Redd forms team to promote business in Camden

Camden is open for business, Mayor Dana Redd declared Thursday, announcing the formation of a team to focus on economic policy and expedited development approvals to make the city more business-friendly.

Redd outlined the plans at the annual joint meeting of two nonprofits that work for the revitalization of the city, the Greater Camden Partnership and the Cooper's Ferry Development Association. The two groups announced their merger.

The new Business Growth and Development Team, which will operate under the Mayor's Office, will offer businesses a "one-stop shop," city spokesman Robert Corrales said.

Vincent Basara, coordinator of the city's Urban Enterprise Zone, was named the team's ombudsman. Camden's UEZ, in existence since 1984, provides tax incentives and other benefits to businesses. Gov. Christie has proposed eliminating New Jersey's 39 Urban Enterprise Zones in 37 cities, including Camden, to save $100 million annually.

In the meeting, held at Adventure Aquarium, Redd praised the city for having "fiscal prudence" and twice said Camden was New Jersey's poster child for how "to do things right."

Despite a deficit of more than $25 million at the start of the 2011 budget process, Redd said, good management enabled Camden to score $69 million of the total $250 million state transitional aid given to municipalities.

"Because we practiced fiscal prudence and kept our promise to be transparent throughout our budget process, we were able to get a lion's share of the transitional aid," she said.

The city has yet to adopt a budget for fiscal 2011. Redd's proposed amended budget, which included a 23 percent hike in the property-tax levy after the layoff of more than 300 city employees, was struck down by City Council this month. Council's amended budget, which includes a 10 percent increase in the levy, is awaiting approval by the state Division of Local Government Services.

Before addressing the city's development projects and plans, Redd told an audience of more than 200 that public safety was her No. 1 priority, and that she intended to retain as many public-safety workers as possible.

"But given the economic realities, the city could not afford to stay with the status quo," she said. "And that is why pension and health-care reform at the state level are so critical."

The crowd included former Gov. Jim Florio; state, county, and city politicians; and many business owners and other key business players in the city, many of whom the mayor acknowledged.