James Beach
| James Beach | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New Jersey Senate from the 6th district |
|
|
Assumed office January 3, 2009 |
|
| Preceded by | John Adler |
| Camden County Clerk | |
|
In office January 1, 1996 – January 3, 2009 |
|
| Preceded by | Michael S. Keating |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Ripa |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 28, 1946 |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Linda |
| Residence | Voorhees Township, New Jersey |
| Alma mater | B.A. Midwestern College (Psychology and Physical Education) M.A. Rowan University (Personnel Services) |
| Profession | Property Damage Specialist, All Risk |
| Website | Legislative web page |
James "Jim" Beach (born October 28, 1946) is an American Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey Senate since 2009, where he represents the 6th legislative district. He serves in the Senate on the Environment and Labor Committees.
Beach has earned a B.S. degree in psychology from Midwestern College and a M.A. degree in personnel services from Rowan University.
A resident of Voorhees Township, Beach first entered Camden County politics after responding to a 1990 recruitment ad that county Democrats had posted seeking prospective candidates to burnish the party's image and help retain the Democrat's control on county government. Beach showed up at his interview with his tax bill complaining about his taxes, and was described by Freeholder Jeffrey L. Nash as just what the party was seeking in a candidate, "regular people complaining about their taxes". He was elected to the Camden County Board of Chosen Freeholders in 1991, and was named as Freeholder Director in 1993. Beach was elected as Camden County Clerk in 1995.
He served as County Clerk until 2009 until he was appointed to the Senate seat formerly held by John Adler, who had won a seat in the United States House of Representatives. With the endorsement of George Norcross, Beach ran unopposed in the convention. Beach won a November 2009 special election in order to remain in the Senate through the end of Adler's four-year term. Beach saw his salary drop from $153,437 annually as County Clerk to $49,000 as State Senator, and indicated after his selection to fill the Senate seat that he would seek additional employment to supplement his salary, ensuring that there was no conflict with his position as Senator. Beach was soon hired by Camden County College for a part-time job as an advisor, allowing him to collect an annual salary of $10,400 and remain in New Jersey's Public Employee Retirement System, for which county clerks but not state senators are eligible. After critical editorials in The Star-Ledger and the Courier-Post accused Beach of abusing the public pension system, Beach left the Camden County College job.
...
Wikipedia