The Bocchino fiasco.

An unqualified embarrassment for NA homeowners!

Last October North Arlington Democrats made Jim Bocchino's support of EnCap and long association with Len Kaiser were centerpieces to a landslide victory that resulted in the re-election of Democratic Councilmen Steve Tanelli and Mark Yampaglia.

Democrats won because they reminded voters that "backsliding" to the days of Kaiser Machine running the community isn't a very good idea given that record of dismal failure, squandered host fees and high taxes.

The people agreed.

In addition, they were critical of Bocchino's record as a member of the now defunct, North Arlington Redevelopment Agency (NARA) where he served as a "cheerleader" for EnCap and voted "yes" to appoint the DeCotiis law firm - the very law firm that sued North Arlington as EnCap's attorney for bond counsel!

This is the same Jim Bocchino who has a daughter employed at the NJMC and was in fact an employee of the agency himself!

Democrats rightly and correctly pointed out Bocchino's long association with former mayor Len Kaiser, the seat Bocchino will fill as the Republican appointment to this state agency where Kaiser served as a "McGreevey" appointment since 2003.

This is the same Jim Bocchino who tried to get former mayor Russ Pitman re-elected in the 2006 Democratic Primary even though he's a Republican. Bocchino spent as much time at that Belleville Pike headquarters as Pitman and was in fact in the building the night Pitman was easily defeated by then Councilman Pete Massa by a 2-1 margin!

The same Jim Bocchino was also a Republican candidate for council in the fall of 2006 challenging Al Granell & Sal DiBlasi, two ardent opponents of EnCap, eminent domain seizure and low income housing. Bocchino would finish fifth in a field of six after bragging throughout political circles he would coast to an easy win!

His arrogance is almost as obnoxious as his political ignorance.

After being defeated in 2006, Jim Bocchino would take a second shot at running for council after local Democrats Phil Spanola & Mark Yampaglia would be political casualties in a 2007 property tax hike caused by EnCap! Despite a 33% increase attributed to EnCap and those who supported the controversial project, Republicans Hughes & Bianchi won a narrow victory.

Bocchino was so convinced of victory a second time around he blasted NA Democrats and Mayor Massa at the annual League of Municipalities reception in Atlantic City boasting how the locals were done in North Arlington and that Mayor Massa would be in effect a "lame duck" if Republicans would seize local control!

Sensing blood in the water, back comes Jim Bocchino this time with former councilman James Herrmann, who was removed from office in 2004 by a Bergen County judge! Bocchino & Herrmann would run their pro-development, pro-EnCap, pro-low income housing campaign to the same result, a landslide victory for the Tanelli/Yampaglia team! 

So the former business partner & political lieutenant of the former NA mayor for more than three decades has now been approved by state Democrats to take the same seat held by Kaiser for more than six years?

And who does this make sense too?

Does anything ever change?

What does this man know about redevelopment?

His time on the defunct NARA was nothing short of a disaster. What qualifications or skill set does he bring to the table? What's on his resume that makes him a qualified successor for this vacancy?

The answer is simple.

Nothing.

This is raw politics at its worst!

A political hack moving up the food chain and why?

Those who support this appointment have been mysteriously silent.

Why would Governor Corzine approve such a poor choice for such an important post?

Why would Bocchino refuse comment in the newspapers?

Isn't he a public official sworn to uphold the duties of this appointment and should be available for public comment?

Isn't this the same individual who ran for council and refused to debate his opponents?

How can you be a public figure, but refuse to engage the media?

How long can Mr Bocchino hide from the public he pretends to represent?

Does one have to be a follower and supporter of Len Kaiser to be named to a seat on the NJMC?

It would seem so. 

Are there no other Republicans in South Bergen qualified to serve?

Why Jim Bocchino?

That's the $64,000 question that will never be answered because those who support this nomination don't want to talk about it. They just want everyone to go along like "sheep" waiting in line for the slaughter! 

They believe the public is just stupid and they know better than the voter.

