Gary Schaer (born September 11, 1951) is an American Democratic Party politician who serves in the New Jersey General Assembly where he represents the 36th legislative district, having taken office on January 10, 2006, and on the Passaic, New Jersey City Council where he is the council president. Schaer is the first Orthodox Jew in the New Jersey Legislature.[1]
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Schaer was elected to the Assembly on November 8, 2005, and took the seat of Republican Paul DiGaetano, who did not run for re-election and had held the seat in the Assembly continuously since 1992.[2]
He serves in the Assembly on the Budget Committee (as Vice-Chair) and the State Government Committee (also as Vice-Chair).[3]
Schaer is serving his 14th year on the Passaic City Council, including eleven as Council President. He has been a Director of Passaic's Urban Enterprise Zone since 2002. He served as a Commissioner on the Board of Education for the Passaic County Technical Institute from 1999-2003 and was a Commissioner on the Passaic Housing Authority from 1992-1996.[3] In May 2008, Schaer became the acting mayor of Passaic upon the resignation of Samuel Rivera, who had pleaded guilty on corruption charges.[4]
He is a Trustee of St. Mary's Hospital. Schaer has worked in the financial services industry for over 20 years. He is an Investment Consultant and Vice President at Ryan Beck & Company.[3]
In situations in which the legislature was in session on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, when the dictates of his Orthodox Jewish faith prohibit him from participating in forbidden forms of work he has appointed an aide to cast a ballot on his behalf, a policy permitted by the Assembly's rules, as long as the legislator is in the building.[1]
Schaer grew up in Pennsauken Township, New Jersey.[1] He attended American University, majoring in political science.[3]
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 36th District for the 2010-2011 Legislative Session are:
Political offices | ||
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Preceded by Samuel Rivera |
Mayor of Passaic, New Jersey 2008-2009 |
Succeeded by Alex Blanco |
Preceded by Paul DiGaetano |
Assemblyman- 36th Legislative District January 2006 - Present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |