Larsen: We Need New Energy in Congress
David Larsen is running for the Republican nomination for Congress.
His biggest concern is about career politicians who are more focused on maintaining their political careers than serving the residents—and Tewksbury resident David Larsen is hoping that this is one fact that earns him the Republican nomination for Congress in the June primaries.
Larsen is running to represent the seventh district in Congress, challenging incumbent Rep. Leonard Lance for the Republican nomination.
“I think term limits are good,” he said. “You have to think of what time it would take to make a difference. It’s about serving the people, and if I can’t make a difference, I won’t stay.”
“We need a different mindset and new energy,” he added. “We need a change.”
And for Larsen, he believes he can bring that change through a more improved business understanding that can serve him in working with Congress to better the economy for residents of New Jersey.
Born in Brooklyn and growing up in Staten Island, Larsen studied business management and administration in college before switching to biology. When he was 19 years old, he said, he left college to start his own construction business before purchasing the family business, Larsen Windows and Doors, from his father in the mid 1980s.
Since then, Larsen said, he has moved on to doing residential and commercial real estate in his own business.
“I had purchased a real estate business while I was working with the family business,” he said, adding that the family business has since closed down, but he has been a businessman for about 36 years. “We have commercial leases now, and national chains rent.”
This business experience, Larsen said, makes him uniquely qualified for the position representing the seventh district.
“I noticed that most politicians go from academia to public office,” he said. “But they don’t learn how money is handled.”
“As a business owner, I borrow money and pay interest,” he added. “The government takes from you to give it back to you, but you already had it in the first place. This needs to stop.”
But this is not Larsen’s first foray into the political realm. He previously tried to earn the Republican nomination for Congress in the 2010 primaries, and found he was fighting similar issues.
“The issues have not changed, and they have only gotten worse,” he said.
Larsen said he never initially thought he would run for public office until he saw where things were heading.
“We don’t need career politicians,” he said. “I reviewed how the founding fathers wanted the House of Representatives to be run, and the people are supposed to be their constituents.”
“You come with the heartbeat of the community, and the best way to make a difference is at the federal level,” he added. “The House wasn’t made for career politicians.”
But, Larsen said, he believes the government is out of control, and people are not getting the support they need.
“Politics is local, and the size of the government is so out of control,” he said. “It is run by bureaucrats. But the federal government can’t tell us what to do with our money, we need to get it back to the state.”
“Right now, the government is run by regulators telling us what to do,” he added.
Particularly for business owners, Larsen said, regulations need to be lightened.
“People in Somerset County are business people, and regulations cut to the bone the ability to access funds,” he said. “Money is so tight, and we need to ease up on regulations. The private sector creates jobs.”
“I don’t understand when businesses became the enemy,” he added. “Private businesses provide revenue.”
For Larsen, it is about restoring the American dream.
“We want our children to have it better than we did,” he said. “We need a glimmer of hope, and the administration is not giving any.”
As he moves forward in his campaign, Larsen said, he is prepared to knock on 70,000 doors, and has a full planned-out campaign with fundraisers and other means to get his name out to the seventh district that includes all of Somerset and Hunterdon counties, as well as parts of Warren and Morris counties and Millburn in Essex County.
Larsen said that as he has been talking to people over the past few months, the concerns among residents are fairly focused.
“I have talked to hundreds of people, and the main concern is the economy,” he said. “There are people who have contributed funds before, but don’t have jobs now and their families are hurting. My heart goes out to them because what’s happening is unnecessary.”
And that, Larsen said, is where he can come in, bringing a new perspective to the Congress. He said he has the full support from his family—wife Donna and three daughters.
It’s about doing what is best for the residents, Larsen said, focusing on spending money properly while also reeling in that spending.
“We are going in the wrong direction, and I hold Congress accountable,” he said.
Julia
10:50 am on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Larsen has had a lot of shady business dealings. Instead of paying his property taxes, he used the money to run for Congress and only paid once he got caught.
I would like Larsen to detail his business dealings year by year. He needs to detail the businesses he ran, the properties he owned, and the taxes he did or didn't pay when he was supposed to.
That's his record, but it's a record hidden from the public. If he wants to be in Congress he should come clean and be honest with us.
Barry
11:41 am on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Once again, Julia the liar. Prove your insinuations. Post the proof. Stop lying thru your teeth.Stop fishing. If you have proof - produce.
Julia
12:33 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
David, I'm not the one running for office, you are.
Read what you wrote above. You are running on your record as a businessman. Unlike the record of an elected official, your record as a businessman is NOT transparent. We can't find it on line. That means that you get to cherry pick the positive highlights while keeping all the negatives a secret.
We know from YOUR words in 2010 that you had business problems and that you couldn't pay your property taxes. Instead of paying your taxes, you ran for office, but paid them once it got out that you hadn't.
All I am asking is that you post every business that you owned or operated, for the voters to see. Provide a summary on each. How many employees did you hire or had to layoff. Did the business succeed or fail?
You are running on your business record. Shouldn't we have something more than your word about it? Especially in the light of your tax problems.
Barry
2:34 am on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Once again, Julia - the proven liar, or should we call you Amanda - can't prove a thing. No direct calls to the township of Tewksbury? That would be too simple because it would kill any and all tax issue arguements. What? No debt links to any actual Court Charges? Of course not - because there are none. All you have are innuendo, insinuations and hear say. A weak basis to substantiate any of your inaccurate accusations.
John Di Marco
12:59 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Julia,
FYI...Barry is not David Larsen. As was pointed out many times, David has paid his taxes in full as per an agreement established with the Tewksbury Tax collector PRIOR to running for office. I know you would like to pretend otherwise, if what you said were true, Larsen's property would have been seized and auctioned off. It did not happen and the taxes have been and continue to be paid in full.
Julia
1:54 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Now tell the truth DiMarco. You are starting to sound like one of those politicians you claim to hate so much.
This is what David Larsen said to Politickernj IN HIS OWN WORDS on April 9, 2010, when he was running for Congress against Leonard Lance the first time:
"I've been paying toward the principal; I owe $22,000 now (toward taxes on his Tewksbury residence), and the payment should be done in full," the candidate told PolitickerNJ.com. "I have been paying taxes but I own properties in New Jersey, and I got behind."
So the question is this: Was David Larsen telling a lie then or are you telling a lie now?
You can't have it both ways, DiMarco.
Now let's get back to those businesses Larsen claims he was so successful at. When are you going to list them and where?
Barry
2:36 am on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Once again, Amanda using partial quotes out of context to prove a point. How pathetic.
max
2:59 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
"a little behind"?
I remember reading David Larsen repeatedly failed to fully pay his quarterly property taxes on time going all the way back to 2004.
that doesn't sound like a successful businessman to me.
John Di Marco
3:14 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
You'd have to show me where you read that. I am sure if anyone failed to pay their taxes since 2004, that person would no longer own their property and that is certainly not the case with David Larsen.
Julia
3:40 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Larsen is "under fire" because he lied, got caught, and is still at it.
So Larsen doesn't want to list the businesses that are his sole "credential" for running for office. How about this: Can he at least list those properties YOU wrote that he SOLD to run for office and pay his property taxes?
Barry
2:38 am on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Repeatedly??? Another BS'er.
Julia
12:25 pm on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Don't get so emotional David. Watch your language.
max
3:39 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
A simple google search found this story: http://www.examiner.com/essex-county-elections-2010-in-newark/lance-team-raises-stakes-larsen-tax-flap
These documents seem to show that David Larsen failed to pay his taxes as far back as 2004.
And while running for Congress in 2010, Larsen failed to pay a single penny of his property taxes until May 27, 2010 -- just a few days prior to the primary election day.
The articles says, "Diana Lipps, Larsen's media relations director, stated that neither she nor Larsen could authenticate the uploads."
Can you tell me if these documents are indeed legit?
John Di Marco
6:04 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
The letter from the Tax Collector for the Township of Tewksbury indicating that David Larsen paid his taxes in full is definitely legitimate. Futhermore, the letter was requested by Larsen to address the character assassination being waged by Lance. The date when Larsen paid his taxes is indicated by the "PAID" stamp on April 30, 2010 and not by the date of the letter which states that he is fully paid until the end of June.
The first Scribd document could have been put together by anyone. The second appears to be more authentic. From the information provided via the link, any reader should be able to conclude the following:
1) Larsen paid his taxes in full
2) Larsen did not get a break and paid far more than he needed to pay
3) By collecting an interest rate in the high double digits and penalties, Tewksbury benefitted quite handsomely from the agreement with Larsen
4) Larsen consistently paid his taxes including penalties and interest
5) He was fully paid in 2007 long before any campaign against Lance
6) His payments may reflect the cyclical nature of his business
7) By flogging this issue then, Lance knew that he did not have a record worth running on
8) By having his supporters continue to bring up an issue that was put to rest two years ago, the Lance team still know they cannot defend his record to the voters in the 7th CD
9) Throwing mud is the fallback strategy of a career politician who spent more than two decades feeding at the taxpayer's trough
Julia
7:21 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
DiMarco is a joke. He blames everyone except David Larsen for David Larsen not paying his taxes. This idiot is running for office to make tax law but doesn't expect the voters to question him when he doesn't pay his. What a hypocrite! The only mud throwers are Larsen and his cult of followers because that's all they have.
I stiil have two questions that David Larsen hasn't answered:
(1) Those businesses Larsen claims he was so successful at. When are you going to list them and where?
(2) If Larsen doesn't want to list the businesses that are his sole "credential" for running for office. How about this: Can he at least list those properties YOU wrote that he SOLD to run for office and pay his property taxes?
Barry
2:42 am on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Where are the links to the Charges filed? Those would be public records - no? If your claim is true - where are the Charges? Time for Lance to stop bilking taxpayers from double dipping on his lucrative Federal and State benefits - and step down. Time for and Old Career Politician to retire. Especially one who voted for Cap and Tax.
Julia
12:19 pm on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
David (Barry) keep your shirt on! Candidates for public office have to learn to answer questions. Who mentioned the word "charges"? The documentation on your tax problems is available as you and your campaign acknowledge, but "charges"?
David, are there charges? Is that what you are afraid of? Are you afraid someone will find them? You seem confident that they are not on-line, but then most "charges" are not, are they? I think your opponent will thank you for the road map.
Julia
12:22 pm on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Oh and by the way, YOU David Larsen endorsed the candidate for President who proposed CAP AND TRADE. People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
Barry
12:52 pm on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Amanda - once again throwing stones - side stepping the issues. Where are the charges that have been filed??? You're making accusations - where's the proof? Tell your RINO boss - he's done.
Julia
9:13 pm on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Glad you could join us, Barry, I mean David.
I stiil have two questions that you have not answered:
(1) Those businesses you (Larsen) claim you were so successful at. When are you going to list them and where?
(2) If you (Larsen) doesn't want to list the businesses that are your sole "credential" for running for office. How about this: Can you at least list those properties DiMarco wrote that you SOLD to run for office and pay your property taxes?
Barry
12:17 am on Saturday, February 18, 2012
once again - no Proof. Is that all you guys have is text taken out of context, spin, insinuations, innuendo and hearsay? You guys would make for Poor attorneys. Where's the proof???
Taxpayer1
5:44 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Dave - Thank you for standing up and addressing the serious issue in your article that Congress has not effectively reduced the economic hardships we are all experiencing and struggling through. We know that Lance is not an effective leader in the House of Representatives. He is not a leader of the true conservative voice and am grateful you've decided to run again. I believe you will win this time! It is obvious that the Lance's campaign staff and supporters are falsely accusing you through these blogs to your posted articles. I appears they feel "entitled" to do so to avoid a loss of a job or future political consulting opportunities. It shows you their lack of character and integrity. Hang in there! It is great to see someone shake the political establishment and seek to bring true representation to Congress.
By the way, I'm hearing and seeing many great things developing in your campaign. I'm also hearing that the smear campaign the Lance team is executing is working in your favor not theirs, so don't worry about the lies and distractions. Stay focused on your campaign platform positions and your dream for America. Lance represents and has neither of these, and therefore is WEAK as a Congressional leader. He is afraid of your potential and is threatened by your significant progress and growing support!
Ed
6:50 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
John, I appreciate the point-by-point response, but it only raises more questions than it answers.
What if every taxpayer decided not to pay their property taxes in full and on-time?
According to these documents it took Mr. Larsen six years to pay his fair share of property taxes in full.
What if every taxpayer in Tewksbury took six years to pay their taxes?
I suggest you lose the, "Tewksbury benefited quite handsomely" from the arrangement.
It is demeaning to every New Jersey taxpayer who pays their quarterly property taxes in full and on-time instead of choosing to spend $300,000 to run for Congress.
John Di Marco
11:19 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
What is demeaning to every New Jersey taxpayer is Congressman Lance's vote to increase the FHA loan limits thereby putting all taxpayers on the hook for more bad loans. “This is an irresponsible action by the folks that should be the fiduciary for the American taxpayer,” Representative Patrick McHenry, a North Carolina Republican, said in an interview. “We need to be reining in our government housing finance programs so the private sector can step in.” House Republicans opposed to the provision seized on the FHA’s annual actuarial report, which said the agency has a 50 percent chance of needing to seek taxpayer aid to bolster its insurance fund.
To answer your first question, the town would be in great shape. They collected in excess of 18% on their money. Not even Warren Buffet has an ROI like that.
Larsen was paying his taxes all along. Not only do the documents show his taxes never went unpaid for six years, they show he paid MORE than his "fair share".
The line, "Tewksbury benefitted quite handsomely from the agreement " describes what happened very well. I will stick with it.
If you went to your town tax collector and told them you would like to OVERPAY your property taxes by nearly 20%, I am confident they would thank you. Hell, if you did it long enough, they might even erect a statue of you.
John Di Marco
7:49 am on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
When is Lance going to stop digging us into an ever larger hole by throwing our hard-earned money at failed programs?
Regarding Lance's vote to increase the FHA loan limits, NJ's only conservative congressman at the moment made the following comment:
“In light of this bleak outlook for the FHA, it makes no sense to increase the size of the loans the FHA can insure,” Representative Scott Garrett, a New Jersey Republican, said when the report was released on Nov. 15.
max
10:35 am on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
John Di Marco wrote: "....the documents show his taxes never went unpaid for six years..."
You mean "never" except the eight times Larsen failed to pay a single nickel toward his property taxes:
3rd quarter, 2006; 4th quarter, 2006; 3rd quarter, 2008; 4th quarter, 2008; 3rd quarter, 2009; 4th quarter, 2009; 1st quarter, 2010; 2nd quarter, 2010
Looks like David Larsen was living far beyond his means and raises legitimate questions as to whether he is fiscally conservative as he states.
John Di Marco
11:13 am on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
One of the core tenets of a fiscal conservative is how he handles taxpayer money. When Larsen decided that it was best to pay the town more than he needed to pay, that was with his own money. On the other hand, Lance voted to create an even heavier burden for the taxpayers to carry.
Julia
12:24 pm on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
We all know how David Larsen handles money. Spend money on playing politics while putting off paying the debt.
He's just like Obama!
Julia
7:11 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
DiMarco, you lied. You said: "David has paid his taxes in full as per an agreement established with the Tewksbury Tax collector PRIOR to running for office."
That is a lie! Why is David Larsen letting you lie to the voters on his behalf?
Unless Larsen lied to federal authorities too, according to the official finance report that David Larsen filed with the feds, he stated that he began spending money on his political campaign for Congress in February of 2010. In April, David Larsen told reporters and was QUOTED WORD FOR WORD that he still owned $22,000 in back taxes.
Why did you LIE to us DiMarco and tell us that the taxes were paid PRIOR to his running? How can we believe anything you write here?
John Di Marco
10:20 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
As with almost everything, you mis-understood. I said the agreement under which he paid his taxes in full was established prior to running for office. No one lied.
Barry
2:47 am on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Amanda throwing stones. Tell Lance to stop bilking taxpayers and giving earmarks to his friends. Stop using tax payer dollars to fund his Campaign mailers. Stop double dipping into lucrative Federal and State benefits. Stop bilking Taxpayers for personal gains.
Julia
12:13 pm on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
You did lie DiMarco! You just changed your tune.
You made your statement in response to my statement that Instead of paying his taxes, Larsen ran for office. You said that was a lie. It obviously was not. Larsen started spending many thousands of dollars on his political campaign MONTHS before he got around to paying the property taxes he owed.
That is irresponsible. You pay your debts first. Is this really what he wants to put out there as a qualification?
Glad you could join us, Barry, I mean David.
I stiil have two questions that you have not answered:
(1) Those businesses you (Larsen) claim you were so successful at. When are you going to list them and where?
(2) If you (Larsen) doesn't want to list the businesses that are your sole "credential" for running for office. How about this: Can you at least list those properties DiMarco wrote that you SOLD to run for office and pay your property taxes?
Barry
12:55 pm on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
What's irresponsible is the Lance vote on NDAA, raising the budget debt ceiling and voting for Cap and Tax - among other liberal bills. What's irresponsible is paying off his friends with earmarks when he promised in a pledge - that he wouldn't. What's irresponsible is the use of taxpayer dollars to fund his campaign mailers. What's irresponsible is double dipping into Taxpayer coffers for personal gain.
John Di Marco
1:04 pm on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Dear Lance staff member,
Was it a pre-requisite to be delusional before you were hired? Larsen paid his debts in full with interest. The fact that you keep rehashing a long settled issued is indicative of a desparate Lance campaign unable to defend his poor record as a legislator.
Julia
9:12 pm on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
David (Barry) do you really want to talk about debt? You didn't pay your tax debt for months while spending thousands of dollars on your political campaign.
Do you really want to talk about cap and trade when you have endorsed the politician who proposed it? You want him to be PRESIDENT???
Julia
9:09 pm on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
I'm not, but you are a Larsen staff member, DiMarco.
Why can't you admit to being wrong? Larsen ran for Congress with the money that he should have used to pay his taxes. Don't we have enough politicians playing politics with tax money while ignoring the debt? Why do we need Larsen when he exhibits the same behavior?
I stiil have two questions that David Larsen hasn't answered:
(1) Those businesses Larsen claims he was so successful at. When are you going to list them and where?
(2) If Larsen doesn't want to list the businesses that are his sole "credential" for running for office. How about this: Can he at least list those properties YOU wrote that he SOLD to run for office and pay his property taxes?
Barry
12:19 am on Saturday, February 18, 2012
What's irresponsible is the Lance vote on NDAA, raising the budget debt ceiling and voting for Cap and Tax - among other liberal bills. What's irresponsible is paying off his friends with earmarks when he promised in a pledge - that he wouldn't. What's irresponsible is the use of taxpayer dollars to fund his campaign mailers. What's irresponsible is double dipping into Taxpayer coffers for personal gain. What's criminal is what Lance is doing with our TAXDOLLARS. That's what's criminal.
Julia
8:24 pm on Sunday, February 19, 2012
David, get a grip. The candidate who you ENDORSED FOR PRESIDENT actually PROPOSED CAP AND TAX as a member of Congress. Then he pushed the idea sitting on a sofa next to Nancy Pelosi.
Some conservative you are!
David, I'd be real careful about throwing the word "criminal" around if I were you. Congressman Lance has been around a long time and nobody has ever accused him of being a criminal. Now you come along and start. People in glass houses...
Barry
12:20 am on Monday, February 20, 2012
Once again, you lie. Stop your smear tactics. Show the proof.
READERS - I have attacked Lance's records that can be verified. Julia - or rather - Amanda - has put forth nothing but lies, innuendo, half truths, hear say and parts of text taken out of context. Whom would you vote for - Liars from the Lance Administration team who have yet to issue actual real proof - or - Larsen, who has a vision to help save the US Taxpayers from the likes of Liberal Lenny Lance and Obama?
Again, pointing out the facts that Lance is on the take - giving his friends earmarks when he pledged not to thus getting the award of Porker of the Year, using Taxpayer funds to pay for his campaign literature, voting for Cap and Tax, voting to give Obama a higher debt ceiling, voting to fund ObamaCare, voting for Lilly Ledbedder and other various liberal spending bills that help grow Government. Do you want a Conservative or a Liberal - the choice is clear.
Julia
10:56 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Don't melt down David, it was in the newspaper. Google it.
You really can't take the heat, can you?
Barry
1:42 am on Friday, February 24, 2012
Once again, no proof. Try calling the township. Simple enough. Again, READERS - do you want to vote for a person who has his administration team tossing out smear campaigns and using Taxpayer dollars to fund his campaign mailers? Do you want a Liberal who votes liberal at every chance he can get? OR, do you want to vote for a Conservative - a TRUE - conservative who knows and understands how Government over-regulation can harm businesses. A True conservative who understands that there are consequences to the votes that are made? You want to vote for DAVE LARSEN. Lance has a liberal record and is trying to hide it now. He's using his administrative team to smear Dave Larsen and those who truly do believe that a change is in order - people like me. Tell Amanda over there at Lance's Office that Lance needs to stop bilking the taxpaying public. Liberal Lance - born with a silver spoon in his mouth living the life of a career politician who only knows how to bilk the taxpayers of their hard earned money for personal gains.