big companies in Camden recently faced a fresh round of criticism after a report highlighted just how few City residents have been hired by the corporations that's despite their pledge to employ locals after receiving massive state tax breaks Advocates say it points to long-running concerns about just who is benefiting from those incentives and the economic development that continues Ted Goldberg has the story local Camden job Seekers came to Camden high school today looking for work opportunities I don't have a job and I'm a senior you know two pretty much succeed you have to have a job including in high school you know not having one that's kind of my downfall right now more than 50 employers set up booths at this job fair some of them like Camden's Adventure Aquarium hope to hire local it's very important for us to hire Camden City residents this is our community we are based in Camden the aquarium's been in Camden since 1992. for me personally because I work in community relations I do like to make sure we have a lot of Camden City residents it helps build a strong bond this is a beautiful site everyone coming together to provide opportunities for our residents mayor Victor carstarfin has heard his fair share of criticism that companies in his City received more than a billion dollars in state tax breaks to relocate to Camden and didn't hire enough Camden residents for example Subaru and whole Tech International received millions in tax breaks however only 10 of Subaru's 786 employees are Camden locals and only 37 of holtex 1600 workers live in Camden meanwhile Eastern metal recycling which also received tax breaks employs 186 Camden residents out of 648 employees we're not going to let anyone or any person create a narrative for us that's going to stop us from working and that's what we're doing we're out here we're out here I'm constantly out in the community it's not personal it's not on anyone's hands it's more so on if we created this opportunity to grow the job force in Camden what are we doing to hold those folks accountable activists like ronsha Dickerson have criticized these companies for taking advantage of tax breaks without taking interest in the Camden Community mayor carstarfin says raw job numbers don't tell the whole story since some of these companies donate money to local causes think about the foundation that's being laid when corporations are giving back to organizations that are helping our youth providing confidence in our youth by having an ability to program initiatives that are uplifting our residents our seniors uplifting our youth donations are fine they're good they're great they help a city feel like we have access to resources resources are always good but employment is much better camera residents are only asking for these companies to really take a look and say how can I make is employable what can we do can we train them up can we meet them where they are can we give them jobs better than just sanitation and cleaning Dickerson says she would support tweaking the tax break so companies who get them have to hire a set minimum of Camden residents but it's not clear how many leaders would support that in Camden I'm Ted Goldberg NJ Spotlight news [Music]