The O’Toole Chronicles: Citizen Legislator

The year was 2002 and I had recently settled into my new legislative office in the wonderful town of Wayne. Due to the wicked turn that occurred in the 2001 redistricting, I thought it strategic to move my legislative office from Verona to the largest town in my newly designed district – Wayne. I note that the other slight adjustment that I had to make was moving my voting light and nickel lined nameplate from the Senate back to the Assembly. No one asked then, but I feel the need to explain now, that the physical moving of the office from Essex to Passaic County was one hundred times easier to do and accept than moving back to the Assembly. As I have stated before, I loved my time in the Assembly, the People’s House, but I had mentally moved on to the Senate, the House of the Lords, and had grown fond of the roomy offices, less members, more relevancy, and oh yeah, this thing called senatorial courtesy.

Back to the story.

As I recall that day in 2002, I was speaking with my office manager, Renee, and she as a matter of routine printed out a number of emails and call lists that needed my attention. By this time, year seven of my legislative career, my office manager and I had developed this daily cadence, I would call and/or walk into the office and in 4 to 5 minutes we would whip through outstanding calls and issues of the day.

As I was listening to that daily update, I vividly recall reading an email from a lawyer friend, John.  I had known John for some time, he was a trusted attorney, supporter, and someone who knew politics.  He worked for (and still does) the very established and reputable law firm of Porzio, Bromberg & Newman. Via email, John asked if I would mind taking a call from his brother, Steve. Not a problem, I thought.

A day or two later I received a simple and straight forward email from Steve asking for a face to face meeting.

After I arranged for a breakfast meeting at my local diner, I had a refreshing get together with an individual who wanted to get more involved in public service. Steve was recently elected to a council seat and was looking for more civic involvement.

By the time the coffee was poured, and lox and eggs arrived, I found Steve to be down to earth, humble, smart and willing to learn. I observed quickly that Steve is an intellectual and had deep roots in finance, taxes, and management. I looked at him with his flannel shirt and Lee Blue Jeans reciting inflationary forecasts, budgeting techniques, and bonding amortization tables and that was more than enough for me to understand his utility in state government. I knew right there this individual was not only really smart, but the epitome of a citizen legislator.

Fast forward, Steve and I kept in touch after that diner meeting and over the years I watched from afar as he eventually ran successfully for County Commissioner (formerly known as Freeholder).

Ironically, in 2007 Steve and I both ran for State Senate and we both had a brutal and all-consuming primary. The only other person on the planet who could relate to us, at this time, was Assemblyman Brian Stack, who was waging his own battle royale as he moved toward the Senate.

I’m sure you figured it out by now that that Steve, that Citizen Legislator is Steve Oroho, now the Senate Republican Leader and leader of the Republican Party in New Jersey.

I was lucky enough to serve a decade with Steve in the Senate. We served on the Budget Committee together and we sat next to each other on the Senate floor. There was more than one time on the Senate floor that I recall looking at Steve as I was on my feet pounding on my desk making some inane and ridiculous point. At those moments, Steve would often look at me like I was an ostrich in the Space Farm Zoo – maybe impressed, but usually wary.

Steve has made it to the big time and like so many, I’m a huge fan. Steve sees the big picture, isn’t afraid to take a policy position that might not be popular with the base if it means doing the right thing and has managed – as one of the most conservative members of the legislature – to build great relationships with labor groups.  Everyone has a kind word to say about him (maybe I should have listened more to him at that diner meeting).

My point to this column is to fellow legislators: answer each email and take each meeting request seriously. You never know if you will stumble upon the next Citizen Legislator.