Dan Cirucci: Atlantic City: Governor Christie Takes Bold Action

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Atlantic City: Governor Christie Takes Bold Action

Acting With Urgency For An AC Renewal
Governor Christie Continues To Work To Bring Financial Stability To Atlantic City, While Helping Workers In Transition
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Taking Action To Solidify Atlantic City’s Finances:

As part of his commitment to bringing long-term stability of Atlantic City, Governor Christie believes that expert and objective leadership is needed to restructure the operations, finances and culture of its government. Today, the Governor signed Executive Order 171 which appoints an Emergency Manager and Special Consultant to develop and oversee a comprehensive overhaul of Atlantic City’s government:

·         Special Consultant to Atlantic City’s Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr: Mr. Orr most recently served as Emergency Manager for the City of Detroit, guiding the city through the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history. By reaching out and speaking honestly with stakeholders and residents, Mr. Orr helped the city shed $7 billion in debt and reinvest $1.4 billion over 10 years in public services. Mr. Orr also brings three decades of extensive legal experience in the areas of business restructuring, financial institution regulation and commercial litigation.

·         Emergency Manager of Atlantic City Kevin Lavin: Mr. Lavin has extensive credentials in restructuring both private and public underperforming entities, most recently as the leader of FTI Consulting’s Global Restructuring business unit. Mr. Lavin has played a key role in the turnaround or restructuring of over 150 companies around the globe and across a broad range of industries and has served in interim management roles as CEO, COO and CFO.

Governor Christie’s Executive Order is based on the recommendations outlined in the initial report of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Gaming, Sports and Entertainment.

Helping Casino Workers Through AC’s Transition:

While the need for Atlantic City to diversify from simply a gambling hub is necessary, the Christie Administration is committed to helping those who have been impacted in the process.

Working hand-in-hand with the industry unions and local partners, the Administration – through the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (LWD) – is helping to guide impacted casino workers through a variety of services and benefits available to them, and assisting them in their job searches:

·         $30 Million In Federal Employment Assistance: The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development sought and obtained from the U.S. Department of Labor a National Emergency Grant totaling nearly $29.4 million to assist with job training and reemployment services for Atlantic City’s former casino workers who were laid off as a result of the casino closings.

·         Atlantic City Unites Here Center: More than 40 labor department staffers were made available in the first week of September at the “Atlantic City Unites Here Center,” a resource center the union opened in space provided by the Casino Redevelopment Authority at the Atlantic City Convention Center after two casinos closed the same week. About 500 workers were served the first day. The labor department again sent staffers to a new center the union opened later that month when another casino closed.

·         Individualized Services For Job Seekers: Staff remain available to meet with the affected employees individually to assist them in their job searches. Services include:
o    Assistance in Applying for Unemployment Assistance: Impacted workers are strongly encouraging all layoff affected workers to file for UI benefits online at Jobs4Jersey.com.
o    Targeted Training Programs: Opportunity4Jersey program provides funding to support new training programs tied directly to the hiring needs of employers.
o    Resume Workshops: Specialists are available to assist individuals to prepare for their job search.

·         Largest Job Fair in State History: The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development hosted its largest job fair ever, linking more than 1,500 people to more than 60 employers at the Atlantic City Convention Center on Sept. 10, 2014 to get people re-employed.

·         Outreach to Businesses Hiring in the Region: Business Services Representatives and Talent Networks continue to work closely with economic development organizations and local and state business organizations to identify businesses that would be interested in hiring layoff affected workers. Companies are being advised of on-the-job training grants and other training funds available to prepare layoff affected workers for new opportunities.

·         Community Information Sessions: Rapid Response sessions are being held in local communities surrounding Atlantic City, when requested by local officials, to inform individuals about available reemployment services.

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About Dan Cirucci

He has been cited by Rush Limbaugh, quoted in the New York Times, featured at Real Clear Politics and Lucianne.com and interviewed on radio, TV and in social media.

He's Dan Cirucci, the founder and editor-in chief of the Dan Cirucci Blog, Matt Rooney's sidekick on Save Jersey's videocasts and one of the most widely honored public relations professionals in his field. He's also been a public relations consultant to numerous organizations and individuals and hosted The Advocates on RVN-TV.

Inducted into the Philadelphia Public Relations Hall of Fame, for many years he served as a Lecturer in Corporate Communication at Penn State University. A former President of the Philadelphia Public Relations Association (PPRA) he has lectured at Rowan University, Temple University, The College of New Jersey and Arcadia University. He has conducted workshops on public relations for thousands of participants throughout the nation and has taught countless others the art of public speaking. He has also advised numerous lawyers, judges, public officials and political candidates.

Cirucci is a prolific writer and his op-ed pieces have appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Courier-Post and other publications.

A native of Camden NJ, Cirucci is a former President of the Philadelphia chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. Cirucci served as Associate Executive Director of the Philadelphia Bar Association for nearly 30 years. He served as Chair of Penn State University's Professional Advisory Board for the Corporate Communication major at Penn State Abington and on the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Judicial Selection Commission.

He received his MA degree from Rowan University and his BA from Villanova University. He has been named a Distinguished Alumnus of Rowan's public relations program and received the E. A. "Wally" Richter Leadership Award, the highest honor from the National Association of Bar Executives' Communications Section. He has also been honored by numerous other local, state and national groups.

In his hometown of Camden, Cirucci taught fifth grade at the Ulysses Wiggins Elementary School named for the founder of the Camden NAACP. There he was one of the first teachers in the country to teach African-American history to inner city students. He later served as editor of a local weekly newspaper, as Assistant to the Township Manager of Cherry Hill Township and as Associate Director of Communications at the New Jersey State Bar Association.

Cirucci's passions include politics, the popular culture, books and authors, art, communication, music, theatre, movies, dining and travel.

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