Letter to the editor: June 2 Vote Republican 12, 13 and 14 for Township Council.

Dear Editor:

Tuesday, June 2 is the primary and I urge all Parsippany Republicans to get out and vote. This is an extremely important primary. Parsippany has two Republican teams vying for 3 seats on the township council. The choices are clear, Team dePierro is being financially supported by a Super PAC (NJFF) with Democratic ties and labor union support. The Carifi team “Parsippany Residents First” is being funded by hard-working taxpayers.

Republican Councilman Michael dePierro has been on the Parsippany council for 30 plus years. I thank him for his service but I am a firm believer in term limits. And after three decades clearly new blood is needed on the Parsippany council.

Recently Councilman dePierro:

1. Flip flopped on a vote to authorize a forensic audit of township attorney John Inglesino’s invoices showing his firm’s payments to Aurora Security, the company that originally billed the taxpayers of Parsippany over $600,000. dePierro rescinded his yes vote without any real explanation. He left those residents who supported the audit questioning his motives.
2. Ignored the fact that township attorney John Inglesino hired Aurora Security without the knowledge or consent of the entire council whose job it is to authorize such expenses.
3. Supports the use of $2 million dollars of open space money for new irrigation and a driving range at the Knoll Country Club, of which he is a member. The Knoll is supposed to be a self- sustaining utility. One concern is whether the $2 million will be recouped by the township, but the bigger issue is the use of open space money to fund a project for a “self sustaining” entity.
4. Does not have a problem with the township attorney Mr. Inglesino going over his budgeted amount of $420,000 for 2014 by another $402,000. Mr. Inglesino’s 1099 tax form from the township for year 2014 was $822,000.

Another member of Team dePierro, Vincent Ferrara was on the Parsippany council previously and was not re-elected his last time out. Mr. Ferrara has stated on record that “whatever the Mayor wants he will support it” and Mr. Ferrara did exactly that right or wrong. Mr. Ferrara rarely gave an individual opinion on anything. Parsippany needs council members with vision not someone who follows blindly. The dePierro team’s motto “Promoting honest, ethical and stable government” in my opinion has meant a continual rubber stamp for Mayor Inglesino, I mean Mayor Barberio (or do I). If Team dePierro is re-elected it will just be more of the same. Is this what the Parsippany residents want? I believe the residents and taxpayers of Parsippany want more accountability and transparency. It appears ethics and honesty went out the window once the dePierro team aligned themselves with the Super PAC (NJFF) with Democratic ties. This shows signs of desperation. Councilman dePierro is also a member of the Morris County Republican Committee and as such should have denounced and rejected the financial backing of this Super PAC (NJFF) with Democratic ties.

The dePierro team campaign is reminiscent of the 2013 Parsippany mayoral primary. I thought that was dirty politics at its best. Sadly, I was wrong. Could it be possible that one of the most “influential Republican’s” in New Jersey, Mr. John Inglesino has some knowledge of this Super PAC with Democratic ties (NJFF) appearance in Parsippany? Mr. Inglesino has a big stake in this primary as his position as township attorney could be affected…….What lengths would someone go to, in order to hang on to an $822,000 paycheck?

Now it’s up to Parsippany Republicans to make a choice with their vote on Tuesday June 2. While making your decision ponder the following:

1. Do we elect the Republican team of dePierro that is being financially supported by a Super PAC with Democratic ties (NJFF)?
2. Do we elect the dePierro team who allows a Democratic Super PAC (NJFF) to continually bombard Parsippany resident’s with vicious mailers (6 to date) filled with distorted facts either to confuse or brainwash Parsippany residents against Council President Paul Carifi. I wonder how much those mailers cost?
3. In addition to the Super PAC with Democratic ties (NJFF), labor unions have now entered the municipal race in support of the dePierro team. This is unprecedented and one has to wonder what’s in it for the Democratic PAC and the unions to have the dePierro team elected? When the public meetings on the development of the Waterview tract were going on, the only outsiders to attend and support the project were union members. Is a vote for the dePierro team a gateway vote for projects that will strain Parsippany’s fire, police and EMT services, increase road congestion and add to an already inflated school budget? Parsippany residents should be weary of potential council members, a sitting mayor and the township attorney all aligned with a developer that cannot seem to get a major project off the ground through local support. Is the plan to buy votes? Do you want a township government that has sold its soul to outside interests? Something is very, very wrong with this picture.

I have attended about 90% of the bimonthly township council meetings over the past five years. I’ve listen to what council members have said and how they’ve voted on issues that will affect the quality of life for Parsippany residents and I have made my decision.

Paul Carifi, Aida Visakay and John Beehler are the team to support. Visakay and Beehler are the new blood the Parsippany council needs. Both are more than qualified and have the best interest of the Parsippany taxpayers at heart. This is the team that will bring back transparency, honesty and ethics to the Parsippany council. Council President Paul Carifi has shown his concerns for the health, safety and well-being of Parsippany residents many times either in words or actions during his brief time on the council. A great example of that was the defeat of the Waterview project, which was protested by over 500 residents whose quality of life was at stake.

I find Council President Paul Carifi to be intelligent, knowledgeable and most importantly committed to Parsippany and it’s resident’s. Council President Paul Carifi has proven over his time on the council that he is more than qualified and capable of representing Parsippany taxpayers.

June 2 Vote Republican 12, 13 and 14 for Township Council.

Pat Petaccia
Parsippany