Joseph Azzolina

Joseph Azzolina (born January 26, 1926 in Newark, New Jersey) is a Republican who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1992-2006 where he represented the 13th legislative district. He also served in the Assembly from 1986-1988 and from 1966-1972. Azzolina also served in the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature, the New Jersey Senate, from 1972-1973. Azzolina served in the Assembly on the State Government Committee. [http://web.archive.org/web/20041210045145/http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/Azzolin.asp Assemblyman Azzolina's Legislative Website] , New Jersey Legislature, from the Internet Archive, dated December 10, 2004. Accessed August 1, 2007.]

Azzolina was defeated in the June 2005 GOP primary, and was replaced in the Assembly by fellow Republican Amy Handlin, who took office on January 10, 2006 when Azzolina's term ended. [Donohue, Joe. [http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_action=doc&p_docid=10A9CD41003339DC&p_docnum=20&p_queryname=NaN&p_product=NewsBank&p_theme=aggregated4&p_nbid=H55C5CJTMTE4NTg0NzQ0OS4yODY4NjU6MTo3OnJhLTE4ODg "Voters unseat two assemblymen: Handlin beats GOP veteran Azzolina as Epps ousts Democrat Chiappone in primaries"] , "The Star-Ledger", June 8, 2005. Accessed August 1, 2007. "Republicans in the 13th Legislative District, which includes parts of Monmouth and Middlesex counties, ousted Assemblyman Joseph Azzolina. The primary ends the long career of the 79-year-old Azzolina, who first won election in 1966 and has served 24 years in several stints in the lower house. The supermarket owner and Navy veteran lost to Monmouth County Freeholder Amy Handlin after county Republicans dropped him from the ticket earlier this year."]

Azzolina served in the United States Naval Reserve from 1944-1986, Captain (Retired). As a reservist, he returned to active duty in 1983 for a tour of seven months – four of them off the coast of Lebanon – aboard the battleship "USS New Jersey". He received three Meritorious Service Medals and two Navy Secretary Commendation Medals in addition to other combat awards and honors. Assemblyman Azzolina is chairman of the "U.S.S. New Jersey" Battleship Commission, and led the effort to acquire the retired ship and have it docked in New Jersey waters where it has been transformed to a floating museum.

As an Assemblyman, Azzolina sponsored legislation to provide a $250 property tax deduction for veterans, and a measure creating a model program in Monmouth County that utilizes specially-trained nurses to provide care for and collect forensic evidence from victims of sexual assault. Another measure sponsored by the assemblyman would create a central registry containing records of all persons who have been charged with a crime or offense involved domestic violence. Under the measure, the records would only be released to law enforcement agencies and the courts.

Azzolina has been a resident of Middletown Township, New Jersey. [Sullivan, Joseph F. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DEFD6173FF930A35757C0A96E948260 "POLITICS; Parties Maneuver to Replace 2 Representatives"] , "The New York Times", April 3, 1988. Accessed December 16, 2007. "Before Mr. Howard suffered a fatal heart attack on March 24 - he died the next day - his likely Republican opponent was former Assemblyman Joseph Azzolina of Middletown."] He is President of Food Circus Supermarkets, Inc.

Azzolina received a B.S. from Holy Cross College in (Naval Science) and attended the New York University Graduate School of Business.

District 13

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 13th District for the 2004-2005 Legislative Session were:
*Assemblyman Samuel D. Thompson, and
*Senator Joseph M. Kyrillos

References

External links

* [http://web.archive.org/web/20041210045145/http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/Azzolin.asp Assemblyman Azzolina's Legislative Website] , New Jersey Legislature, from the Internet Archive, dated December 10, 2004
* [http://www.njvoterinfo.org/cb/azzolina.html New Jersey Voter Information Website 2003]
* [http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/ethics/FinancialDisclosure/AzzolinaJ2004.pdf New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure form for 2004 (PDF)]