Gary Schaer

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.

New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas Fisher will join two Democratic legislators in a competitive re-election campaign during an appearance at the Rutherford Farmers Market next week. Assemblymen Frederick Scalera (D-Nutley) and Gary Schaer (D-Passaic) will join with Fisher to "highlight the availability of Jersey Fresh produce."

Fisher, a former four-term Democratic Assemblyman, becomes the first state agriculture official to boost legislators during an election season.  In the past, the state Secretary of Agriculture has largely stayed clear of partisan politics.  The Department of Agriculture has twelve years worth of press release available on their website; not reflect election year political activity by the Secretary.

There should be no real over reaction to this: it's not like the presence of the Cumberland County Democrat will influence pro-farming independents in Nutley and North Arlington.

Willard Allen, Philip Alampi, Arthur Brown and Charles Kuperus, the four Agriculture secretaries who have served since 1938, did not do campaign swings. In 2003, Kuperus, who was a Republican Freeholder from Sussex County, went on the campaign trail in support of Gov. James E. McGreevey's farmland preservation ballot referendum.  But Kuperus did not include legislators in his appearances.

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.

The race for Governor is a toss-up and Democrats are favored to retain control of the State Assembly, according to a new PolitickerNJ.com Battleground 2009 analysis of state and county campaigns.  This breakdown will include key municipal races in future weeks.

SCALERA, SCHAER CALL FOR REGULAR COMMUTER TRAINS FROM NEW GIANTS STADIUM RAIL STATION

Lawmakers Say NJ Transit Should Use Empty Stadium Lots, Parking Deck To Boost Weekday Ridership

(36th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT) – Following a report that the new Meadowlands Rail Line could be used as few as 30 days this year – and mainly to shuttle fans to Giants and Jets games – Assemblymen Fred Scalera and Gary Schaer said officials could boost mass transit usage by turning the empty parking lots at the Meadowlands Complex into a weekday commuter park-and-ride.

WISNIEWSKI / SCHAER / SPENCER BILL SETTING 20-YEAR STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR FORECLOSURES NOW LAW

(TRENTON) – Legislation Assembly members John Wisniewski, Gary Schaer and L. Grace Spencer sponsored to codify a timeframe under which a lender can file a foreclosure action against a borrower who in is default is now law.

The law (A-3269) gives a mortgage lender 20 years from the date of a borrower’s default to bring a specific foreclosure action. It ensures that decades-old defaults – which under previous law could still be acted against – do not remain as clouds on a property’s title, which can grind a sale to a halt.

“Given the current volatility in the housing market, there is no room for ambiguity,” said Wisniewski (D-Middlesex). “A distinct path to a clear title can be the difference between allowing a property to be sold or requiring it to languish in legal purgatory.”

From left: Assemblyman Fred Scalera (D-Nutley), Assemblyman Gary Schaer (D-Passaic) (who also serves as Passaic Council president), and state Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Wood-Ridge), who is also Wood-Ridge's mayor.

PASSAIC - The appearance of State Democratic Committee Chairman Joe Cryan at a unity rally in Passaic two weeks ago signified the chairman's will to win in a 2-1 Democratic legislative district where the Republican opposition is especially revved up two years after coming shockingly close to victory.

"If you didn't have this dynamic duo here fighting for you - if you had two Republicans instead, let me tell you, folks, funding for the City of Passaic would be under siege," maintained Cryan. "You have two different philosophies. On the Republican side you have a gubernatorial candidate who wouldn't take federal stimulus dollars. Under GOP watch, we would have cut children's health insurance."

Assemblyman Gary Schaer (D-Passaic) and Assemblyman Fred Scalera (D-Nutley) stood with state Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Wood-Ridge) while they accepted the endorsement of craggy city supervisor Vinny Capuana, a Democrat who in 2008 and earlier this year ran vigorously against Schaer's local machine and lost. 

"It's a wonderful thing to stand here with this group of people coming together," said Sarlo. "Unifying the city is a wonderful thing."

SCHAER & SCALERA BILLS PROVIDING FOR OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION AND PARKS SIGNED INTO LAW

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assemblymen Gary Schaer and Fred Scalera to help preserve open space throughout the 36th Legislative District has been signed into law.

“This open space preservation was both supported by the voters and is a sensible approach to maintain and improve parks, recreation and ensure a strong environment as we strive for smart development,” said Schaer (D-Passaic-Bergen-Essex). “These efforts will benefit our families and communities for generations.”

“Saving land for recreation and conservation in the most densely populated state in the nation is supported by voters and the right thing to do,” said Scalera (D-Essex-Bergen-Passaic). “This is a wise investment that will pay off by helping create a foundation for a strong recreation and tourism industry and benefiting our economy.”

WISNIEWSKI / SCHAER / SPENCER BILL SETTING 20-YEAR STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR FORECLOSURES CLOSER TO BECOMING LAW

(TRENTON) – Legislation Assembly members John Wisniewski, Gary Schaer and L. Grace Spencer sponsored to codify a timeframe under which a lender can file a foreclosure action against a borrower who in is default is closer to becoming law.

The bill (A-3269) would give a mortgage lender 20 years from the date of a borrower’s default to bring a specific foreclosure action. It would ensure that decades-old defaults – which under previous law could still be acted against – do not remain as clouds on a property’s title, which can grind a sale to a halt.

“Given the current volatility in the housing market, there is no room for ambiguity,” said Wisniewski (D-Middlesex). “A distinct path to a clear title can be the difference between allowing a property to be sold or requiring it to languish in legal purgatory.”

Passaic County State Chairman John Currie

PASSAIC - The news out of Newark today that Randal Pinkett is interested in the job of lieutenant governor and considers himself still in the running to be on the ticket with Gov. Jon Corzine, seemed to surprise Democratic Party members here at a party unity event at City Hall.

"No comment," said Passaic County Democratic Chairman John Currie with a shake of his head.

The chairman, in attendance in support of the re-election campaign of Assemblyman Gary Schaer (D-Passaic) and Assemblyman Fred Scalera (D-Nutley), admitted his preference for first term Passaic County Freeholder Tahesha Way, whose name surfaced two weeks ago as an LG prospect, but seems to have maintained no traction in the upper eschelons of party politics, as state Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Metuchen) and state Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck) appear to have staked out short-list status - in front of Saturday's long anticipated governor's announcement.

"I like Tahesha Way for the job," Currie said.

Other Democrats here admitted they thought Pinkett was finished after elected officials almost to a man expressed worry about a political neophyte running a statewide race with an unpopular incumbent governor at the top of the ticket.