Thomas P. Foy
Encyclopedia
Thomas P. Foy was an American
Democratic Party
politician who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature
representing the 7th Legislative District
, which covers portions of Burlington County
and Camden County
. He served in the General Assembly
from 1984 to 1990, and was appointed to fill a vacancy in the New Jersey Senate
, serving there from 1990 to 1992.
Foy attended Rutgers School of Law–Camden, graduating in 1977. Foy worked as an attorney specializing in labor relations
. He had been general counsel to the New Jersey AFL-CIO
in the 1980s, and was later employed as senior vice president of business development for Hill International
, where he worked on issues relating to the firm's construction projects on the Tappan Zee Bridge
and Interstate 287
in Westchester County, New York
.
His first elected office was to the Burlington Township
Council, where his brother would later serve as mayor. He was elected to the General Assembly and served there until 1990. He was named in November 1990 to fill a vacancy in the Senate left by Catherina A. Costa to become Director of the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control
, and served there from 1990 to 1992. In a party convention in January 1991, Jack Casey
was chosen to fill the remaining portion of the term remaining in the General Assembly seat that had been vacated by Foy the previous month.
In the wake of voter frustration with tax increases enacted by Governor of New Jersey
James Florio
in 1990, Foy supported legislation that would allow voters to vote their state legislators out of office by referendum
. Florio later recalled Foy's contributions in getting the minimum wage increased in the state, saying that "New Jersey was ahead of the nation in getting a minimum wage of $5.15 an hour, and Tom was vital in its effort". Foy was deputy political director for Florio's successful 1989 run for governor.
Foy died at age 53 of a heart attack
he suffered at a Washington, D.C.
train station on September 1, 2004, while returning to New Jersey from a meeting with diplomats from the Middle East. He was survived by his wife and two children.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
representing the 7th Legislative District
7th Legislative District (New Jersey)
New Jersey's 7th Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Burlington County municipalities of Beverly City, Burlington City, Burlington Township, Cinnaminson Township, Delanco Township, Delran Township, Edgewater Park Township, Florence Township, Maple Shade Township, Mount...
, which covers portions of Burlington County
Burlington County, New Jersey
There were 154,371 households out of which 34.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.50% had...
and Camden County
Camden County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census the population of Camden County was 60.28% Non-Hispanic white, 18.45% Non-Hispanic black, 1.12% Hispanic blacks, 0.17% Non-Hispanic Native American, 0.15% Hispanic Native Americans, 5.07% Non-Hispanic Asian, and 0.14% non-Hispanics reporting some other race...
. He served in the General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
from 1984 to 1990, and was appointed to fill a vacancy in the New Jersey Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
, serving there from 1990 to 1992.
Foy attended Rutgers School of Law–Camden, graduating in 1977. Foy worked as an attorney specializing in labor relations
Labor relations
Industrial relations is a multidisciplinary field that studies the employment relationship. Industrial relations is increasingly being called employment relations because of the importance of non-industrial employment relationships. Many outsiders also equate industrial relations to labour relations...
. He had been general counsel to the New Jersey AFL-CIO
AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
in the 1980s, and was later employed as senior vice president of business development for Hill International
Hill International
Hill International is a worldwide construction consulting firm. Founded in 1976, the company is currently headquartered in Marlton, New Jersey, United States....
, where he worked on issues relating to the firm's construction projects on the Tappan Zee Bridge
Tappan Zee Bridge
The Governor Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge, usually referred to as Tappan Zee Bridge, is a cantilever bridge in New York over the Hudson River at one of its widest points; the Tappan Zee is named for an American Indian tribe from the area called "Tappan"; and zee being the Dutch word for "sea"....
and Interstate 287
Interstate 287
Interstate 287 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. It is a partial beltway around New York City, serving the northern half of New Jersey and the counties of Rockland and Westchester in New York...
in Westchester County, New York
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
.
His first elected office was to the Burlington Township
Burlington Township, New Jersey
- Local government :Burlington Township is governed under the Faulkner Act Plan E form of municipal government and consists of a mayor and a seven-member Township Council. The council is elected at-large in partisan elections to four-year terms in office on a staggered basis., the Mayor of...
Council, where his brother would later serve as mayor. He was elected to the General Assembly and served there until 1990. He was named in November 1990 to fill a vacancy in the Senate left by Catherina A. Costa to become Director of the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control
New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control
The New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control is an agency of the government of the state of New Jersey that regulates commerce in alcoholic beverages in that state....
, and served there from 1990 to 1992. In a party convention in January 1991, Jack Casey
Jack Casey
John "Jack" Casey is an American Democratic Party politician who served one four-year term in the New Jersey Senate, where he represented the 7th Legislative District from 1994 to 1998. Casey also served in the New Jersey General Assembly in 1991.Casey earned an associate's degree from Rider...
was chosen to fill the remaining portion of the term remaining in the General Assembly seat that had been vacated by Foy the previous month.
In the wake of voter frustration with tax increases enacted by Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
James Florio
James Florio
James Joseph "Jim" Florio is a Democratic politician who served as the 49th Governor of New Jersey from 1990 to 1994, the first Italian American to hold the position...
in 1990, Foy supported legislation that would allow voters to vote their state legislators out of office by referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
. Florio later recalled Foy's contributions in getting the minimum wage increased in the state, saying that "New Jersey was ahead of the nation in getting a minimum wage of $5.15 an hour, and Tom was vital in its effort". Foy was deputy political director for Florio's successful 1989 run for governor.
Foy died at age 53 of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
he suffered at a Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
train station on September 1, 2004, while returning to New Jersey from a meeting with diplomats from the Middle East. He was survived by his wife and two children.