Ethics Committee Dismissed Houghtaling and Downey’s Complaint Against DiMaso

Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso

The Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards dismissed a complaint by Assembly Members Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey against Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso today, finding that there was no probable cause for the Democrats complaint against their Republican colleague, according to reports on NewJerseyGlobe and APP.

“While this matter never stopped me from doing my job for the people of the 13th district,  I’m glad its behind me,” DiMaso said to MMM in  phone interview.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Scharfenberger to run for Assembly

Gerry Scharfenberger

MMM has learned that Monmouth County Freeholder Gerry Scharfenberger will seek the Republican nomination for State Assembly in the 13th legislative district for the seat currently held by Assemblywoman Amy Handlin.  Handlin announced last fall that she will not seek reelection.

Scharfenberger is expected to join Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso on the top the the ballot in LD 13 in the June 4 primary and the November 5 general election.  DiMaso filed her petition for the nomination last week.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Republicans Urging Guadagno To Run For Assembly

Kim Guadagno

Former Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno today said Republicans have asked her to run for State Assembly in the 13th legislative district.

So far, Guadagno has politely turned down the overtures, citing family issues and her commitment to her job as a partner as at the Connell Foley law firm.  “Too many non billable hours,” she said in a text when MMM raised the issue with her last month, “Thank you for thinking of me, but the timing is not good for me or my family.”  She also said she would run if she won the lottery.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

DiMaso elected President of National Foundation for Women Legislators

Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso

Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso was elected President of the National Foundation for Women Legislators on Friday in Washington during the organization’s 80th annual conference.

NFWL is a non-partisan  501c3, educational foundation for elected women on the state, county, and municipal levels. Its is to provide strategic resources to elected women for leadership development, exchange of diverse legislative ideas, and effective governance through conferences, state outreach, educational materials, professional and personal relationships, and networking. They encourage the election and/or appointment of women to public office.  Membership is automatically granted to the over 5000 elected women throughout the United States on the state, county and municipal levels.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Democrats in the running for Handlin’s Assembly seat

Josh Welle and Amber Gesslein could run for the Dem nominations for Assembly in LD 13 next year.

Assemblywoman Amy Handlin’s announcement that she will not seek reelection next year inevitably creates speculation on who will run to replace her. While party leaders on both sides of the aisle would rather their troops stay focused on the election coming up next month, the jockeying has started given how infrequently a vacancy occurs in the 13th district.

Democrats, who normally lose badly in the district will likely have a contest for the two Assembly nominations next year, given Handlin’s vacancy and Serena DiMaso serving her freshman term.  DiMaso put something of a target on her back with the Dems when she made a robocall criticizing LD 11 Assemblymembers Eric Hougtaling and Joann Downey for voting for Governor Murphy’s tax increases.  Houghtaling and Downey responded to DiMaso’s robocall with an ethics complaint.

With the Assembly on top of the ballot next year, Dems will likely be motivated and funded, even in LD 13.

Potential Democrat Candidates for LD 13 Assembly in 2019 who are running for other offices this year:

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

O’Scanlon Wins LD13 Senate Seat

Senator-elect Declan O’Scanlon

Sean Byrnes conceded the LD13 Senate race to Senator-elect Declan O’Scanlon at 9:10 pm

With 86% of the precincts in the district reporting, O’Scanlon has a 9.5% lead.

“Sean Byrnes ran a spirited race. I thank him for his gracious phone call,” O’Scanlon said.

Assemblywoman Amy Handlin and Freeholder Serena DiMaso are leading comfortalbly

• Tweet

LD 13 Senate Race Has Gone to the Dogs

The race between Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon and Democrat Sean Byrnes, a former one term Middletown Township Committeeman, to succeed Senator Joe Kyillos, has gone to the dogs. Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

History Repeats For Sean Byrnes

Who will govern women?

• Tweet

Aberdeen Mayor Supports O’Scanlon’s Efforts To Limit Property Tax Hikes

Aberdeen Mayor Fred Tagliarini

We haven’t heard from Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop since Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon challenged him to pressure Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto to put the extension of the 2% limit on arbitration awards for police and firefighter salary contracts up for a vote. But Aberdeen Mayor Fred Tagliarini, a Democrat, called to say that he supports O’Scanlon’s effort.

“The 2% arbitration cap is a very powerful tool in stabilizing property taxes,” Tagliarini said in a phone interview with MMM. “I don’t know any mayor, Democrat or Republican, who wants it to expire.  The cap should be extended before it expires in December.” Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

O’Scanlon calls for arbitration cap’s extension to control property taxes

TRENTON, N.J. – Calling the arbitration award cap one of the most important reforms implemented to control property taxes, Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon said today that if the cap isn’t permanently extended taxpayers will face tax increases, draconian cuts to municipal services or both. O’Scanlon was a prime sponsor of the original cap law and vocal advocate of the extension. He was the only legislator appointed by the governor to sit on the Interest Arbitration Task Force.

“There’s no question that the cap has been successful and is an essential tool for municipalities to keep expenses and property taxes contained,” said O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth). “Every report we’ve done to date has been absolutely consistent and shows the arbitration and tax cap are working together as intended. You can’t keep the tax cap in place without the arbitration cap. You would create a mathematically untenable situation. And it isn’t just police and fire salary costs that are affected, there is a ripple effect throughout all salary expenses.” Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet