While celebrating father's influence, Bucco says 'people will see that I'm my own man'

MINNEAPOLIS - The names stand out from recent years - Connors and Littell - Republican families who fielded a father and son, or father and daughter, in the same legislative district.

Now the Buccos hope to join that crowd, as 46-year old Tony, Jr., son of Sen. Anthony Bucco (R-Morris) announced this week his intentions to pursue the 25th legislative seat, which Assemblyman Richard Merkt (D-Randolph) will vacate next year when he retires to run for governor.

Bucco will have to go through at least one fellow Republican, Morris County Freeholder Doug Cabana, who also announced that he will run for the same seat next year.

For his part, Bucco’s eager early to get around the nepotism charge.

"I’ve always been my own person," said Bucco, Jr., who for 20 years has served as an attorney representing local governments.

"I’ve spent 29 years in the Boonton Volunteer Fire Department," he added in a telephone interview from New Jersey with PolitickerNJ.com. "I helped found and bring along Daytop, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. I serve as a commissioner with Morris County CrimeStoppers. In each one of those positions I’ve quickly risen to a leadership position. People who know me will listen to my story and understand that. My father has certainly helped prepare me for this day, but people will see that I’m my own man."

While he says he enjoys independence, Bucco argues that his father’s service as senator in the district gives him a considerable leg-up as a prospective legislator.

"My dad has put me in a great position," said the younger Bucco. "If I’m elected, I’ll be able to hit the ground running. When you’re born into a family where community service is a way of life, it’s only natural that sons and daughters will want to follow their parents."

The fledgling candidate has served as township attorney in Roxbury for 10 years and Netcong for close to 15 years. In addition, he does legal work for Montville, Parsippany and Randolph. (Cabana is also a lawyer, who serves as prosecutor in Roxbury).

"I don’t want to disclose my annual income," Bucco said. "Suffice to say, I have four children in college."

If elected next year, Bucco said he wants to address the property tax crisis.

"Obviously it’s a major issue," said the candidate. "We need to make New Jersey more affordable. People are having trouble making ends meet. Everyone out there is feeling it right now. The state has taken the position of cutting this or that service. When they do that, the shift goes to the local government. ...My experience at the local level puts me in a position where I’ll be able to say, ‘wait a minute, we need to look at what the overall impact is going to be.’"