NEWS
POLITICS
Candidates square off in key 38th District
Wednesday, October 22, 2003 FAIR LAWN - Candidates in Bergen County's 38th Legislative District spelled out their plans for a better New Jersey in a debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters.
The two-hour debate at Van Riper-Ellis/Broadway Baptist Church included a one-hour debate between Republican Assemblywoman Rose Marie Heck of Hasbrouck Heights and Democratic Sen. Joseph Coniglio of Paramus, and another hour of debate among the Assembly candidates.
In the Senate debate, Coniglio said Democrats had done a lot to create jobs and improve the state's economy. But when he added that the state is faring much better than the rest of the country, Heck rolled her eyes and accused him of not thinking for himself.
"This is so typical of the answer written for him," she said, pointing out that the Democrats cut popular programs, like NJ Saver rebates, and hurt state taxpayers.
The two agreed, however, that limits are needed for medical malpractice jury awards.
Coniglio said he supported a medical malpractice bill in the Senate and railed against the Assembly for failing to pass similar legislation.
Both candidates also said they support the right for gay couples to join in civil unions., But Heck said she opposes gay marriage, while Coniglio said he supports the rights of religious institutions to decide whether to sanction same-sex marriage.
"I could support civil unions because they are like a business contract," Coniglio said.
Heck has spent the last 12 years in the Assembly, while Coniglio was elected to the Senate two years ago.
The District 38 Senate race is one of the state's most closely watched contests, as Democrats and Republicans fight to gain full control of the Senate. Each party currently controls 20 seats in the chamber.
The district also is home to the state's only third-party incumbent, Assemblyman Matt Ahearn of Fair Lawn. He was elected as a Democrat two years ago, but broke with the party this year and is running as a member of the Green Party.
Heck is running with Louis Tedesco, a Bergen County freeholder and former mayor of Little Ferry and Ed Trawinski, an environmental land-use attorney and former Fair Lawn mayor. Coniglio's running mates are Robert Gordon, a security consultant and former councilman from Fair Lawn and Joan Voss, a retired schoolteacher and administrator who serves on the Fort Lee Borough Council.
The Assembly candidates picked up where their Senate counterparts left off, but kept their gloves on for a more civil debate on the issues.
On the issue of smart growth, they were asked whether the Legislature should require municipalities to abide by the state redevelopment plan.
Ahearn said the state plan to manage development needed to have more teeth. He favors allowing towns to put a temporary limit on development so that they can consider a regional approach.
Tedesco said he does not think local rule should be taken away and that decisions on development should be left to the towns.
Voss said she favors reinvesting in areas that are already developed, rather than building in areas that can be preserved for open space.
On the issue of medical malpractice, Trawinsky said, "We absolutely have a crisis in New Jersey."
Like his Republican running mates, he said there must be caps on awards to prevent doctors from leaving New Jersey.
But Gordon said he is not willing to say caps are needed until there is evidence that caps would reduce insurance premiums.
The district has 28,116 Democrats, 19,261 Republicans, and 65,531 independent, third-party, or undeclared voters.
E-mail: fasbach@northjersey.com
