This is the letter we'll send to Governor Chris Christie:
Governor Christie, end the state takeover of Atlantic City's water system!
After months of hard work by New Jerseyans, the Atlantic City Council unanimously passed an ordinance introduced by the citizens of Atlantic City that protects their right to vote on the sale of their water. While this is incredible news, all this hard work could go to waste--because Governor Christie has appointed a close friend, former state senator, Jeffrey Chiesa to emergency manager. And he has the power to overturn the will of the people.
The Atlantic City State Takeover Law, passed in 2016, gives power to a Christie appointee to make all decisions related to city government and any decision regarding the water. This means that any democratic decisions made by the Atlantic City Council can be totally ignored by the state. Furthermore, any initiative that Atlantic City residents pass into law becomes ‘advisory.’ This is a clear violation of the civil rights of the residents in Atlantic City and the human right to water. Atlantic City residents have the right to make decisions about what happens in their community. And Governor Christie appointing an emergency manager in Atlantic City is just another example of governors ripping the right to self-determination away from Black communities.
Here is the Petition:
Dear Governor Christie,
Please end the state takeover of Atlantic City now. No other city in the state of New Jersey has this level of supervision over its day-to- day operation and its finances. Every major decision that Atlantic City has made during Governor Christie’s administration has been checked, double checked and checked again by the Division of Local Government Services. And it’s not right--Atlantic City is filled with New Jerseyans who care deeply about their community--and their right to make decisions about what happens in their city.Sincerely,
[Your Name]