In re the City of Camden

The opinion of the court was delivered by

ESPINOSA, J.A.D.

For more than a decade, the State of New Jersey has responded to the dire financial circumstances of appellant, City of Camden (the City), by providing “extraordinary payments of State aid[.]” N.J.S.A. 52:27BBB-2(i). The amount of State aid has, however, declined in recent years. When the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the City and defendant International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 788 (the Union or IAFF) expired on *316December 31, 2008, the parties engaged in compulsory interest arbitration pursuant to the Police…