MORRIS COUNTY — New Jersey Governor Candidate Phil Murphy spoke to a crowded room of Democrats during the Morris County Democratic Committee 2017 Fall Gala held on Tuesday, September 25 at Zeris Inn.

Morris County Democratic Committee 2017 Fall Gala

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Phil has also fought for opportunity, fairness, and justice through his involvement in the Democratic Party. He served as Finance Chair of the Democratic National Committee, helping to elect Barack Obama. He worked with Howard Dean on the fifty-state strategy that rebuilt the Democratic Party from the grassroots up.

Last August, the State Board of Education passed a resolution making passage of the nationalized PARCC tests a requirement for graduation. PARCC tests are considered by many educational experts to be outdated, expensive, and not helpful to students. They have also been criticized by teachers, parents, and school administrators alike for taking away too much classroom instruction time and for forcing curricula to align with test topics to ensure higher scores. New Jersey is an outlier in its reliance on PARCC: only a handful of states still use the test, and only one other state is using it as a graduation requirement.

Phil Murphy is committed to ending New Jersey’s reliance on PARCC tests and eliminating standardized testing as a requirement for graduation. If elected, he would direct the state Department of Education to work with educators to create an assessment that would meet the federal reporting requirements of ESSA. He also would eliminate passage of a standardized test as a graduation requirement.

Murphy said money from the tax increases will be prioritized for public-worker pensions, education and transportation. Murphy also hopes to institute new programs like universal pre-kindergarten and free community college tuition. The state’s wealthiest will pay more in income tax, corporations would see tax loop-holes closed, and marijuana smokers would see their drug of choice become legalized — and taxed.

Murphy leads Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno by double digits in all polls.

Governor Chris Christie has vetoed five Democratic attempts to institute a “millionaire’s tax.”

By: Bob Roberti

On Saturday morning, September 23, Mayor James Barberio addressed a small group of Sedgefield residents at the long awaited groundbreaking of Grafton Park.  The mayor was accompanied by Council Vice President Robert Peluso, Councilwoman Loretta Gragnani,  Councilmen Paul Carifi and Michael DePierro and Township Forester Jim Walsh. 

Mayor Barberio spoke about how the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy rendered Grafton Park unsafe and the township unable to provide the expertise and equipment to remove the fallen or leaning trees.  

The Mayor and council authorized a budget of $800,000.00 to transform the 4.3 acre passive wooded park into a neighbor park similar to other neighborhood parks in Parsippany. The township provided an architectural rendering of the proposed neighborhood park with two designated children play areas.  There were also two photographs of the similar play equipment used at other neighborhoods parks in Parsippany.  Mayor Barberio then called on Sedgefield past presidents Bob Roberti, George Kimmey and Maria Caivano to take a shovel and break ground for the new park. 

Sedgefield Civic Association, past president, Bob Roberti then addressed the group by first thanking the Mayor, Council and Town Forester for all their efforts to make this park a reality. Bob also thanked members of the SCA Beautification Committee present for their many hours of volunteer labor for the past 10 years in Grafton Park.  Bob also acknowledge that it was now impossible for the Beautification Committee to maintain the park any longer without the townships leadership.  He mentioned it has been 64 years since the land was originally deeded to the township for recreational development. 

Now is the time for the township to develop and maintain Grafton Park as a neighborhood park.

In addition to the local Sedgefield residents Democratic Mayoral Candidate Michael Soriano, and Democratic Council Candidates Emily Peterson and Janice McCarthy were present and after the ceremony took a tour of Grafton Park with Bob Roberti.

Grafton Park Groundbreaking

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PARSIPPANY-TROY HILLS — As first reported in Parsippany Focus on Monday, September 18, 2017 (click here for original story), the sign at the corner of Littleton Road and Frontage Road contained a typo. Parsippany was spelled “Parisppany.”

Prior to publishing the story, Parsippany Focus contacted the New Jersey Department of Transportation and spoke to Mr. Anthony Sytko, Regional Manager.  He stated he was unaware of the misspelling in Parsippany and will contact the engineering department for verification and will update Parsippany Focus at a later time.

We did not hear back from Mr. Sytko, but the sign since has been corrected.

After we ran the story, Parsippany Patch, published the story on Thursday, September 21. Daily Record also published the story on Tuesday, September 19. News12NJ also did a broadcast regarding the incorrect spelling of Parsippany.

The sign, on Littleton Road north, just prior of the Route 80 overpass, was installed following work completed on the new entrance ramp in 2015 after more than two years of road construction projects on Routes 80 and 287. The previously entrance ramp to Route 80 was converted into a local street and named Frontage Road.

PARSIPPANY-TROY HILLS — Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayoral Candidate Michael Soriano held a fundraiser on Monday, September 18 at Embassy Suites. Tammy Murphy, wife of New Jersey Governor Candidate Phil Murphy and Former New Jersey Governor Richard Codey attended and endorsed Soriano to the standing room only crowd.

Fundraiser for Michael Soriano

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Soriano is challenging Mayor Barberio in the upcoming General Election on November 7. Emily Peterson and Janice McCarthy are part of Michael’s team and are seeking a seat on the Township Council, running against current Council President Louis Valori and returning candidate Vincent Ferrara.

Michael Soriano was born on a military base in Augusta, Georgia on May 12, 1967.  Growing up in Queens, New York, he learned the value of hard work from his father, Ramon, a proud electrician and brother of IBEW Local 3.

Michael moved to an apartment in Parsippany in January of 2002, proposing to his wife, Jennifer, within hours of moving in.  Like many renters in our township, Michael and Jennifer fell in love with Parsippany and its community, and chose to remain here to raise their family. A few years later, they moved to a home in Lake Hiawatha, where they raise their 11 year old daughter.

Throughout his career as a second-generation electrician, Michael has served as both a foreman and superintendent on dozens of projects throughout New York City.  He brings a wealth of essential management experience to the table in Parsippany, which he will use to carry out the functions of our municipal government in the affordable and efficient way that the township deserves.

It is through this profound love for his community that drives him to do all that he can to help it prosper. From that lucky day he moved to Parsippany he has held close the words of Martin Luther King Jr, who once said “life’s most persistent and urgent question is, “what are you doing for others.”

Janice McCarthy spent a career in private sector finance working for Fortune 500 companies, including ADP as Director of Finance and Ingersoll Rand as Director of Budget and Planning. She also served in managing the budget operation at Montclair State University. Her many years of private and public sector budgeting experience will be an asset to the township’s fiscal processes. Running to bring back bi-partisan government, McCarthy believes Parsippany deserves a Mayor and Township Council working effectively together to maintain our infrastructure, deliver quality services, preserve our environment, control development, and do it in a fiscally responsible manner.

Emily Peterson is a small business owner and adjunct professor at New York University who knows what it’s like to meet deadlines and balance a tight budget every day. She understands what it will take to develop Parsippany’s economy and build a base of small businesses to increase ratables. Standing firm on the belief that taxpayers’ money should be put to better use in providing for the people of Parsippany, she recognizes that controlling spending is one of the most important responsibilities the Township Council and administration have.