ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Gov. Chris Christie headed to Atlantic City's oldest business on Tuesday to tout nearly $23 million spent for worker training matching grants to businesses over the past two years and said he was "fairly happy" with progress the city has made since the state stepped in to oversee the casino district.
More than 60,000 workers have been trained using the grants at more than 400 businesses during the past 22 months, the governor's office said.
Christie toured the historic James Candy Co., which opened in the seaside resort in 1880 and has been in the same Boardwalk building since 1920.
James Candy, among the first makers of saltwater taffy, recently received $38,400 to teach 39 of its 49 workers manufacturing techniques, team-building and supervisory skills. It said it received a similar amount from the state last year.
"Small manufacturers find it nearly impossible to afford the quality training to compete in the marketplace today," company president Frank Glaser said. "For our share of the national market, we must find efficiencies and opportunity in every corner of our business."
The candy company is a bright spot in Atlantic City's otherwise dim business atmosphere. The state recently has staged a quasi-takeover of Atlantic City's casino and tourist zones, assuming control over safety, cleanliness and economic development.
State-mandated economic redevelopment funds collected from casinos will now be used solely for projects within Atlantic City, the nation's second-biggest gambling market. Previously, the money was spread around the state.
Christie, a Republican, said the alternative to the state not getting involved would be "to allow dysfunctional city government to continue to run this city into the Atlantic Ocean, which was not an option as far as I was concerned."
