James Florio | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 49th Governor of New Jersey | |
| In office January 16, 1990 – January 18, 1994 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas Kean |
| Succeeded by | Christine Todd Whitman |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew Jersey's1st district | |
| In office January 3, 1975 – January 16, 1990 | |
| Preceded by | John E. Hunt |
| Succeeded by | Rob Andrews |
| Member of theNew Jersey General Assembly | |
| In office January 13, 1970 – January 3, 1975 Serving with John J. Horn (1970–1974),Ernest F. Schuck (1974–1975) | |
| Preceded by | Lee B. Laskin |
| Succeeded by | Ronald Casella |
| Constituency |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | James Joseph Florio (1937-08-29)August 29, 1937 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | September 25, 2022(2022-09-25) (aged 85) Voorhees, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1955–1975 |
| Rank | Lieutenant commander |
James Joseph Florio (August 29, 1937 – September 25, 2022) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 49thgovernor of New Jersey from 1990 to 1994. He was previously theU.S. representative forNew Jersey's 1st congressional district from 1975 to 1990 and served in theNew Jersey General Assembly from 1970 to 1975. He was a member of theDemocratic Party.
Florio was born in Brooklyn, New York, on August 29, 1937.[1] Florio was one of three children (all sons) born to Lillian Ellen (née Hazell) Florio (June 18, 1917 – May 2, 2000) and Vincenzo [later Vincent Joseph] Florio (May 12, 1914 – April 7, 1994), who wed in 1936. Florio and his brothers were raised in Brooklyn. His father was ofItalian descent and his mother was of Scottish, Irish, and German descent.[2] Florio's father was a shipyard painter[3] who also used his poker winnings to help support his family.[1] Florio attendedErasmus Hall High School in Flatbush.[4] He dropped out of high school following his junior year, joined the U.S. Navy, became a weatherman,[1] and earned a high school equivalency degree.[5]
Florio received aBachelor of Arts in social studies fromTrenton State College in 1962 and started graduate studies inpublic law and government atColumbia University on aWoodrow Wilson Fellowship before earning aJuris Doctor fromRutgers School of Law–Camden in 1967.[6][7]
After graduating from law school, Florio volunteered to work for the Democratic Party and was mentored by past Camden MayorAngelo Errichetti. Florio was an amateur boxer. He served as an enlisted member of theUnited States Navy from 1955 to 1958 and continued to serve in theUnited States Naval Reserve as a commissioned officer until 1975, ultimately achieving the rank oflieutenant commander.[8][9] After being admitted to the bar, he became the assistant city attorney for theCity of Camden, a position he would hold until 1971. He was the borough solicitor for the New Jersey towns ofRunnemede,Woodlynne, andSomerdale from 1969 to 1974.[10][11]
In both 1969 and 1971, Florio was elected to representthe 3rd Legislative District in theNew Jersey General Assembly, covering portions ofCamden County, each time with Democratic running mateJohn J. Horn, whom Florio had served as a legislative aide while he was still in law school.[12][13] He was elected in 1973, together withErnest F. Schuck, to represent the5th Legislative District in the General Assembly, which covered portions of Camden County andGloucester County.[14] In 1975, Florio resigned after being elected to theU.S House of Representatives.[15]
In November 1974, Florio was elected to the United States House of Representatives fromNew Jersey's 1st congressional district, defeating incumbentJohn E. Hunt.[16] He served in the House from January 3, 1975, until January 16, 1990, when he resigned to serve as governor of New Jersey.[17]
InCongress, Florio authored theSuperfund legislation to clean up the most polluted sites in the country in 1980.[18] He was the author of the Railroad Deregulation Law which saved the nation's freight railroads, includingConrail.[19] He was also cosponsor of theExon-Florio Amendment, which created the Treasury Department'sCommittee on Foreign Investment in the United States.[20] This legislation was a factor in theDubai Ports World controversy in 2006.[21] As Congressman, Florio was a key supporter in gaining federal funds to refurbish rail tracks and stations along what would become theAtlantic City Line. This sawAmtrak service to Atlantic City begin in 1989, and NJTransit service across South Jersey in 1990.[22]
