Jim Whelan

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Jim Whelan (born November 8, 1948) is an American Democratic Party politician, who serves in the New Jersey General Assembly where he represents the 2nd legislative district, having taken office on January 10, 2006. Whelan was elected to the Assembly on November 8, 2005, unseating Republican Kirk W. Conover, who had held the seat since 2003 in this Republican-leaning district. Whelan serves in the Assembly as Vice Chairman of the Tourism and Gaming Committee.

In 1977, Whelan took a job in the Atlantic City School District. Four years later, he made his first foray into politics, making an unsuccessful run for the Atlantic County Board of Chosen Freeholders in 1981. He rebounded from the loss to win election to the Atlantic City Council in 1982 and was re-elected in 1986. He won the mayor's office in a landslide in 1990. Whelan served three terms as Mayor of Atlantic City.

Whelan brought stability to a government wracked by waste, corruption and incompetence, reorganized city departments to clean the streets, tear down abandoned buildings and cut the crime rate, even as he reduced the number of employees. Whelan is credited with managing the spectacular growth of the city during the 1990s, balancing the needs of the casino industry with the concerns of the people who lived there. He attracted more than $4.5 billion in new business starts and expansions that created thousands of new jobs. His efforts to attract families back to the resort led to the resurgence of the city's neighborhoods, the construction of new schools and hundreds of new housing units, and the redevelopment of the Northeast Inlet. His emphasis on the need for non-casino attractions brought the Sandcastle Stadium, home of the Atlantic City Surf. His success led his peers to elect him president of the New Jersey Conference of Mayors.

Since leaving City Hall in 2001, Whelan has returned to teaching. He also serves on the board of the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority.

Jim attended Temple University where he became a nationally-ranked distance swimmer before a broken leg in his senior year cut short his career. His achievements, however, ultimately led to his induction in the Temple University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995. He received a M.Ed. from Temple University.

[edit] District 2

Each of the forty districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly. The other representatives from the 2nd Legislative District for the 2006-2008 term are:

• Assemblyman Francis J. Blee, and
• Senator James J. McCullough

[edit] External links

• Assemblyman Whelan's Legislative Website
• 2005 Whelan & Tyner campaign website
• New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure form for 2005 (PDF)