Community advocates scored a major victory against the corrupt Camden political machine after city elected officials changed course and threw their support behind an effort to force large employers to disclose their local hiring practices.

The Camden We Choose Coalition utilized the initiative provision of a state law known as the Faulkner Act to propose a new ordinance that would mandate that private employers in Camden with 25 or more full-time employees disclose their local hiring and salary ranges.

While City Clerk Luis Pastoriza initially rejected the coalition’s petitions to begin this legal practice, saying the petition was “dead and cannot be amended or supplemented.” He dramatically changed course after the coalition filed a lawsuit and submitted more than 1,400 petition signatures – more than the number required.

“This is a major victory for Camden residents fighting for economic justice and inclusion in New Jersey’s poorest city,” said Antoinette Miles, political director of the New Jersey Working Families Party, a coalition member. “The political machine that controls Camden has for years manipulated the levers of government to benefit party bosses and their powerful business partners. The machine was forced to back down when confronted with the strength of our legal arguments and the number of Camden residents demanding action. We are holding powerful special interests accountable and are forcing local elected officials to stand with their constituents rather than their political bosses.”

Camden Mayor Vic Carstarphan and Councilman Angel Fuentes have pledged to pass an ordinance that is similar to the one advocates have proposed. The coalition is closely reviewing the city’s proposed changes and will have an opportunity, under state law, to decide whether to accept these changes assuming the Council acts.

Some of the city’s proposed changes, which would apply to a broader number of employers, as well as state, county and federal government entities, could run afoul of state law and serve as a poison pill that could make the legislation vulnerable to a legal challenge.

“We are proud to work with City activists who are making a stand for equity and gaining real power, not glamorizing charity,” Miles said. “This is not a radical anti-business ordinance. We’ve written a carefully crafted piece of legislation that focuses on large, private employers – not mom and pop shops, or government institutions the city doesn’t have jurisdiction over. We’re skeptical as to why the city wants to expand the reach of this proposal and doubt it’s doing so in good faith.”

The ordinance will be put to the voters in a referendum on the November ballot if advocates reject those changes.

The We Choose Camden Coalition launched this initiative process after hearing years of promises from large employers, many of whom received tens of millions of dollars in state tax credits to relocate to Camden, that they would revitalize underserved communities in one of the nation’s poorest cities.
Yet despite gleaming office towers rising on the waterfront, Camden businesses have, for years, failed to provide information about local hiring that would back up their claims that they have benefited working families and people of color as opposed to powerful corporate interests.

“For years, the Camden County Democrats and the Norcross brothers have imposed a corruption tax on Camden families, while claiming they are great philanthropists,” said New Jersey Working Families Director Sue Altman. “What a load of baloney. These corporations received more than a billion dollars in state subsidies — supposedly to bring jobs to a city that has long suffered from disinvestment, racism and poverty.

“What’s absurd is they expect everyone to accept these jobs claims as gospel without data. I am certain these same businesses live and die by numbers and would never make an investment without data. Spare us the charade.”

The Camden We Choose coalition includes the Camden Parents Union, the leadership development organization Watu Moja, the New Jersey Working Families Party and other labor and advocacy partners, is committed to finally force transparency for the companies that received more than $1 billion to relocate to Camden.

“The power of the people has forced our elected officials to finally promise to stand with the constituents they claim to represent – and not their campaign donors and party bosses,” said Ronsha Dickerson, a longtime Camden advocate who is a member of the Committee of Petitioners who circulated petitions to force consideration of this issue. “We’re going to closely monitor the actions of the mayor and City Council over the next few weeks to ensure that they follow through on their promises.”