Realtors® Q&A
Meet the Decision Makers STATE SENATE PRESIDENT
NICHOLAS SCUTARI
W
elcome to our series, Meet the Decision Makers, where we interview key decision makers
on their influential roles within New Jersey. For this issue, we have State Senate President
Nicholas Scutari. His verbatim responses are italicized below. Do you have an idea of someone you’d like us to interview? Email editor@njrealtor.com
Education, and Union County Freeholder before joining the State Senate.
What does the job of Senate President entail in the state of NJ?
Nicholas Scutari
Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you got started in public service?
My interest in public service began by performing community service work, achieving the status of Eagle Scout. The highlight of that process was organizing a community-wide blood drive, and it inspired me to continue as someone who uses their time to improve the lives of others. I also was a public school teacher, member of the Linden Board of 26 | NEW JERSEY REALTOR ® | May/June 2023
It’s a 24/7 obligation to the residents and taxpayers of the state. I post all legislation that goes to the floor of the Senate for a vote, preside over all discussion on the Senate floor, and work my hardest to cross political divides and find common sense solutions that benefit all New Jerseyans.
What have you been working on that would help the real estate market in NJ?
For me, New Jersey is the place you go to get things done. We’re attracting new businesses and new families every day. Critical to that will be continuing to tackle affordability issues affecting New Jersey residents. Working hard to reduce property taxes and
providing more funding to schools, ensuring every child can have an excellent education throughout NJ remains a priority. We believe that with common sense legislation, we can help turn renters into homeowners and deliver the American dream for families across the state and those who choose to live in New Jersey.
What other issues have you been tackling as Senate President?
I’m working closely with the Speaker of the General Assembly and the governor’s office on budget negotiations. Additionally, we’ve tackled affordability and election transparency in some recent critical pieces of legislation.
What do you think is the most impactful piece of legislation you have worked on? The legalization of cannabis was a passion project I worked on for two decades. When I first came to the Senate, they told me I