The arrogance is so thick you can cut it with a knife.

He wanted this appointment and the powers that be in Trenton secured it for him.

Will he assist Mayor Massa on such important issues as keeping the baler open?

Or will he continue his partisan ways by using this appointment as nothing more than a venue for patronage and favors to friends, relatives and cronies?

The NJMC has become a dumping ground for unqualified appointments enabling poor public policy.

That result was EnCap.

Will these people ever learn?

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Was EnCap worth the fight?

Borough finally out from under the thumb of the NJMC to chart it's own redevelopment course!

Was it worth it?

The years of legal fees, headaches and controversy?

North Arlington went into the fight against EnCap alone and emerged a winner - alone.

There were no allies. No help from the NJMC. No help from the governor. No help from the legislature or the county.

No help from anyone.

North Arlington was on it's own - and despite the odds won this battle to stop Arlington Valley and EnCap.

The professional naysayers and political opposition will weed through the 46-page decision and try to find political hay when at the end of the day, they were nowhere to be found when people like Pete Massa, Steve Tanelli, Al Granell, Sal DiBlasi and yes, Mark Yampaglia had the courage to move forward and litigate a proposal that if built in this economic environment would have had catastrophic consequences on this community.

Was it worth it to stop 1,600 units of housing? Was it worth it stop a plan that would have forked over 40% of all future tax revenues to EnCap?

Was it worth it?

Was it worth it to stop the application of eminent domain seizure on dozens of thriving companies that play by the rules and employ hundreds of local residents?

Was it worth it to stop the construction of low income housing which would have urbanized North Arlington into an extension of Jersey City & Hudson County? Units that would have dragged down the values of every home in town?

Was it worth it?

Was it worth a protracted court battle to stop the infusion of thousands of cars along Schuyler Avenue and the Belleville Turnpike? Was it worth it to stop North Arlington from having to build another school, firehouse and police sub station that had an initial price tag of $75 million with NA homeowners picking up the bill with no help from EnCap?

Was it worth it to ask local legislators to fight to keep the baler open and lobby for $800,000 in lost host fees while the GOP stood on the sidelines hoping North Arlington would fail?

Was it worth it for local Democrats to take on members of their own party while one former GOP mayor received a promotion at the BCUA and an appointment at the NJMC because he was more than willing to go along with EnCap?

While local Democrats fought county Democrats over principle, one former GOP mayor was awarded for putting politics first and North Arlington last!

Was it worth it?

Was it worth it for Democrats to challenge a sitting Democratic incumbent and defeat him in the primary over the issue of EnCap?

Was it worth it?

And now North Arlington must refund $2.4 million in fees former Mayor Russ Pitman accepted while then Councilman Pete Massa and Councilman Steve Tanelli rejected.

Was it worth it?

Was it worth it for Mayor Massa to reach out to Councilman Mark Yanpaglia, get him to switch his position and work with a new majority to keep the project from becoming reality?

Was it worth it?

Was it worth it for then Councilman Massa to call upon the US Attorney to investigate this debacle? To cooperate with the Inspector General and go on the record with investigative reporters and stop Arlington Valley once and for all?

Was it worth it for Mayor Massa to take on Lyndhurst Mayor Rich DiLascio who sent his political consultant into NA to try to beat him because he opposed EnCap?

In the end, history will be the judge.

But Pete Massa, Steve Tanelli, Sal DiBlasi, Mark Yampaglia, Jim Ferriero, Al Granell as well as Rich Hughes and Joe Bianchi did agree on moving this case forward and getting out from under the thumb of EnCap. They all voted yes to move forward with a case that would decide our fate and in the end, North Arlington won.

Yes, it was worth it.

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More nonsense at the NA BOE:

LEGAL FOLLIES!

The North Arlington Board of Education must be one of the only school district in New Jersey where the attorney of record does not handle the collective bargaining responsibilities as it pertains to the teachers contract, and other non-instructional personnel.

