REPUBLICANS "DUCK & RUN" ON NEW COAH MANDATES!
Tanelli, Yampaglia call "debate necessary" to stop GOP
ducking on the issue of low income housing in North Arlington!
NORTH ARLINGTON - North Arlington Council President
Steve Tanelli and former Councilman Mark Yampaglia blasted GOP challengers
James Bocchino & James Herrmann for having "more positions on COAH
than Howie Mandel has empty suitcases" when it comes to the critical
issue of state imposed, housing mandates recently passed by the New
Jersey legislature.
Tanelli, an
ardent critic of COAH restrictions and the urbanization of North Arlington
was the author of the successful referendum vastly restricting eminent
domain seizure which was approved by voters with more than 80% of the vote
in 2006.
COAH is the Council on Afforable Housing, which was created by the Fair Housing Act of 1985 as the state legislature's response to a
series of court rulings known as Mount
Laurel. The NJ Supreme
Court established an obligation for each of the municipalities to establish a
"fair share" of low income housing.
At issue is the
definition of "fair" and how many units for a small suburban
community like North Arlington.
COAH is a
regulatory organization designed to promote
a municipalities adherence to COAH's policy objectives. While not
compelled, municipalities have little alternative but to comply given the
possibility of "builder's remedies" as a last resort. While
afilliation is considered "voluntary," most towns as well as the state's
League of Municipalities opposes the current COAH directives as excessive and
unreasonable.
Democrats Tanelli
& Yampaglia want to see COAH abolished and the Fair Housing Act revised.
North Arlington
Democrats have been on record for years opposing any construction of low income
housing within the brough's borders. The Republicans have consistently supported COAH, eminent domain seizure and the over development of the borough
in the form of Arlington
Valley, the 1,625
unit housing scheme by EnCap
Holdings which is now
bankrupt and suing the people of North Arlington.
"The
Republicans continue to play this game of being all things to all people. They refuse to take a firm stand against COAH while our home values hang in
the balance. This is most anti-homeowner ticket ever assembled and it's
time these candidates agree to face Mark and I in a live debate," observed
Tanelli, who has sought a debate with Bocchino & Herrmann for weeks, only
to be ignored.
"Aside from
EnCap, these new COAH regulations pose a serious threat to the small-town
character of North Arlington. There should be bipartisan support to prevent
North Arlington from becoming an extension of Jersey City and Hudson County. Why
our challengers are not joining us in opposition to this insanity is beyond
comprehension," noted Yampaglia, an attorney.
Last month,
Tanelli authored a letter to New Jersey Senate President Richard Codey seeking an exemption from COAH as it applies to the EnCap properties in the
Meadowlands.
"While I
believe the state legislature should work to repeal COAH and revisit the Fair Housing Act, I realize such action will take a
considerable time and effort to overcome the entrenched radical political
interests that favor socialized housing," said the Council
President.
"COAH is
nothing but an acronym for high density, over development that will
raise property taxes in North Arlington. The fact our opponents are now walking
door-to-door telling residents low income housing is OK borders on the
unbelievable," said Yampaglia.
Democrats believe
housing schemes like Arlington
Valley equate to another
school, a police sub station, more employees and higher taxes.
"When
will Bocchino & Herrmann explain to taxpayers how they intend to pay for
all these new people? Where are they going to site low income housing? What
will be the net effect on the borough's current housing stock? Will North
Arlington be saddled with hundreds of rental units? These are the questions I
want to ask my opponents in a debate," noted the Third Street homeowner.
"We've been
down this road before. The state's School Construction Corporation was supposed
to build all these new schools. $8 billion dollars later that built less than
50 new school facilities," charged the first-term Democrat.
"I walked
door-to-door in 2005, 2006 and in 2007. I heard in person this community's
opposition to EnCap, over development and low income housing. The voters are
tired of political insiders like Jimmy Bocchino who want to sell out
homeowners for another housing scheme. That's why I'm running again and
intend to win," noted the former councilman.
"People move
to North Arlington to get away from the politics of places like Jersey City and
Hudson County. They want a government that protects the integrity of our
suburban roots. It is our intention to keep North Arlington small,
safe and suburban no matter how hard Bocchino & Herrmann work with
those who want destroy North Arlington's small town charm for some urbanization
plan nobody supports," said the two Democrats.
"It's time
to stop hiding. It's time to stop ducking the voters. I demand these
Republicans stop hiding behind out-of-town dollars and outside political
help from the likes of EnCap and others and join us in accepting this
debate challenge. The voters are tired of the nonsense and "smoke and
mirrors" of our opponents," charged Tanelli.
