In an effort to relieve New Jersey taxpayers faced with some of the highest property tax bills in the nation, Senator Joe Pennacchio today introduced a resolution urging the United States Congress to reinstate the unlimited state and local tax deduction (SALT).
Until Washington capped the deduction at $10,000, the average New Jersey taxpayer was deducting more than $19,000 from their income tax.
“The SALT deduction is vitally important to state residents,” said Pennacchio. “On principle, I oppose the cap for its impact on New Jersey taxpayers. It is effectively a tax on a tax. Those in the 30 percent tax bracket will have to earn an additional $130 to pay for every $100 in lost deduction under the cap. It’s time to right this wrong for state property taxpayers, and Congress can help level the playing field.”
Pennacchio noted that New Jersey is a “donor state,” providing far more federal tax money to Washington than we get back.
“For every dollar paid by residents in federal taxes, New Jersey gets back no more than 79 cents,” Pennacchio said. “It’s the lowest return of any state in the nation, and it is an atrocious abuse of our hard-working, heavily taxed state residents.”
The SALT deduction has been an option available to taxpayers in New Jersey and other states for more than a century.
“For those who live in high-tax states like ours, the cap is devastating,” noted Pennacchio. “The deduction was established as an option to help offset heavy tax burdens. In New Jersey, with sky-high property, income, and county taxes, the reinstatement of the full SALT adjustment is a necessity for residents struggling to remain in the state.”
MOUNTAIN LAKES — Nicola J. “Nick” Bevacqua, Jr.,92, of Mountain Lakes, passed away on February 14, 2021, at St. Clare’s Hospital in Denville. Nick was born and raised in Boonton and settled in Mountain Lakes 28 years ago.
Nick was the proprietor of the Reservoir Tavern in Parsippany. Nick proudly served in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict and was awarded the Purple Heart. He was a member of the Parsippany Fire Department District 6, the Boonton Knights of Columbus, and the American Legion. Nick was also an usher at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church.
Visiting will be held on Friday, February 19, 2021, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Dangler Lewis and Carey Funeral Home, 312 West Main Street, Boonton.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, February 20, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, 910 Birch Street, Boonton.
Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Nicola’s name to the Parkinson Foundation, 1359 Broadway, Suite 1509, NY, NY 10018. Letters of condolence may be posted by clicking here.
Nick is survived by his beloved wife of 67 years Mary Ann (nee Zangara) Bevacqua; his loving children Marie Osborne and David, Nicola Bevacqua, Connie Armenti and Gary, Joseph Bevacqua and Dianne; 14 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; siblings Frank Bevacqua and Louise DiCarlo. Nick was predeceased by his sisters Rose Leone and Adeline Sabatino.
During the COVID 19 pandemic, all persons entering the Funeral Home or Church will be required to wear a face mask or face covering throughout their stay. Likewise, all social distancing rules must be adhered to. Gathering in groups should not happen. A continued flow throughout the facility will aid in keeping us all safe, with everyone having an opportunity to pay their respects.
MORRIS COUNTY — Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced that five current and former public officials and political candidates in New Jersey – including Former Morris County Freeholder John Cesaro – have been charged with taking bribes in a major investigation of political corrupt in Morris and Hudson counties conducted by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA).
The five defendants are charged with taking thousands of dollars in bribes from a cooperating witness in the form of campaign contributions. In return, the defendants allegedly promised the cooperating witness, who is a tax attorney, that they would vote or use their official authority or influence to hire or continue to hire his law firm for lucrative government legal work. Envelopes and paper bags filled with cash – and even a coffee cup stuffed with cash – were delivered to the defendants by the cooperating witness at restaurants, parking lots, a political fundraiser, and a campaign headquarters. Other times the cooperating witness offered checks from illegal “straw donors” – individuals reimbursed to write checks to the defendant’s campaign in amounts that complied with the legal limit on individual donations.
