Laurence S. Weiss (May 6, 1919 – December 27, 2003) was a Hungarian-born American politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 1978 to 1992, where he represented the 19th Legislative District, which covers portions of Middlesex County.
[1] He briefly operated a gas station in Newark, before enlisting in the United States Army during World War II, attending Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia where he earned a commission as a second lieutenant.
Weiss served on the Middlesex County Planning Board and was active with the Woodbridge Township Public Library and was involved there in major construction projects.
[citation needed] Weiss was one of the initial authors and key supporters of Governor of New Jersey Jim Florio's $2.8 billion tax increase package in 1991, and then pushed on behalf of its repeal after he was defeated in his re-election bid.
[3][4] Republicans statewide and Randy Corman in the 19th District used the tax increase as a major campaign issue, with Weiss noting his role as chairman of the committee that drafted and approved the budget and saying "I'm not the target, I'm the bull's eye".