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New faces on ballot for Elmwood Park trustee
The names of Anthony "Tony" Del Santo and Philip Macantelli were recently removed from the window at the Elmwood Park Voice Party headquarters. The two are no longer a part of the party slate. | Photo by David Pollard~Staff reporter
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Updated: January 21, 2013 2:52PM
ELMWOOD PARK — It didn’t take the Elmwood Park Voice Party long to replace two original members who left in support of a different party in the April 2013 election.
James Pape and Rocco Carrozza are the newest additions to Voice Party slate after former long-time members Anthony “Tony” Del Santo and Philip Marcantelli left to throw their support behind the People’s Choice Party, headed by former state representative Angelo “Skip” Saviano, who is running for village president.
Pape and Carrozza are both vying for two trustee positions as members of Voice Party with their running mate, Elvis Hernandez, hoping to get the third trustee seat. Diane Marchetti is running for village clerk and Joe Ponzio for the village president seat as part of the slate.
Pape, 49, said he was asked by the remaining members of the Voice Party to become a part of their slate.
“I’ve told them if they needed any support from me I would be glad to help,” he said. “When they said ‘We would like you to join us.’ I said ‘OK.’ I was very surprised and I was surprised about this whole situation.”
Pape is married to Donna Abruzzo. They have three children, two girls and a boy. He works as a commercial real estate lender at Associated Bank in Chicago.
He grew up in the Galewood neighborhood and has always had strong ties to Elmwood Park before moving in.
“I feel very strongly about Elmwood Park,” he said. “We want to keep seeing the village the same way. I always wanted to live in Elmwood Park when I was young and I still want to live in Elmwood Park with my kids. It’s a great neighborhood.”
He said if elected he’d like to see is transparency in village government operations and continued police security to tackle crime.
“I think transparency is the most important thing,” he said. “Keeping the neighborhoods clean. Since my specialty is more in commercial real estate, I’d be looking at opportunities along Grand Avenue from Harlem to the Circle. There are opportunities to get things done in those areas.”
Carrozza, 60, has lived in Elmwood Park for 34 years and when he was called by the Voice Party to step up he gladly accepted. He runs a small plumbing business in River Grove.
If elected, he wants to make sure the village runs efficiently.
“I believe in fiscal responsibility and cutting wasteful spending,” he said. “I have a stake in Elmwood Park.”
