Dear Editor:
After reading former Councilwoman Janice McCarthy’s letter on the wisdom of the new budget in a sustainable long term necessity, we need to critique the two “republican opposition votes in their hypocrisy and partisanship.
Hypocrisy best example is when former Mayor Soriano request for a minor tax increase to cover the covid episode, and the to this day ignoring of the major water infrastructure failures that occurred during the same period, and the debt incurred for that because water/sewer surplus had been looted for other tax patch purposes under Mayor Barberio. The “hold on to your wallets” Campaign which brought Barberio back for another term. Barberio despite his anti-democratic party, slogan on. election immediately raised both taxes, and water/sewer fees. This can only be described as partisanship of an arbitrary and capricious manner.
Councilman Carifi’s No Vote was based on a hollow and hypocritical based logic. His reasoning that the PILOT returns are yet unknown, and somehow we need to hold back the increase, contradicts his Voting for the PILOTS, as he described as “a win, win for Parsippany” during the No PILOTs protests, and the near thousand citizen turnout at the PAL to protest PILOTs for Warehouses, and Housing Mandates, sponsored by corporate billionaire developers. His sudden change of heart with developer attorney John Inglesino. Now when a Democratic majority in charge we again see the partisan mentality, of political party before the common best interest of the municipality.
Carifi again sited the example of how the Soriano Administration, which still had a republican majority, somehow mismanaged funds. He mentioned COVID during that time, but failed again to mention the major water infrastructure failures that occurred during the same time period. Wells failed, pumps broke down, pipes broke, and a water tower suffered inferior work by a contractor. These water infrastructure expenses were easily seen on the agendas and still do.
Councilman McGrath’s reasoning of the No Vote, was based on the PILOTs he opposed, that like Carifi suddenly realized are unknown, and ambiguous and will be in their transparency, and funding owed.
Councilman McGrath assumption, based on pure hypotheticals, and a fear tactic, to favor his No Vote, stated without proof, (and regrettably no feed back or contention against by Majority Council or Mayor) that our homes would be reassessed for tax increases to make up the difference in shortfalls. Why would this occur when the budget is based on the present tax base?
So somehow according to republican contentions the administration desperate for funding would allow PILOTs for rich corporate developers, and tax relief for additional corporate properties would without just cause exploit homeowners is a fear-tactic, and nothing more.
Parsippany is a good example of how a tax rateable chase of corporate real estate fails in the long term.
In my opinion the Present Council Majority is showing political courage, not partisan politics of self serving getting one reelected.
We blame local elected officials for circumstances not completely of their making. All your problems in finance stem from Washington. Economy is a political decision of social equity, and justice. The empire (USA) chooses not to support the states of the United States in their actual need. Passive rights; for example, such as Healthcare from the taxes we pay already to the Federal Power.
Government as intended promotes prosperity aka common-good, creates harmony, and prevents destructive competition among various constituted group. In this we have failed as a republic.
The Budget is sound and the expense is not excessive, only in one’s mind of political prejudice, and ignorant popular sovereignty which has elected rogues and criminals above us all.
