COUNCIL CANDIDATES PICK UP ENDORSEMENT OF FORMER NA MAYOR
Ed Martone who served as both a councilman and mayor, proudly endorses Balwierczak & Yampaglia
NORTH ARLINGTON – Longtime resident Ed Martone, who served as both a councilman and mayor of North Arlington has officially endorsed this year’s Democratic ticket of John Balwierczak and John Yampaglia who were recently endorsed by the local Democratic Municipal Committee and are expected to run unopposed in the June Democratic Primary having secured the coveted organizational line.
They will be running with US Senate candidate Tammy Murphy, the first lady of New Jersey and wife of Governor Phil Murphy along with US Congressman William “Bill” Pascrell (D-9) for a record fifteenth term as well as former North Arlington councilman Steve Tanelli, who will be seeking his fifth term as a member of the seven-member county commission here in Bergen County.
Martone, who was elected a councilman in 1976, was one of the youngest members of the governing body when he assumed the office of mayor in January of 1979. It was under the Martone Administration that saw several parks restored and purchased as well as the opening of the Eugene V Madden Senior Center and the appointment of the first full-time borough administrator. North Arlington has just two former mayors still living (the other is Peter C Massa), and both have endorsed Balwierczak and Yampaglia. A graduate of Fairleigh-Dickinson University, he is the former executive director of the NJ American Civil Liberties Union and served as the community’s chief executive from 1979-1983. Martone served on the Corrections Transition Teams for both Governors Corzine and McGreevey. He also served as the prisoner/community representative on the Princeton University Institutional Review Board. Balwierczak and Yampaglia had high praise for the former councilman and mayor.“When Ed Martone was elected the youngest chief executive in borough history, he tackled many issues that were plaguing North Arlington regarding solid waste operations and the lack of space for our seniors which resulted in the construction of the senior center we have today. Ed was a strong supporter of former US Senator Edward Kennedy in his bid for the Democratic nomination for President in 1980 and his long public advocacy and service at the state level is to be admired. Mayor Martone has an institutional memory of where North Arlington was, as he tried to shut down garbage operations and bring clean redevelopment to our Meadowlands parcels,” offered both Balwierczak and Yampaglia.
“This is a unity effort. We are bringing together all segments of our party and those tired of embedded, institutional and irresponsible one-party control of local government. They want and seek a reasonable dialogue that includes Democrats and Republicans working together for taxpayers, homeowners and tenants alike. Voters seek a clear alternative to the out-of-control real estate interests that dominate the Republican Party with big-time and excessive political contributions resulting in the urbanization and gentrification of this small community that once served as a gateway to Bergen County. We are the North Arlington First team and all stakeholders will have a place at the table should we be successful come the fall campaign,” noted first-time challenger John Balwierczak.
Follow the Democrats on Facebook and their North Arlington First page or contact the campaign at 201-655-8497.