O’Scanlon, Scharfenberger & Flynn to Governor Murphy On Offshore Wind – ‘We Told You So.’
Senator Declan O’Scanlon, Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn and Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger (all R-13) released the following statement regarding news that the offshore wind energy dealings between Ørsted and New Jersey are seemingly collapsing:
Sen. Declan O’Scanlon, Asw. Victoria Flynn and Asm. Gerry Scharfenberger released a statement regarding news that the offshore wind energy dealings between Ørsted and New Jersey are seemingly collapsing. (©iStock)
“Tonight’s announcement by Ørsted is not a surprise to those who have been relentless in questioning the Governor’s overzealous “green” energy mandates.
For those of us who simply asked reasonable questions about the long-term, practicable and financial viability of the proposed offshore projects, this is an “I told you so” moment. Continue Reading…
Bucco & O’Scanlon Slam Murphy For Avoiding Real Issues Like the Affordability Crisis
Senate Republican Leader Anthony M. Bucco and Senate Republican Budget Officer Declan O’Scanlon slammed Governor Murphy for avoiding real issues like the affordability crisis in New Jersey after a new report ranked New Jersey as the worst state on the 2024 State Business Tax Climate Index.
Sen. Anthony M. Bucco and Sen. Declan O’Scanlon slammed Governor Murphy for avoiding real issues like the affordability crisis in New Jersey after a new report ranked New Jersey as the worst state on the 2024 State Business Tax Climate Index. (Pixabay)
“Governor Murphy’s failed progressive priorities have hampered New Jerseyans with some of the highest tax burdens in the country. It is indefensible that Governor Murphy and Trenton Democrats continue to avoid the real issues while everyday New Jerseyans suffer under the crushing weight of the cost-of-living increases created by those very progressive policies they support,” said Bucco (R-25). “Democrats in Trenton have moved in lockstep with Governor Murphy to approve his extreme progressive wish list while squandering billions of dollars that could have been used to lowered taxes. Now, only when it is politically convenient will Democrats beg Governor Murphy to stop toll tax increases after rejecting Republican budget proposals that would have stopped this.”
O’Scanlon Calls on New Jersey Local Finance Board to Enforce Laws Against Unconscionable Jersey City “Boat Checks”
Senate Republican Budget Officer Declan O’Scanlon sent a letter to the New Jersey Local Finance Board calling on members to enforce laws against the unlawful waste of taxpayer dollars on boat checks with respect to an application from the Jersey City Municipal Utility Authority (MUA) to issue more than $150 million in debt. A recent report from a Jersey City councilman alleged that public employee contracts in both Jersey City and in the MUA were either not compliant with prohibitions and limitations on cash payments for unused sick or vacation time, or were ambiguous.
Sen. Declan O’Scanlon sent a letter to the New Jersey Local Finance Board calling on members to enforce laws against the unlawful waste of taxpayer dollars on boat checks. (©iStock)
“The alleged misuse of State resources for sick and vacation leave in Hudson County is an unconscionable and unlawful waste of taxpayer dollars,” said O’Scanlon (R-13). “The New Jersey Local Finance board should refrain from taking any action on the MUA application until it is certain that Jersey City and the MUA are in compliance with State laws that regulate cash payments to employees for unused sick and vacation time.”
O’Scanlon Bill that Would Help Crime Victims Signed into Law
Legislation sponsored by Senator Declan O’Scanlon that would unify services for crime victims within the newly created Division of Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance (VIVA) was signed into law today by Acting Governor Tahesha Way.
Legislation sponsored by Sen. Declan O’Scanlon that would unify services for crime victims within the newly created Division of Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance (VIVA) was signed into law today. (Pixabay)
“I’m proud that this bill was signed into law today. This legislation supports law and order by giving crime victims more access to necessary resources in one location. As crime rates soar, centralizing New Jersey’s efforts to provide violence intervention and prevention, and victim assistance services within one division is critically important to achieve this goal,” said O’Scanlon (R-13). “Unifying services for crime victims make critical resources more accessible to communities and individuals that are seeking justice and on the path to recovery. This legislation codifies the VIVA division to bolster our legal system, improve public safety, and build stronger partnerships with law enforcement.”
O’Scanlon says Freeze Taxpayer Dollars Allegedly Being Used to Honor Antisemites in Letter to Governor
Senator Declan O’Scanlon sent a letter to Governor Phil Murphy requesting that money earmarked to the “City of Newark — Mayor’s Brick City Peace Collective” be frozen after the organization held an event on October 7, 2023, reportedly honoring a former State Poet Laureate who peddled an antisemitic conspiracy theory related to 9-11 and honoring an individual identified by the Anti-Defamation League as being antisemitic or excusing antisemitism. Hamas terrorists launched an attack on the Jewish State of Israel on October 7th.
Sen. Declan O’Scanlon sent a letter to Gov. Murphy to freeze taxpayer dollars allegedly being used to honor antisemites. (Pixabay)
“The antisemitism built into Newark’s event appears to have been funded by State taxpayers. The City of Newark – as an event sponsor — receives more than $100 million in State taxpayers’ money. The Mayor’s Brick City Peace Collective received a special $3 million grant in the budget last year and another $5 million special grant this year. No spending plans have been shared by the Administration despite past requests. $6.5 million remains in state accounts,” wrote O’Scanlon (R-13). “Again, I respectfully request that you seek a return of every cent of taxpayer dollars that may have been spent in furtherance of this event and that you impound the remaining $6.5 million in taxpayer-funded appropriations to the Mayor’s Brick City Peace Collective until there are clear spending plans that assure State funds will not be used to honor, or give platforms to, antisemitic people or organizations — or their apologists.”