The following five defendants were charged separately in criminal complaints with second-degree bribery in official and political matters:
John Cesaro – Former Morris County Freeholder (Click here to download indictment)
Sudhan Thomas – Jersey City School Board President (Click here to download indictment)
Jason O’Donnell – Former State Assemblyman and Former Bayonne Mayoral Candidate (Click here to download indictment)
John Windish – Former Mount Arlington Council Member (Click here to download indictment)
Mary Dougherty – Former Morris County Freeholder Candidate
The defendants who held public office at the time of the alleged conduct – Thomas, Cesaro, and Windish – also are charged with second-degree acceptance or receipt of unlawful benefit by a public servant for official behavior.
“We allege that these political candidates were all too willing to sell the authority of their public office or the office they sought in exchange for an envelope filled with cash or illegal checks from straw donors,” said Attorney General Grewal. “This is old-school political corruption at its worst— the kind that undermines the political process and erodes public faith in government. We are working through the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability to create a culture of accountability in New Jersey, where public officials know they must act with integrity or else face the consequences.”
“These cases reflect one of OPIA’s core missions, which is to root out corruption and misconduct in state and local government and related elections,” said OPIA Director Thomas Eicher. “We are determined to hold public officials and candidates responsible for their actions, no matter their political positions or alliances. New Jersey has some of the nation’s strongest anti-corruption laws, and we will use them to ensure that government officials single-mindedly serve the public interest, not their own selfish interests.”
The defendants were charged in an investigation by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability which began in early 2018 and focused on political figures in Hudson and Morris counties who allegedly solicited illegal campaign contributions from the cooperating witness in return for promised official action to provide him with government work.
As set forth in the complaints, the defendants are alleged to have engaged in the following conduct:
Windish Indictment
John Cesaro
John Cesaro – Former Morris County Freeholder John Cesaro, who was a sitting county freeholder at the time of the alleged criminal conduct, solicited contributions from the cooperating witness for his 2021 campaign for Mayor of Parsippany-Troy Hills. Cesaro allegedly accepted bribes from the cooperating witness, in return for which he promised to secure more tax work from Morris County for the cooperating witness and make him tax counsel for Parsippany-Troy Hills if elected.
Cesaro allegedly accepted an envelope containing $10,000 in cash and $2,350 in checks from the cooperating witness, but later returned the cash, asking the cooperating witness to replace it with checks. The two allegedly discussed using “straw donors.” Under New Jersey election law, it is illegal for a person to provide money to another person, known as a “straw donor,” to make a political contribution to a specific candidate. At a later fundraiser, Cesaro accepted two checks for $2,600 each – the individual limit for contributions per election per candidate – which the cooperating witness described as “my straws,” along with another check for $150.
During a conversation about the contributions before they were delivered, the cooperating witness and Cesaro had the following exchange:
CW: Johnny, listen, all I want to do is the tax work. That’s all I’m looking to do. Cesaro: I become mayor, I got your back.
The alleged criminal conduct occurred between April and May 2018.
Sudhan Thomas
Sudhan Thomas – Incumbent Jersey City School Board President Sudhan Thomas, who at the time of his conduct also was preparing to run for Jersey City Councilman in 2021, is charged with accepting $35,000 in cash bribes, $10,000 delivered on one date, and $25,000 delivered on a second date.
Thomas allegedly agreed, in return for the cash payments, to arrange for the cooperating witness to be hired as a special counsel for the Jersey City Board of Education. Thomas and the cooperating witness allegedly discussed specific work projects that the cooperating witness would receive from the board of education.
During a conversation about the cash payments before they were delivered, the cooperating witness (CW) and Thomas had the following exchange:
CW: Make me special counsel for … Thomas: Real estate. CW: Yeah, real estate… that’s perfect. Thomas: Yeah, nobody questions anything… nobody questions all of that stuff.
The alleged criminal conduct occurred between May and July 2019. Thomas lost his bid for re-election to the Jersey City School Board in November, and his term on the Board ends at the end of December.
Jason O’Donnell
Jason O’Donnell – Former State Assemblyman Jason O’Donnell, who ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of Bayonne in 2018, is charged with accepting a $10,000 cash bribe. O’Donnell allegedly solicited $10,000 in “street money” for his mayoral campaign from the cooperating witness. In return, O’Donnell allegedly agreed to provide the cooperating witness with tax work from the City of Bayonne if elected mayor.
