GOP OVERDEVELOPMENT OF RIDGE ROAD MEANS LESS RESIDENTIAL PARKING FOR HOMEOWNERS!
Balwierczak and Yampaglia rail against the added density, traffic and urbanization of a once, safe and suburban enclave
NORTH ARLINGTON – The lack of parking spaces for homeowners in and around Ridge Road is becoming more and more obvious and prevalent in the complaints against the all-Republican council comprised of just a party of one.
Council candidates John Balwierczak and John Yampaglia are now hearing a consistent complaint and message that all of this overdevelopment of Ridge Road now spilling onto Schuyler Avenue and the Belleville Turnpike has residents enraged that parking has been decreased and compromised due to the plethora of new apartment dwellings.
Adding insult to injury, longtime homeowners now are realizing tax hikes in the hundreds of dollars and at the end of the day, no benefit to the community with all of this new density and urbanization of Ridge Road.
“Homeowners are asking why build out Ridge Road in this fashion and at this pace if it doesn’t stabilize property taxes? Why all this new construction if taxes will continue to climb,” offered the challengers running as the North Arlington First team.
The Democrats hit the streets on a hot August Thursday evening to greet voters and offer taxpayers a survey of their own on how best to get North Arlington back on the right track.
To keep North Arlington small, safe and suburban. 
“Democrat, Republican or Undeclared voter, the feedback is the same. Why are we dismantling Ridge Road and urbanizing it into an extension of Hudson County? North Arlington is not Kearny or Belleville. North Arlington is the gateway of Bergen County and that feeling is nearly universal with voters and taxpayers alike,” said Balwierczak, the former Republican who became a Democrat because of the current policies of Fitzhenry & Sheedy to transform the community into a small city. 
“Project after project coming before this all-Republican Planning Board is virtually rubber stamping this rampant redevelopment of Ridge Road. This issue of parking and the lack of it for residents is not being addressed in a serious fashion and our opponents Fitzhenry and Sheedy silently sit on the sidelines offering nothing. We can only assume they believe this drastic change in the direction of the community is a good thing when in fact no public feedback was ever considered,” said the Democrats.
Rumors are abound that the local GOP is in panic mode and that instead of offering solutions or a better direction, they are planning a massive negative attack on the Democrats on and off the ballot.
“How can you defend this miserable and unpopular notion that overdevelopment is a good thing for North Arlington? How do you defend the density or increased traffic? How do you defend the stress on essential services or impact on our public schools? Why conduct rolling assessments that ultimately raise property taxes on residential homeowners who oppose this unbridled construction? Why more apartment dwellings if it means higher property taxes for homeowners? None of this makes sense to us and it is the homeowners who are searching for answers,” observed Balwierczak. 
So where are Fitzhenry and Sheedy?
“Clearly they intend to use their political war chest to run the most expensive and negative attack campaign in Borough history. They have tried for months to humiliate me with personal attacks. They have deemed John and myself as unqualified, when after ten years in office Fitzhenry and Sheedy have no record or resume to offer voters. Sheedy has become a dual-jobholder on two public payrolls, a double-dipper while voting herself a pay raise four consecutive times. Fitzhenry continues to rail against a twenty-year old water sale that saved taxpayers millions in upgrades they could not afford, $4.3 million for the utility and the wiping out of the utility’s debt. Fitzhenry ran a one-issue effort in 2004 and lost by nearly 1,000 votes because voters knew his opposition to the sale was just wrong,” offered the candidates.
Balwierczak was particularly offended by the continued personal attacks on his running-mate by Fitzhenry.
“The Yampaglia family has served the community with distinction since the 1970’s. Emil Yampaglia served as a judge for both a Democratic & Republican mayor. Mark Yampaglia was appointed twice to be a council member by two different mayors and elected four times by voters. The Yampaglia family has committed their lives to public service. John Yampaglia is a small business owner, former teacher who earned both an BA and MA, the only candidate in the race with an advanced degree. Why is he deemed unqualified by the likes of Fitzhenry or Sheedy? And why these peculiar references to his residence when he has been a life-long North Arlington local? This race will be decided and centered on the issue of overdevelopment and rising property taxes and we strongly oppose this misguided direction that needs to be reversed and that can only happen by breaking up this political monopoly of only Republicans running this community into the ground,” charged Balwierczak. 
“I saw the nonsense up front and personal. There is no big tent in this political machine. Tow the line or hit the road. So I hit the road.”
Democrats will be at the Post Office again this Saturday from 9-12 noon located at Ridge Park Drive.
Need a lawn sign?
Need to register to vote?
Like to take part in our community survey?
Contact the campaign at (201) 655-8497.