Candidates Speak Out Against Parsippany's Proposed Budget

PARSIPPANY, NJ — Republican and Democratic candidates for the Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council have spoken out against this year's new budget and budget process.

The proposed fiscal year 2023 budget calls for a 3.76 percent increase in the town's property tax levy and a 2.57 percent overall tax increase, or an estimated $100 more per year per homeowner, based on a $313,000 average home valuation in town.

The figure for 2023 represents a 1.7 percent increase over the previous year's budget of $86.9 million.

The introduction of the budget was approved unanimously, but only after Councilman Justin Musella pushed for open budget hearings and fervently supported citizen involvement in the township budgeting process.

A special public hearing was held on Tuesday, May 2, where several department heads spoke before the public, saying they saw no way to cut out portions of the proposed $88.4 million budget.

Following the budget hearing, regular Republican Party candidates Gary Martin and Danny Desai spoke out against the budget, stating that the current budget proposal should be rejected for the sake of residents.

Read more: Parsippany Primary Election 2023: See Who's Running

"The recent budget hearing in Parsippany raised serious concerns about transparency and accountability in our local government. Councilman Musella had to call out the administration to hold the hearing, which is a clear insult to the people of Parsippany who deserve open and accessible government," Martin and Desai said.

When discussing the budget hearings, the pair agreed that the timing was inconvenient for many working families and that there was a lack of clarity about the proposed tax increase.

"We need to make sure that future budget hearings are more accessible and provide clear materials to help people understand the implications of proposed budgets," Martin and Desai said.

The budget hearing was held prior to the regular council meeting, and the public comment period was limited to approximately 30 minutes due to time constraints. The town has since scheduled a second budget public hearing for Tuesday, May 9, from 5 to 7 p.m.

Read more: $88.4M Budget Has No Room For Cuts, Parsippany Officials Say

"The current budget proposal needs to be rejected for the good of our residents. If we continue to spend beyond our means, we will face even greater financial crises in the future," Martin and Desai said.

All three Democratic candidates shared similar feelings and frustrations with the proposed budget.

Judy Hernandez, Bernard Clarkin, and Matt Kavanagh spoke out against the tax increases, claiming that the current mayor and council campaigned on a fiscally conservative platform for Parsippany voters.

"The last thing anyone expected was a tax increase of over 18 percent in just two years. That will be the result of the 2023 budget proposed by the mayor. The Council has a responsibility to reduce this year’s budget before our residents are forced from their homes by out-of-control tax increases," the three candidates said.

Hernandez, Clarkin, and Kavanagh also spoke out, citing last year's budget, which included a 14.3 percent increase that Mayor James Barberio attributed to recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and the fiscal management by the previous administration.

"A tax increase of over 18 percent in two years is unacceptable. A $3.3 million raid on utility fees in two years is unacceptable," the three candidates said.

The budget is still subject to a final vote by the five-member council, which is scheduled to vote on May 16. The departments attending the May 9 meeting will be Planning, Zoning, Construction, Recreation, Water Sewer and the Knoll.