Camden City Council Nixes Tax Increase Proposal

CAMDEN, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Camden's city council has voted down a proposed 23 percent property tax increase that could have brought back 60 laid off city public safety workers.

Last month, the city laid off nearly 400 city employees, including about half the police force and one-third of the fire department in a city that's among the poorest and most crime-ridden in the nation.

Mayor Dana Redd proposed a 23 percent property tax increase as a way to balance the budget and bring back some of the workers. The average tax bill would have risen by $160 per year.

The city council on Tuesday rejected that plan by a 6 to 1 vote. Now, it's up to the council to balance the city budget.

(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)