PARSIPPANY — Councilman Justin Musella announced his bid to unseat Mayoral incumbent James Barberio in the 2025 Republican primary, promising his new leadership will restore core Republican principles and accountability to township residents.
The 32-year-old Musella spoke to a crowd of more than 150 supporters outside Morris County Republican headquarters, where he outlined his vision for Parsippany as a place where families thrive, businesses can thrive, and town hall as a place of service, responsiveness, and accountability, not cronyism.
“I believe the time has come for new leadership, and that is why I’m thrilled to announce my candidacy to be mayor of this great township,” Musella said. “I promise to restore the Republican party of Parsippany to its core principles and offer the residents a way out from gut-punching tax hikes, taxpayer-funded overdevelopment, and political cronyism. Under my watch, Town Hall will be a place of service, not a club for the well-connected to violate the public trust.”
Elected to the council in 2021, Musella clashed with Barberio on several issues, including the Barberio-sponsored 14% property tax increase in 2022, Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) that favor union contractors and increase construction costs for major township development projects, and the six PILOT agreements that provide tax breaks for developers represented by former Township Attorney John Inglesino.
“Working families, seniors on fixed incomes, and our most vulnerable have suffered greatly under the failed policies of this administration,” Musella said. “But it doesn’t have to be this way.”
Musella said he would balance the budget without raising taxes, enhance town services without breaking the bank, attract new businesses without taxpayer subsidies, restore professional and accountable management at town hall, and improve relations with the township’s Board of Education.
Musella also revealed he and his wife, Courtney, are expecting their first child at the end of the year, which made him reflect on the type of town in which he wants to raise his son.
“I refuse to accept a declining quality of life, a feeling of insecurity, and a lack of responsiveness from elected officials,” Musella said. “You should, too.”
Musella appealed to his supporters to donate their time or money to his campaign and to message the current administration that enough is enough. “Together, we can make Parsippany a great place to live again,” Musella said.
The Republican primary for mayor is scheduled for June 2025.
Barberio, who is in his third non-consecutive term as mayor, said he will announce his plans for the 2025 election later.
Parsippany, which has more than 55,000 residents, is the largest town in Morris County and a swing district in state and national elections. Democrat Michael Soriano unseated Mayor Barberio in 2017 but then lost to Barberio in 2021.
