GOP Trio had no Involvement with Improvements at Zadroga Memorial!
NORTH ARLINGTON – Time and time again this campaign season we have seen the GOP candidates for council politicize the community’s recreational programs and facilities to prop up their campaign.
Here they are pictured at the new soccer field clearly inferring they had something to do with the improvements when this is false advertising at its worst!
In the case of Councilman Kirk Del Russo who was appointed and not elected, these improvements were already in the works before his selection to fill the vacancy created by Dan Pronti’s resignation to assume the office of Mayor.
Most of the credit belongs with the late Mayor Joseph Bianchi, who passed away last October.
In fact the project had bipartisan support with Democrats Mark Yampaglia and Jean Williams voting in favor of the light installation as well as the synthetic improvements at the soccer facility, Allan Park and Little League field.
But you would never know that given the GOP’s manipulation of the truth and the facts.
Yampaglia, the Borough’s longest serving councilman is seeking his fifth term of office after being appointed twice and elected four previous times including a 2011 victory over Del Russo.
He and outgoing Democrat Jean Williams voted yes on all the improvements and bonding necessary to make the project a reality.
So why do the Republicans try to manipulate the truth?
In the case of Donna Bocchino, the daughter of political boss James “Jimmy” Bocchino, a retired county patronage employee and chairman of the GOP campaign, Bocchino’s wife is the campaign’s treasurer as well.
Daughter Bocchino had absolutely nothing to do with the work except using the improvements to bolster her empty campaign.
The same can be said for Lynette Cavadas, a so-called “volunteer” who receives two streams of income from municipal government with a $1500 stipend as well as vendor status with her husband’s company for which she is an employee.
The firm is the “official” electrician for North Arlington and many wonder if she will continue in those roles should she win a council seat.
Members of the council must vote to approve bills from vendors like the electrician.
Will she recuse and abstain from these votes that come-up on a monthly basis should she be elected?
Others wonder if the three Republicans will vote to re-appoint Bocchino as the controversial “Quality of Life” officer that many have criticized as unnecessary and a waste of $8000 in tax dollars to the GOP’s #1 campaign fundraiser and political lieutenant to Mayor Dan Pronti (Click here to hear what Pronti has to say about Bocchino’s fundraising abilities in a Facebook video).
Republicans are obsessed with eliminating responsible two-party government and replacing longtime Councilman Mark Yampaglia, a life-long resident and attorney with law offices in Rutherford and Jersey City.
“Yampaglia stopped EnCap and supported former Mayor Joe Bianchi in securing the Federal Express facility at Porete Avenue. What did any of the Republicans do? Del Russo and Jimmy Bocchino were two of EnCap’s biggest supporters,” offered one Democrat when asked to comment.
While Democrats outnumber Republicans in North Arlington, Pronti and Bocchino won’t be happy until they have all seven seats of local government secured.
“They want a monologue. They want to eliminate responsible two-party government and replace it with a political monopoly of seven that stifles any discussion or dialogue and that’s bad news for homeowner’s and taxpayers alike. What makes it even more disturbing is that they want to elect candidates that lack a platform or agenda as well as the qualifications to effectively serve the community. This is the least experienced group of candidates ever assembled in some time,” offered one political observer to assess the GOP council ticket.
“North Arlington needs a healthy mix of Democrats and Republicans, but more importantly North Arlington needs candidates that don’t politicize kids and recreation. That is not the case with Del Russo, Cavadas and Bocchino.”
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