While inCongress, Florio ran forGovernor of New Jersey in 1977,[23] 1981,[24] and 1989. Florio was defeated by incumbent DemocratBrendan Byrne in 1977. In 1981, he won the Democratic nomination, but then lost acontroversial general election toThomas Kean. The involvement of theRepublican National Committee in the 1981 general election received significant subsequent attention, with the RNC accused of having created aBallot Security Task Force made up of off-duty police officers to engage in voter suppression.[25][26][27] The 1981 gubernatorial general election was the closest in New Jersey history, and the outcome of the election was not decided with certainty until several weeks after Election Day.[24]
In the1989 New Jersey gubernatorial election, Florio won both the nomination and the general election.[28] During his campaign, Florio said: "You can write this statement down: 'Florio feels there is no need for new taxes'".[29] Florio defeated RepublicanJim Courter with 61% of the vote,[30] becoming the first American of Italian descent to become Governor of New Jersey.[31]
Florio took office during thelate 1980s recession and thus faced a budget deficit. Also, Florio wished to increase education aid to New Jersey's low-wealth school districts. Faced with a projected 1991deficit of $3 billion, Florio asked for a $2.8 billion tax increase, most in the way of a sales tax increase and an increase in the state excise taxes on various goods.[32] Florio signed the tax package into law in June 1990. It was the largest state tax increase in the history of the United States.[33] The money generated balanced the budget, increased property tax relief programs, and increased education spending in theAbbott districts. Florio also eliminated 1,500 government jobs and cut perks for state officials.[34]
Florio redistributed hundreds of millions of dollars of school aid away from suburban districts to urban districts (see theAbbott case) and rural districts. Under Florio's plan, known as the Quality Education Act, 151 suburban districts would lose almost all of their education funding and have to assume pension costs,Social Security payments, and retiree health costs; another 71 districts would have large reductions in aid and have to assume smaller portions of retiree benefits; and about 350 districts would see increases in aid. The aid cuts fell the most heavily inNorth Jersey.[35]
A grassroots taxpayer revolt sprouted in 1990, spearheaded by a citizens' group named "Hands Across New Jersey" founded by John Budzash, a postal worker fromHowell Township. Budzash was a frequent guest on radio and television shows throughout New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania speaking out against the new taxes.[36] Florio was a regular topic on active anti-tax broadcasting from talk radio stationsNew Jersey 101.5 toCurtis Sliwa's AM radio talk show andBob Grant's AM radio talk show, both based in New York City. Sliwa, Grant, andJohn and Ken from New Jersey 101.5, along withAlan Keyes (who in later years was a presidential candidate in the Republican primary), were guest speakers at two rallies held by Hands Across New Jersey protesting bothGeorge H. W. Bush and Florio's tax increases.[37] Bumper stickers with "Impeach Florio" were seen around the state.[38]
Prior to the 1991 New Jersey elections, Democrats held majorities in both the New Jersey General Assembly and theNew Jersey State Senate. But voter anger was so great that after the 1991 election, Republicans were to win veto-proof majorities in both houses. An example of Republican strength at this time was their promise to roll back the sales tax, which was raised by one percentage point during the first two years of the Florio administration. The rollback was passed in both houses, only to be vetoed by Florio.[39] Republicans then overrode Florio's veto and the rollback was passed.[40]
In order to pay for the increased aid in rural and urban districts and maintain suburban school aid, Florio and the legislature passed the "Pension Reevaluation Act". The Pension Reevaluation Act changed the actuarial calculations used to calculate the State's pension contributions; instead of using the book value of pension assets (a conservative approach), the state would use a market-related value. The Act also increased the assumed rate of return for investments from 7 percent to 8.75 percent. The Pension Reevaluation Act reduced New Jersey's pension contributions by $1.5 billion in 1992.[41]
