Vol. 5 No. 2, February 2008
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Q & A with Scott Evans
Interview with Atlantic City Mayor Scott K. Evans
Last November, 42-year-old firefighter Scott Evans was appointed mayor of Atlantic City by a 6-2 City Council vote.
Many continue to be skeptical about the choice. Others hope the Atlantic City Fire Company battalion chief, honored for his service in the aftermath of September 11, is earnest in his desire to provide tax relief and transparency in city government.
Though he declared he would only serve out the one-year term of former Mayor Bob Levy, Evans will almost certainly be a contender in the June primary. He spoke with Casino Connection Publisher Roger Gros and Managing Editor Marjorie Preston at his City Hall office last month.
Casino Connection: How do you respond to criticism that you essentially elected yourself?
Evans: I was put in this position through the democratic process. I wasn’t elected through a public election, but it is what it is, and I’m here. I’ve decided to take the job, and I’m going to do the job to the best of my ability for the taxpayers.
On the school board, you were identified with former City Council President Craig Callaway, convicted of taking bribes and now serving time in jail. How do you prove you’re not connected with him anymore?
In the beginning, everybody in this city was aligned with Callaway—everybody. Senators. Council people. And let’s face it, Craig, when he first started, was doing a great job. He was. But it’s time to turn the page on that. Everybody wants to keep talking about the negative things, you know: “You were in with this guy.” I’m not here to talk about that. I’m here to talk about the positive things. Where do we want to be a year from now, and two, three, four years from now? Let’s take this city forward.
That’s an admirable stance, but by hiring Callaway’s sister, doesn’t it make you look like you’re still beholden to him?
If you bring me somebody who applies for a job, they’re qualified, they’re educated, they have a resumé that supports what the position is for, we’re not going to discriminate just because they have a certain name or political affiliation. Atlantic City residents get the job… What it comes down to is I don’t owe anybody anything. I’m independent.
You’re taking a pay cut to be mayor. Are you on a leave of absence from the fire department? How has the transition been?
I took a leave of absence immediately upon being sworn in. Yes, it was a pay cut. And the transition has been overwhelming. What an enormous amount of activity hits you: the Donald Trump tax, tax revaluation, the Revel agreement, Bader Field. Then you’re looking at MGM, the AC Gateway project, A.C. Beach with Curtis Bashaw and Wally Barr, Pinnacle... I’ve probably learned in six weeks what most politicians learn in four years. You have naysayers taking shots at you, so a little bit of bad comes with it. But there’s so much good that can be done here, so much development we can facilitate. I don’t even want the credit, I just want to see that everyone comes to the table. When my political career is over, I’ll go back to the fire department. But I want to see this city be the best that it can be. I want to see the best for the taxpayers.
Let’s put it on the table. Are you going to run for election?
Well, I’m glad you’re getting all of the hard questions out first.
After this, we’re easy.
This is an incredible position, and I don’t mean that from an ego standpoint. Now that I’m in the seat, I get a little upset about what’s been done here in the last couple of years. You look at what should have been done, then you look at what you can do. It’s absolutely something I think I have to consider for the constituency out here… It’s a huge personal sacrifice for me, but being a community guy, being a public service guy, that’s what I do. When I run into a burning building, I’m coming in there to save somebody’s life, save somebody’s property.
You have to make a decision by the June primary.
Over the next several weeks, maybe within a month or two, the decision will be made.
If you run, what message would make the community come out for you?
Number one is tax relief. It’s my goal to set a trust fund in place that is part and parcel of any new major development project and dedicate it for tax relief. That’s the most important thing, along with the five-year phase-in for the tax reevaluation. The next thing is crime. We need to reduce crime, get officers walking the beat out there. We’re putting cameras in the two highest-crime areas and on the Boardwalk; we’re hoping to get them up and running by June… Education (is) one-third the school, one-third the parent, one-third the student. The city can try to help and put that package together. Those are some of the major issues.
Should casino employees and operators be allowed to run for public office?
When you get to management and above, then you cut them out. But I would say that your Local 54 employees, your waiters and waitresses, your dealers… You’ve got some great quality people. So yes, I would probably support that.
What’s your position on the partial smoking ban?
I’m not fully convinced of the 100 percent smoking thing, but if they want to have smoking areas, it has to be done correctly. I know about ventilation systems. I know that if you want to ventilate a room, you can ventilate a room. We could put a barrier right here, and have these long, thin HVAC ducts come down to probably a little above head-height and they could suck the air up around a given cubicle area. But it’s real expensive to do that. Or you could have the glass barriers. But I don’t support smoking in the common areas where it is now… If (the casinos) are not willing to do it the right way, then you’re going to have to take the right away from them.
How will you work with the casinos to expedite their projects?
Customer service is number one here. We work for them. They pay for the permits. They’re paying the tax bills. So we really need to look at the way we’re doing business to make sure that we don’t hold projects up. Even the mom-and-pop that’s building the duplex or building two duplexes… That guy ought to be able to come in the morning and submit his application, and within a day or a reasonable time, get it back. Not have him come back a week later to hear, “We lost your application.” I’m not going to stand for that. I’ve already talked to Kevin DeSanctis from Revel, which is going to have the largest construction project Atlantic City’s ever seen. We’re looking at how we can best serve their project every day, at each facet of development— from concrete to steel to infrastructure to the utilities and as the building goes up.
Give us your philosophy on the development of Bader Field.
Bader Field is just an incredible jewel—it’s almost like the golden goose. I think something will be built there that’s going to mirror, or be better than MGM West. It’s got the potential to be Atlantic City’s last chance to get it right for taxpayers. If we do Bader Field right, you will see taxpayers’ tax bills be reduced.
Do you want your tax abatement program done quickly?
This tax re-evaluation is going to cripple Atlantic City. It’s going to cripple the small mom-and-pop homeowners, the senior citizens. I don’t want anybody to leave Atlantic City. Nobody. When they get their tax bill, it’s going to be like the ship’s sinking and all the rats and mice and people are jumping off. We need to get relief in place now so that ship can keep sailing. Take our self-interest aside, our special interests aside, our political ambitions aside, and say, “This is what’s right for taxpayers.” It needs to be done now, because tax bills will be coming out in July, and it will reflect a new rate.
Are you opposed to eminent domain to redevelop the city?
In my heart I’m against eminent domain. Who does it benefit, big business or the residents? And if it does benefit big business, what does the resident get in return? You know, I don’t think it’s done right. They don’t use future projections: “This is what it’s worth now, but you know what? I want to live here for 20 years. So pay me what its going to be worth in 20 years. Then it’s worth my while.”… There needs to be a compromise.
What should the master plan look like?
I’m not sure all our needs are being met in the current master plan. We need to address the zoning. We only have six parcels left. Why not have them all casino-zoned? That’s more ratables. Transport-ation is also part of the master plan. Does it meet the needs of the expansion with Bader, MGM, Revel, Pinnacle? You’re talking 20,000 more cars a day in this city. We really need a loop system that works. These are some things we need to look at.
Is there a politician, living or dead, you’d like to model your career after?
Wow. I’m a Democrat, but Ronald Reagan, I really love Ronald. GW (Bush), I like some of the stuff he does, but some of his philosophies aren’t for the people, it’s for the big business. Clinton, I kind of like the way he operated the government. I can’t say there’s any one individual that jumps out at me, but Governor Corzine, he’s one. A politician that’s really impressed me the most so far is Congressman (Rob) Andrews. So If I want to try to aim to be like somebody, I’ll aim to be Congressman Andrews, at this point.
