Gerard P. Scharfenberger is a Republican member of the New Jersey General Assembly representing the 13th Legislative District, which encompasses 16 municipalities in Monmouth County along the Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Bay. The district's most populous communities include Middletown Township, Howell Township, Marlboro Township, Freehold Township, and Hazlet Township. Scharfenberger assumed office on January 14, 2020, and currently serves as Republican Minority Policy Chair.

Born on November 29, 1958, in Brooklyn, New York, Scharfenberger is a resident of Middletown Township. He earned a bachelor's degree from Rutgers University and a Ph.D. from the City University of New York Graduate Center after attending Hunter College. He is a professional archaeologist certified by the Register of Professional Archaeologists and has worked on historical sites throughout Monmouth County. He has served as an adjunct professor of archaeology at Monmouth University.

Scharfenberger's political career began in municipal government. He was first elected to the Middletown Township Committee in 2005 and served as mayor in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2017, and as deputy mayor in 2006 and 2009. During his mayoral tenure he served on Governor Chris Christie's 2009 transition team and from 2010 to 2018 as Director of the Office for Planning Advocacy. He was removed from that position in February 2018 after declining to attend a Governor Phil Murphy press conference. Scharfenberger was appointed to the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders in February 2018 after Serena DiMaso was elected to the Assembly, won election to complete the term that November, and served until January 2020 when he moved to the legislature.

Political Career

• Member, Middletown Township Committee (2005–2018)
• Mayor, Middletown Township (2007–2008, 2010, 2013, 2016–2017)
• Deputy Mayor, Middletown Township (2006, 2009)
• Director, Office for Planning Advocacy, State of New Jersey (2010–2018)
• Member, Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders (2018–2020)
• New Jersey General Assembly, District 13 (2020–present)
• Republican Minority Policy Vice-Chair (2022–2024)
• Republican Minority Policy Chair (2024–present)

Key Policy Areas

• Property tax reform and municipal shared services
• Economic development and business regulation
• Environmental protection and overdevelopment prevention
• Public safety and law enforcement support
• Education and higher education policy

Notable Actions / Initiatives

• Refused his legislative salary during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, stating he could not accept pay while constituents' unemployment claims went unfulfilled.
• Opposed a State Senate measure to remove General Phillip Kearny's statue from the U.S. Capitol's Statuary Hall, arguing that "the eradication of symbols from our rich historic past must be prevented."
• Served six terms as mayor of Middletown Township over nearly 14 years on the township committee.
• Served on Governor Chris Christie's 2009 transition team and as Director of the Office for Planning Advocacy until 2018.

Education

• B.A., Rutgers University
• Ph.D., City University of New York Graduate Center

Personal

• Birth date: November 29, 1958
• Residence: Middletown Township