World | Mon Feb 22, 2016 3:27pm EST

Atlantic City mayor terms N.J. takeover plan 'fascist dictatorship'

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. | BY DANIEL KELLEY

Atlantic City's mayor has called a state plan to cede control of the fiscally distressed gambling hub a "fascist dictatorship," a sharp reversal of his previous position on the proposed takeover.

Details of the proposed legislation, released last week, would deny residents their civil rights by stripping municipal powers from locally elected officials, Mayor Don Guardian said on Monday, echoing previous concerns from community activists.

"The final piece of legislation that the state presented to us was far from a partnership," Guardian said, addressing hundreds of residents and city workers at an outdoor news conference next to City Hall. "It was much worse. It was absolutely a fascist dictatorship."

The plan calls for the state to appoint an official who would have the power to make unilateral decisions about canceling collective bargaining agreements, selling city-owned assets, entering contracts, terminating employees and vetoing city council minutes, Guardian said.

The mayor's comments marked a fiery change of tone from just one month ago, when Guardian stood next to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and state Senate President Steve Sweeney in support of the intervention. However, that was before the bills had taken shape.

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