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 CAMPAIGN 2008:
GOP TAPS BOCCHINO, HERMANN FOR COUNCIL
 Former redevelopment commissioner with strong ties to EnCap teams up with ex-councilman who was removed from governing body after botched selection process and 1,000 vote defeat at the polls!
NORTH ARLINGTON - A former Republican Party operative & retired patronage employee with the Bergen County Utilities Authority has joined forces with a former school trustee and councilman who voted to raise property taxes 18.3% in 2003.
James "Jimmy" Bocchino and James Hermann will represent the Republican Party in the fall campaign. They will challenge incumbent Councilman Steve Tanelli and former Councilman Mark Yampaglia. Democrats currently hold a 4-2 majority on the governing body. Councilman James Ferriero, who was elected in 2002 and re-elected in 2005 is retiring and will not seek a third term.
Democrats were jubilant when hearing of the Republican ticket.
"This is exactly the match-up we've sought. This race is a contest between the past and the future. Mr. Bocchino is a former GOP fundraiser who had no problem accepting campaign donations from EnCap while he served as a member of the now defunct Redevelopment Authority. The voters rejected his candidacy in 2006 and they'll reject him again. In Mr. Hermann, we have the single largest tax & spend liberal to serve on the governing body. He has the distinction of raising taxes significantly as both a school trustee as well as a councilman. He was overwhelmingly rejected in 2003 for re-election by nearly 1,000 votes. Mr. Herrmann was a proud member of the most fiscally incompetent administration in borough history. Finally, we have two unabashed EnCap Republicans on the same ticket desperate to turn the clock backwards on homeowners," observed Nicholas Antonicello, the Democratic Party chairman.
According to documents secured by NA Today, then Mayor Russ Pitman requested state intervention in the construction of the 2003 municipal budget, the last budget controlled by local Republicans.
In a letter dated March 11, 2003 Pitman contacted Matthew Watkins, the director of Local Government Services and questioned how "the application of $565,000 in surplus to balance last year's budget, when there was only $508,807.01. This result of operations for the year ended December 21,2002, has left the Borough with a deficit in cash surplus
of $242,927."
The letter also outlined cash overdrafts of $185,059, $214,104 and $1,251,809 respectively.
 Pitman warned the state of the Republican practice of over expenditures despite warnings by previous auditors appointed by their own party to cease this practice. Based on these fiscal practices, Pitman stated to Watkins that the Borough had found itself with a revenue shortfall and an estimated tax increase, "based upon the worksheets presented by the Finance Committee a worst case scenario of some $1.9M or a 24 cent increase."
Based on his support of EnCap and high taxes, Mr. Herrmann was easily defeated for re-election finishing a distant third to former Councilwoman Carey Ann Rosenblatt, 2,260 to 1,398 or 862 votes.
After his landslide loss, Republicans appointed Herrmann to the council vacancy created by the resignation of Councilman James Ward, who moved. Mr. Herrmann's appointment was overturned in a taxpayer lawsuit filed by Ken Ludviksen, a borough resident and president of the North Arlington Democratic Club. The controversial appointment of Mr. Herrmann was deemed "null & void" on April 1, 2004.
Democrats believe each ticket offers a stark contrast in direction for North Arlington.
"They want to go back to the past. They supported EnCap and placed the Borough in the predicament we find ourselves today. Democrats have fought the EnCap project and put our financial house in order. There is nothing in the record or resume of either challenger that suggests a pro-homeowner, point-of-view. We will simply compare and contrast the failures of the past versus the progress of the future and we believe the voters will do the same," suggested Councilman Al Grannell, who will play a critical role in the re-election of local Democrats.
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