O’Scanlon to Reintroduce Bill Revoking Public Pensions for Corrupt Officials
Durr to Join as Co-Prime Sponsor of Legislation
Senator Declan O’Scanlon announced today that he is reintroducing legislation from 2008 that would revoke public pensions for government officials and employees who are convicted of any crime while in office. Senator Edward Durr (R-3) will sign on as a co-prime sponsor of the bill.
Sen. Declan O’Scanlon announced that he is reintroducing legislation from 2008 that would revoke public pensions for government officials and employees who are convicted of any crime while in office. Sen. Edward Durr will sign on as a co-prime sponsor of the bill. (SenateNJ.com)
“Senator Menendez has a state pension based of off a $48,000 salary, and if convicted of selling his office for bars of gold, cash, and a Mercedes-Benz, he will collect more than $200,000 in public pension payments over the next 20 years. These payments are funded by taxpayers and rank-and-file public employees alike,” said O’Scanlon (R-13). “This is a slap in the face to taxpayers and this reform is long overdue.”
O’Scanlon: Reforms Needed to Address Wasteful Paterson School Spending
Senator Declan O’Scanlon issued the following statement slamming the Paterson School Board’s waste of State aid after the board voted to approve excessive travel expenses for a trip to New Orleans. The senator called for the Department of Education (DOE) to use its authority to deduct waste from any future grants and reiterated the need for committee hearings to reform the broken school aid funding formula.
Sen. Declan O’Scanlon slammed the Paterson School Board’s waste of State aid after the board voted to approve excessive travel expenses for a trip to New Orleans. (©iStock)
“Paterson schools’ misuse of taxpayer money follows a pattern of self-indulgent travel by school board members to extravagant places like Las Vegas, Honolulu, and now New Orleans. This is one more reminder that excessive State aid increases for selected districts doesn’t necessarily reach children while aid cuts for other districts are devastating everywhere else. It is way past time for the Legislature to reform the broken school aid formula and disincentivize this sort of garbage.
Legislators Call for Emergency Session & Hearings on Horrific Veterans’ Home Death Investigation Report
Senator Declan O’Scanlon, Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn and Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger (Monmouth – R’s) are calling for an emergency session and subsequent independent committee hearings to discuss the horrific treatment of Veterans in care homes by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s Administration during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sen. Declan O’Scanlon, Asw. Victoria Flynn and Asm. Gerry Scharfenberger are calling for an emergency session and subsequent independent committee hearings to discuss the horrific treatment of Veterans in care homes by NJ Gov. Phil Murphy’s Administration during the COVID-19 pandemic. (©iStock)
The report released yesterday by the United States Department of Justice and the United States District Attorney’s Office of New Jersey outlined in graphic detail how the Murphy Administration’s failures led to devastation, subjecting over 7,900 Veterans to cruelty and ultimately culminated in our heroes losing their lives in vain.
GOP Budget Members: Legislators’ Budget Requests Have Been Whitewashed of Critical Information
On Friday afternoon, more than two months after the law required legislators’ requests for budget funding to be released to the public, Democrats released requests that all have this disclaimer stamped at the top: “The Budget Bill includes this Resolution, either as submitted or in a modified form.” It’s not clear how original budget requests were sanitized, but they have almost all been modified to remove required explanations about how the money will be spent.
Senate Republicans called on Democrats to release all budget resolutions with explanations about how the money will be spent – so it is clear to the public who really requested funding and their explanations of how it would be spent. (Pixabay)
Senate Republicans released all of their original and unmodified budget resolutions more than two months ago — before the budget was adopted, as required by law. The Republican members of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee are once again calling on Democrats to release all budget resolutions with explanations about how the money will be spent, just as they were submitted – so it is clear to the public who really requested funding and their explanations of how it would be spent:
“This is outrageous, but typical and incredibly arrogant behavior by Democrats running Trenton,” said Senator Declan O’Scanlon (R-13). “Republicans made our resolutions public, prior to passage of the budget as required by Senate rules. All of the resolutions that we advocated for clearly noted who advocated for it and the narratives outlining why the money was needed. Democrats, in typical fashion, waited until no one was paying attention and released this sanitized garbage on the eve of a major holiday weekend. The people of New Jersey deserve a truly transparent government and they’re not getting that from Democrats in Trenton.”
Legislative District 13 Calls Upon Governor & US Senators to Block NYC’s Attempt to Use NJ to Solve Federal Immigration Crisis
Senator Declan O’Scanlon, Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn and Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger (Monmouth – R’s) call for immediate action by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to intercede and protect Atlantic City Airport from being used as a metaphorical band-aid covering the failed immigration policies of the Biden Administration.
Sen. Declan O’Scanlon, Asw. Victoria Flynn and Asm. Gerry Scharfenberger call for immediate action by Gov. Phil Murphy to intercede and protect Atlantic City Airport from being used as a metaphorical band-aid covering the failed immigration policies of the Biden Administration. (SenateNJ.com)
The Legislators of the 13th District unite with a bipartisan chorus of federal, state, and local officials who demand recourse from the Governor as well as Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker to prevent New York City and New York State from diverting their own self-inflicted issues on the taxpayers of Atlantic City, Atlantic County, and the State of New Jersey:
