Joseph Azzolina

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Former-Assemblyman Joseph Azzolina

Joseph Azzolina (born January 26, 1926 in Newark, New Jersey) is a Republican who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1992-2006 where he represented the 13th legislative district. He also served in the Assembly from 1986-1988 and from 1966-1972. Azzolina also served in the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature, the New Jersey Senate, from 1972-1973. Azzolina served in the Assembly on the State Government Committee.

Azzolina was defeated in the 2005 GOP primary, and will be replaced in the Assembly by fellow Republican Amy Handlin, who took office on January 10, 2006 when Azzolina's term ended.

Azzolina served in the United States Naval Reserve from 1944-1986, Captain (Retired). As a reservist, he returned to active duty in 1983 for a tour of seven months – four of them off the coast of Lebanon – aboard the battleship USS New Jersey. He received three Meritorious Service Medals and two Navy Secretary Commendation Medals in addition to other combat awards and honors. Assemblyman Azzolina is chairman of the U.S.S. New Jersey Battleship Commission, and led the effort to acquire the retired ship and have it docked in New Jersey waters where it has been transformed to a floating museum.

As an Assemblyman, Azzolina sponsored legislation to provide a $250 property tax deduction for veterans, and a measure creating a model program in Monmouth County that utilizes specially-trained nurses to provide care for and collect forensic evidence from victims of sexual assault. Another measure sponsored by the assemblyman would create a central registry containing records of all persons who have been charged with a crime or offense involved domestic violence. Under the measure, the records would only be released to law enforcement agencies and the courts.

He is President of Food Circus Supermarkets, Inc.

Azzolina received a B.S. from Holy Cross College in (Naval Science) and attended the New York University Graduate School of Business.

[edit] District 13

Each of the forty districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly. The other representatives from the 13th Legislative District for the 2004-2006 session were: