OFFICIAL “NA TODAY” VOTER GUIDE FOR TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2026:
JOHN BALWIERCZAK FOR MAYOR OF NORTH ARLINGTON!
This Tuesday will be the most consequential and important municipal election in decades, and if North Arlington ever needed structural and serious change, this is the moment.
For the problems, challenges and issues demand a change at the top after North Arlington witnessed a double homicide on Ridge Road and a federal raid on Belleville Pike regarding narcotics and this mayor, Dan Pronti has offered no leadership, instead completely ignoring one crime and barely acknowledging the other!
At least one has permanently closed (The Peak), and the second, 1 Republik has remained closed since the murders.
North Arlington is a small, suburban bedroom community that attracts those from places like Jersey City, Newark, and other urban centers seeking a different environment and lifestyle. Not a replication of the gentrification and urbanization that has taken place over the last eight years with Dan Pronti, a real estate agent from Bayonne in charge.
For Pronti has gone on a spending spree, expanding the size of government, raising property taxes and supporting rolling reassessments of residential property values that are displacing working families, especially longtime residents and seniors.
In effect, seniors on strict budgets are now “house rich, but cash poor” as they have really nowhere to turn as they seek true property tax relief, and not the assessment schemes of a mayor clearly out-of-touch with residents who are struggling to afford to stay here!
In sharp contrast, John Balwierczak, 37 is a lifelong resident and homeowner, a product of our elementary schools and a graduate of North Arlington HS where he played varsity basketball for the Vikings. He lost his Mom this summer and his Dad in 2024, a retired PATH employee with the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. Born with a hearing disability, Balwierczak has committed himself to public and community service.
A former Republican, Balwierczak left the party or was in fact thrown out by Pronti because he refused to support the massive construction of apartment dwellings along Ridge Road which has led to less parking, more traffic, and higher property taxes for all as only the developers benefitted from Pronti’s failed and flawed initiatives.
Balwierczak refused to support massive overdevelopment that we now have today, and nothing will change unless Pronti is defeated and removed from office.
For decades, the notion of keeping North Arlington small, safe, and suburban was not just words, but guiding bipartisan principles that were honored by both political parties until Pronti took control of the GOP some ten years ago.
Both Democrats and Republicans regarded North Arlington as the “gateway to Bergen County,” but Pronti wants NA to become an extension of Belleville, urbanized as a gateway to Newark instead!
And this has taken place while our business district has been virtually decimated, as one store after another closes such as MELRAYS, the Italian Villa, Boston Garden and Mr. Pasta gone for good, now replaced by monstrosities like OPUS, which even Pronti has flipped flopped, admitting it was the wrong thing to do!
For the North Arlington we once knew is changing and Pronti has no interest in your opinion, but you have the final say with your vote on Tuesday.
Even at this late hour of the campaign, we find out that the newly installed Commander of the VFW opposes the construction of senior housing in a flood zone, as apparently the electric was turned off by the Borough last week.
If the VFW leadership itself opposes Pronti’s scheme, who actually supports it and what will be the cost to taxpayers?
And Pronti remains fast and loose with the truth on a number of issues:
The water fountain he claimed was free, actually cost taxpayers $238,000 just to install!
The $200,000 out of court settlement he personally approved with a former library employee who claimed to be harassed and left her employment due to a hostile work environment!
The $1,500,000 purchase of an empty and dormant River Road property he claims was an “emergency appropriation.”
His refusal to debate or share the stage with Balwierczak, preferring to hide the entire campaign.
The marketing of the Bethlehem Steel parcel in the Meadowlands as a potential site for a Data Center with zero input from the public.
His attempt once again to gain control of the North Arlington Board of Education by backing two MAGA conservatives against two highly qualified, competent, and independent school trustees in Edward Smith and Robert Dorsett.
No Democrat has served on the Mayor & Council since 2019.
Pronti has done as he pleases for a decade and what are the results?
A political monopoly led by one part-time politician who if he has his way, is rumored to lobby to make the position of mayor full-time with a six-figure salary as the current Borough Administrator only works three days a week with a salary and benefits package that costs taxpayer over $200,000 annually?
And speaking about salaries, why is Pronti rewarding himself with another raise for the fifth consecutive time?
Why is he allowed to unilaterally raise his salary and tell no one about it?
And speaking about real news, why is Pronti wasting over $20,000 in taxpayer funded newsletters that are 12-pages in length, and one had his photo 23 times eating pizza and hot dogs?
Newsletters that never mentioned the murders or the drug raid.
Just self-serving fluff and nonsense!
North Arlington needs and demands a healthy mix of Democrats and Republicans governing locally.
Can you imagine all 435 seats in Congress controlled by one-party? Or all 80 seats in the legislature?
Dan Pronti runs the show.
And the rest of us just live here.
Should a part-time mayor have a full-time assistant?
This election gives you the opportunity to send a message, that one-party government only works for Dan Pronti and no one else.
Time to break up this machine, and have the accountability, transparency and vibrant grass roots democracy not controlled by Dan Pronti.
John Balwierczak has the guts and courage to take on Dan Pronti and move North Arlington back on the right track.
The time for change is Tuesday!
Have a question?
Call John direct at (201) 655-8497 or e-mail him at [email protected]
Let’s end overdevelopment and restore responsible two-party government now.
This could be the last time this choice remains in your hands.