O’Donnell allegedly accepted a paper bag containing $10,000 in cash from the cooperating witness at his campaign headquarters. After the cash was handed over, they had the following exchange:
CW: “I just wanna be your tax guy.” O’Donnell: “Done.”
O’Donnell failed to file required campaign reports with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) disclosing the $10,000 contribution. The alleged criminal conduct occurred between April and May 2018.
John Windish
John Windish
Former Mount Arlington Councilman John Windish allegedly accepted a $7,000 cash bribe. Windish allegedly solicited cash from the cooperating witness for his unsuccessful bid for re-election to the borough council in June 2018.
In return, Windish allegedly promised that he would support the reappointment of the cooperating witness as borough attorney.
It is alleged that Windish accepted an envelope containing $7,000 in cash from the cooperating witness. When the cash was delivered, they had the following conversation:
CW: “I need you to, I need your commit that I’m your borough attorney and I need more work, John.” Windish: “You got it.”
State election law prohibits cash contributions exceeding $200 from a single contributor for a single election. The alleged criminal conduct occurred in May 2018.
Mary Dougherty
Mary Dougherty
Mary Dougherty, a real estate agent from Morristown, allegedly accepted a bribe of $10,000 from the cooperating witness – initially delivered as cash but later converted to checks from “straw donors” – for her unsuccessful campaign for Morris County Freeholder in 2018. In return, she allegedly promised to support the reappointment of the cooperating witness as counsel for Morris County.
During a meeting at a restaurant, Dougherty allegedly accepted $10,000 cash in $100 denominations that the cooperating witness delivered in a take-out coffee cup. Dougherty later returned the cash, asking the cooperating witness to replace the cash with four checks, each within the $2,600 individual contribution limit. The cooperating witness told Dougherty he would use the returned $10,000 in cash to pay four individuals to write checks.
The pair met again at the same restaurant, where Dougherty accepted four checks, each in the amount of $2,500 payable to “Mary for Morris Freeholder.” When the checks were delivered, the cooperating witness and Dougherty had the following exchange:
CW: “These are my straws… so I just need your support for my reappointment. Don’t forget me.” Dougherty: “I won’t. I promise. A friend is a friend, my friend.”
The alleged criminal conduct occurred between August and October 2018.
Attorney General Grewal commended all of the prosecutors and detectives who conducted and supervised the investigations for the OPIA Corruption Bureau, under the leadership of OPIA Director Thomas Eicher. Deputy Attorneys General Pearl Minato, John A. Nicodemo, and Anthony Robinson are prosecuting the cases, under the supervision of Counsel to the Director Anthony Picione. Former OPIA Deputy Chief Jeffrey Manis also supervised the cases.
Second-degree crimes carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000. The second-degree charges against those who held public office at the time of the alleged conduct – Thomas, Cesaro, and Windish – carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison without eligibility for parole under New Jersey’s enhanced penalties for official corruption.
The charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Attorney General Grewal created the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability in September 2018 to combat corruption and strengthen public confidence in government institutions. Earlier this month, the Attorney General issued a directive codifying OPIA and making it a permanent part of the Attorney General’s Office. That directive established the OPIA Corruption Bureau as the lead office within the Department of Law & Public Safety for the investigation and prosecution of state criminal violations involving corruption and abuse of public trust.
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Planning Board appointed Joseph Wenzel, Esq. as the new Planning Board Attorney to replace Scott Carlson, Esq., on February 8. He has been involved in government land use for over twenty years.
Joseph Wenzel, Esq.
Wenzel represents public entities throughout New Jersey. He is currently the Municipal Attorney for the Township of Little Falls, Planning Board Attorney for the Borough of Woodland Park for over ten years, Planning Board Attorney for the City of Perth Amboy for over five years, Municipal Prosecutor for the Township of West Orange, and Public Defender for the Borough of South Bound Brook. His services also extend to defending counties and municipalities in various types of litigation.
