic County horse-racing track out to pasture.

Nov 15, 2008

• Atlantic City convention center raises the roof on solar expectations

ATLANTIC CITY - A roof used to be just a necessity that occasionally required expensive maintenance.

Nov 14, 2008

• Would-be home sellers finding it easier to wait

With home prices and sales plunging over the past year, this is the most difficult period in a generation to sell a house. And yet plenty of houses are on the market.

Nov 13, 2008

• Next tour of duty puts local woman at White House

In the past seven months, a work excursion for Lt. Jessica Gandy may have included a flight - via an airplane and two helicopters - into the heights of remote Afghanistan mountain ranges. En route, the young U.S. Navy press officer would spend time mentally refreshing her Arabic.

Nov 12, 2008

• Langford sworn in as Atlantic City mayor

2:30 p.m. Update - ATLANTIC CITY - After more than a week of ballot counting and technicalities, Lorenzo Langford is finally the city's mayor.

Nov 11, 2008

• Region pauses to honor those who served

5:44 p.m. Update - Today's Veterans Day ceremonies came in all shapes and sizes, but mostly the same colors: red, white and blue.

Nov 11, 2008

• Locals find relief for pump-related pain

Click to fiind lowest gas prices near you

MILLVILLE - Even when it seemed like gas prices just couldn't get any higher, Pam Pitts never lost hope.

Nov 10, 2008

• More southern New Jersey schoolchildren eating for free or for less

The first sign comes when a parent is chronically behind in paying for a child's lunch.

Nov 09, 2008

• Ocean City boys, Jill Smith repeat at South Jersey Cross Country Championships

View Anthony Smedile's photo gallery

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP - Conditions for the South Jersey Cross Country Championships were poor Saturday.

Nov 08, 2008

• Family of burglarized Atlantic City home fields hundreds of calls

ATLANTIC CITY - Sitting at his kitchen table Thursday afternoon, Jason McGlynn obviously had lost his faith in people.

Nov 07, 2008

• Trump Entertainment cuts pay for top Atlantic City casino executives

5:37 p.m. Update - with issue poll ATLANTIC CITY — Top executives at Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc. will take a 5 percent pay cut as the company continues to trim corporate expenses during the worst downturn in Atlantic City’s 30-year history of casino gambling.

Nov 07, 2008

• Borgata casino lays off 400 workers in Atlantic City

ATLANTIC CITY - Stanley Silow, a veteran casino dealer, once worked for Harrah's but made the jump to Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa about two and a half years ago to improve his job security.

Nov 06, 2008

• Students say election changes their view of America

Support for Sen. Barack Obama, was almost unanimous at the Uptown Complex in Atlantic City and the Pleasantville Middle School. But up until late Tuesday night, some students at the predominantly minority schools were still worried their candidate might lose.

Nov 05, 2008

• Area voters react with joy to Obama's historic victory

With photo gallery of local, U.S. & world reaction plus historic Press front page - The party Claribel and Lillian Martinez threw Tuesday was supposed to be simple, just a few family members getting together to watch election returns at Claribel's home in Egg Harbor Township.

Nov 04, 2008

• Local voters pack polls; long lines, many registration problems reported around NJ

3:55 p.m. Update - With photo gallery / GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP – The line to vote at the Log Cabin Community Center at Pomona and Zurich avenues stretched from the voting booth to the door just before noon Tuesday morning.

Nov 04, 2008

• Win in 3rd District hinges on Ocean County, candidates say

With less than 24 hours until polls opened, the two 3rd District candidates for the House of Representa-tives focused their efforts on what both campaigns believe could be a pivotal battleground today - Ocean County.

Nov 03, 2008

• Procrastination pays for home heating-oil buyers

For once, procrastination may pay off.

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