Post by fiberisgoodforyou on Oct 29, 2007 12:36:15 GMT -5
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: O'SCANLON & CASAGRANDE ENDORSED BY THE ASBURY PARK PRESS
By KAntonello - October 26, 2007 - 2:08pm
Tags: Declan O'Scanlon, Caroline Casagrande, endorsements,
Release Date: October 26, 2007
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: O’SCANLON & CASAGRANDE
ENDORSED BY THE ASBURY PARK PRESS
“GIVE THE GOP A SHOT IN THE 12TH”
Editorial, Asbury Park Press, October 26, 2007
Judging from the campaign literature in the 12th District Assembly race, the choices facing voters are this: two Democrats controlled by the party bosses or two conflicted Republicans running to help feather their nests.
In one of the most fiercely contested Assembly races in the state, Democratic incumbent Michael Panter and businesswoman Amy Mallet are squaring off against Little Silver Council President Declan O'Scanlon and attorney Caroline Casagrande, our choices.
We don't believe O'Scanlon and Casagrande are in it for the wrong reasons or have compromised their integrity by doing public-sector work, as the Democrats have suggested. O'Scanlon has contracted with nine towns to help them address cell tower issues. It constitutes a tiny percentage of his firm's work. Casagrande is a municipal attorney in Manalapan. Both have said they would not accept contracts from towns in their district, if elected.
We have serious doubts, however, about whether Panter and Mallet are independent of the Democratic power brokers. Panter won re-election to his seat in 2005 with the help of money wheeled in from South Jersey. Running mate Mallet actually ran against Panter in the 2003 Assembly primary and lost, despite being backed by power brokers George Norcross III and John Lynch.
According to the 29-day pre-election campaign finance report, Panter and Mallet already had raised and spent nearly $1 million on the race, with about half of it coming from the Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee and another $100,000 from the election funds of fellow Democratic legislators, including Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. O'Scanlon and Casagrande had raised less than one-sixth that amount.
Our support for O'Scanlon and Casagrande, however, is based mostly on their call for reduced government spending. More than any other issue, that would be their focus. O'Scanlon, in particular, would make his voice heard loud and clear — something Republicans in Trenton haven't done particularly well in their five years in the legislative minority.
O'Scanlon and Casagrande have a well-conceived plan for reducing state spending — one that would ease the oppressive tax burden without crippling government services. While Panter and Mallet recently developed their own tax reduction plan, it mirrored much of what their opponents had been saying for months.
Panter has had a better voting record on spending than most Democrats. And he has worked to advance ethics reforms. But the lack of progress made by his party on both has been unacceptable. It's time to give Republicans in the 12th District a chance to advocate for change.
By KAntonello - October 26, 2007 - 2:08pm
Tags: Declan O'Scanlon, Caroline Casagrande, endorsements,
Release Date: October 26, 2007
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: O’SCANLON & CASAGRANDE
ENDORSED BY THE ASBURY PARK PRESS
“GIVE THE GOP A SHOT IN THE 12TH”
Editorial, Asbury Park Press, October 26, 2007
Judging from the campaign literature in the 12th District Assembly race, the choices facing voters are this: two Democrats controlled by the party bosses or two conflicted Republicans running to help feather their nests.
In one of the most fiercely contested Assembly races in the state, Democratic incumbent Michael Panter and businesswoman Amy Mallet are squaring off against Little Silver Council President Declan O'Scanlon and attorney Caroline Casagrande, our choices.
We don't believe O'Scanlon and Casagrande are in it for the wrong reasons or have compromised their integrity by doing public-sector work, as the Democrats have suggested. O'Scanlon has contracted with nine towns to help them address cell tower issues. It constitutes a tiny percentage of his firm's work. Casagrande is a municipal attorney in Manalapan. Both have said they would not accept contracts from towns in their district, if elected.
We have serious doubts, however, about whether Panter and Mallet are independent of the Democratic power brokers. Panter won re-election to his seat in 2005 with the help of money wheeled in from South Jersey. Running mate Mallet actually ran against Panter in the 2003 Assembly primary and lost, despite being backed by power brokers George Norcross III and John Lynch.
According to the 29-day pre-election campaign finance report, Panter and Mallet already had raised and spent nearly $1 million on the race, with about half of it coming from the Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee and another $100,000 from the election funds of fellow Democratic legislators, including Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. O'Scanlon and Casagrande had raised less than one-sixth that amount.
Our support for O'Scanlon and Casagrande, however, is based mostly on their call for reduced government spending. More than any other issue, that would be their focus. O'Scanlon, in particular, would make his voice heard loud and clear — something Republicans in Trenton haven't done particularly well in their five years in the legislative minority.
O'Scanlon and Casagrande have a well-conceived plan for reducing state spending — one that would ease the oppressive tax burden without crippling government services. While Panter and Mallet recently developed their own tax reduction plan, it mirrored much of what their opponents had been saying for months.
Panter has had a better voting record on spending than most Democrats. And he has worked to advance ethics reforms. But the lack of progress made by his party on both has been unacceptable. It's time to give Republicans in the 12th District a chance to advocate for change.