Anthony P. Sciarrillo, the board's attorney was "snubbed" by board trustees Karen Palatella, George McDermott and Anthony Blanco to handle the teacher negotiations. Mr. Sciarrillo wasn't passed over because he's not qualified, he was passed over for reasons unknown to fellow board members Sharon Granell and Kathy Kartanowicz who voted against this ridiculous measure to add another law firm and legal bill in the midst of the worst economic recession since World War II!

So much for keeping taxpayers first!

In fact, Mr. Sciarrillo is an expert in collective bargaining.

Mr. Sciarrillo has a 26-year resume and body of work as Assistant Counsel to the New Jersey School Boards Association as well as Assistant Director of Compliance for teams that monitored the Abbott school districts in Camden, Jersey City and Hoboken.

So why was Mr. Sciarrillo not given the opportunity to negotiate with the local teachers?

Who interviewed this firm?

Why wasn't Kartanowicz or Granell part of the process?

Why wasn't Mr. Sciarrillo even considered based on his resume and qualifications?

Who did these interviews?

Oilver Stringham? Schools Business Administrator Kathy Marano?

Why was Kartanowicz and Granell excluded?

What makes this all the more laughable is that Mr. Sciarrillo was just hired in neighboring East Rutherford to handle a labor grievance for the Carlstadt-East Rutherford Regional school district!

He was hired as a "special" labor counsel.

The exact position he didn't get in North Arlington where he currently serves as board attorney!

While the Becton Regional school district thinks Anthony Sciarrillo is a pretty good attorney, the majority of trustees in North Arlington have inexplicably passed over a "labor expert" for a firm in Newark for reasons that continue to remain a mystery to board members as well as parents and students!

Mr. Sciarrillo is charging that district $165 hour with a $10,000 cap or 60.6 hours for legal representation. North Arlington hired the law firm of Adams, Stern Gutierrez with a cap of $7,500, but no hourly rate was ever made public by the NA BOE!

So what is the rate Adams, Stern Gutierrez is charging taxpayers for these legal services?

Does the North Arlington Board of Education believe everyone is just stupid and they can do whatever they want?

The arrogance of this majority borders on the absurd.

The North Arlington Board of Education has been a mediocre district for decades.

Anyone who questions the actions of this district is branded "anti-education" or against children.

It's the same tired and lame argument propped up by school employees who can't justify their own salaries, much less provide quality education to students that homeowners can afford!

So when is Mr. McDermott, Mrs. Palatella or Mr. Blanco going to explain the hiring of a law firm that was clearly not needed?

Instead of wasting tax dollars on additional law firms to do the work the attorney you already have can handle, maybe the district can explain its relationship with the controversial North Arlington Education Foundation and why an organization with hundreds of thousands of dollars doesn't pay the district a single dime in rent for the space they use each and every day?

Is the North Arlington Board of Education so flush with funds that it can allow a tenant free services instead of charging a reasonable fee for services rendered?

Because if they don't have to charge rent to the North Arlington Education Foundation, maybe all borough leagues and organizations should be offered the same exact deal as the NAEF!

The North Arlington school district needs to be accountable to taxpayers.

The hiring of another law firm is duplicative and a waste of tax dollars.

There was no justification for this hiring.

Thankfully, there will be a school election come the Spring.

Indications are very high that several newcomers are considering a run for school trustee. That's good news for parents and students.

It's time this school district explained this legal madness.

More importantly, Mr. Sciarrillo deserves an apology from this majority who seems more interested in politics than responsible governance.

The time for real change at the BOE is now.

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Who to choose?

While no vacancy exists for chairman, Bergen Dems scramble around developer and union chief as a possible successor to Joe Ferriero!

While the name Joe Ferriero may be perceived as a lightening rod of controversy within Democratic circles, Ferriero's decade long tenure as chairman of the Bergen Democratic Committee has resulted in the most successful run for Democrats in a "swing" county historically controlled by the GOP.

Currently facing legal woes, Ferriero has taken a leave-of-absence from the day to day duties to this non-paying position to focus on his legal defense.