Wenzel received a B.S. degree from Rutgers University (Class of 1996) and received a J.D. degree from Seton Hall University at Newark (Class of 1999). He was admitted to the New Jersey Bar Association in 1999, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey in 1999, U.S. Supreme Court in 2003, and District of Columbia in 2008.
He is Managing Partner at Friend & Wenzel, LLC., located at 1000 Clifton Avenue, Suite 101, Clifton.
PARSIPPANY — European Wax Center (EWC), the leading waxing services brand, cleanliness and guest health has always been a company cornerstone. It’s why practices such as their no “double-dip” policy (where wax sticks are never dipped twice) have inspired guests’ confidence in the brand.
But as COVID-19 rose to the forefront in the lives of all Americans last year, “EWC took steps to help elevate our already stringent hygiene standards,” said Judy Cook, owner Denville and co-owner with Frank and Diane Lupo of Parsippany and Succasunna European Wax Center locations. In light of the pandemic, EWC was tasked to define and ensure those standards were understood by all 800+ franchise-owned centers.
In the earliest days of COVID-19, European Wax Center temporarily closed all of its centers out of precaution and adhered to all local and state health guidelines. During that time, EWC worked with its network of franchisees to make business preparations and helped associates strengthen and improve upon existing safety protocols.
The internal task force created was called “Team Scrub,” and it was made up of associates, guests, and franchise owners. Together, they scrutinized European Wax Center’s cleanliness standards and devised ways they could make them more effective, and in accordance with state and local health guidelines.
“Team Scrub” also reached out to environmental scientists and certified industrial hygienists to get input on best practices that would benefit both guests and associates.
Some of the safety protocol already in place at EWC before COVID-19 included:
New gloves for every service
Sanitized wax suite beds cleaned with EPA medical grade sanitation wipes between guests
Fresh bed paper for each guest
Sanitizing all tools in disinfectant after each guest
Frequent professional deep cleanings
Waxing sticks are never double-dipped
While keeping those protocols in place, EWC also instituted additional measures, including:
Additional tissue and hand sanitizer available
Wax Specialists equipped with disposable surgical masks and face shields or goggles for facial services
Established a virtual waiting room to reduce guest time in center
Implemented contactless check-in
Additional deep-cleaning of high-frequency touchpoints
Elimination of product testers and non-essential items
Extended hygiene safety and sanitation training for all staff
“European Wax Center is proud of the work it’s done to keep guests and associates safe. We will continue to keep safety and sanitation top of mind, making these new processes and procedures a standard method of operation,” said Cook.
“We want all of our guests to feel safe and confident when they’re in our centers, and make sure they know we’re committed to providing the best service in the cleanest environment,” Cook said.
European Wax Center is located at 1121 Route 46, Parsippany, and 12 West Main Street, Denville.
PARSIPPANY — James Madison University is pleased to announce that Olivia Bucciarelli made the dean’s list for the fall 2020 semester.
Bucciarelli is majoring in engineering.
Established in 1908, James Madison University is a community of 22,000 students and 4,000 faculty and staff, nestled in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. JMU offers 124-degree programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels keep classes small with a 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio, and have the highest six-year graduation rate among its peer institutions at 84%. JMU is quickly gaining a national reputation and ranks as the most recommended university in the nation by students. As the No. 2 Best Public Regional University in the South, students enjoy unusually engaged relationships with world-class faculty, access to top-notch NCAA Division 1 athletics, and state-of-the art amenities. Once students graduate they join an esteemed network of around 140,000 Dukes across the globe, giving of their time, talent, and treasure to the university.
MORRIS COUNTY — The public is invited to join an informational webinar presented by Morris County Surrogate Heather J. Darling, Esq., covering trusts and estate planning.
“What to Know About Trusts and Estate Planning” will feature special guest panelist John M. Clyne, Jr., Esq., of Clyne Brownstein Law on Thursday, February 25, from noon to 1:00 p.m. The event will take place online.
Surrogate Sessions is an ongoing educational series. Participation is free to Morris County residents and business owners.
