Due to a previous work commitment Colin is unable to make today’s rally at City Hall but wanted to provide a statement.

(Atlantic City, NJ) – Colin Bell, former Atlantic County Freeholder and candidate for State Senate in the 2nd Legislative District released the following statement today on layoffs to the Atlantic City Police and Fire Departments:

“No one can argue about the need to right size Atlantic City’s government to fix the fiscal mismanagement that’s been happening for years. But what we can’t do is jeopardize the safety of our residents, visitors and businesses with massive layoffs to the police and fire departments.

If Atlantic City’s $400 an hour dictator wants to do right by our hard-working public safety employees, the state should do what they said they were going to do to implement an Early Retirement Incentive program that would save the city millions of dollars a year, right size government effectively and respect those who put their lives on the line for our residents.

It’s time for Governor Christie to show his face in Atlantic City for something other than a photo op instead of hiding behind the veil of a state takeover that’s targeting hard-working people instead of fiscal mismanagement and wasteful government spending. If he does he’ll see what I saw as a former Atlantic County Prosecutor — the real story of the hard-working men and women of our police and fire departments who give their all day in and out.”