Vice-Chairman Kay Nest of Fort Lee has been serving as interim chairman. But while Democrats continued to win with the election of Vernon Walton over Paul Duggan for freeholder (click here - see attached), the GOP carried far more towns than Democrats and the totals are way off the high water mark of 55 towns carried by County Executive Dennis McNerney in his landslide re-election over former Freeholder Todd Caliguire in 2006.

Top Democratic officials such as Congressman Steve Rothman and NJ Senator Loretta Weinberg have called for Ferriero's immediate removal. While politically expedient, most observers don't believe this is a realistic course of action. In the meantime, two candidates have seemed to emerge as the party faithful's choices. Rothman has been a friend to North Arlington for many years. He'll have the support of local Democrats if and when he seeks statewide office.

At the same time, Ferriero is popular with many county Democrats just the same and there are those who like both choices.

The first chairman to win every freeholder seat, it was Ferriero who elected the first Democrat as county executive as well as take back the office of sheriff not once, but twice. Under Ferriero, Bergen Democrats have three state senators and four members of the state assembly as well as healthy margin of control of Bergen's 70 municipalities.

Two names have begin to surface as candidates interested in succeeding Ferriero should he retire from the post he's held for ten years.

Union leader Richard "Buzzy" Dressel and Michael Kasparian, a developer and chairman of the Northwest Bergen County Utilities Authority seem to be the two names people mention when speaking of a potential chairman's race. Both are relative newcomers to the party with little name recognition outside the inside game of county politics.

To our knowledge, neither of them possess the political skills or leadership of Ferriero.

Neither of them are "household" names with anyone, much less the county committee of some 1,100 members that would vote to replace Mr. Ferriero.

And one wonders who will really control the party should either of these candidates emerge as the next county leader?

Say what you want about Ferriero, but his long shadow of party success will be a difficult for any successor to follow.

Ferriero is likeable, persuasive, and a proficient fundraiser with longstanding relationships with party leaders and elected officials at various levels of government.

He was the architect of the party's revival in Bergen County.

The choices of Mr. Dressel and Mr. Kasparian seem on the surface, weak and thin.

The Democratic Party needs a true leader who has the respect of county government to lead the party into next year's gubernatorial election.

Democrats need a leader who can raise money and continue the winning success of Mr. Ferriero. Party politics is different from running the government. In a party leader you need a disciplined and smart individual who can raise money as well as recruit good candidates to serve the public.

Democrats need someone with an "institutional memory" of where this party has been and where it needs to go.

Neither Dressel or Kasparian seem to fit that "prototype" of an effective party leader that the rank & file members can rally around in these uncertain political times.

North Arlington Democrats have twenty members of the Bergen Democratic Committee.

They will have a responsibility to pick someone who can lead and win. It will be interesting to see how this shapes up in the coming weeks should Chairman Ferriero make the decision to leave the party's helm.

North Arlington Democrats have won consistently over the last several years because their governance is fiscally conservative, anti-EnCap and opposed to low income housing. While local Democrats easily defeated the GOP, Democrats lost in Wallington as well as Rutherford, East Rutherford and Carlstadt. 

State Democrats should take notice how and why North Arlington Democrats win, especially now with Republicans making a bit of a comeback here in the 36th legislative district. They toppled the twenty-year reign of Leonard Kaiser and have stood tall for taxpayers when it came to removing former Democratic Mayor Russ Pitman from office for the fiscally conservative Pete Massa as the community's new chief executive. Democrats have also done a good job of recruiting younger elected officials such as Council President Steve Tanelli, Councilman Al Granell and Councilman-elect Mark Yampaglia.

North Arlington Democrats would be wise to watch this situation develop before making any decisions as to whom they will support.

"We'll look at all of our options before making any decisions. We'll be unified in our endorsement. We'll all be on the same page. We'll endorse as a "political unit" if and when an election takes place for the chairmanship," observed one Massa confidante.

That sounds like a sober course of action.

