Gary Schaer

Gary Schaer (born September 11 1951) is an American Democratic Party politician who serves in the New Jersey General Assembly where he represents the 36th legislative district, having taken office on January 10 2006. Schaer is the first Orthodox Jew in the New Jersey Legislature.Chadwick, John. [http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkyJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MTYzMTk0 "Orthodox Jew strives to keep the faith"] , "The Record (Bergen County)", July 5, 2007. Accessed July 6, 2007. "Assemblyman Gary Schaer was nowhere to be seen as lawmakers gathered in the wee hours of a Saturday morning for a critical budget vote.... The reason for Schaer's disappearing act was simple. He's an Orthodox Jew -- the first one in the New Jersey Legislature -- and can't work on the Jewish Sabbath."]

Schaer was elected to the Assembly on November 8 2005, and took the seat of Republican Paul DiGaetano, who did not run for re-election and had held the seat in the Assembly since 1992 (and also served from 1986-1987). [Ortiz, Erik. [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-106011309.html "Democrats make surprise selection for 36th District"] , "The Record (Bergen County)", March 4, 2005. Accessed April 3, 2008.]

He serves in the Assembly on the Budget Committee (as Vice-Chair) and the State Government Committee (also as Vice-Chair). [http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/BIO.asp?Leg=258 Assemblyman Schaer's legislative web page] , New Jersey Legislature. Accessed April 3, 2008.]

Schaer currently serves as the President of the Passaic City Council and is serving his 14th year on the Council, including eleven as Council President. He has been a Director of Passaic's Urban Enterprise Zone since 2002. He served as a Commissioner on the Board of Education for the Passaic County Technical Institute from 1999-2003 and was a Commissioner on the Passaic Housing Authority from 1992-1996. In May 2008, Schaer became the acting mayor of Passaic upon the resignation of Samuel Rivera, who had pleaded guilty on corruption charges. [Mandell, Meredith. [http://www.northjersey.com/news/crimeandcourts/Rivera_says_hes_guilty.html "Another corrupt N.J. politician bites the dust"] , "The Record (Bergen County)", May 10, 2008. Accessed May 30, 2008.]

He is a Trustee of St. Mary's Hospital. Schaer has worked in the financial services industry for over 20 years. He is an Investment Consultant and Vice President at Ryan Beck & Company.

In situations in which the legislature was in session on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, when the dictates of his Orthodox Jewish faith prohibit him from participating in forbidden forms of work he has appointed an aide to cast a ballot on his behalf, a policy permitted by the Assembly's rules, as long as the legislator is in the building.

Schaer grew up in Pennsauken Township, New Jersey. His wife, Donna Schaer, is principal of a Passaic Jewish elementary school, Yeshiva Beit Hillel. He attended American University, majoring in (Political Science).

District 36

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 36th District for the 2008-2009 Legislative Session are:
*Senator Paul Sarlo, and
*Assemblyman Frederick Scalera

References

External links

* [http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/BIO.asp?Leg=258 Assemblyman Schaer's legislative web page] , New Jersey Legislature
*"New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure forms"
** [http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/ethics/FinancialDisclosure/SchaerG2007.pdf 2007] [http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/ethics/FinancialDisclosure/SchaerG2006.pdf 2006] [http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/ethics/FinancialDisclosure/SchaerG2005.pdf 2005]
* [http://www.njdems.org/legcandidates.html New Jersey Democrats legislative candidate biographies]