GUARINO WILL NOT BE FORCED OFF THE BALLOT

GUARINO WILL NOT BE FORCED OFF THE BALLOT, VOWS TO FIGHT SARLO ON ENCAP                                                           April 16, 2007 

Lyndhurst – State Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-36), the longtime backer of the faltering EnCap project in the meadowlands, is attempting to knock off his opponent in the November election before the campaign even starts.

Sarlo – through the Bergen County Democrat Party Attorney Dennis Oury -- is attempting to have the nominating petition of Sarlo’s challenger, Michael Guarino of Lyndhurst, invalidated, and have the candidate thrown off the June Primary Election ballot.

 Thom Ammirato, spokesman for Guarino, said Oury’s action on behalf of Sarlo “is a desperate move by a state senator who is afraid to face competition in November because of his long-time support of the EnCap project, which is destroying the meadowlands communities and hurting taxpayers. 

“What plausible reason could a powerful state senator, with $500,000 in his campaign war chest, have for trying to knock a 78 year-old man off the ballot --  except for the fact that Mr. Sarlo is afraid to face the public and let the people of District 36 decide who should be the next state senator,� asked Ammirato. 

Guarino, a former Democrat, who switched parties to run against Sarlo, said he will force the senator to answer questions on EnCap and other deals in the 36th District. 

“Senator Sarlo doesn’t want to run on his record. He wants to run away from it, so he is trying to make sure he has no competition,� said Guarino, the former health director of Bergen County.

“Paul Sarlo doesn’t want to run on his record. He wants to run away from it, so he is trying to make sure he has no competition,� said Guarino, the former health director of Bergen County. "I am going to go toe to toe with Mr. Sarlo and force him to reveal the backroom deals that were made to support the EnCap project he now claims to oppose.�

 

Guarino said the attempt to knock him off the ballot is a familiar Bergen County Democrat intimidation tactic.  “They think they are going to scare me off the ballot. That’s not going to happen,� said Guarino.

“I’m not backing down. I’m not afraid of their lawyers and their money. Even if I have to run as a write in candidate in June, I will be on the November ballot and I will challenge Sen. EnCap,� he said, referring to Sarlo.

According to the Record newspaper, the attorneys for EnCap: DeCotiis, FitzPatrick, Cole & Wisler -- and an EnCap executive -- gave $20,624 to Sarlo.  Sarlo sponsored a bill in 2004 that allowed North Arlington, Lyndhurst and Rutherford to negotiate their own deals with the developer. One of the resulting deals, which is being questioned by the state Local Finance Board, allowed for EnCap to receive $366 million in future tax revenue up front through the sale of state bonds. With Sarlo’s help, more than $100 million in bonds for the project were sold through the Bergen County Improvement Authority.

A slew of political insiders collected fees on that bond sale including Sarlo’s attorney, Oury, who made $50,000 on the deal. Oury, an employee of the BCIA and an ally of BCDO Chairman Joseph Ferriero, has donated at least $1,500 to Sarlo. The EnCap project is now being investigated by the state.

        

“EnCap is the most corrupt insider deal that has ever struck North Jersey and Paul Sarlo is right in the middle of it. He doesn’t want to have to debate me or anyone about the EnCap swindle,� said Guarino. “But I will make sure he does.