Dear Editor:
Firstly, in light of the recent comments made at town council meetings about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the two resolutions that were approved, one exchange in particular stood out—a confrontation between Councilman Carifi and a “concerned” citizen over his No votes. The interaction left me genuinely disgusted.
When Councilman Carifi defended his vote, he referenced Laken Riley— a 22 year old nursing student whose head was crushed in as she bravely fought for her life – her body so brutalized that she could not be identified by her face. A young woman who died in terror, resisting a rapist who should never have been in here in the first place. And what was the response from the “concerned” resident? A shrug. A shrug in the face of a young woman’s stolen life. That’s disgusting. You can have empathy for undocumented people and still acknowledge that open borders and unvetted migration can put American lives at risk—or at the very least, feel compassion for a young woman who never came back from her morning jog.
What we need at town council meetings is less virtue signaling and more outrage directed at council members who remain silent about PILOT deals. Keep in mind that these newly elected councilmembers—and the mayor—used their supposed disdain for PILOT deals to win their seats. The question now is whether they’ll have the backbone to play hardball—to be strategic, to protect Parsippany’s interests—or whether they’ll claim their hands are tied and hide behind “Builder’s Remedy”. East Hanover’s mayor refuses to give in. Remember, Parsippany’s mayor stated during his campaign that PILOT deals are “not needed” because of the township’s prime geographical advantages. The Mount Laurel doctrine may have originated in the courts, but its current force comes from legislation passed by Democrats. Frankly, I do not believe that our Democrat majority council is on our side.
It’s also worth noting that at several Parsippany Town Council meetings, John Inglesino remarked that only “quality people” are moving into these new construction luxury apartments. But what exactly does “quality people” mean? Will these new residents be volunteer first responders, leaders in civic organizations, or active voices in environmental and animal welfare causes? It appears he equates “quality” with income rather than character. I wonder how he would explain the online ads from people looking to split one bedroom apartments—Avalon being just one example. I’ve even seen posts where someone is renting out their living room as a sleeping space. That’s not okay.
Our Democrat politicians might try to blame “Trump’s America” for the fact that residents are sharing one bedroom luxury apartments—complete with fitness centers, pools, lounges, and other high end amenities—but let’s be honest: this is simply the norm in Parsippany. It’s almost humorous when we’re assured that one bedroom units won’t house children. We’ve heard that line before. Who has the guts to take on stacking in Parsippany?
Lastly, to Parsippany Focus—regarding your exposés on Mayor Barberio and former council members—please keep them coming. Many prominent Morris County GOP Polls still owe Parsippany a clear for their endorsements. We all know nepotism happens everywhere, and most people would take advantage of it if they could, but Parsippany has always taken it to another level. It’s striking how not only paid positions, but even “volunteer” roles, seem to come with perks in this town—and how the same families keep benefitting from well timed lucky breaks.
Bridget Cazzetto
