O’Scanlon slams Murphy for holding up Monmouth Park sport betting.

Senator Declan O’Scanlon

Senator Declan O’Scanlon, R-Monmouth, blasted Governor Phil Murphy and the New Jersey Racing Commission for standing in the way of Monmouth Park from taking sports bets this weekend.

“There are two aspects to the administration’s actions. The first is that they are taking their time to sign the legislation, and the second is that they are standing in the way of Monmouth Park opening while taking that time,” said O’Scanlon said in a press release this afternoon. “The Governor claims he needs to review this legislation before signing it, but there is no practical reason why Monmouth Park cannot start accepting wagers while that’s happening–the sky won’t fall, lions won’t roam the streets, locusts won’t ravage our fields. There is absolutely zero likelihood of any negative impact of Monmouth Park opening today. That being the case, one has to wonder about the motivation here. It’s disturbing.”

“The legislature came together in a bipartisan manner to get this done correctly and quickly. All of that bipartisan effort has been brought to a screeching and frankly irrational halt by the actions of the administration.”

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More Ugly Nonsense In Atlantic Highlands GOP Primary

Atlantic Highlands Councilman Stephen Boracchia took to facebook yesterday evening and demonstrated why the Regular Republicans, who have been controlling the local party for the last several years, have lost 4 of the last 5 contested municipal offices.

Boracchia impugned the integrity of the Monmouth County Republican Organization team of candidates for promoting the fact that they do indeed have the support of the Monmouth County Republican Organization.  Boracchia, who’s wife is a Regular Republican candidate for County Committee in District 4, implied that his military service makes him a good arbiter of other people’s integrity, while he inaccurately stated that the Monmouth County Republican Organization slogan is not an endorsement. Read the rest of this entry »

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Gopal wants Freeholders to be called County Commissioners

State Senator and honorary volunteer firefighter Vin Gopal finds the term “freeholder” offensive and, for Monmouth County voters in particular, confusing.

Gopal co-sponsored a last minute change–a substitution– in legislation that passed in the Senate last week which, if passed in the Assembly and signed by Governor Murphy, will mandate that the name of the office of Freeholder be changed to County Commissioner. Read the rest of this entry »

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Hornik calls for Murphy administration to dramatically reform pension system

Gov Phil Murphy and Marlboro Mayor Jon Hornik

Marlboro Mayor Jonathan Hornik today noted that the State of New Jersey historically shirks its obligations to the “chronically underfunded” pension system while local governments have been meeting their obligations.  Hornik’s comment came in a press release touting S&P Global Ratings reaffirming his township’s AAA bond rating.

S&P noted that while the Township continues to make its annually required pension contribution to the State of New Jersey, the State pension system is chronically underfunded. “Local government continues to pay its share, and historically the State has shirked its obligation,” stated the Mayor. “In the context of our review, S&P reiterated its concern regarding the long term health of the State system. I am hopeful that with a new Administration in Trenton, the State will take a more responsible approach to its stewardship of the pension system.”

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Murphy claims bi-partisan support for property tax/charity scheme. Republicans disagree, call for NJ reforms

Marlboro, NJ-With Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty looking like Chris Christie standing behind Donald Trump on Super Tuesday — and four other Democrat mayors standing behind him, Governor Phil Murphy today declared he had bi-partisan support for his plan to have the state’s municipalities set up charities to accept donations in lieu of property taxes.  Murphy said that the recent income tax reform passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump is a tax increase on New Jersey’s middle class.   The scheme he is proposing would, if allowed by the IRS, reverse the impact of the tax reform law’s $10,000 cap on the state and local tax (SALT) deduction.

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O’Scanlon, in final action in the Assembly, makes push for arbitration cap (Video)

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O’Scanlon to motorists: ‘Beware! The next attempt by corrupt camera company to steal from NJ drivers is underway’

By Senator-elect Declan O’Scanlon

Senator-elect Declan O’Scanlon

New Jersey motorists need to be warned that Redflex Traffic Systems Inc., one of the two now-infamous red light camera companies blessedly sent packing with the end of the failed pilot program in December, is trying to bring automated enforcement back to the state. This is company U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall was referring to when she said this at the bribery sentencing of former Redflex CEO Karen Finely: ‘… But when we have a corporation that is in the community making millions of dollars on a product that abuses the people, there is no sense of corporate social responsibility there. … That impact cannot be underestimated.’ Nice.

This time they are hiding behind our children’s so-called ‘safety’ in the form of cameras on school buses. No one should be fooled. We proved red light cameras were a scam hiding behind false safety claims, and this bill is more of the same. Read the rest of this entry »

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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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O’Scanlon’s road map for Gov-elect Murphy’s success

Senator-elect Declan O’Scanlon

By Declan O’Scanlon Republicans must understand our role. It is our job to be skeptical, to challenge, to question, to offer alternatives to Gov.-elect Phil Murphy and his incoming administration. But, it is also our moral obligation to root for the administration’s success. To wish for or foment failure is to wish ill for all New… Read the rest of this entry »

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Election Day Predictions 2017

Kim Guadagno will be elected the 56th Governor of New Jersey by less than 2000 votes.

The Associated Press will not call the NJ gubernatorial race until Thursday due to the failure of the vote reporting systems in Essex, Hudson, Camden and Middlesex counties which will prevent the vote from being counted.  CNN and NJ.com will report rumors that the New Jersey election was hacked by the Russians.

Steve Sweeney will survive the millions spent against his reelection by the NJEA.  The teachers’ union will lose considerable influence in Trenton and its membership will revolt against leadership and reform the association.  Guadagno and Sweeney will have a stronger and more effective reform agenda than Christie and Sweeney had during the first Christie’s term. Read the rest of this entry »

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