Legislative Profiles: Michael Spector

With Election Day (Nov. 8) fast approaching, Patch takes a look at the candidates for the State of New Jersey District 26 Legislature. We continue with a look at Assembly candidate Michael Spector (I- Mount Tabor)

Name: Michael Spector
Age: 72
Occupation: Retired New York City Associate Staff Analyst
Previous elected or appointed positions (including previous terms in sought position, if applicable): N/A
Any other current elected or appointed positions: N/A
Other community associations: N/A
Town (and length) of residence: Mt. Tabor (Parsippany) --20 years
Length of residence in District 26: Same
Most pressing issues for this candidate in a coming term, and how they would be addressed:

1) Exerting pressure on the Federal government to end all mid-east wars, including the use of private contractors. New Jersey's share for the past 10 years of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is calculated at $23.3 billion with an additional $6.1 billion proposed for 2012 alone. This is money that could restore our infrastructure and re-hire laid off teachers.

2) A single-payer Medicare health sytem for all would save New Jersey $2.6 million on employees health care, charity care and workers compensation. The state would also eliminate more than $60 billion in unfunded obligations for retirees' medical care.

3) Restoring the Millionaires tax. A 10.7 percent levy on the 16,000 New Jersey residents whose income is seven figures or greater. The additional revenue would raise up to $1.1 billion.

4) Establishing a state-wide public works jobs program to ease New Jersey's unemployment rate, which is higher than the national average.                                                                                                    
Fun Fact: "I ran for Mayor of Parsippany in 2005 and State Assembly in 2007."