Dear Editor:
Recently, I read an endorsement written by Assemblyman Brian Bergen in the Parsippany Focus. The letter to the editor is full of generalizations supporting the incumbent candidate and attacking Mr. Musella. The purpose of my letter is to ask Mr. Bergen, who does not live in Parsippany, if he agrees with the following statements and can provide specific reasons supporting or not agreeing with these contentions:
Just to be clear and upfront, the six statements below come from a recent Barberio mailer:
1. PILOTS provide our local school system with additional dollars without raising property taxes.
2. PILOTS also shift tax burdens from homeowners to businesses.
3. Turn vacant buildings into tax-generating properties.
4. Stop vacant buildings from turning into Phil Murphy’s affordable housing
5. Hold developers accountable through yearly audits
6. Provide hundreds of jobs for Parsippany residents.
Now let’s get specific:
For starters, please explain how the Tax Abatements, which are disguised as PILOTS that have a 30-year life, will have no affect on homeowner property taxes. Will the properties developed contribute their fair and full share of tax money supporting the students they add to the School District? How will the tax abatements shift tax burdens from homeowners to businesses? Obviously, someone loses in this scenario. I think 800 Parsippany residents at a Council Meeting in December of 2023 knew that something was amiss and they would get the short end of the stick.
I believe each of Residential PILOTS have an affordable housing component. Please explain how the statement above with respect to affordable housing is contrived. Whether a building is occupied or vacant it still carries a tax burden and provides income to the township.
Mr. Bergen states that new politicians like Justin Musella run on bold platforms that can cause lasting damage if elected. I occasionally attend Town Council meetings and routinely watch videos of the meetings I do not attend. I can say Justin Musella demonstrates knowledge of the issues and is not accurately portrayed in Mr. Bergen’s letter.
The PILOTS are front and center in this election on June 10th and carry the dysfunctional concept that Mr. Bergen attempts to illustrate.
Parsippany awaits Mr. Bergen’s reply.
Patrick DiVitantonio
Parsippany Taxpayer and Lifelong Resident
