Dear Editor:
December 16th Council concerning more PILOT deals being imposed on the Town by corporate developers was Political Theatre, and Narrative Manipulation by private interest seemingly arranged by John Inglesino. The Sham Court like atmosphere brought into Council Chambers, smelled of intimidation, extortion, and a fast track arranged for the “Lame Duck” Council after the recent elections results.
What took place in Council on December 16, with the slide show of numbers and the Zoom Court Master of Developers Remedy, which openly intimidated Parsippany with a Lawsuit if the developer did not receive a PILOT, should be looked into by State Authorities. The threat was over the top in what a corporate developer may do to a community, in some reckless process of developing anywhere, they pleased, and ignoring land-use laws and principles to punish a town, if it did not accept a 30 year PILOT. This was in my opinion gangsterism.
Many questions were not answered or even given time to conceive. for example.
P.L. 2024, c. 6: Signed in March 2024, this law specifically authorizes municipalities to grant a PILOT to affordable housing projects receiving State or municipal trust funds, streamlining the process for such developments.
*Note. Enables municipalities to offer. “Not developers to offer municipalities PILOTS or else at the last minute “
Purpose: The law is designed to incentivize developers to build in areas identified by a municipality as “in need of redevelopment or rehabilitation” where projects might not otherwise be financially feasible due to high costs and potential tax burdens.
How exactly is the developer not financially feasible, and if so, why was this developer allowed to take us to the threshold of the Round Four deadline, before the PILOT? Remember these developers already own the land, nature created that, and rents and fees are unearned income.
Mechanism: Instead of paying conventional property taxes on the improvements, the developer makes an “annual service charge” (the PILOT payment) to the municipality based on a percentage of annual gross revenue (typically 10-15%) or total project costs (up to 2%).
* Note: Seems benefits do not outweigh the mechanism or service charges. How does our (RCA) Regional Contributions Agreements fit into all this, and how much revenue is being generated toward this by the sending municipalities?
In other words how does Parsippany’s Regional Contribution Agreement (if any) fit into this. Regional Sending Municipalities contribute certain amounts to the Transfer Municipality that have the required in need of redevelopment properties. This was never brought up, what is Parsippany’s Regional Obligation in satisfying regional needs?
In addition:
Developers: Receive a property tax exemption on improvements for a period of 10 to 30 years, improving the project’s net operating income and facilitating financing. How does this contradict the above Mechanism, and actual PILOT payments?
Municipalities: Retain 95% of the PILOT revenue directly (with 5% going to the county), as these funds are not required to be shared with school districts in the same way conventional property taxes are. Senior Citizens on set incomes with no children in school are not given any reduction in their share of the BOE taxes, as a just compensation.
Mount Laurel remains in it’s application and give away to private real estate and big money, a flawed system of an actual need; affordable housing, not being met in it’s low and moderate income shortages, while promoting Market Will Bare, but economy will not reality. (nor will nature remaining).
Apparently Mr. Inglesino Dream is the workers in the Warehouses given PILOTS will somehow live in the Market Spaces and stimulate Parsippany’s businesses. That is if they are given good pay, and benefits, which seems to be the opposite in the America of today.
The bipartisan position by Council should of been Councilwoman Hernandez voting No ,with Councilman McGrath to save the integrity of the Town, and the Political Parties. Paul Carifi reasoning siting the BOE refusal a new school construction, and receiving monies from the town detached from a PILOT was oranges and apples, a non-sequitur. Councilman Musella sudden change of position on PILOTs, and having John Inglesino as a guest on his Podcasts, demonstrates he should not be trusted again for Public Office. Councilman Neglia seems to have followed the script of the Mayor.
No bipartisanship was ever shown during Mayor Soriano time during the the water infrastructure failures, and COVID.
Lastly Thanks to Mayor Soriano Parsippany had completed Highlands Conformance, which John Inglesino made sure Parsippany did not conform, all based on falsehood, under Barberio’s first term. Highlands gives immunity to developers lawsuits, meaning the developers would have to sue the State of New Jersey, not Parsippany. This may have been a time to test this scenario, but apparently was not looked into.
Nicholas Homyak
