Overview

Paul A. Sarlo is a Democratic member of the New Jersey State Senate, representing the 36th Legislative District since 2003; his district covers towns like Edgewater, Lyndhurst, Passaic City, Rutherford, and Wood-Ridge. He serves as the Senate Deputy Majority Leader and Chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. Born in Passaic and raised in Wood-Ridge, Sarlo is the son of a pipefitter and construction supervisor. He has served as Mayor of Wood-Ridge since January 1, 2000, and previously served on the Wood-Ridge Borough Council from 1995 to 2000.

A licensed professional engineer and planner, Sarlo is the Chief Operating Officer of Joseph M. Sanzari, Inc., a heavy construction contracting firm based in Hackensack, where he has overseen more than $150 million in projects. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in civil engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Sarlo was first elected to the General Assembly in 2001 and served until his appointment to the Senate in May 2003 to fill an unexpired term. He has been re-elected to the Senate five times and served as Assistant Majority Leader from 2004 to 2007 before becoming Deputy Majority Leader in 2008.

Political Career

New Jersey State Senator, District 36 (2003–present)

Deputy Majority Leader, New Jersey Senate (2008–present; Assistant Majority Leader 2004–2007)

Chair, Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee (2010–present)

Member, Senate Judiciary Committee (2010–present)

Member, Joint Committee on Budget Oversight (2020–present)

Mayor, Wood-Ridge Borough (2000–present; Councilman 1995–2000)

New Jersey General Assembly, District 36 (2002–May 2003)

Key Policy Areas

State budget and appropriations

Transportation and infrastructure funding

Construction and development regulation

Municipal governance and local government finance

Labor and workers' compensation

Environmental remediation and brownfield redevelopment

Notable Actions / Initiatives

Chairs the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, overseeing the state's nearly $60 billion annual budget and all appropriations legislation

Served as a member of the 2011 New Jersey Apportionment Commission, which redrew legislative district boundaries following the 2010 Census

Primary sponsor of the 2004 EnCap legislation enabling Meadowlands municipalities to negotiate remediation and development agreements for landfill sites

Led bipartisan negotiations on multiple state budgets as Budget Committee chair

Overseen the redevelopment of the former Curtiss-Wright site in Wood-Ridge into Wesmont Station, including a new train station opened in May 2016 and nearly 500 residential units built

Has served simultaneously as State Senator and Municipal Mayor since 2003, permitted under a grandfather clause in the 2007 dual-officeholding prohibition

Education

M.S., Civil Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology (1993)

B.S., Civil Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology (1991)

Diploma, Wood-Ridge High School (1986)

Personal

Birth date: August 31, 1968

Residence: Wood-Ridge, Bergen County, New Jersey