Dear Editor:
It is easy to name the players in Washington, D.C., but much harder to name those sitting on our own town council. Most of us follow national politics closely. Debates are televised, candidates are discussed constantly, and it is easy to feel informed.
Local politics, at least for me, has been different.
Until recently, I had only a limited understanding of how my town council functions, how individual members vote, or how resident input translates into real decisions, and I am still learning. Like many others, I have voted in local elections based on general dissatisfaction or hearsay, rather than firsthand understanding.
Attending a recent town hall made me pause. Watching council members debate and respond to residents made it clear that there are real differences in how elected officials approach their roles. It also gave me a greater appreciation for the responsibility and complexity of the job council members take on. Some appeared genuinely thoughtful and willing to take positions not always aligned with the majority. That experience made me question my own past voting choices. Had I really taken the time to understand who I was voting for?
How many of us form strong opinions about local decisions without ever attending a meeting? If we do not truly understand where candidates stand on the very issues we complain about, how confident can we be that the new people we elect will do better?
Take, for example, the conversion of a warehouse on Parsippany Road to a PILOT agreement, which has been widely discussed in Parsippany. PILOTs are not inherently good or bad. Used correctly, they can serve a purpose. But when it comes to large warehouse projects, how are our opinions being formed? Are they based on a clear understanding of the necessity, long-term financial impacts, traffic patterns etc.? or mostly on bits of information and assumptions?
I ask these questions as much of myself as of anyone else. Local decisions affect our daily lives, yet they often receive far less attention than national headlines. Do we really have the right to complain about local decisions if we choose not to participate or stay informed?
Alok Gaur
