Budget Constraints Call For Restructuring Of Parsippany Police

PARSIPPANY, NJ — As work continues on the 2023-24 municipal budget for Parsippany–Troy Hills Township, Mayor James Barberio recently discussed potential restructuring changes to the Parsippany Police Department due to financial constraints.

A preliminary budget for this year has not yet been announced or presented to the community, but Barberio has stated that it will be a tight budgeting year once again.

As a result, some of the pressure is being applied to the local police department, which will not be allowed to hire any new officers in the coming year due to the tight numbers.

Officers who retire within the next year, according to Barberio, will be able to be replaced, but no additional staff members will be budgeted for.

"I spoke to the CFO and he said right now, the money is not in the budget that we would be able to do this next year and hire. With that, we will be restructuring certain areas of the police department," Barberio said.

As part of that restructuring plan, the township will transfer approximately four police officers from their current civilian positions and put them on the road to ensure that all areas of Parsippany are adequately covered.

"Now the budget is tight, but it's a much, much, much better budget than last year," Barberio said.

The 2022-23 budget was $86.9 million, which included a 3.3 percent increase in the local tax rate per household, costing the average homeowner $319 based on an assessed value of $312,000.

Last year, Parsippany residents voiced their concerns regarding the budget, with many frustrated that there was a high increase in legal fees and utility transfers.

As the election season approaches, Democratic candidates Judy Hernandez, Bernard Clarkin and Matt Kavanagh announced their candidacies last week, with a platform centered on increasing transparency, particularly with regard to finances.

The trio also referred to the current mayor and council's 14 percent increase in the municipal tax levy imposed last year in a statement announcing their candidacy.

Barberio and the previous all-Republican council blamed the township's poor financial situation on former Mayor Michael Soriano.

Most recently, the township maintained its Aa2 bond rating from Moody’s Investors Service, which will allow Parsippany to finance key projects, with positive impacts for taxpayers, officials said.

Bond ratings, which are similar to how banks and lenders assess a person's credit score and lending risk, assist investors in making investment decisions. According to Barberio, if the township had been downgraded, it would have faced higher interest rates when seeking future bonds.

"We have $16 million in total surplus, so that's a plus to the township," Barberio said.