PARSIPPANY — Liquid Church, one of New Jersey’s fastest-growing churches, has announced that more than 3,800 individuals and families struggling with unpaid medical debt will receive a surprise letter in the mail this month notifying them their “debt has been paid in full.” Working in partnership with RIP Medical Debt, a non-profit organization that uses donations to buy large portfolios of medical debt at a fraction of their value, Liquid used generous financial donations from its congregation to forgive $13.7 million in medical debt for New Jersey families.
“When we started investigating the crisis of medical debt, we learned how it’s destroying the financial stability of families in our communities,” said Tim Lucas, lead pastor and founder of Liquid Church. “Medical debt is tied to two-thirds of bankruptcies in America, and it ruins credit for families, impacting their ability to secure housing, car loans, job opportunities, and more. In response to the pandemic, our church had the heart to give some fresh hope to our neighbors in need. We want them to have a clean slate to start 2021, and to remind them that they’re loved and God has not forgotten them.”
The donation from Liquid Church effectively eliminated all medical debt accessible through RIP Medical Debt in three New Jersey counties: Monmouth, Somerset, and Union. Additional medical debt was paid down in Essex and Passaic counties. When the medical debt is paid, there are no taxes or penalties to the beneficiary. Just like that, they’re free of medical debt.
“Although the process for paying off medical debt is anonymous, we know we’re serving our neighbors. These are families living below the poverty line who are no doubt struggling under the weight of crushing hospital or healthcare bills they simply can’t afford,” said Lucas. “We also know that for some families, their existing medical debt was exacerbated by the cost of care for COVID-19, and this was a key driver for us to take action now. This unprecedented pandemic has left so many local families devastated, with some on the brink of financial ruin. This is one way our church can help and tangibly show the love of Jesus to our neighbors.”
RIP Medical Debt will send forgiveness notices to the benefiting families in New Jersey, and subsequently, help the recipients repair their credit reports in an effort to renew access to resources needed to achieve stability for their families.
“This has become an exciting trend, with churches around America – in Texas, Ohio, Massachusetts, and beyond – wiping out millions in medical debt in their states. I believe churches are at their best when we’re a blessing to real people in our community, and I’m so proud of the hundreds of people at Liquid who made a donation to make our large-scale gift possible. Working together, we multiplied our impact,” said Lucas.
Liquid Church is one of New Jersey’s fastest-growing Christian churches. Officially launched in 2007 by Lead Pastor Tim Lucas, the church’s vision is to “Saturate the State with the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” with seven physical campuses in Essex, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Somerset, and Union Counties. Each week, over 5,000+ people experience Liquid Church’s worship services in New Jersey and around the globe through Church Online. As part of its global outreach, Liquid provides clean drinking water to those in need, with hundreds of completed wells in Africa and Central America. Liquid Church’s innovative approaches to outreach and ministry have been spotlighted by CNN, FOX News, and TIME magazine. For more information click here.
MORRIS COUNTY — Seton Hall University is pleased to announce the following local students who qualified for the Fall 2020 Dean’s list and to congratulate them for their outstanding academic achievements. After the close of every semester, undergraduate students completing all courses with a GPA of .4, with no grades lower than “C”, qualify for the Dean’s List.
