Did Special Interests Influence LD-13 Assembly Member Declan O'Scanlon To Vote 'Yes' On Gas Tax?

The following snippet was posted on the Marlboro Patch. If you haven't read it, it will raise an eyebrow and my provide some insight into the politics behind last year's gas tax hike.

By Monmouth Watchdog
May 15, 2017

Organizations Benefitting From Gas Tax Increase Contributed Heavily Towards Assemblyman's Campaigns; Bumpy Road To Election Seen Ahead

On Decmber 9, 2016, Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon,(R-Monmouth), a staunch Chris Christie ally, and former member of Christie's Presidential Leadership Team, announced a bid for the senate seat being vacated by long-time representative, state Senator Joe Kyrillos.

In O'Scanlon's bid for the senate seat, he said, " I am running for the Senate. I am looking forward to the opportunity to double the value of my vote and volume of my megaphone...I have a history of bringing people together...I have allies in reform communities and labor..."

Well, it may be those very "allies" in labor that may be Mr. O'Scanlon's undoing to represent LD-13. Legislative District 13 is comprised of 16 municipalities--including the largest town in Monmouth County: Middletown.

Middletown is home of Democrat Sean Byrnes, who is the Monmouth Dems choice to run against O'Scanlon. Compounding O'Scanlon's woes is his vote for the very unpopular 23 cent a gallon gas tax, in a state that has the highest cost per mile to construct a roadway: two-million dollars per mile. This expenditure is 12-times the national average on other state controlled and operated roadways, and now brings New Jersey's gas tax ranking to number 7 nationwide--up from the near bottom. Add to that O'Scanlon's mind boggling public safety voting record in the Assembly, and you have a candidate that may have his political career in jeopardy.

For drivers of New Jersey, a near quarter increase in a gallon of gas is indeed a steep hike. And with today's announcement from the oil ministers of Saudi Arabia and Russia agreeing to extend production cuts until March of 2018, the pain could even worsen for the state's drivers.

O'Scanlon's "allies" contributed mightily to his campaign--- These organizations consist of unions, political action committees, and companies dealing with state-wide road construction projects. They would benefit greatly from any legislator's "YES" vote and subsequent passage. On October 7, 2016, Declan O'Scanlon did indeed vote for the gas tax.

According to NJ Election Commission reports, The Utility and Transportation Contractors Association PAC, Constructors for Good Government, gave him $7,600 on Nov. 07, and the NJ State Laborers PAC ponied up $8,200 as did Operating Engineers Local 825, which sent $8,200. The road paving company J. Fletcher Creamer, whose khaki trucks are a fixture on Jersey’s TLC-desperate roads, sent $2,600, joined by companies like George Harms Construction, Earle Asphalt Company, Northeast Remsco Construction, and the NJ Asphalt PAC....

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