On the smoking ban, Whelan has flipped and flopped and flipped and flopped on the issue.  Here's the meandering trail of Whelan's various positions on the smoking ban...

Once Whelan declared “We’re out of Smoke and Mirrors” but he must have found some new ones.  After making this statement and pushing through an “Unavoidable” tax hike Whelan closed budget holes in typical New Jersey Democrat fashion, by selling off city property, depleting city reserves and putting off debt payments.  Whelan even repeatedly turned over city owned properties in exchange for not having to pay the city’s overdue water bills.  When the State Department of Community affairs refused to let him borrow $12.6 million, he proposed creating a special insurance fund so he could float a loan for five years.  No wonder the new mayor declared that “Jim Whelan left A.C finances in a mess…”

While 130 city employees were facing layoffs Mayor Whelan sneaked an undisclosed $17,000 transfer into his budget to purchase a special order jeep.  When responding to a reporter’s question Whelan answered that “there’s nothing wrong with having a nice car”.  Evidently the Chevrolet Caprice he had before is good enough for all the police officers who keep Atlantic City safe but not good enough for the mayor.  Without asking for City Council approval Whelan used $17,000 from a special transfer to buy himself a custom four door, four wheel drive Jeep with all-terrain tires and a hunter green paint job that had to be special ordered.   Originally the mayor drove a Dodge Spirit which he then swapped for a Chevrolet Caprice but being “…more of a Volkswagen/Jeep man” he decided the city should buy him a custom vehicle….

Even two years after a State Audit recommended that the number of city vehicles be reduced (by 60 to 80 vehicles) and their use closely monitored, Jim Whelan defends the practice of providing unlimited and unrestricted use of cars by city employees.  In addition to free use of the vehicles, this program includes unlimited free gas, insurance and maintenance.  While Common Cause decried the practice as “outrageous”, Jim Whelan said “I Don’t Have A Problem With It.  It’s one of the Perks Of The Job...”