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WHEN WILL ENCAP JUST GO AWAY?

It's time for the NJMC, county and state officials to take the side of North Arlington and end this fiasco once and for all!

When will the taxpayers of North Arlington be rid of EnCap once and for all?

It's a question state and regional officials should be asking themselves as all attempts to revive this bankrupt developer from Chapter 11 seem stronger than ever despite the financial hardship this project has placed on North Arlington for the better part of three years with hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees spent to stop something nobody wants!

If one needed any additional proof EnCap could care less about North Arlington, think about this statement by EnCap lawyer David Bass, who argued potential hardships facing North Arlington homeowners are not persuasive:

"(North Arlington) is not a party to the agreement and even if it is true that North Arlington would be harmed, that is simply a consequence of a contractual agreement that the (NJMC) signed."

Those in charge at the NJMC are doing nothing to help North Arlington, as usual.

After accepting solid waste operations for five decades and 118 municipalities in the region, the NJMC simply let the agreement with Waste Management expire.

Why didn't the NJMC officially notify North Arlington of such action?

When is the state of New Jersey going to take any responsibility for the mess they created in the first place?

When is the NJMC, Governor Jon Corzine and other state officials going to seriously address the financial impact this baler closing will have on this municipality?

All important questions that remain unanswered.

The NJMC picked EnCap, not North Arlington. The NJMC waived the bidding process. The NJMC is responsible for the baler closing.

As usual, the victim here is North Arlington.

On March 17th North Arlington will finally get it's day in court with EnCap.

Many believe the baler closure was just another attack upon North Arlington to force them back to the bargaining table and accept Arlington Valley as is!

Mayor Pete Massa has been consistent in his opposition to EnCap.

EnCap does not care about the community. If they did, they would settle out-of-court and work with those elected to manage this community and acknowledge the level of opposition to the project.

Instead, they fight on.

They seem almost obsessed with building Arlington Valley no matter how many times the voters say no.

It's as if they simply don't care what the people want.

It's what they want that matters.

North Arlington needs to speak out.

Call the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission and demand answers. Attend NJMC meetings and ask them why this baler facility cannot remain open?

What is the compelling reason?

Ask Executive Director Robert Ceberio what he is doing to work with North Arlington through this mess created by the state of New Jersey?

When is the NJMC going to start listening?

Call the NJMC at (201) 460-1700.

Ask for Robert Ceberio who serves as executive director.

Maybe if they heard from homeowners, things might finally change.

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RUNNING ON EMPTY!

Republicans run another lackluster effort as Democrats continue to stay focused and disciplined!

Some Democrats look towards upcoming BOE race to keep spending & property taxes under control!

While Republicans empty another headquarters, local Democrats invest in new technology like the Internet to stay relevant with voters not just at election time, but all year long.

"What's the purpose of a headquarters in 2008? It's a hangout for self-appointed political experts who know next to nothing about running a winning effort. That empty headquarters is representative of a political party that has no idea how to win a 21st century campaign," chuckled one Democrat as he watched losing candidate Jim Bocchino clear out the contents of another landslide loss.

"They just don't get it. They run from the standpoint that Len Kaiser is popular and that lawn signs somehow vote. They think running these whispering campaigns amongst borough employees gets them votes. The quality of campaign Democrats run is superior to the GOP at every level," said another Democrat and supporter of Mayor Pete Massa.

"North Arlington Democrats are unified. We now have three young council members who are energetic and engaged in Tanelli, Granell and Yampaglia. Who do the Republicans have? That bench is empty," observed Democratic Municipal Chairman Nick Antonicello.

Democrats said sweeping the local elections despite a McCain win over Obama in North Arlington made the victory all the more special.

"They were convinced they couldn't lose. Never underestimate the competition. Always empathize with your opponent. We always run as if we're losing. We don't take a single vote for granted," noted Antonicello.

Many Democrats are taking a hard look at the partisan actions of Superintendent of Schools Ollie Stringham along with board trustee Anthony Blanco who both endorsed Bocchino & Herrmann in last week's municipal contest.

