IS TRUMP NOW A FIVE-LETTER WORD FOR FAILURE?
Republicans Del Russo, Cavadas and Bocchino flee from the Trump brand, Democrats eager to send a message come Election Day!
NORTH ARLINGTON – There is something missing from the campaign of Kirk Del Russo, Lynette Cavadas and Donna Bocchino.
It’s the word Republican.
For nowhere in this campaign has the word been uttered by the Republican ticket.
Not in their literature, lawn signs or numerous Social Media postings.
Not even Mayor Dan Pronti utters the word, Republican.
Some have similar thoughts as to why, but many believe the local GOP candidates want to disassociate themselves from the controversial President of the United States Donald J Trump who finds himself in the midst of a potential impeachment and removal from office.
But Trump has a unique and special connection to North Arlington and that’s the ill-fated and bankrupt housing scheme know as EnCap, that was opposed by local Democrats like former Mayor Peter Massa and current Freeholder and former councilman Steve Tanelli while the plan to construct 1,500 units of housing and apply eminent domain seizure to make it happen was universally supported by Councilman Kirk Del Russo who was defeated in 2011 on this very issue and along with his mentor James “Jimmy” Bocchino never backed off on that support right until today!
“There is a stark contrast between North Arlington Democrats and Republicans and the difference is EnCap. Had EnCap ever been approved as Del Russo and Bocchino fought so hard to make it happen, the Federal Express Distribution Center never would have come to fruition and Porete Avenue would still be wasteland of lost economic opportunity,” noted one longtime observer when asked to comment.
And when you add EnCap and Donald Trump to the Republican equation, you can see why the distance they are trying to create days before the November 5th election is perilous!
Donald Trump.
EnCap.
Republican.
Three words Del Russo, Cavadas and Bocchino want to forget fast!
But longtime Councilman Mark Yampaglia, who has served on the Borough Council since 2005 remembers well the Republican support of this failed housing debacle.
“Had it not been for the Democrats at the time fighting the right fight, Federal Express could have never occurred. Stopping EnCap led to the approval and construction of the Fed/Ex distribution center we have today. We would not have one without stopping the other,” observed Yampaglia, a lifelong resident and ranking member of the Governing Body.
“What makes this so interesting is when we thought we had EnCap dead and buried, it was Donald Trump with the support of local Republicans that tried to resuscitate the project from eminent bankruptcy and foreclosure. Thankfully, Trump failed and North Arlington prevailed,” offered Yampaglia, the four-term Democrat and local attorney with offices in Rutherford and Jersey City.
Even Freeholder Steve Tanelli cites the defeat of EnCap as one of his most important accomplishments as an elected official.
“Had we lost that battle, who knows what would have happened to our Meadowlands parcels? Hundreds of apartments, low income rental units would have flooded North Arlington driving down home values and transforming North Arlington into an extension of Jersey City and Hudson County. Stopping EnCap and regulating the usage of eminent domain seizure as well as stopping Donald Trump was critical to our community and Democrats like former Mayor Massa and Councilman Mark Yampaglia made a difference,” offered the former councilman and Third Street homeowner.
“Trump, Del Russo and Bocchino are forever intertwined in the failure that was EnCap. It was a housing scheme they all supported and never apologized to residents for supporting arguably the single largest public policy disaster in North Arlington history,” charged one longtime resident who remembers well the ravages of that housing nightmare.
While Trump carried North Arlington in 2016 by a narrow margin, currently polling suggests Trump’s support has evaporated with about 60% of all NA voters opposing his reelection to a second term.
“North Arlington is not red or blue, but very purple. Trump wins in 2016 and the Democrats win for council. Murphy wins for governor in 2017 and the Republicans win for council. This is an electorate that crosses party lines and picks and chooses candidates from both parties. They are difficult to pin down,” said one Democratic observer of North Arlington politics.
Some believe it will be difficult for the two women in the race to embrace Donald Trump or the Republican brand.
“Bocchino in particular may have to explain her support of the President as well as her father’s past record as a twice defeated candidate for council. Cavadas is a newcomer and I doubt she will address her support of Donald Trump either. It’s a drag on the GOP ticket, especially with independent voters.”
Will the words Trump, EnCap or Republican come up in the debate scheduled for this Tuesday?
“We shall see,” said one confident, but cautious Democrat.
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