Florio also signed a 20% reduction of auto insurance premiums.[42] In May 1990, Florio enacted the stiffest laws in the U.S. on owning or sellingsemi-automatic firearms; in 1993, he vetoed a repeal bill passed by the Republican-led legislature. TheNational Rifle Association lobbied hard to override the governor's veto, and the Assembly voted to override it. However, the Senate voted unanimously to uphold Florio's veto. According toTime, New Jerseyans had swamped lawmakers' offices with calls supporting the ban after Florio stumped the state, appealing to voters to voice their feelings" about semi-automatic firearms.[43]
In 1991, the Democrats lost their majority in both chambers of the state legislature, for the first time in 20 years (Republicans controlled the state assembly after the 1985 and 1987 elections). The governor's approval ratings were as low as 18% but stabilized to roughly 50% by 1993. He made an effort for conservative support by putting in place tighter restrictions on welfare payments to mothers and enjoyed the strong support of PresidentBill Clinton. Clinton advisersJames Carville andPaul Begala worked on his campaign. Due in large part to the tax hikes, Florio lost his bid for re-election to Republican Somerset County freeholderChristine Todd Whitman and became the firstDemocratic governor since the adoption of the state's current constitution in 1947 to lose a re-election vote. (RepublicanWilliam T. Cahill, elected in 1969, became the first governor to lose reelection when he was defeated in the Republican primary in 1973.[44]) Whitman prevailed by a narrow margin of 26,093 votes out of 2,505,964 votes cast.[45] Florio was the last politician fromSouth Jersey to win statewide office untilAndy Kim was elected to the U.S. Senate in2024.[46]
| The Florio Cabinet[47] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Office | Name | Term |
| Governor | James Florio | January 16, 1990 – January 18, 1994 |
| Secretary of Agriculture | Arthur R. Brown Jr. | July 1, 1982 – January 15, 2002 |
| Attorney General | Robert Del Tufo | January 16, 1990 – August 24, 1993 |
| Frederick P. DeVesa | August 25, 1993 – January 18, 1994 | |
| Commissioner of Banking | Robert M. Jaworski | January 16, 1990 – April 9, 1990 |
| Geoffrey M. Connor | April 9, 1990 – January 18, 1994 | |
| Commissioner of Commerce and Economic Development | George M. Zoffinger | March 14, 1990 – December 13, 1991 |
| Barbara McConnell | December 13, 1991 – January 18, 1994 | |
| Commissioner of Community Affairs | Randy Primas | January 18, 1990 – September 18, 1992 |
| Stephanie R. Bush | September 22, 1992 – January 18, 1994 | |
| Commissioner of Corrections | William H. Fauver | June 15, 1978 – December 31, 1997 |
| Commissioner of Education | Saul Cooperman | July 7, 1982 – June 30, 1990 |
| John Ellis | July 3, 1990 – December 31, 1992 | |
| Mary Lee Fitzgerald | January 4, 1993 – January 18, 1994 | |
| Commissioner of Environmental Protection | Judith A. Yaskin | January 18, 1990 – February 15, 1991 |
| Scott A. Weiner | February 15, 1991 – July 31, 1993 | |
| Jeanne Fox | August 1, 1993 – January 18, 1994 | |
| Commissioner of Health | Frances J. Dunston | April 2, 1990 – October 15, 1992 |
| Bruce Siegel | October 16, 1992 – January 18, 1994 | |
| Chancellor of Higher Education | T. Edward Hollinder | August 9, 1977 – June 30, 1990 |
| Edward D. Goldberg | July 1, 1990 – June 30, 1994 | |
| Commissioner of Human Services | William Waldman | September 8, 1989 – March 26, 1990 |
| Alan J. Gibbs | March 26, 1990 – November 30, 1992 | |
| William Waldman | December 1, 1992 – June 30, 1998 | |
| Commissioner of Insurance | Jasper J. Jackson | January 16, 1990 – April 9, 1990 |
| Samuel F. Fortunato | April 9, 1990 – July 6, 1994 | |
| Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development | Raymond L. Bramucci | January 17, 1990 – January 18, 1994 |
| Adjutant General | Major General Francis R. Gerard | February 10, 1982 – April 9, 1990 |
| Major General Vito Morgano | April 9, 1990 – April 4, 1994 | |
| Personnel Commissioner | Andrew Weber | January 18, 1990 – October 12, 1990 |
| William G. Scheuer | October 12, 1990 – January 15, 1992 | |
| Anthony J. Cimino | January 15, 1992 – January 18, 1994 | |
| Public Advocate | Thomas S. Smith | January 16, 1990 – April 9, 1990 (acting) |
| Wilfredo Caraballo | April 9, 1990 – July 31, 1992 | |
