Young Dems say Trenton needs fresh perspective

and Jim Lockwood

A hotly contested, highly publicized Republican fight for Assembly nominations in Morris County's 25th District last spring has been followed by political silence this fall, as two Democrats have run almost stealth campaigns to topple the county's dominant GOP.

With little money to finance a campaign, young Democrats Rebekah Conroy and Wendy Wright have relied on websites and a handful of personal appearances to try and defeat veteran Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll and attorney Anthony Bucco Jr. in Tuesday's election.

Neither is shy about attacking their opponents, especially Carroll. They contend Morris County has fared poorly in getting back money and favor from Democratically-controlled Trenton because the county's Republican legislators have not sought to reach across the political aisle.

But Carroll said such thinking is "naive,'' and said county residents will fare best if Republican Chris Christie wins the governor's office, which would give the county's all-Republican legislative delegation a "shot at fair hearings on important issues.''

"Our constituents are nothing more than piggy banks for Jon Corzine and the Trenton Democrats,'' said Carroll, an attorney. "The amount of money this county gets back from Trenton in total is less than one-fifth of what Newark gets. That's unfair.''

Carroll said he is not picking on Newark -- and not setting up an urban-versus-suburban fight -- but said the city's wasteful spending can't be tolerated in tough economic times.

Carroll and Bucco say the economy and taxes are key issues in this campaign.

Bucco would push to cut 10 percent of all non-essential state spending immediately and freeze that spending for two years to force waste out of state government. Carroll favors legislation to prohibit state borrowing without voter approval.

"Look, we're in real trouble in this state,'' said Bucco, the son of state Sen. Anthony Bucco (R-Morris). "People are angry and upset. They have been taxed, spent, regulated and borrowed to death. We have to help them.''

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