Issue: Mayor Lorenzo Langford said during his campaign that he would appoint a public safety director. But clauses in contracts for both the police and fire chiefs — signed just before the general election — prohibit such a move. City Council is looking into the validity of that order, and is trying to clear the way for the position.

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Issue: Newly elected Mayor Lorenzo Langford has some choices to make for his Cabinet, and rumors have been swirling about whom he'll appoint. We want you to put yourself in his shoes. Below is a sampling of possible picks for some of Langford's most important appointments, made up of both rumored candidates and capable possibilities. You can also choose "other" and write in a name you think should be on Langford's short list in the comment section. Question: Who should Mayor Langford select for his Cabinet?

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Issue: Lorenzo Langford will likely take over as Atlantic City mayor at the start of next week to finish the final year of former Mayor Bob Levy's unexpired term. Question: What do you think should be Langford's top priority?

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Issue: The Press of Atlantic City reported this week that state officials made a failed effort to take over the city's Law Department and Business Administrator's Office during the "missing mayor" chaos of last year.

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Issue: The old Garwood Mills site in Atlantic City's Northeast Inlet has been vacant for years and plagued with empty developmental proposals. Like the others, the latest proposal failed to meet deadlines and was considered dead. Now the same developer wants to change the agreement for a new plan of residential housing. The city is considering exercising its right to take the property it sold back from the developer and put it back on the market.

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Issue: City Council is scheduled to take a final vote on delaying a full smoking ban indefinitely until the economic crisis subsides. Casinos claim the ban will further revenue losses and lead to more layoffs. Ban proponents discount the claim and say it delays creating a healthy casino work environment. Vote in the poll, above, leave your comments below or both.

Have an Atlantic City issue you think should be discussed here. E-mail michael.clark@pressofac.com

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Issue: Lorenzo Langford is widely expected to trounce both Independent candidate Joseph Polillo and Republican John McQueen Jr. in November's special election for mayor. Vote in the poll, above, leave your comments below or both.

Have an Atlantic City issue you think should be discussed here. E-mail michael.clark@pressofac.com

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Issue: The state's General Assembly voted overwhelmingly this week in support of a bill that would lift the ban on casino employment for Atlantic City elected officials, pushing the effort to allow casino workers a chance at running for City Council and mayor.

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Issue: It's tough to keep track of all the lawsuits that are filed at City Hall. Atlantic City has continually been a haven for employee suits alleging political retaliation, race discrimination, among other things.

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Issue: The future of Pinnacle Entertainment’s $2 billion casino project is in question because of the lagging credit markets, but developers continue to move forward procedurally.

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Issue: Labor Day is coming up, a time when most local politicians switch to a new gear when running in the November election. But Atlantic City's general election is commonly overlooked as a giveaway for the Democratic candidate.

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Issue: Councilman John Schultz, linked to a blackmail plot to oust Councilman Eugene Robinson with a sex tape, has been facing conspiracy charges since September. But his alleged role in the extortion was seen by many as near-irrelevant; simply referring the alleged conspirators to a professional video editor. Now, his alleged involvement is believed to be deeper after clarification came from testimony in a report obtained by The Press. In response, there have been several calls for his resignation as Schultz prepares to enter a first-time-offenders program and avoid losing his seat.

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THE ISSUE: Atlantic City is preparing to start major construction on various area's of The Boardwalk that have been deemed unsafe. Deterioration of the famous walkway's foundation has the administration hoping to appropriate about $3.5 million for repairs and to budget $1 million to $2 million in annual maintenance. The level of repairs being proposed would be the most significant since 1995. City legislators, who have been criticized for delaying the repairs, are agreeing to invest in some areas, but not all.

THE QUESTION: How safe do you feel on The Boardwalk?

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THE ISSUE: While other state syringe exchange programs have either faltered or sputtered out of the gate, The Press of Atlantic City reported this week Atlantic City's three-month old pilot program is thriving. The program is designed to hinder the spread of HIV and AIDS by supplying drug users with clean needles.

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Issue: Mayor Scott Evans recently announced that he will not appear alongside his opposing candidates at the city's various forums and debates because of ethical and personnel issues. A city attorney who works closely with Evans then said the mayor's absence would be because of the unprofessional nature of the forums.

Question: Does Evans have good reason to avoid these debates or does he owe it to voters to appear?

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PINNACLE'S RETREAT? (2/29/08)

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BADER FIELD'S FUTURE (2/21/08)

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Issue: Many believe the Democratic mayoral primary will weigh heavily on race in the run-up to the June election between Mayor Scott Evans (white), former Mayor Lorenzo Langford (black) and Assistant Business Administrator Domenic Cappella (white). Some believe it will be as simple as the majority of black residents voting for Langford and the white voters, primarily in the 5th and 6th wards, will decide between Evans and Cappella. Others say its insulting to assume voters would be that superficial.

Question: How big of a role will race play in the upcoming primary election? Will voters vote on the issues or cast their ballots based on race?

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Issue: Nearly a year after a partial casino smoking ban was enacted by City Council, resort gaming halls are as smoky as they've always been. The delays in building enclosed smoking areas prompted council members to push for a new full ban. City Council was poised Wednesday to vote on a complete smoking ban on the casino floor, but the measure was pulled from the agenda for further debate in two weeks.

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Issue: The clock is ticking. April 7 is the deadline for filing petitions to run for the Democratic nomination for city mayor. Thus far, only Mayor Scott Evans, former Mayor Lorenzo Langford and Assistant Business Administrator Domenic Cappella are actual candidates. With corruption charges leaving the morale of city residents at an all-time low, choosing from a lineup of City Hall veterans might not be the ideal situation for voters.

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Issue: The clock is ticking. April 7 is the deadline for filing petitions to run for the Democratic nomination for city mayor. Thus far, only Mayor Scott Evans, former Mayor Lorenzo Langford and Assistant Business Administrator Domenic Cappella are actual candidates. With corruption charges leaving the morale of city residents at an all-time low, choosing from a lineup of City Hall veterans might not be the ideal situation for voters.

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THE ISSUE: Months of discussions and arguments over Bader Field took a definitive turn this week when the Senate's State Government Committee unanimously approved a bill that would require state approval of a sale of the former airport. The city has tried to fend off the state's hopes of taking the authority over what is now a prime, city-owned site. Both sides have accused each other of being incompetent, with state officials citing the city's history of corruption and city officials pointing to the state's monumental fiscal problems.

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RACE v. POLITICS (2/14/08)

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