Casino Taxes (And The Taj Mahal)
Atlantic City’s casinos paid more in gaming and resort taxes to New Jersey last year, bucking a decade-long trend of slumping tax revenue from the sector, Route 40 reported exclusively here. The numbers from the Division of Gaming Enforcement indicate the sector’s declining revenue is flatlining – largely helped by a pickup in online gaming. The numbers, however, are through the end of June last year, meaning that they don’t include the closure of the Trump Taj Mahal. Speaking of which, Icahn told the AP that he has no immediate plans to sell the Taj, but he did change its deed so that he could reduce his property tax bill.
PILOT Fight
The Press of Atlantic City’s Christian Hetrick reports from yesterday’s county freeholders’ meeting that the freeholders are withholding $12.8 million from the city, until the city pays the county its 13.5 percent share of the casinos’ Payments In Lieu of Taxation (PILOT). “The stress on the Atlantic County budget, and therefore on the residents of Atlantic County, has the potential to be tremendous if the county does not receive its fair share,” Freeholder Chairman Frank Formica said.
Clean Energy
NJSpotlight has this piece looking at how some interested parties are planning a clean-energy business push for once Gov. Chris Christie’s term ends… It’s interesting, from the local perspective, considering the government just recently put the kibosh on a planned offshore windfarm (although the people behind that plan said they might still try and revive it. That story is here).
See below for the rest of today’s headlines, which include articles on the controversial South Jersey gas pipeline, job growth in New Jersey (or the lack of) and a repair-man scam.
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Longtime N.J. Senator From Atlantic City Won’t Seek Re-election–State Sen. Jim Whelan, who served as Atlantic City's mayor when President-elect Donald Trump was still a casino owner there, is expected to retire, according to a report. NJ.com
EHT Man Arrested After Allegedly Stabbing Woman In Chest–An Egg Harbor Township man was charged with aggravated assault after he allegedly stabbed a female multiple times during an altercation inside a residence in the Atlantic Gardens community on Friday. According to police, Shawn Delgado, 45, was arrested after Egg Harbor Township Police Officer Charles Davenport was flagged down along Tilton Road in response to a stabbing. Shore News Today
Pinelands Commission Hearing on SJ Gas Pipeline Moved to Pemberton Twp.–Burlington County residents won't have to travel as far to weigh in on South Jersey Gas' proposal to run a natural gas pipeline through a portion of the protected Pinelands. The New Jersey Pinelands Commission has moved the location of its Jan. 24 meeting and a planned public hearing on the pipeline from the Ocean Acres Community Center in Manahawkin, Ocean County, to the parish center at Saint Ann's Catholic Church on Trenton Road. Burlington County Times
Phony Repair Man Scams Atlantic County Residents–The Northfield Police Department is warning residents about a scammer who has allegedly taken advantage of Atlantic County residents by posing as a phony appliance repairman. According to authorities, 40-year-old Ventnor resident, Matthew Lyall, would promise his victims repairs, exchanges, and warranties on kitchen appliances. www.snjtoday.com
Job Growth In New Jersey Lagged In 2016 After Good Year In 2015–Last year began with high expectations for the New Jersey economy as the state was just coming off its best year for job growth in more than a decade. But this year there seem to be few reasons to justify the same type of optimism following what turned out to be a mostly uneven 2016. www.njspotlight.com
New Jersey Gains Some Clout In New Congress–New Jersey’s congressional delegation gained some clout Tuesday as the 115th Congress was seated. In one major step, Representative Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-Morris) became chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee. www.njspotlight.com
Pinelands Regional Schools To Hold Active-Shooter Drill–Pinelands Regional High School and Middle School will conduct an active-shooter drill in the next few weeks. The date was not given, but a statement from the school district said the drill will take place in “January and/or February.” Press of Atlantic City
Atlantic City School Board Selects New President–As the local school district begins the process of hiring a new superintendent, the school board Tuesday unanimously approved a teacher to lead them for the next for the next year. Walter Johnson, who teaches TV and media in the Ocean City School District, was unanimously elected president of the board, replacing John Devlin. Press of Atlantic City