3 Republicans look to challenge Panter in Assembly run
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 01/31/07
BY LARRY HIGGS
COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU
TRENTON Three Republican contenders lined up Tuesday to challenge
Democratic Assemblyman Michael J. Panter Jr. and a running mate to
be named later in the 12th District.
The three GOP hopefuls filed letters of intent Tuesday with Monmouth
County Republican Committee Chairman Adam Puharic: Fair Haven
Borough Council President Thomas Gilmour, Little Silver Borough
Council President Declan O'Scanlon and Manalapan municipal attorney
Caroline Casagrande.
Panter, who is finishing his second two-year term, said he will run
for re-election and is working with the county Democratic Party on
selecting a running mate. About a dozen people have expressed
interest, he said. Unlike in 2005, Panter said he doesn't expect a
primary fight.
This is O'Scanlon's second run for Assembly. In 2005, he came within
less than 100 votes of defeating Panter. Gilmour is making his first
bid for state office, and this is Casagrande's first run for elected
office.
The three GOP hopefuls said they're running because of
dissatisfaction with ethics reform, property tax reduction and state
spending under the Democratic leadership.
"Things have only gotten worse since I ran last time," O'Scanlon
said. "People are furious over the state's inability to carry out
simple, common-sense reforms like pay-to-play and dual-office
holding."
Thursday is the deadline for candidates to submit letters of intent
to the county party. A screening committee will interview potential
candidates Feb. 7 and the county committee will vote on whom to
endorse in March.
Casagrande, 30, of Colts Neck, also is associate borough attorney in
Fair Haven, which she said has given her a knowledge of government's
workings and problems.
"I believe that serving as an attorney for municipal governments, I
have a working knowledge and understand how government works and the
challenges facing many towns," Casagrande said. "It's time to drop
property taxes, cut wasteful spending and reform state government."
Gilmour, 56, who has served on the Fair Haven council for seven
years, is director of commerce for the city of Asbury Park. He said
state government should have the same spending caps municipal
governments have.
"You have to take a hard look at state government, look at what's
needed to balance the budget and stop borrowing money," Gilmour
said. "In the past five years, the number of state employees has
grown, and new departments have been created that do nothing. All
need to be perused."
O'Scanlon, 43, a Little Silver councilman since 1994, is currently
council president. He is a wireless communications consultant.
Panter, 37, of Shrewsbury was elected to the Assembly in 2003 and
owns a company that manages private corporate pension plans.
None of the GOP candidates criticized Panter by name, but rapped
Democrats' efforts on ethics reform and easing property taxes.
Gilmour said reforming some of the state's unfriendly laws toward
business would attract more businesses, which would increase tax
revenues.
O'Scanlon said funding and spending by the state's 31 poorest school
districts, which received additional funding under the state Supreme
Court's Abbott decision, need to be examined to ensure money is
spent to educate children.
Casagrande said she plans to outline specific plans for where she'd
cut spending and make reforms.
"The bills passed yesterday (Monday) are a start, but fall short of
what will help New Jersey families," Casagrande said. "Everyone
needs property tax reform, not just a select few. You can't have
property tax reform until you address wasteful spending in Trenton."
Panter said he voted against last year's budget and favors stripping
pensions from officials previously convicted of corruption but added
that state law doesn't allow that. He said property tax reform has
gone nowhere because of partisanship.
"The knee-jerk reaction is to criticize the majority, which has held
up reform efforts," Panter said, adding that he favors spending
reductions to make reform sustainable. "We can't ask the public to
support reform until we assure them every nickel is spent wisely."
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