Gov. Christie Visits Ocean City for Town Hall Meeting

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New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie visited Ocean City on Thursday afternoon and was welcomed by a large and mostly adoring crowd.

Atlantic City casino workers urge Gov. Chris Christie to take action to protect their jobs. Protesters outside the Ocean City Music Pier also included opponents of a proposed natural-gas pipeline through the Pinelands. The Republican governor and presidential hopeful came to talk about pension reform in a "town hall" meeting on the Ocean City Music Pier, but he did not dodge more pressing local issues. Christie promised casino workers that he would do everything he can "to keep you safe and secure and employed." The region's economy faces the specter of three more Atlantic City casinos closing in the next month, eliminating thousands of jobs. In a 20-minute trip across the boardwalk from the Moorlyn Terrace ramp to the Music Pier, Christie had run a small gauntlet of protesters including casino workers and opponents of a B.L. England Generating Station natural-gas pipeline. But the larger part of the crowd surrounded him in hopes of shaking his hand or snapping a selfie with the governor.

Gov. Chris Christie poses for photographs in a long walk across the Ocean City Boardwalk on Thursday. Christie said he plans to convene at Sept. 8 summit of casino industry leaders and public officials to consider solutions to counteract the effect of Atlantic City's shrinking casino gambling share. But he stopped short of making any sort of direct promise. "Government can't order private business to do things," Christie said. The bulk of Christie's presentation dealt with a plea for support in reforming New Jersey's pension system. "It's too rich," Christie said. He blamed past governors for not fully funding pension obligations, and said that his administration has put in more money than any of his predecessors. He argued that without changes, the system will be unsustainable. A wide-ranging question-and-answer session covered topics including veterans benefits, the right of second homeowners to vote (Christie said he supports it in theory but fears voter fraud), shared services, immigration and towns that exceed the 2 percent tax cap. Christie announced that he had nothing else to say about the Atlantic City casinos, but a Showboat employee from Hammonton urged him to take more action. "If we wait two weeks, we'll be closed," she said. Asked if he's going to run for president, Christie responded, "I'm thinking about it." He said it's a hard decision for a family and said he would make an announcement by the end of the year or early next year. Christie's presentation included much of his trademark bluster: "If you give it, you are getting it right back," he warned loud-mouthed critics. He portrayed himself as the last man standing to protect taxpayers. "If I go down, your wallet goes down," Christie said. And as he looked out from the Music Pier over Ocean City beaches jammed with visitors enjoying a spectacular summer day, Christie noted proudly that it's been less than two years since Superstorm Sandy devastated the Jersey Shore, and there wasn't one question about the storm.