Issue: Mayor Lorenzo Langford has been criticized early in his month-old administration for some of his hiring choices and the handling of those new arrivals.
More
Issue: Atlantic City's schools are among dozens to see their federal school technology funding frozen during a federal investigation of the consultant who oversees the technology funding. The city school district has already lost more than $2 million in lawsuit settlements related to the program.
More
Issue: Atlantic City is a month away from knowing who is really interested in developing Bader Field, the former municipal airport turned casino development jewel. But the sagging economy could leave the city with no concrete offers.
More
Issue: Members of the new administration are just planting their feet at City Hall and already they're seeing bad signs in the budget. Millions in expected revenue probably won't materialize and drastic measures, like employee layoffs, are being whispered as a possibility. Some say salaries and wages must be the focus if the city is to curb spending.
More
Issue: Like Scott Evans, Lorenzo Langford has assumed the mayor's office in another election year. No one, including Langford, has officially announced plans to run in 2009. But some expect the field to be crowded.
More
Issue: Mayor Lorenzo Langford said during his campaign that he would appoint a public safety director. But clauses in contracts for both the police and fire chiefs — signed just before the general election — prohibit such a move. City Council is looking into the validity of that order, and is trying to clear the way for the position.
More
Issue: Newly elected Mayor Lorenzo Langford has some choices to make for his Cabinet, and rumors have been swirling about whom he'll appoint. We want you to put yourself in his shoes. Below is a sampling of possible picks for some of Langford's most important appointments, made up of both rumored candidates and capable possibilities. You can also choose "other" and write in a name you think should be on Langford's short list in the comment section.
Question: Who should Mayor Langford select for his Cabinet?
More
Issue: Lorenzo Langford will likely take over as Atlantic City mayor at the start of next week to finish the final year of former Mayor Bob Levy's unexpired term.
Question: What do you think should be Langford's top priority?
More
Issue: The Press of Atlantic City reported this week that state officials made a failed effort to take over the city's Law Department and Business Administrator's Office during the "missing mayor" chaos of last year.
More
Issue: The old Garwood Mills site in Atlantic City's Northeast Inlet has been vacant for years and plagued with empty developmental proposals. Like the others, the latest proposal failed to meet deadlines and was considered dead. Now the same developer wants to change the agreement for a new plan of residential housing. The city is considering exercising its right to take the property it sold back from the developer and put it back on the market.
More
Issue: City Council is scheduled to take a final vote on delaying a full smoking ban indefinitely until the economic crisis subsides. Casinos claim the ban will further revenue losses and lead to more layoffs. Ban proponents discount the claim and say it delays creating a healthy casino work environment.
Vote in the poll, above, leave your comments below or both.
Issue: Lorenzo Langford is widely expected to trounce both Independent candidate Joseph Polillo and Republican John McQueen Jr. in November's special election for mayor.
Vote in the poll, above, leave your comments below or both.
Issue: The state's General Assembly voted overwhelmingly this week in support of a bill that would lift the ban on casino employment for Atlantic City elected officials, pushing the effort to allow casino workers a chance at running for City Council and mayor.
More
Issue: It's tough to keep track of all the lawsuits that are filed at City Hall. Atlantic City has continually been a haven for employee suits alleging political retaliation, race discrimination, among other things.
More
Issue: The future of Pinnacle Entertainment’s $2 billion casino project is in question because of the lagging credit markets, but developers continue to move forward procedurally.
More
Issue: Labor Day is coming up, a time when most local politicians switch to a new gear when running in the November election. But Atlantic City's general election is commonly overlooked as a giveaway for the Democratic candidate.
More
Issue: Councilman John Schultz, linked to a blackmail plot to oust Councilman Eugene Robinson with a sex tape, has been facing conspiracy charges since September.
But his alleged role in the extortion was seen by many as near-irrelevant; simply referring the alleged conspirators to a professional video editor.
Now, his alleged involvement is believed to be deeper after clarification came from testimony in a report obtained by The Press. In response, there have been several calls for his resignation as Schultz prepares to enter a first-time-offenders program and avoid losing his seat.
More
THE ISSUE: Atlantic City is preparing to start major construction on various area's of The Boardwalk that have been deemed unsafe.
Deterioration of the famous walkway's foundation has the administration hoping to appropriate about $3.5 million for repairs and to budget $1 million to $2 million in annual maintenance. The level of repairs being proposed would be the most significant since 1995.
City legislators, who have been criticized for delaying the repairs, are agreeing to invest in some areas, but not all.
THE QUESTION: How safe do you feel on The Boardwalk?
More
THE ISSUE: While other state syringe exchange programs have either faltered or sputtered out of the gate, The Press of Atlantic City reported this week Atlantic City's three-month old pilot program is thriving. The program is designed to hinder the spread of HIV and AIDS by supplying drug users with clean needles.
More
Issue: Mayor Scott Evans recently announced that he will not appear alongside his opposing candidates at the city's various forums and debates because of ethical and personnel issues. A city attorney who works closely with Evans then said the mayor's absence would be because of the unprofessional nature of the forums.
Question: Does Evans have good reason to avoid these debates or does he owe it to voters to appear?
More
Issue: Many believe the Democratic mayoral primary will weigh heavily on race in the run-up to the June election between Mayor Scott Evans (white), former Mayor Lorenzo Langford (black) and Assistant Business Administrator Domenic Cappella (white). Some believe it will be as simple as the majority of black residents voting for Langford and the white voters, primarily in the 5th and 6th wards, will decide between Evans and Cappella. Others say its insulting to assume voters would be that superficial.
Question: How big of a role will race play in the upcoming primary election? Will voters vote on the issues or cast their ballots based on race?
More
Issue: Nearly a year after a partial casino smoking ban was enacted by City Council, resort gaming halls are as smoky as they've always been. The delays in building enclosed smoking areas prompted council members to push for a new full ban. City Council was poised Wednesday to vote on a complete smoking ban on the casino floor, but the measure was pulled from the agenda for further debate in two weeks.
More