A crucial vote is set for Thursday in the Assembly, which is pursuing its own alternative to an Atlantic City takeover as default or bankruptcy inches closer.
Atlantic City's casinos, saying they are "on the edge of the abyss," want an immediate vote on bills in the state Legislature that would help the casinos and let the state take over the city's finances.
The city is in dire financial straits, brought on in large part by the contraction of its casino industry, which has seen its revenue plunge from $5.2 billion in 2006 to $2.56 billion last year.
Since long before the first casino went up, there has been a strong feeling of being left out and left behind among the mostly minority population of this seaside gambling resort.
New Jersey: Decoded ... One alternative to the Atlantic City takeover was tweaked and advanced, while a second was panned as unrealistic -- though a promising sign.
"It's a bad move. I don't trust the state period," said Geoff Rosenberger, a real estate agent who's in the process of moving back to Atlantic City. "We know it's not going to be good."