| Zulima Farber | August 18, 1992 – January 18, 1994 | |
| Secretary of State | Joan M. Haberle | January 16, 1990 – January 31, 1992 |
| Daniel Dalton | January 31, 1992 – January 18, 1994 | |
| Commissioner of Transportation | Robert A. Innocenzi | July 7, 1989 – March 26, 1990 (acting) |
| Thomas M. Downs | March 26, 1990 – December 6, 1993 | |
| Kathy A. Stanwick | December 7, 1993 – December 31, 1993 (acting) | |
| State Treasurer | Douglas C. Berman | January 18, 1990 – January 10, 1992 |
| Samuel F. Crane | January 10, 1992 – January 18, 1994 | |
In 2000, Florio ran for the Democratic nomination for theUnited States Senate seat that was being vacated byFrank Lautenberg. His opponent was businessmanJon Corzine, former chairman and CEO ofGoldman Sachs. In the most expensive Senate primary in history, Corzine won with 246,472 votes, or 58%, while Florio had 179,059 votes, or 42%.[48]
Florio served as the chairman of theNew Jersey Pinelands Commission from November 2002 to June 2005. As a congressman in the late 1970s, he was instrumental in shaping the legislation that established theNew Jersey Pinelands National Reserve. He was a critic of theGeorge W. Bush administration and theIraq War. In a letter to the editor ofThe New York Times, he made a connection between the war andBush's energy policy saying, "the nation's right to know has never been more important".[49]
Florio supportedHillary Clinton in the 2008 Democratic primaries for president.[50]
Florio served on the board of directors ofTrump Entertainment Resorts until he and other board members were forced to resign following the company's entry into its third bankruptcy.[51] He also served on the board of Plymouth Financial Company, Inc. He was a founding partner andof counsel to the law firm of Florio, Perrucci, Steinhardt, Cappelli, Tipton & Taylor.[52]
Florio taught at theEdward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy atRutgers University.[53]
Florio was married twice. His first marriage to Maryanne Spaeth ended in divorce. In 1984, Florio met his second wife,Lucinda Coleman, a school teacher, while both were living in the same apartment complex inPine Hill, New Jersey.[54] Jim and Lucinda Florio married onValentine's Day in 1988, and remained together until his death in September 2022.[54][3][55] Jim Florio had three children from his first marriage - Chris, Gregory, and Catherine - while Lucinda Florio also had one son from her first marriage, Mark Rowe.[3][54]
Florio died on September 25, 2022, fromheart failure at a hospital inVoorhees, New Jersey, at age 85.[3][56] He is buried inArlington National Cemetery inArlington County, Virginia.[57] His wife, former New Jersey First LadyLucinda Florio, died on November 16, 2022, just 52 days later.[58]
In 1993, Florio was awarded the John F. KennedyProfile in Courage Award, for his support forgun control.[59][60] In 2014, he was inducted into theNew Jersey Hall of Fame.[61][62] TheCamden CountyBoard of Chosen Freeholders named the Governor James J. Florio Center for Public Service, a primary county administrative building, in Florio's honor in 2017.[63][64]
New Jersey is remembering its first Italian-American governor, Jim Florio, who died Sunday at age 85.
| New Jersey General Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theNew Jersey General Assembly from the3D district 1970–1974 Served alongside:John J. Horn | Succeeded by Constituency abolished |
| New constituency | Member of theNew Jersey General Assembly from the5th district 1974–1975 Served alongside:Ernest F. Schuck | Succeeded by Ronald Casella |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew Jersey's 1st congressional district 1975–1990 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee for Governor of New Jersey 1981 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Peter Shapiro | Democratic nominee for Governor of New Jersey 1989,1993 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Governor of New Jersey 1990–1994 | Succeeded by |
| Proprietary Province |  | |
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| East New Jersey | ||
| West New Jersey | ||
| Dominion of New England (1688–89) | ||
| Royal governors |
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| State (since 1776) |
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* UnderN.J.S.A. 52:15-5 (as amended in 2005), an acting governor serving for 180 continuous days or more is conferred the title of Governor. | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
