Lawmakers calls for Atlantic City hotel room fee to prevent layoffs

(Big Stock)

(Big Stock)

New Jersey’s Assembly speaker wants to add a $2 charge to each hotel room bill in Atlantic City to help prevent massive police and firefighter layoffs in the struggling gambling resort.

Shortly after Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s administration seized power in Atlantic City last fall, the state began seeking steep cuts in public safety, calling for as many as 100 firefighter layoffs, and 27 in the police department.

Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto, a Hudson County Democrat, has introduced a bill imposing the additional surcharge on Atlantic City hotel bills, with the proceeds to be used exclusively to help fund police and fire operations.

The charge would end after two years.

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Prieto had no immediate estimate Tuesday of how much the measure might raise each year.

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