[Saving the City?] He's clearly out of uniform. Bob Levy in a suit and tie just isn't right. In the summer, he's decked out in a tank top and shorts, while the winter usually finds him in a polo shirt and khakis. So the uniform of the politician doesn't suit him. But when attending a fundraiser at a local restaurant, Levy played the role perfectly, comfortably welcoming wealthy donors and influential people. It's a position that Levy didn't expect to be in less than two months ago. The showdown between Mayor Lorenzo Langford and City Council President Craig Callaway was shaping up to be the grudge match of all time for Atlantic City, which has seen its share of animosity between politicians. But when Callaway pulled out of the race for "health issues," the city's Democrats turned to Levy, who until last December was a Republican. Levy says his party shift was not made in anticipation of becoming a mayoral candidate. He points to the new county chairman, Jim Carroll, as one of the reasons behind the change. "Atlantic City is a Democratic town," he says. "The majority of my neighbors and friends are Democrats. "When I joined the beach patrol and wanted to become a lifeguard, you registered as a Republican, because at that time, the Republicans controlled the town. When I vote, I always vote for the person, not the party. But now I see a new, bright and refreshing Democratic Party in this county and I want to be a part of that. I want to build the organization in Atlantic City. "I didn't change because I was going to run for mayor." Levy has never held an elective office, although his duties in Atlantic City have been many over the years. He spent 20 years in the military and when he returned home, he went to work for the city. "I've been a public servant my whole life," he explains. "I've had a long military career after which I came back to the city that I love." His family has deep roots in the community. "The city has been very good to me and my family," he says. "My family history in Atlantic City dates back to 1910. We ran a meat market, gas station and fuel oil business." [The Good of the City] His concern for the city is what drives his mayoral campaign, he says. "I'm here because of what I see going on," he explains. "The city is divided and I want to bring this city together. I know that I can do that. The city has to be run efficiently." He's been most disturbed, he claims, by the split between mayor and council. "As mayor, you have to work with your council," he says. "They've been elected by their constituents in the wards, and to be mayor you have to be a good listener. I plan to do that. We'll come together, myself and council, to decide where we need to go. There are some things that Bob Levy is not going to get. There are other things that council is not going to get. We are all not going to get everything that we want. What we will decide will be in the best interests of the city as a whole. That means the casinos, our neighborhoods, our small businesses… all of our people." Some of the supporters of the mayor's claim Levy is merely a puppet of Callaway, and that Callaway will throw his considerable support behind Levy, who will do the city council president's bidding. "Anyone who knows Bob Levy knows that he's his own man," says Levy, rejecting that contention. " I don't plan on changing; I don't think I have to." But he doesn't deny that he is friendly with Callaway. "I'm very friendly with the president of city council," he says. "I don't see that as a bad thing. If you want to build a coalition; if you want to move an agenda, you'd better be at least on speaking terms," referring to Langford's almost non-existent relationship with Callaway. In addition to his role as a uniter, Levy says he has other qualifications that make him a reasonable choice in the upcoming election. "I think I have proven leadership qualities," he states. "I've been able to build coalitions in the military and in my city jobs. "There are different styles of leadership. My style has always been to lead by example so that people willfully follow you rather than telling people to follow you. That doesn't work. I've been in charge of emergency management, the beach patrol, the 911 center. I was the airport manager for a number of years. When the VIP program was in trouble, the past mayor asked me to come in and fix it. I was able to prevent the city from losing that important funding. "I don't pretend, however, that I know everything. I will surround myself with the best and the brightest so the city gets the best effort from my administration." A high property tax rate has been an issue during the Langford administration. Levy says he will work with council to reduce it, but will offer no specifics. (He says his nascent campaign will develop concrete policies as election day gets closer.) "Once we get into office and actually get to see the books, we'll have a better idea what needs to be done," he says. "Where we need to make cuts, we'll make those tough decisions. Where we need to add, we'll make those decisions. It will be a give and a take. There are many issues facing us, and we'll address them all." [The Public Safety Debate] ne of the areas that needs immediate attention is public safety, says Levy. "I think our police department is understaffed," he Levy says. "If you think there are enough police and there are gunshots going off in our neighborhoods on almost a daily basis, there are just not enough police to control that. We have approximately 380 officers. We're authorized to have 420. And when you factor in vacations, workmen's-comp and disability situations, I believe we are grossly understaffed." Levy warns of a police crisis because, he says, the administration has ignored the problem. "The Langford administration does not have a contract with the police," he says. "They have not hired any officers during their term. If we had a list of recruits, it would take one year to get them on the streets. But we don't even have a list. To get one, you have to give a test, do background checks, take physicals and go through a six-month academy. We have to find positions for them in at the Atlantic County academy and other police academies across the state. That's not easy. We're in danger of losing up to 60 officers when this contract arbitration goes through (scheduled for July). Why hasn't there been any forethought before this happened? Even if we do get up to speed, we're going to have a lot of green officers on the street. It's irresponsible." Levy also believes he can do more to attract casino development to Atlantic City. "I'd love to see another casino on the Boardwalk alongside Showboat in the Inlet," he says. "And in the Marina district, it would be great to have at least one more casino. Those kinds of things can cure a lot of problems that afflict the city. But we're headed in the right direction. All the new towers and attractions demonstrate that. Then we have to sharpen our pencils to make sure the money is being spent in the right places and wisely. As the beach patrol chief, Levy says he was instrumental in getting the casino beach bars approved, which has in turn upgraded the Boardwalk. "I'm a beach and Boardwalk guy," he says. "The more beach the better. I'm the one who actually sat down with the Casino Control Commission and the Alcoholic Beverage Control to get these beach bars. We have had no problems or situations with them. The casinos work very well with the beach patrol and the police, so I'm anxious to see the new ones open this summer." For Levy, the development in the city should continue, and as mayor, he will be available to help. "My door would be wide open for any developer who comes to town," he says. "I'm willing to talk with anyone or visit any operator who is considering locating in Atlantic City. We'd try to streamline the process."

By Roger Gros

Roger Gros is publisher of Casino Connection and Global Gaming Business, a the industry’s leading gaming trade publication. Prior to joining Global Gaming Business, Gros was president of Inlet Communications, an independent consulting firm. He was vice president of Casino Journal Publishing Group from 1984-2000, and held virtually every editorial title during his tenure. Gros was editor of Casino Journal, the National Gaming Summary and the Atlantic City Insider, and was the founding editor of Casino Player magazine. He was a co-founder of the American Gaming Summit and the Southern Gaming Summit conferences and trade shows. He is the author of the best-selling book, How to Win at Casino Gambling (Carlton Books, 1995), now in its third edition. Gros was named “Businessman of the Year” for 1998 by the Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce.

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