Dear Editor:
The six-month severance payout to Parsippany’s former township Business Administrator should concern every taxpayer — not because it is an isolated incident, but because it fits a troubling pattern. Time and again, the prior administration and Town Council rushed through major decisions with minimal public scrutiny and lasting financial consequences.
That same pattern was clearly on display in December 2025, when two significant development projects — the Lanidex warehouse and the 500 PARQ residential project — were fast-tracked and approved using long-term Payment-in-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILOT) agreements. These deals will shape Parsippany’s finances for decades, yet they were advanced with little public notice and during the holiday season, when residents had limited opportunity to understand or question what was happening.
At the February 3, 2026 Township Council meeting, residents raised serious concerns about those approvals, particularly why a PILOT was being considered for a project already well underway. Questions were asked about whether the council received full and accurate information before voting, and whether the process complied with state redevelopment law, including potential Article 15 violations. Put simply, residents wanted to know: Did the council truly understand what it was approving?
Those concerns deepened around the PARQ Apartments project, where developers were accused of misleading the council to secure a tax break reported to exceed $100 million over the life of the PILOT. If the information provided was incomplete or inaccurate, this goes beyond a policy misstep — it strikes at the heart of ethics and public trust.
The December approvals were made by the prior Town Council, including Judy Hernandez, Paul Carifi, Frank Neglia, and Justin Musella — who had publicly opposed PILOT agreements during his 2025 mayoral campaign. Only Councilman Matt McGrath was willing to call for repeal or reconsideration once these concerns came to light.
That same lack of care and transparency appears in the severance deal highlighted in your article. Once again, the agreement was negotiated and approved by the same prior administration and Town Council, committing taxpayer dollars with far too little public oversight.
December’s rushed PILOT approvals set the tone. The severance payout followed the same playbook. And once again, taxpayers are left holding the bill.
Parsippany residents made their voices heard in November and rejected this approach to governance. As the new administration moves forward, residents are looking for meaningful change — particularly on issues such as appointments, executive severance agreements, and PILOT approvals — and a clear departure from the practices of the past.
Tim Berrios
35-Year Parsippany Resident
