Trenton's embattled mayor has struck a deal with the state government to receive $25.4 million in aid.
Plenty of conditions are attached to the deal that was first reported by the Times of Trenton and must be approved by the City Council.
The city must increase parking collections and enforcement. It also must give the state documents on hiring and mayoral appointments and on legal settlements.
The state government has taken on a bigger role in recent years in running the state capital, where Mayor Tony Mack is under indictment in an alleged corruption scheme. Mack’s trial has been delayed until the summer at the earliest.
Some provisions of the new agreement give city officials more autonomy. For instance, they would be allowed to make contracts without state approval, but only with vendors approved by the state.
The money helps a city where more than a quarter of people are poor. More than 25 percent of Trenton's estimated 85,000 residents live below the poverty line, according to recent U.S. Census data.