"Stringham & Blanco are Republicans who worked against Councilman Tanelli and Councilman-elect Yampaglia. It's a shame they would get involved in a partisan election when the school board is supposed to be void of politics. I wonder how they would feel if the Democrats took an active role in the 2009 school races? These people are polarizing the community by taking a position against the Democrats and that's bad news for public education here in North Arlington," noted Antonicello.

Democrats are also upset by the fact that the a majority of school trustees are now looking to charge various recreation programs for usage of the district's facilities while the not-for-profit North Arlington Education Foundation pays zero rent despite having over $150,000 in surplus funds according to their 2007 990 federal tax returns.

Others want to know how many people work for the SACC program and who's in charge. According to sources, Mayor Pete Massa met with Stringham on this very matter, but was stone walled and not given any information despite the fact Mr. Stringham serves as a trustee to SACC.

Massa, who declined to be interviewed for this story is not happy with the board's continued partisan tone against local Democrats.

"I think it's inappropriate for school officials to meet with partisan candidates for public office days before a municipal election. As a former school trustee, I never engaged in that kind of activity and I would hope in the future the school board develop policies that prevent this kind f politics from occuring again in the future," noted Massa.

Democrats are livid that Bocchino & Herrmann apparently met with NJMC Executive Director Robert Ceberio on the possible closure of the E-1 landfill and baler facility.

"North Arlington was never officially notified, but Jim Bocchino knows before the elected representatives of the Mayor & Council? Did the NJMC resolute this action? Why was North Arlington never notified except to respond to a newspaper inquiry by The Record of Hackensack four days before the election?" questioned Councilman Al Granell, the party's 2008 campaign manager and close ally of Congressman Steve Rothman.

Despite the partisan shenanigans, Democrats were nevetheless happy with the results.

"All of our enemies had written the obituary of this campaign before the polls even opened, much less closed. The rumors that I couldn't win are a bit comical given the size of our victory. I'm very relieved this is now in the past and I look forward to working with Mayor Massa and my colleagues on the council in keeping North Arlington small, safe and suburban," observed Councilman-elect Mark Yampaglia.

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The $1 Investment in Seniors!

Mayor Massa seeks funds to buy a brand new bus while the GOP wants to buy a "jalopy" from the BOE for $1!

If one ever wanted to really know what North Arlington Republicans think about seniors, all they had to do was read this week's edition of The Leader Newspapers.

Mayor Pete Massa was clear and concise, let's get a new bus.

But what's up with the North Arlington GOP?

While Bocchino and Herrmann pander and promise football fields and new high schools to just about anyone who will listen, the Republican solution for a senior bus is to purchase a "jalopy" from the Board of Education for $1!

That's right.

GOP Councilman Joe Bianchi and Republican school trustee Tony Blanco think a bus with 450,000 miles and no air condition is somehow a solution for people who have spent decades supporting this community with their tax dollars?

While Mr. Blanco has no problem raising taxes as a school trustee, his solution for those pulling the wagon is a $1 investment in some old bus?

Give us a break.

It's nothing short of an insult to suggest that some old bus the BOE is about to junk is borders on the ridiculous.

Thankfully, thoughtful council members like Al Granell and Steve Tanelli are rejecting such a stupid notion and are seeking various funding options to make this investment in our senior community.

Seniors should remember this taxpayer insult when Mr. Blanco touts the benefits of raising your school taxes again, much the same way he did during his miserable tenure as superintendent of schools!

North Arlington Democrats would never insult seniors in this fashion.

Mayor Pete Massa's parents live in North Arlington and he understands the importance of taking care of our most vulnerable citizens. Mayor Massa, Council President Steve Tanelli and Councilman Al Granell, keeping North Arlington small, safe and suburban is more than a slogan, it's true vision for the future of our community!

If seniors needed one reason to reject the empty candidacy of Mr. Bocchino & Mr. Herrmann, this is it.

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Ending credit card government.