Louis Manzo

Louis Manzo (born February 28, 1955, Jersey City, New Jersey) is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2004, where he represents the 31st legislative district.

Manzo serves in the Assembly on the Commerce and Economic Development Committee, the Environment and Solid Waste Committee and the Health and Human Services Committee.

Assemblyman Manzo has served on the Hudson Regional Health Commission since 1994. He served on the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders from 1990-1993. In 1990, Manzo became the first independent in Hudson County history to win election to the county's Board of Chosen Freeholders. Manzo was elected Chairman of the Board’s Environmental Committee. Manzo ran unsuccessfully three times for mayor of Jersey City, losing in 1993 against Republican candidate Bret Schundler.

Manzo was initially employed as a Sanitarian with the Jersey City Health Division in 1977. He rose through the ranks of the Division and was appointed the Division Chief in 1986, allowing an agency that was threatened by State takeover in 1981 to become respectable. During his tenure of employment with the Jersey City Health Division, Manzo focused on efforts to reduce health risks for the people of Hudson County.

While at the Jersey City Health Department, Manzo led an investigation of chromium pollution in Jersey City, the result of steel manufacturers selling off toxic chromium slag to contractors for use as fill for housing developments. Jersey City is the site of the world’s largest chromium waste dump site. Manzo documented cancer clusters and contaminated properties that dated back to the early 1960's. Manzo was able to document that the companies knew the harm posed by chromium slag at the time that they passed it off as fill. He became a vocal critic of bureaucratic foot dragging and goaded public officials into taking action to curtail the spread of the toxic pollutant.

In March 2007, he announced his candidacy in the Democratic Primary for a seat in the State Senate. He is facing former Jersey City First Lady Sandra Bolden Cunningham for the seat held by retiring Sen. Joseph Doria and once held by Mrs. Cunningham's late husband. (citation needed, Louis Manzo has made No official announcement)

Manzo received a B.A. from Jersey City State College in Health Education and has done graduate work at Rutgers University in Environmental Health and Law.

District 31

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 31st Legislative District for the 2006-2008 legislative session are:
*Assemblyman Charles T. Epps, Jr., and
*Senator Joseph Doria

External links

* [http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/Manzo.asp Assemblyman Manzo's Legislative Website]
* [http://www.LouManzo.com Assemblyman Manzo's Website]
* [http://www.njvoterinfo.org/cb/manzo.html New Jersey Voter Information Website 2003]
* [http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/ethics/FinancialDisclosure/ManzoL2004.pdf New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure form for 2004 (PDF)]
* [http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/ethics/FinancialDisclosure/ManzoL2005.pdf New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure form for 2005 (PDF)]