The “Me too” Movement, GOP Style!
It’s one thing to be proud of North Arlington, quite another to try to take credit for everything that goes well, and blame others for the problems they can’t seemingly solve.
There’s a guy who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania who uses the same rhetoric.
Sound familiar?
When one takes credit for everything, even when they were not the mayor and fail to acknowledge those who preceded them, it’s not the message people feel comfortable with and its just partisan and divisive.
Take Federal Express for example.
This was a bipartisan solution that started with former Mayor Peter Massa, a Democrat and the late Joe Bianchi, a Republican.
Dan Pronti has been mayor for six months, not six years and North Arlington was fine before him and will be fine after him.
Bianchi understood working together and sharing the success.
It is one his personal traits that is sorely missed.
They both deserve the credit (Massa & Bianchi) for their leadership and the results provided by these two life-long residents.
Now we have Freeholder Steve Tanelli who delivered on renovating the tennis courts and a host of so many other improvements at Riverside County Park which include a football field and new diamonds all delivered on his watch.
Steve gives credit to those who worked with him and is all too happy to share the credit and the glory.
He’s not small, but he stands tall.
Unlike some who denigrate good ideas and are obsessed with getting exclusive credit, that kind of personality wears out it’s welcome sooner then later!
In 2016 NA voters rejected two GOP incumbents because they did not agree with the tax policies that RAISED Property Taxes and they were replaced.
Something Mr. Pronti can’t seem to accept.
Some did see a temporary decrease, but NA Today has polled this issue time and time again and voters believe at the end of the day their property taxes have in fact increased.
No Democrat would be bold or arrogant enough to take responsibility for all the success of North Arlington, for if they did, they would need to take equal responsibility for it’s failures and challenges.
So when you see someone pound on their chest so hard that they alone are responsible for all NA’s good deeds, pause for a moment and ask yourself, is that true?
The answer is no.
Someone who takes so many bows that he could find himself in traction, they fail to even share that success with members of his own party, much less anyone else!
This act is becoming tiring.
Someone who thinks being critical of a popular three-term freeholder when they are just an obscure freshman mayor for the past 6 months? Then has the gall to infer he had something to do with it?
Give people a break.
Working with Democrats is just as important as working with members of your own party.
Being civil and transparent and accountable makes for a better elected official.
That’s how you become a freeholder.
But asking voters for complete political dominance of NA and a monopoly of local government with all seven seats is not about good government and more about building a political machine.
And every political machine must have a boss.
For here is the new boss, same as the old one.