MASSA WILL CHALLENGE PITMAN IN PRIMARY

MASSA WILL CHALLENGE PITMAN IN PRIMARY
Seeks to Overturn EnCap Agreement, Restrict Eminent Domain
Two Members of Property Rights Coalition Will Join Massa on Ballot

NORTH ARLINGTON - Calling the seizure of private property and the construction of the controversial EnCap high density housing project the defining differences between himself and the incumbent, North Arlington Councilman Peter Massa filed papers today to challenge Mayor Russ Pitman in the June 6 Democrat Primary.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 10, 2006
CONTACT: Rick Shaftan (973) 726-8114

MASSA WILL CHALLENGE PITMAN IN PRIMARY
Seeks to Overturn EnCap Agreement, Restrict Eminent Domain
Two Members of Property Rights Coalition Will Join Massa on Ballot

NORTH ARLINGTON - Calling the seizure of private property and the construction of the controversial EnCap high density housing project the defining differences between himself and the incumbent, North Arlington Councilman Peter Massa filed papers today to challenge Mayor Russ Pitman in the June 6 Democrat Primary.

"The Democratic Party I know doesn't support random development and the usage of eminent domain to seize private property. The Pitman Administration has become a stooge for overdevelopment, EnCap and Low Income Housing. North Arlington supports neither EnCap nor eminent domain. The time to change course is now," declared Massa.

Massa will run with two community activists opposed to EnCap and eminent domain, Salvatore DiBlasi and Al Granell.

"This election is about leadership that is independent of political insiders and developers. I don't support EnCap and will work to void the borough’s agreement with the developer while protecting taxpayers from the ills of eminent domain," said the retired police sergeant.

Massa, a life-long North Arlington resident is a life-time law enforcement official. A retired police sergeant with the North Arlington Police Department, Massa is a former president of the local Policeman Benevolent Association. Massa is currently employed with an interstate police agency.

A graduate of Rutgers University with a Master's in Public Administration, Massa has taught Criminal Justice at the collegiate level. Elected in 2004 to the Borough Council, Massa served six years as a member of the North Arlington Board of Education. An Eighth Street homeowner, Massa is married with two adult sons.

DiBlasi, a U.S. Navy veteran, is co-owner of Cobra Construction of Porete Avenue – one of the properties the borough is seeking to condemn to turn over to the developers of the EnCap project – Cherokee-Porete LLC. He has lived in town for 21 years and currently resides on Hendel Avenue. He has two grown children. His company, which employs 12 people, has been in the borough since 1993.

Granell, 44, is married and he and his wife Sharon have two school age children. They have lived on Ridge Road for the past 18 years. He is a UPS manager in Mahwah. His home and his father-in-law’s business, Art Roberts Studio – are being targeted for eminent domain by the borough to make way for a town house development.

DiBlasi and Granell said they are running to protect private property throughout the borough from the wrath of eminent domain condemnations and to battle the EnCap project.

“If the government can take my property, they can take anyone’s property to satisfy the greed of any developer,� said Granell. “I will make sure everyone’s property is safe from the abuse of eminent domain.�

DiBlasi said the June 6 Primary election will serve as the referendum on the EnCap development. “Mayor Pitman won’t allow the town to vote in a referendum on the EnCap development, so June 6 will be the public referendum on EnCap,� said DiBlasi. “Anyone who opposes this massive project that will tragically remake the future of North Arlington should come out and vote in the Democratic Primary against Mayor Pitman and the EnCap interests.�

“There is only one way to save North Arlington and that is by stopping EnCap,� DiBlasi added. “And the only way to stop EnCap is for North Arlington voters to turn out in big numbers in the June 6th Democratic Primary for the Massa-DiBlasi-Granell team.�

-30-