O’Scanlon Implores Assembly Speaker To Put Salary Arbitration Cap To A Vote

Senator-elect Declan O’Scanlon

Declan O’Scanlon, the Assembly Republican Budget Officer and the Senator-elect from the 13th Legislative District, today urged Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto to allow the New Jersey General Assembly to vote on permanently extending the interest arbitration cap for public worker salaries.

O’Scanlon sent Prieto the following letter:

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Middletown Superintendent Thanks O’Scanlon for Restoration of School Funding

Dr. William George and Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon

Dr. William George III, Ed. D., the Middletown Township Superintendent of Schools, today thanked Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon for his successful efforts in getting all of the $1,179,200 in state funding to Middletown schools that had been cut from the budget proposed by the Democrat majority in the legislature last spring.

George sent O’Scanlon the following email earlier today: Read the rest of this entry »

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O’Scanlon releases detailed plan to cap property tax hikes and save cops and firefighters jobs

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon

TRENTON, N.J. – A month after releasing his report of the Arbitration Award Task Force that recommends permanently extending the cap, Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth) proposed a comprehensive plan to ensure the policies continue to keep property taxes from rapidly increasing.  He released the following statement:

“If we’re going to be honest, as effective policy makers it’s incumbent upon us to do the hard work, master the facts and policy nuances before us, and present cogent proposals to the public and the legislature. This list of policy proposals is me doing my job.

 “The inescapable logic of permanently tying the arbitration award cap to the property tax cap isn’t hard to grasp.  It is fourth-grade math.  Any candidate or legislator who claims he needs ‘more information’ or that ‘all the facts aren’t in’ is feigning, in most cases, stupidity to avoid responsibility. Parents try to teach their children to reject such self-demoralizing choices. Read the rest of this entry »

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Mothers Against Drunk Driving Name O’Scanlon Legislator of the Year

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon

MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) has named Assembly O’Scanlon it’s 2017 Legislator of the Year.

In recognition of your tireless efforts to advance the mission of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in 2017, we are pleased to announce that we are honoring you as a 2017 MADD Legislator of the Year.

We thank you for your unwavering leadership in authoring DWI reform ignition interlock legislation in A 4016.

MADD commends you for your dedication and leadership in advancing MADD’s mission.  Thank you for your work in saving lives and in being a strong advocate for victims of impaired driving. Please do not hesitate to contact MADD with any questions. 

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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 »

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O’Scanlon releases Arbitration Task Force report recommending permanent award cap

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon

TRENTON, N.J. – Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon released today the report of the Arbitration Award Task Force as recommended by four of the eight members. The report outlines the success of the arbitration award cap in enabling municipal officials to maintain budgets within the 2 percent property-tax cap and curb property-tax increases to historically low levels, and recommends making the cap on arbitration awards permanent before the policy is scheduled to sunset on Dec. 31.

“The data contained in this report is beyond clear and convincing; it is overwhelming,” said O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth). “It would be irresponsible for the Legislature not to take action. In fact, any legislator that fails to advocate for continuation of the arbitration award cap will be, by extension, advocating for the obliteration of the property tax cap and higher property taxes. There is no middle ground here. Mark my words; if the cap isn’t permanently extended taxpayers will unquestionably face much more dramatic property tax increases and cuts to municipal services.”

During a vote Monday to release the report, the task force was deadlocked 4-4. Union representatives blocked the report’s endorsement. O’Scanlon, who voted to release the report, is the only legislator appointed by the governor to sit on the task force. Read the rest of this entry »

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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 »

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Freeholders, Legislature Honor Bob Burlew In Union Beach

The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the New Jersey State Legislature honored Bob Burlew, the recently retired code enforcement and construction official for Union Beach and Keyport, at the Freeholders regular meeting which was held in Union Beach last evening.

Burlew is a real life hero to thousands of Bayshore residents who suffered devastating losses in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. His compassion, commitment and encyclopedic knowledge of the government’s byzantine recovery regulations has eased the burden for many throughout the years long rebuilding process.

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O’Scanlon’s Bill Modernizing Emergency Medical Services Becomes Law

Governor Chris Christie on Friday signed a bill sponsored by Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon that brings New Jersey’s Emergency Medical Services into the 21st century by requiring the use of technology for data collection by first responders to deliver the best emergency medical care possible.

“For too long, the emergency medical services system in New Jersey has existed without an overarching mandate to collect the kind of information that is needed in today’s rapidly evolving health care and emergency environments. When calls come into 911 and lives are on the line, we now have the opportunity to collect and assess valuable information that will continually improve the quality of EMS,” said O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth). “This bill puts the patient first, ensuring the best possible care leads to better post-emergency outcomes.” Read the rest of this entry »

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NJ Fish and Wildlife: Union Beach Bear was behaving normally

O’Scanlon: Bears Hanging out in Monmouth County on Memorial Day Weekend is not “normal behavior”

Male bear killed in Union Beach on Saturday night. photo by Councilman Charlie Cocuzza

In response to our report this morning that NJ DEP’s Fish and Wildlife Division told Union Beach Police officials that “We don’t come out on weekends” and “that is not our protocol,” when the UBPD asked for their assistance in tranquilizing and relocating the bear that was shot and killed last night, DEP spokesman Bob Considine said, “the notion that F&W biologist don’t work weekends is ridiculous and offensive.”

Considine said that had the Union Beach situation been Category 1, i.e., the bear was a threat to public safety or property, that Fish and Wildlife biologists would have been on the scene. He said that the situation in Union Beach last night was a Category 3…a bear exhibiting normal behavior and not a nuisance or threat to public safety.

Considine said that F&W advised UBPD that they would not be disposing of the carcass over the weekend.  The bear’s body is now stored in a locked dumpster on Union Beach Borough property.  “Perhaps something got lost in translation,” he said.

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