Paul Sarlo

Paul Anthony Sarlo (born August 31, 1968) is an American construction industry executive and Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey Senate since 2003, where he represents the 36th Legislative District.

Sarlo was born in Passaic on August 31, 1968 at St. Mary's General Hospital to pipefitter and construction supervisor Anthony Sarlo and Providence Munofo, along with his siblings Diane, Charles and Tom.

He grew up in Wood-Ridge, New Jersey and graduated from Wood-Ridge High School in 1986 where he was a scholar-athlete earning varsity letters in football, basketball and baseball.

Sarlo studied civil engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, earning both a B.S. in 1991 and an M.S. in 1993.

He is chief operating officer of Joseph M. Sanzari, Inc., a general contractor specializing in heavy construction, site work and utilities located in Hackensack near Interstate 80.

Sarlo has overseen more than $150 million in projects and has worked with a skilled workforce of more than 200 employees.

He worked on the Route 4 and Route 17 interchange near Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, which was completed two years ahead of schedule.

He has been a supporter of the construction of LG Electronics USA's headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, abutting The Palisades near the George Washington Bridge.

He was a Councilman from 1995 to 2000 and served as Fire Commissioner.

As Mayor, Sarlo has overseen the redevelopment of the former Curtiss-Wright aircraft manufacturing site in Wood-Ridge, which is now known as Wesmont Station.

He married Concetta Maria Sarlo in 1997 and has two sons named Michael and Anthony, who was appointed to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association by Governor of New Jersey Phil Murphy.

Sarlo serves as an Executive Board Member on the NJSIAA as an ex officio member.

His brother Thomas has been a councilman in Little Ferry and was appointed to the New Jersey Superior Court in January 2024.

Sarlo has served as Mayor of the Borough of Wood-Ridge since January 1, 2000.

He and his wife, Concetta First Lady of Wood-Ridge, have two sons, Anthony (born in 2000), and Michael (born in 2004).

Sarlo coaches Little League and Babe Ruth League baseball, Junior football and Junior basketball.

He is a parishioner at the Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Assumption Church, is a member of the Lions Club International and the Knights of Columbus and is an honorary member of the New Jersey Policemen's Benevolent Association.

Before his service as State Senator, Sarlo spent one term in the General Assembly, the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature, from 2002 to 2003.

He and then-Wallington, New Jersey mayor Walter Wargacki sought to unseat Republican incumbent Paul DiGaetano and take the second seat that was vacated when John V. Kelly decided to challenge for the State Senate (which he lost).

Although the Democrats did not gain both seats, Sarlo finished second in the voting and won a seat.

As an Assemblyman, he served as Vice Chairman of the Labor Committee and as a member of the Appropriations Committee.

He was a member of the Assembly Light Rail Panel and the Assembly Task Force on Fiscal Responsibility.

While in the Assembly, Sarlo was the prime sponsor of the bill creating a $29 million grant to establish a statewide bio-terrorism response plan.

He also sponsored legislation to restore the Office of Public Advocate and to provide benefits and incentives for members of volunteer fire departments and rescue squads.

He has also taken leading roles on legislation related to the health and welfare of women and children.

Sarlo was appointed as state senator when former District 36 Senator Garry Furnari, an attorney, and mayor of Nutley, was appointed to the New Jersey Superior Court.

Sarlo had been the choice of Bergen County Democratic Organization Chairman Joe Ferriero to succeed Furnari.

After he was appointed to the State Senate, Frederick Scalera was appointed to fill his vacant seat in the Assembly.

He was re-elected in 2003, 2007, 2011 and most recently 2019.

Sarlo is a former Assistant Majority Leader of the Senate, a position held from 2004 until 2007, has been Deputy Majority Leader of the New Jersey Senate since 2008, and is also mayor of the borough of Wood-Ridge, New Jersey.

During Sarlo's tenure as Mayor over 50% of the town's roads have been resurfaced, over 1,000 new trees have been planted, 14th Street Field was built, Donna Ricker Field at Wood-Ridge High School was upgraded with artificial turf, the Robert I. Stoesser The senior center and civic center were renovated and completed in 2012–2013 and Historic Bianchi House was preserved and improved.

Additionally, Bowman Park on Jocelyn Avenue, Veterans Park on Valley Boulevard and Bianchi House Park on 2nd Street were all rehabilitated.

In 2013 the former Assumption parochial school was transformed into the Wood-Ridge Intermediate School for grades 4 to 6.

He was named First Team All-Division and All-County in Baseball and was inducted into the WRHS Athletic Hall of Fame in 2014.

Plans were in place to upgrade 14th Street Playground, Kohr's Park on 13th Street and the Little League Field on 6th Street in 2014–2015.

In January 2024 Sarlo was sworn into his seventh term as Wood-Ridge Mayor.

Sarlo is a licensed professional engineer and a licensed Professional Planner.

Nearly 500 units have already been built with an additional 300 units planned to start construction in 2015.

The area includes softball and baseball fields as well as a new indoor complex known as the Wood-Ridge Athletic Complex slated to open in 2022.

The project includes a new train station called Wesmont station that opened on May 15, 2016.