Glory Akoh of Florham Park
Erin Beik of East Hanover
Shawn Berry of Morris Plains
Kylie Brda of Parsippany
Alexa Bursese of East Hanover
Caroline Cahill of Florham Park
Carlo Capurso of East Hanover
Alexandra Cerasiello of Parsippany
Saadet Ceynek of Boonton
Ishani Chowatia of Parsippany
Nicholas Da Cruz of East Hanover
Morgan Dangler of Boonton
Mia Deluca of Florham Park
Rujuta Deo of Parsippany
Kavan Desai of Morris Plains
Corinne Diaz of Morris Plains
Jenna Eoga of Boonton
Ryan Falkowski of Morris Plains
Cristina Fernandez of Parsippany
Antonieta Ferrou of Parsippany
Erney Fertile of Morris Plains
Jaclyn Fiorenza of East Hanover
Camren Fitzsimmons of Parsippany-Troy Hills
Leyla Gasparro of Parsippany
Kyle Gaydo of Boonton
Kayla Genoese of Florham Park
Joshua George of East Hanover
Amanda Grabowiecki of Parsippany
Katherine Grytsayenko of Parsippany
Alia Hakimi of Parsippany
Ehsan Huq of Florham Park
Li-Hsuan Inn of Lake Hiawatha
Jordyn Iuso of Florham Park
Angelina Marie Jerez of Lake Hiawatha
Anne Marielle Jerez of Lake Hiawatha
Nicholas John of Florham Park
Brett Leech of Lake Hiawatha
Joshua Logan of Morris Plains
Harshitha Madhavan of Morris Plains
Joseph Manno of East Hanover
Justin Mao of Boonton
Stephanie Martinez of Parsippany
Brianna Masiello of Madison
Kevin Mathew of East Hanover
Mary McGlone of Boonton
Peter Mitrakos of Morris Plains
Saajan Modi of Morris Plains
Rani Mody of Parsippany
Valentina Orejarena of Florham Park
Alexandra Papadopoulos of Morris Plains
Antonios Papayianis of Parsippany
Rocco Pascale of Parsippany
Piyush Patel of Lake Hiawatha
Shivani Patel of Parsippany
Joseph Paul of East Hanover
Rachelle Philip of Boonton
Arthur Pluciennik of Morris Plains
Samantha Quiceno of Morris Plains
Neyha Ramani of Morris Plains
Christopher Regan of Florham Park
Nicole Ribeiro of East Hanover
Philip Rispoli III of East Hanover
Victoria Rossi of East Hanover
Sabino Ruta of East Hanover
Lani Sabeh of East Hanover
Nicole Salvemini of East Hanover
Matthew Seely of Florham Park
Richard Sevilla of Lake Hiawatha
Rishi Shah of East Hanover
Ryan Sheppard of Florham Park
Natalie Sliwowski of Boonton
Kaitlyn Spitzer of Parsippany
Kaitlyn Tanskey of Cedar Knolls
Kaitlen Telepko of Parsippany
Carlos Vargas of Madison
Lauren Vuolo of Lake Hiawatha
Katherine Walsh of Morris Plains
One of the country’s leading Catholic universities, Seton Hall University has been a catalyst for leadership – developing students in mind, heart and spirit – since 1856. Home to nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students and offering more than 80 rigorous majors, Seton Hall’s academic excellence has been singled out for distinction by The Princeton Review, US News & World Report and Bloomberg BusinessWeek. Seton Hall, which embraces students of all religions, prepares its graduates to be exemplary servant leaders and caring global citizens. Its attractive main campus is located in suburban South Orange, New Jersey, and is only 14 miles by train, bus or car to New York City, offering a wealth of employment, internship, cultural and entertainment opportunities. The university’s nationally recognized School of Law is prominently located in downtown Newark. For more information click here.
PARSIPPANY — The University of Tampa has honored 1,762 students who were named to the dean’s list for the Fall 2020 semester. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.75 or higher to be eligible for the dean’s list.
The following local students were named to the dean’s list:
Caterina Zaragoza of Mount Tabor, Sophomore majoring in Marine Science-Biology. She is a graduate of Morris County School Of Technology.
Nicole Parisi of Madison, Senior majoring in Education-Elementary (K-6)
Ashley Patterson of Boonton, Senior majoring in Film and Media Arts
Sarah Plott of Morris Plains, Senior majoring in Nursing
Olivia Stelletell of Morris Plains, Freshman majoring in Biology
Caterina Zaragoza of Mount Tabor, Sophomore majoring in Marine Science-Biology. She is a graduate of Morris County School Of Technology.
The University of Tampa is a private, comprehensive university located on 110 acres on the riverfront in downtown Tampa. Known for academic excellence, personal attention and real-world experience in its undergraduate and graduate programs, the University serves approximately 10,000 students from 50 states and about 130 countries. The majority of full-time students live on campus, and about half of UT students are from Florida.
