Yudin: Ferriero investigation will not decide freeholder race

Bergen County Republican Chairman Bob Yudin said today that the federal investigation of his Democratic counterpart, Joe Ferriero, “will have little impact” on the local freeholder and county clerk race this year.

“Joe Ferriero is not on the ballot, but freeholders David Ganz, Bernadette McPherson and Vernon Walton are and they have an abysmal record of governing that they must defend separate from Mr. Ferriero’s possible ethical problems,” he said in a statement.

Instead, Yudin listed a number of unpopular policies that he said the freeholders would have likely supported without the influence of Ferriero. 

“I don’t think Joe Ferriero put a gun to David Ganz’s head and told him to vote for $133 million in new spending. I don’t think Joe Ferriero twisted  Bernadette McPherson’s arm and told her to support over $125 million in new borrowing this year or to back the  disastrous EnCap Project. I don’t think Mr. Ferriero forced Freeholder Walton to vote for this year’s $23 million tax hike,” he said.  “I don’t believe Mr. Ferriero forced Freeholders Ganz and  McPherson to allow the  misuse of  the taxpayer money from the county open space trust fund.  I don’t think Mr. Ferriero threatened Ganz and McPherson and told them to look the other away while the Bergen County Improvement Authority was strong- arming towns to take loans so the agency could pay big fees to consultants to Democratic contributors.”

Reached for comment today, Freeholder David Ganz said that he’s supported measures on the freeholder board that it took time for other establishment Democrats to come around to, like establishing the office of Public Advocate for Land Use.  He also mentioned the County Wellness Program, which he said saves residents on prescription costs.

‘If you look at the laundry list of accomplishments, I have a list as long as your arm in terms of what I’ve brought to the freeholder board,” he said.

McPherson and Walton could not be reached for comment.