Boardwalk rolling-chair owner takes to court

It takes strong legs to push Atlantic City's famed rolling chairs down the boardwalk, but one owner feels a rival's been rolling him for years because of political connections.

Two companies, Ocean Rolling Chairs and Royal Rolling Chairs, operate the approximately 300 iconic chairs used to ferry tourists from one casino to another, and for the most part they don't get along. John Taimanglo, owner of Ocean, claims in a federal lawsuit that he's lost profits because of harassment and unfair treatment by the city, and he blames Royal's owners.

"You don't know the right people," Taimanglo claimed he was told many times over the years by city officials after he complained.

One of Royal's three owners, according to the complaint, is Gary Hill, the longtime partner of former city councilman, nightclub owner and socialite John Schultz. The suit claims that Schultz bought one-third ownership of Royal for Hill and basically called the shots for him. They're both named as defendants, along with other Royal owners and Atlantic City.

Taimanglo claims that Royal and city employees under the direction of Schultz conspired to ruin his business by ordering unnecessary inspections and handing out penalties. In 2004 and 2006, when Schultz was on city council, resolutions were passed to allow Royal to have approximately 41 more chairs than Ocean, the suit alleged. Atlantic City has regulated the chairs since 1891 and at one point there were thousands on the boardwalk.

Neither Schultz, Hill nor Atlantic City's solicitor could be reached for comment, but Bill Boland, a Royal co-owner, said that there's a simple reason why Taimanglo sued.

"He runs a terrible business," he said.

Boland, who is also named as a defendant, said that Schultz has "nothing to do" with Royal's business and said athat Taimanglo is the one who's received "breaks" from the city over the years.

"We never got along," Boland said of Taimanglo.

The lawsuit was filed last Tuesday, a day before council was set to vote on measures that make drastic changes to the rolling-chair business. Council had planned to reduce the number of chairs allowed on the boardwalk to 255 and require pushers to become employees, not independent contractors, of Royal and Ocean.

Boland supported the changes but said that the ordinance was taken off last Wednesday's agenda unexpectedly. Neither Taimanglo nor his attorney returned phone calls for comment, but according to accounts in the Press of Atlantic City Taimanglo opposed the changes.

Taimanglo, according to the complaint, is seeking at least $1 million in damages.