AN NA TODAY EDITORIAL: THE DAY DEMOCRACY DIED IN NORTH ARLINGTON.
A Democratic tradition for decades disrupted for no valid reason!
Is tabling at the North Arlington Post Office now banned?
NORTH ARLINGTON – In a community run by Republicans resembling a political atmosphere more like North Korea, Cuba or Afghanistan, the North Arlington Police Department showed up today saying complaints were made that the Democratic table promoting the candidacies of challengers John Balwierczak and John Yampaglia need to be shut down or there could be action taken against the candidates and its campaign supporters.
But Democrats have been tabling at this very spot virtually every election dating back to 2002, when they decided that meeting and greeting residents made sense during a campaign. It was a casual way to meet neighbors and chat about the issues voters really wanted to talk about or just offer individuals a flyer, or the opportunity to register to vote
The Democratic ticket of Balwierczak and Yampaglia have been at this exact location for months, without controversy or issue.
No one until today dared question the practice of reaching the electorate in front of a public facility like the post office.
Warmly greeted regardless of political persuasion, it was, and is an exercise in grass roots democracy that has been diminished under the all-Republican control of North Arlington.
That’s seven Republicans and zero Democrats.
For this tradition supersedes who was mayor and who held a majority on the Mayor & Council, as it is acknowledged as a right to free speech and assembly.
Former mayors like the late Len Kaiser, Russ Pitman and Joe Bianchi might disagree on the issues, but this kind of political pettiness did not prevail.
Even former two-term mayor Peter Massa regularly stops by the table to lend his support, and would never engage in a practice that could be deemed misguided or inappropriate.
For don’t the candidates have the right to exercise constitutionally protected activities like this?
So why the controversy?
Here we are just two weeks before the November 5th general election and democracy is being undermined?
No one has ever complained in twenty years until Saturday, October 19, 2024.
And why all the drama and theatrics?
What was the problem?
Two life-long residents seeking to meet and greet fellow neighbors?
Two candidates offering voters a viable alternative to a failed status quo of massive overdevelopment?
Handing out flyers and talking community, issues and governance
The Republicans could certainly set up a table if they feel threatened by this long-standing practice of the local Democrats.
For what did they expect to find with multiple squad cars and police officers?
An 89-year old retired labor leader and US Army veteran who served his country?
A past commander of the local AMVETS who has served the borough in multiple volunteer capacities as a member of the Planning, Zoning and Library boards?
A 48-year homeowner and widower who’s children graduated from North Arlington HS as well as Queen of Peace?
Apparently the new Chief of Police who was out-of-town was forced to come to the scene of the so-called crime, a reasonable guy who is above this kind of juvenile, partisan nonsense.
A public safety professional in every way.
Why was it necessary for him to even show-up?
With some 17 days to go, what did any of this accomplish?
For in Pronti, this retired ex-cop, real estate agent, and part-time politician was seen driving by the post office at the same time this incident occurred! 
For is this just another “coincidence” like the Building Official contacting Balwierczak about a sign on his own home?
Or DPW trucks driving around with torn up democratic lawn signs?
Or disallowing the Democrats to identify themselves at the Memorial Day Parade?
Dan Pronti is not North Arlington.
This midget mayor is a political bully who thinks he was crowned king as he turns NA into a MONOPOLY board of massive overdevelopment the community can’t stand and a phony senior citizen proposal few, if any take seriously!
He is a real estate agent who just happens to live in North Arlington with an agenda out of sync with a vast majority of voters and longtime residents.
And Pronti is not even on the ballot!
And where oh where are his two endorsed political puppets, Brian Fitzhenry and Allison Sheedy on this fine Saturday morning? 
Why does Pronti see these Democratic candidates as a threat, and why does he despise the notion of responsible, two-party government?
For this mustached mayor seemingly needs to infuse himself in a campaign he must view as a referendum on his massive overdevelopment schemes no one supports while his hand-picked candidates don’t even bother to knock on a single-door!
For the obvious aggression, overcompensation of importance, this “big fish in a small bowl mentality,” always trying to assert himself, sensitivity to any form of criticism and perceiving it as a personal attack. This quest to not just win elections but to destroy and dominate the political landscape, with undue competitiveness that paints Democrats as the enemy of the borough!
For today’s attempt to silence constitutional free speech is an embarrassment larger then Pronti himself, and the time for North Arlington to say enough is enough to this kind of Jersey City style political behavior can no longer be tolerated in the public square of our local grass roots democracy.
The time to reject Pronti and his Trump-style aggressions is now.
And like Trump who pushed EnCap and failed, we need to stop the massive overdevelopment practices of an elected official that are simply out-of-control, and raising property taxes all at the same time.
We suggest if Dan Pronti wants to turn North Arlington into Belleville, he take on his buddy over at Alpha Dog Solutions in their next mayoral contest!
For here in North Arlington we prefer to remain small, safe and suburban!