Fred Scalera

HACKENSACK – PolitickerNJ.com’s Wally Edge pointed out this month that state Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Wood-Ridge) had not donated any money to his two Democratic district mates who are up for reelection: Assemblymen Gary Schaer (D-Passaic) and Fred Scalera (D-Nutley).   

According to Sarlo, that was all part of a strategy.

“The strategy of the campaign we implemented in [District] 36 could not have been better.  We have pooled our resources as necessary,” said Sarlo, who added that a lot of his contributions to Schaer and Scalera have been in-kind, but that “it will probably be more than any other senator has given his assemblymen – I can guarantee you that.”

Upon hearing that, Scalera, who was standing next to Sarlo, turned to him, gave him a high five and said “my friend.”  

Republicans paid a lot of attention to District 36 early in the campaign season, but their candidates, Don Diorio and Carmen Pio Costa, raised a total of $7,753 as of the 29-day pre-election reports.  Schaer and Scalera, by contrast, raised $437,954.  

“The Assembly Republican leadership has abandoned this district, recognizing that this is a solid Democratic district,” said Sarlo.

SCALERA BILL TO MAKE IT EASIER TO ACCESS EMERGENCY SUPPLIES NOW LAW

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Fred Scalera to make it easier for emergency management officials to access materials needed to respond to a crisis has been signed into law by Gov. Jon S. Corzine.

CHILD INTERNET SAFETY BILLS SPONSORED BY ALBANO, BARNES, EVANS, GREENSTEIN, MILAM & SCALERA NOW LAW

(TRENTON) – Assembly Democratic legislation sponsored by Nelson Albano, Peter Barnes III, Elease Evans, Linda Greenstein, Matt Milam and Fred Scalera sponsored to give law enforcement enhanced abilities to crackdown on child Internet crimes was signed Tuesday by Gov. Jon S. Corzine.

***MULTIMEDIA PACKAGE***

SCHAER & SCALERA ON ENACTMENT OF BILL TO PROTECT TAXPAYERS AGAINST ANOTHER ENCAP

New Law Enhances Protections, Oversight in Public/Private Redevelopment Projects

(NORTH ARLINGTON) - Assemblymen Gary S. Schaer and Fred Scalera today issued a multimedia package on their legislation to enhance the protections and oversight surrounding public investments in private redevelopment projects.

Schaer and Scalera (both D-Bergen/Essex/Passaic) sponsored the new law (A-2650) following the collapse of the EnCap Mixed-Use Redevelopment Project, which squandered more than $300 million in public money from the state and Bergen County in an attempt to transform abandoned municipal landfills in the Meadowlands into golf courses and luxury housing.

The measure was signed into law by Gov. Jon S. Corzine during a public ceremony Monday in North Arlington, one of three Bergen County municipalities most seriously affected by the EnCap collapse and the first town to call for an investigation into the now-defunct project.

SCHAER & SCALERA BILL TO PREVENT ENCAP REPEAT SIGNED INTO LAW

Measure Protects Taxpayers In Public/Private Deals Gone Bad

(TRENTON) – Legislation Assemblymen Gary S. Schaer and Fred Scalera sponsored to enhance the protections and oversight surrounding public investments in private redevelopment projects was signed into law today by Gov. Jon S. Corzine.

SCALERA BILL DECLARING OCTOBER AS ITALIAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH NOW LAW

(NUTLEY) – Legislation Assemblyman Fred Scalera sponsored to annually designate October as Italian-American Heritage Month to honor the many contributions of Italian-Americans was signed into law Sunday by Gov. Jon S. Corzine.

“It is fitting and proper to permanently designate October as the month honoring the significant accomplishments and contributions of the Italian-American community,” said Scalera (D-Essex/Bergen/Passaic). “More than 1.5 million New Jerseyans - or 18 percent of the state population - are of Italian descent, and Italian-Americans have made many crucial contributions to the history of the United States and New Jersey.”

In 2007, District 36 Republican Assembly candidate Don Diorio came within 2,400 votes of unseating incumbent  Gary Schaer (D-Passaic). 

Diorio and his running mate, Carmen Pio Costa, cam closer that year than most observers expected, and they left state Republicans wringing their hands over failing to put more resources into the district sooner.  Two years later, the EnCap development debacle that factored to the Republicans’ advantage in 2007 continues to generate headlines in The Record, and state Republicans have marked the district as one of their top priorities this year.

But fundraising in District 36 has lagged.  According to 29 day pre-election reports released today by the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC), the two District 36 Republican candidates – once again Diorio and Pio Costa -- have raised a total of $7,753.  

Schaer and running mate Fred Scalera (D-Nutley), by contrast, have raised $437,954 and spentalmost all of it. 

Diorio and Pio Costa have $7,753 on hand to Scalera and Schaer’s left over $8,848.27

Reached by phone, Diorio said that he and Pio Costa have more money than the reports show.  For instance, they had a fundraising event Tuesday night that took in $16,000, but was after the disclosure’s cut off date.  In fact, Diorio said, the two have raised about $50,000 so far. 

Republican District 36 candidates Don Diorio of Carlstadt, left, and Carmen Pio Costa of Nutley.

GARFIELD - Thirty-six District Republican Assembly candidates Don Diorio of Carlstadt and Carmen Pio Costa of Nutley figure they can target their rivals on plenty of issues, from property taxes to the EnCap debacle, to the incumbent Assemblymen Gary Schaer's (D-Passaic) and Fred Scalera's (D-Nutley) record of regularly voting with Gov. Jon Corzine.

But the GOP tag team trying to compete in this 2-1 Democratic-leaning district have received little press attention as they run their property tax relief campaign and fail to capture the attention of a depleted press corps focused mainly on the big ticket gubernatorial election.

The Schaer-Scalera campaign is ready to launch their first wave television ads - with former Gov. Richard Codey (D-Roseland) in a starring role, days after Pio Costa and Diorio sat in the living room of Rico Benigno - a Goliath and David juxtaposition 36 days before Nov. 3rd.

Assemblyman Fred Scalera (D-Nutley), left, and Assemblyman Gary Schaer (D-Passaic).

WOOD-RIDGE - Assemblyman Fred Scalera (D-Nutley) and Assemblyman Gary Schaer (D-Passaic) part company slightly in reaction to a call from their Republican opponents in the 36th District to debate - but neither is embracing the prospect with relish.

Scalera says he would do it if he had the assurance that the venue didn't turn into a town hall free-for-all.

"I wouldn't want to get in there and just have people shouting," Scalera told PolitickerNJ.com. "We'd have to have some set parameters."

Schaer isn't convinced that could happen, and says he would rather devote time to working the district than squaring off against challengers Carmen Pio Costa of Nutley and Don Diorio of Carlstadt.

SCALERA: DECISION TO RELEASE PAN AM BOMBER AN AFFRONT TO VICTIMS, FAMILIES & SECURITY EFFORTS

(TRENTON) – Assembly Homeland Security and Preparedness Chairman Fred Scalera (D-Essex/Bergen/Passaic) today called the Scottish government’s decision to release the man convicted of taking part in the Pan Am bombing “an affront to his victims and their families and our steadfast efforts to secure peace across the globe.”