LOCAL REPUBLICANS EXPLAINING AWAY PROPERTY TAX INCREASE ON THEIR WATCH!

PRONTI, KARCIC BLAME COUNTY & SCHOOL BOARD FOR THEIR PROPERTY TAX WOES! WASTEFUL SPENDING & MORE LIES JUST 100 DAYS BEFORE THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION!

NORTH ARLINGTON – You know it’s an election year when incumbents Dan Pronti & Mario Marcic are desperately trying to explain a second consecutive property tax hike on their watch!

Blaming inflation and healthcare costs versus their spending practices that have been increasing for years, the all-Republican Mayor & Council don’t have any Democrats to blame, so they shift the argument and pivot with the hope homeowners will remain confused about these tax hikes.

The North Arlington Mayor & Council is all Republican. No Democrats have served since 2019.

“Dan Pronti has no Democrats to blame because the Mayor & Council is comprised of all Republicans, including his running-mate, Mario Karcic. They refuse to take responsibility for this tax hike or explain that spending has increased at historic levels due to rolling, random reassessments and the proliferation of apartment construction along Ridge Road,” noted mayoral candidate John Balwierczak.

“Dan is from Bayonne and wants NA to mimic Belleville. His mentor Mayor Michael Melham lost by over 1,000 votes for reelection in a town overrun by massive overdevelopment” offered Balwierczak.

Balwierczak noted that the stated and historical spending increases by Pronti and Karcic led to this year’s property tax hike.

Between 2020-2024, salaries and spending have increased significantly under Republican control.

“Dan Pronti and Mario Karcic have awarded themselves hefty raises in each budget for part-time service. In 2024, the budget had grown substantially with salaries and wages at approximately $10.2 million dollars. Salaries and wages alone increased $1.27 million in just one year between 2023-2024. That’s a 14% hike,” said Balwierczak.

Balwierczak is critical of how basic information about spending is vague at best.

While a municipal budget lists positions and salary appropriations, the exact number of employees can only be found in payroll records or annual financial statements which require OPRA requests. An OPRA request is an official request for public documents and information that would clarify the actual spending practices of North Arlington.

“Pronti & Karcic are trying to sell a tax hike that could have been avoided. The surplus they have was created due to over taxation, not some brilliant financial planning they claim. They overtaxed in the past and are now paying Peter to pay Paul and taxes are still rising,” noted the mayoral hopeful.

“Look around, the business district has been decimated and replaced with empty storefronts and vacancies. Apartment construction has destroyed the character of Ridge Road, and no one is happy, especially longtime residents and seniors.”

“Why did salaries and wages grow so substantially if municipal services did not materially expand? How many new positions have been created since 2020?

How much of the increase came from new hires versus contractual raises? Why did employee benefit costs rise? What projects justified the additional debt? How much surplus was carried each year and why were taxes still increasing? These are the real questions conveniently ignored and avoided by Maga Dan.”

“Increased property values and rolling reassessments can hide the effect of spending growth and this is a legitimate public policy issue. North Arlington by any standard of reality is growing the size of municipal government and spending at an alarming rate that has nothing to do with the county or our local public schools. Does Pronti take responsibility for anything due to his lack of fiscal leadership? The answer is no,” offered the Democratic challenger.

Balwierczak cited specific examples of Pronti’s lack of transparency or accountability with voters.

“Time after time Pronti fails to disclose the truth about issues facing North Arlington that are raising property taxes and destroying the notion that we remain small, safe or suburban.

Here is just a partial list of wasteful spending on his watch:

The proliferation of legal fees over the last two years, with no explanation to taxpayers that have totaled nearly $500,000.
The payout of $200,000 in a civil complaint (2025) to a former library employee citing a hostile work environment all engineered by Dan Pronti. No explanation was ever made by the Mayor & Council who approved the expenditure unanimously.
The $238,000 “lie” that a water fountain installed at River Road was free, yet Pronti conveniently ignored the cost of installation, future repair and maintenance. Another expenditure rubber stamped by Pronti & Karcic.
The outrageous and obnoxious increase of salaries for part-time elected officials like Pronti and the Borough Council to receive $1,200 per month to attend a single monthly meeting. This is the fifth consecutive pay hike. The Borough Administrator only works four days a week despite earning nearly $180,000 annually!
No mention or explanation of why a Belleville Pike business was raided by federal authorities known as The Peak, in which the owner was named in this drug-related sweep. A business that was promoted by Pronti and this Borough Council in 2024 on his Facebook mayoral page in which Balwierczak is blocked from reviewing despite being a life-long borough resident.
The amount to taxpayers in constructing 50 senior apartments on River Road that many believe is in a flood zone. Zero costs have been made available for public inspection or review. Will NA residents receive a preference?
The most recent, taxpayer funded newsletter mailed to every home reportedly costing $10,000. The 12-page mailer dedicated 6-pages to Pronti talking about hot dogs and pizza, in which his image appeared in the mailing an incredible twenty-three times (23)!
Nothing in the newsletter mentioned this impending property tax increase or the federal raid on the Belleville Turnpike. All of this useless information could have been added to the borough’s website for free! Instead, Pronti using tax dollars to promote himself in the November election.

Want to talk or speak with the candidate? Candidate Balwierczak wants to talk with you!

E-mail him at [email protected] or call (201) 655-8497.