North Arlington’s Taxpayer-Funded Newsletter: Why no updates on the Ridge Road Double Homicide or the Federal Drug Raid on the Belleville Turnpike?
NORTH ARLINGTON – The question is one of transparency, accountability, and the proper use of taxpayer dollars when the all-Republican Mayor & Council led by Dan Pronti spends approximately $10,000 producing & mailing a municipal newsletter, should residents expect it to address major public-safety incidents, and what the borough is doing in response?
John Balwierzcak thinks so.
An appropriation that was unnecessary, as all the information in that printed edition could be easily added to the Borough’s website or simply e-mailed, free-of-charge!
There is a legitimate basis for asking this question, particularly in light of the Ridge Road double homicide and the federal drug raid involving a Belleville Pike business formerly known as The Peak, which has since closed. 1st Republik, the Ridge Road bar where the shooting took place outside, has apparently closed as well.
These are significant developments for residents concerned about public safety and the Ridge Road business district, where scores of businesses have also closed. The key issue here is obvious, does this $10,000 newsletter provide taxpayers with a reasonably complete account of borough affairs or just emphasizes Pronti personally in a positive light while intentionally omitting difficult subjects?
Is the newsletter really an example of partisan “fake” news?
That distinction matters.
A municipal newsletter is funded by residents, not by the mayor’s personal campaign committee. Determining whether a particular publication improperly promotes a candidate requires reviewing its actual contents, funding and applicable election rules.
Here is what the record shows:
1. The Ridge Road double homicide.
The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office reported that two men were fatally shot on July 19, 2026.
On August 4, prosecutors announced four arrests in connection with the killings. Investigators described the incident as an altercation between two groups.
2. The Federal Raid of The Peak:
Local reporting states that federal agents raided the business at 258 Belleville Turnpike on April 22. The establishment subsequently closed. The investigation was part of a broader federal narcotics case. 
3. The taxpayer-funded newsletter:
The borough’s official website provides municipal announcements and information, but the public materials located in this search do not establish why the latest newsletter, or previous newsletters were omitted or were never provided online.
4. Does Pronti have an obligation to inform residents of all news, good and bad?
Yes, in the broader sense of responsible public leadership. Pronti should help residents understand significant developments affecting their community.
That includes communicating what the administration knows, what remains under investigation, whether additional precautions are warranted, and which agencies are responsible for providing further updates.
The strongest accountability question is not simply why the newsletter failed to mention the incidents. It is whether residents are receiving meaningful, balanced information about public safety and the borough’s response.
Five questions residents should be asking:
1. Why were the double homicide and subsequent arrests not meaningfully addressed or updated in this latest newsletter? Did the Pronti Administration consider providing an update explaining the investigation’s status and the prosecutor’s assessment of any new details?
2. Why was there no explanation of the federal drug raid ever by Pronti?
What information did borough officials receive, what could legally be disclosed, and what communication occurred with federal authorities?
3. What is the actual cost of the newsletter?
Is the estimated $10,000 figure supported by invoices covering writing, design, printing, postage and distribution? Does that figure cover this edition or a broader mailing program?
4. Who decided what would be included?
Dan Pronti and Dan Pronti only?
Was the publication reviewed by the borough’s administrator, or the borough council?
Were any editorial criteria established?
5. Was the newsletter designed to inform residents or to highlight the Pronti campaign days before the November 3rd General Election?
If it solely emphasizes Pronti’s perceived accomplishments shortly before an election while excluding major public controversies, residents are entitled to question its purpose and use of public funds!
The Election-law question:
New Jersey’s Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) has explained that a communication from a mayor seeking reelection can qualify as a political communication when it promotes the mayor’s accomplishments and future goals, even without an explicit request for votes.
The commission also distinguishes its campaign-finance disclosure role from the question of whether a municipality may use public funds for that communication.
That means the newsletter’s timing, wording, presentation, and cost are relevant.
The actual publication and applicable rules must be examined.
What residents can do next:
Request the newsletter’s underlying records from the borough, including:
The total cost of producing and mailing the latest edition.
The vendor contracts, invoices, and postage expenses.
The approval process and any written guidelines governing content.
Any written statements or communications concerning the Ridge Road homicide and the federal investigation involving The Peak.
Residents can also ask the mayor and council to publish a separate public-safety update addressing the investigations, the borough’s coordination with law enforcement and any measures being taken to address community concerns.
North Arlington residents have a reasonable basis to demand transparency about both the newsletter’s cost and the administration’s handling of major public safety developments.
Mayoral candidate John Balwierczak, who described the newsletter as “lining for a bird or hamster cage, take your pick,” believes the proper legal authorities like the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC), should scrutinize the public record, document the omissions and costs, and ask the Pronti for specific answers rather on what was selected and why. It appears to me that additional scrutiny is warranted.”
“Why is lopsided, one-sided political rhetoric being cast as real government news? Not a sentence or word dedicated to actual shootings, murders, and drug raids. This Pravda style, propaganda, has no place in the homes of hard-working families and seniors living on fixed incomes. Pronti’s nonsense needs to end and that’s why he must be replaced on Tuesday, November 3rd,” charged the lifelong resident, homeowner and graduate of North Arlington High School.
“Dan can take his Hudson County gutter politics back to Bayonne where he belongs. I’m about maintaining values, keeping North Arlington small, safe, suburban, and affordable. We must stay the gateway to Bergen County.”
Meet the next Mayor!
Contact him at (201) 655-8497 or via e-mail at [email protected]
Elect the Balwierczak Team.
Papile & Sever for Borough Council.