AN NA TODAY EDITORIAL:
NORTH ARLINGTON HAS AN AFFORDABILITY CRISIS THANKS TO 10 YEARS OF ALL-REPUBLICAN CONTROL!
HIGH PROPERTY TAXES, OVERDEVELOPMENT, ROLLING REASSESSMENTS, OUTRAGEOUS LEGAL FEES & OUT-OF-COURT SETTLEMENTS ARE CRIPPLING NORTH ARLINGTON!
North Arlington – The results of Tuesday’s elections were obvious as local Republicans have a real problem.
And they know it.
After a decade of one-party rule, with total control of everything North Arlington, Mayor Dan Pronti has no one to blame but himself as what was once an affordable, suburban, small and safe community has been exposed as a gentrified community that has become expensive and voters are reconsidering political allegiances!
After years of massive overdevelopment along Ridge Road has resulted in multiple vacancies and a virtual gutting of our business district with MELRAYS, the largest retail outlet empty and dormant, what is North Arlington’s future under Pronti and local Republicans?
Despite a 7-1 campaign spending advantage along with appropriating tax dollars for partisan purposes like that bogus newsletter, Pronti and his puppets Kirk Del Russo & Amanda DeCicco had to sweatout a closer than usual win.
Not only did Democrats John Balwierczak & Cengiz “Jim” Sever win several election precincts, Governor-elect Mike Sherrill, Assemblymember Gary Schaer, and two of three Bergen Commissioners all won in North Arlington breaking the all-Republican grip on the borough.
In just one year we saw Donald Trump carry North Arlington by some 1,000 votes, a year later Jack Ciattarelli lost a community he won easily four years ago by 5!
Like North Korea, the Pronti regime finds it more isolated than ever before as North Arlington has no governmental allies at the county, state and federal levels.
Maybe this is the reason their efforts for senior housing have gone nowhere for over a decade?
When property taxes increase some 39% over the last decade, can these Republicans still claim there are no tax increases?
Here is a chart verifying the increase in the General Tax rate: 
Can you claim “redevelopment” is working when it’s really massive overdevelopment that is stressing essential services and not providing tax relief as promised?
And will they finally admit rolling reassessments are just increasing property taxes without reason?
Are these policies actually unfair and inequitable?
Especially with working families and seniors on fixed incomes?
North Arlington has become too expensive to run and unaffordable, and the Republicans are to blame.
Not only will they refuse to acknowledge the obvious, consider the following:
A $1.5 million dollar “emergency” expenditure for a dormant River Road structure with hundreds of thousands of dollars anticipated for improvements for a parking lot?
A $200,000 out-of-court settlement Pronti does not acknowledge that occurred due to a hostile work environment and charges of racism against the Library staff. Read here the complaint and ugly details, all appointed by Pronti!Colao Complaint
The so-called “free” water fountain expenditure that actually cost $238,800 and Pronti has refused to disclose the developer donor of this item that was installed in a flood zone! Who donated the water fountain and how much did it really cost?
Now Councilman Mario Karcic is warning taxpayers of impending healthcare hikes thanks to Donald Trump, who has been screwing NA for decades with his mindless support of the failed EnCap housing scheme he tried to personally save!
Under Pronti, municipal spending is exploding, especially when you consider sharp hikes in legal fees that have spiked since January of 2024 in the hundreds of thousands of dollars!
And if this wasn’t enough, Pronti’s arrogant takeover of the North Arlington Board of Education was foiled by an easy 2-1 victory by incumbents Michele Higgins & Scott Hughes. 
North Arlington voters value quality schools and rejected a partisan purge of our local public schools.
For the results of this election don’t lie.
There are kinks in Pronti’s armor.
He has a finger in the dyke as his grip on North Arlington is slipping.
In other words, Pronti is vulnerable and can be beaten with a unified and cohesive effort.
For most North Arlington mayors serve only two terms.
Former mayor Len Kaiser served five terms between 1983-2003.
History and the numbers from Tuesday suggest change is in the air and Democrats can certainly build off the foundation-built Tuesday.
Finding the right candidates shouldn’t be that difficult given this changing political atmosphere.
John Balwierczak and Cengiz “Jim” Sever are to be congratulated for exposing the miscalculations of local Republicans. 
North Arlington is no longer red, but really purple.
For the local Republicans have some explaining to do for their emperor apparently has no clothes!
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