O’Scanlon: Over-Brining NJ Roads is a Large-Scale Waste of Taxpayer Funds

By Senator Declan O’Scanlon

The lack of government response and preparedness for the first winter storm of the season was clearly a failure,” Senator O’Scanlon said. “Although it was somewhat ameliorated by the moving target forecast, there’s no question we should have been better-prepared, and more on top of the treacherous situation as it evolved.

However, the answer for that failure is NOT to waste obscene amounts of taxpayer money by over-brining roads, every time the temperature dips below 40 degrees.

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Recreational Marijuana Legalization Passes NJ Legislative Committees

New Jersey is one step closer to legalizing recreational marijuana use after the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee and the Assembly Appropriations Committee each approved the New Jersey Marijuana Legalization Act after a four hour joint hearing on the bill.

The Senate Committee passed the bill 7-4, with two abstentions.

Monmouth County’s senators on the committee came down on different sides as Senator Vin Gopal (D-ll) voted in favor of the bill and Senator Declan O’Scanlon (R-13) voted against.

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O’Scanlon: Kiley and Scharfenberger are the right choice for Freeholder  

By Senator Declan O’Scanlon

As we prepare to go to the polls next Tuesday, I encourage Monmouth County residents to cast your votes for Freeholder for my friends Sue Kiley and Gerry Scharfenberger.

Sue Kiley and Gerry Scharfenberger have each demonstrated their abilities to deliver extraordinary government services while saving the taxpayers money.  Throughout their lives, they have conducted themselves with dignity and integrity.

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O’Scanlon’s Legislation Would Increase Prison Terms For Animal Abusers

Seantor Declan O’Scanlon announced this morning that he plans to introduce legislation that would make aggravated animal abuse a second or third degree crime, depending on the severity of the offense.

Second degree crime convictions carry sentences of 5-10 years in state prison and fines of up to $150,000.  Third degree crime convictions do not carry the presumption of incarceration but can carry sentences of 3-5 in state prison and fines up to $15,000.

Senator O’Scanlon said his legislation is spurred by recent reports of animal abuse in Monmouth and Ocean Counties.  Last month Aaron Davis of Long Branch was arrested and accused of leaving a caged pit bull to die on the banks for the Shrewsbury River in Highlands. Davis was charged with a third degree crime, which does not presume incarceration, though he is in the custody of the Monmouth County Correctional Institution pending trial. Read the rest of this entry »

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O’Scanlon Introduces Legislation To Protect NJ Motorists From Other States’ Traffic Camera Schemes

Senator Declan O’Scanlon

New Jersey MVC will no longer be provide information about resident motorist to companies that operate red-light and speed cameras for other states, if bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Declan O’Scanlon, Nick Sacco, Nicolas Scutari becomes law.

The Camera Enforcement Inoculation Act prohibits the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission from providing identifying information to camera enforcement entities, thus making it impossible to issue tickets for automated enforcement infractions to New Jersey motorists.

This is such a great idea that Governor Phil Murphy should instruct MVC Commissioner Sue Fulton to implement the practice immediately while the bill works its way through the legislature.

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O’Scanlon announces funding for Monmouth County bridges

Senator Declan O’Scanlon

Senator Declan O’Scanlon announced this afternoon that Monmouth County will receive $6 million in “Local Bridge, Future Needs” grants from the NJ Department of Transportation.  The money, which comes from the Transportation Trust Fund (gas tax) , will fund the reconstruction of bridges in Hazlet/Keansburg, Middletown, Neptune Township/Wall and Upper Freehold.

“This award demonstrates how the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund is employed to support vital local projects,” said O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth). “I want to commend NJDOT Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti and Monmouth County Engineer Joe Ettore for their efforts to ensure that this grant program funds bridge projects around the state in a fair and appropriate manner.”

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O’Scanlon: “This is a crtical moment for our children’s future”

By Senator Declan O’Scanlon

Senator Declan O’Scanlon

So. This is what it’s come to. Incredibly, we just passed one of the largest tax increases in the history of the state…and we’re no more than one, infinitesimal, step closer to sustainable solvency than we were the day before. And trust me, we are very ($ billions) far away. We don’t need infinitesimal steps, we need bold leaps…and we need bold leadership willing to make them.

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O’Scanlon praises Supreme Court’s proposed Municipal Court Reforms—will introduce legislation to take the profit out of policing and local courts

Senator Declan O’Scanlon

Senator Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth County) today issued praise to the Supreme Court Committee on Municipal Court Operations, Fines and Fees for their comprehensive report which, after a 16 month investigation, “revealed a number of significant concerns where aggressive reform is needed. Many of those issues identified by the Committee undermine both the administration of justice and the independence of the Municipal Courts.”

“In law enforcement and judicial systems, profit is the mortal enemy of justice,” Senator O’Scanlon said. “We must take real steps towards reforming municipal court and ticketing procedures. Policing for profit is an unacceptable practice that tarnishes the reputation of all our upstanding police officers and often results in devastating consequences for petty infractions.”

“Municipal Courts should be about the administration of justice, not a profit center to plug holes in local governments’ budgets,” O’Scanlon continued.   “In the twenty-five years since our Courts were last reformed, too many towns have come to rely on fines to fund their municipal operations and too many local judges have turned into de facto tax collectors.  This is not justice and it has to stop.”

Among the reforms that O’Scanlon will propose in legislation are: Read the rest of this entry »

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O’Scanlon legislation would keep road work going, keep Monmouth Park open, in the event of a NJ shutdown

Senator Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth County) announced that he will introduce two bills tomorrow in the NJ Senate tomorrow that, if enacted, would lessen the destructive aspects of a state government shutdown.

Governor Phil Murphy and the Democrat leaders in the legislature, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, are thus far deadlocked over their competing proposals to raise taxes on New Jersey residents, tourists and businesses.   If they are unable to come to an agreement, and get the legislature to concur, by midnight tomorrow, the government will shutdown.

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O’Scanlon and DiMaso: Don’t tax summer rentals

As part of their compromise with Governor Phil Murphy over how many taxes to raise and by how much in the new state budget, the Democrat leaders of the legislature have proposed taxing seasonal rentals of vacation homes and Airbnb rentals.

Senator Declan O’Scanlon and Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso came out against a seasonal rental tax, which will have a disproportionate impact on Jersey Shore property owners, in a statement issued this afternoon.

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