| Candidate
Information
Professional Background:
Mr. Scutari is an attorney with his own practice in Linden, where he specializes in civil litigation. Prior to becoming a solo practitioner, the Senator worked as an associate for Levinson Axelrod in Edison for seven years. He also serves as Municipal Prosecutor for the City of Linden.
Education: Mr. Scutari earned his bachelor's degree in Psychology from Kean University in 1989, and received a Masters in Education from Rutgers University in 1990 and his law degree from the Thomas M. Cooley School of Law in 1993.
Elected Experience: Mr. Scutari first entered public service in 1994, winning election to the Linden Board of Education at age 25. He served on the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders from 1997 to 2004, and became the youngest Freeholder Chair in county history in 1999. In 2003, the Senator won election to the New Jersey Senate, where he is vice-chair of the State Government and Commerce Committees and is a member of the Judiciary Committee. He also served as Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Employee Benefits Reform during the Special Session on Property Taxes.
Clubs and Organizations: Mr. Scutari is a member of the Union County Bar Association, the Linden City Democratic Club, and the National Eagle Scout Association.
Major Issues: Mr. Scutari's primary focus continues to be on affordability issues affecting our communities. To that end, he has sponsored and passed legislation requiring increased pension contributions from public workers and increasing the retirement age for future employees (S-3004), and, as Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Employee Benefits Reform, shaped legislation putting political appointees and elected officials in a defined contribution system, removing government contractors from the retirement system entirely, and capping the total amount of salary creditable towards a pension at the Social Security contribution limit (S-17).
On the environment: Mr. Scutari co-sponsored the Global Warming Response Act (A-3301), creating statewide targets for the reduction of greenhouse gases. The Senator has also urged the Bush EPA to abandon plans to roll back essential "Right to Know" regulations requiring businesses to inventory the levels of harmful materials they are emitting into the environment – a simple step that has embarrassed polluters across the country, and especially New Jersey, into cleaning up their acts (SR-36).
Mr. Scutari will continue to promote measures that push New Jersey towards more sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels, and work to ensure that our environmental regulations remain among the toughest in the nation.
On crime and public safety: As a member of the Judiciary Committee and a prosecutor, the Senator has worked for a criminal justice system that is fair and effective, sponsoring legislation mandating a minimum of life imprisonment for murderers whose victims are 16 or younger (S-1869, "Judy's Law"), passing a bill closing a loophole on unlicensed drivers involved in fatal accidents (S-2144, "Christopher's Law"), and working with Union County College to develop educational and support programming designed to reintegrate ex-offenders into the community and reduce the rate of recidivism. On the roads, he was instrumental in getting Route 1&9 between Elizabeth and Woodbridge designated a "safe corridor" by the state DOT, and is sponsoring legislation to double penalties for dangerous driving while carrying hazardous materials (S-1609).
On consumer protection: Mr. Scutari is currently working on numerous common sense measures designed to protect New Jersey consumers. Chief among them are bills requiring uniform markings for pesticide applications (S-2107), expanding automotive "lemon laws" (S-534), and requiring the installation of carbon monoxide detectors when new furnace or water heating systems are installed (S-2106). He recently passed legislation aimed at preventing organized crime from abusing charitable clothing donation bins (S-597).
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