Courier Endorsement: Green and Gatto for 22nd

Published in the Courier News, Monday, October 29, 2007

[Editorial Endorsement: 22nd Legislative District Races]
Green and Gatto strong voices for 22nd Dist.

Voters have a right to be a little confused about their choices in the 22nd Legislative District.

The incumbent Democratic group consists of Sen. Nicholas Scutari, D-Linden, Assemblyman Jerry Green, D-Plainfield and Assemblywoman Linda Stender, D-Fanwood. But while they're all running for re-election, Stender is already concurrently gearing up for her congressional run in 2008, after being narrowly defeated by Rep. Mike Ferguson last year.

On the Republican side, only one of the three challengers bothered filing for the party primary in June -- Bryan DesRochers of Rahway, for Assembly. Rose McConnell, the former Somerset County freeholder, and Robert Gatto, both of North Plainfield, only mounted an 11th-hour write-in campaign for the primary in hopes of filling out the ballot in November. Each garnered enough votes -- McConnell for Senate, Gatto for Assembly -- to be listed on Nov. 6.

The Senate race is essentially uncontested. McConnell concedes that she only wanted to give the voters a ballot choice and had no desire to come out of political retirement. She says she doesn't believe anything can be done to reform Trenton's ways and that all she would likely do is pound her fist on the Statehouse tables and complain, if elected.

That's unfortunate, because Scutari would make a nice target for change; among other things, he was one of three legislators served with a subpoena during an ongoing federal probe of state budget grants allegedly being dispersed for personal gain. Scutari has tried to position himself as a reformer of sorts -- pushing some campaign ethics bills and co-chairing the committee on public employee benefits during last year's special session on property-tax reform. We can only hope he manages to get more done toward those reform ends in his second term.

The Assembly race does offer some interesting choices. Stender's attentions are primarily on Congress. Much of her campaign discussion has tried to tie more national issues like global warming to state concerns, which is no coincidence -- we're likely to hear much the same talk in next year's congressional race.

Stender has been a quietly competent lawmaker who seems content to just get along with the ruling team. Trenton needs more than that these days.

Green is a 16-year Statehouse veteran and, as such, must be considered part of the problem in Trenton. But unlike some others similarly tainted by their long tenure, Green seem willing, and even anxious, to be part of a solution as well. He describes himself as perhaps the most respected black legislator in the state. And his advocacy for urban issues and other concerns not always front and center on lawmakers' radar -- such as affordable housing -- will be sorely needed.

Gatto, a past candidate for North Plainfield Borough Council, and DesRochers, who has run for Rahway City Council, offer little political experience. They hit most of the conventional notes in demanding school funding changes and opposing the selling-off of state assets like the toll roads. Gatto, however, does it more loudly and with more conviction.

While some of Gatto's ideas are rather impractical -- like a complete repeal of the Abbott funding process for the poorest school district's -- he also offers the kind of angry, blue-collar voice that needs to be heard by the entitled members of the Legislature.

DesRochers provides some common-sense understanding of what's wrong with state government, although we're not sure he would be as effective as Gatto in trying to help turn that understanding into change.

Green and Gatto receive our endorsements for Assembly, while Scutari is the default choice for Senate.

The 22nd Legislative District includes Green Brook and North Plainfield in Somerset County; Dunellen and Middlesex in Middlesex County; and Fanwood, Plainfield, Scotch Plains, Clark, Linden, Rahway and Winfield in Union County.

OUR POSITION:
We support Assemblyman Jerry Green and Republican Robert Gatto of North Plainfield for Assembly in the 22nd Legislative District.

Editorial NOT online; transcribed by DD.

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