Press Release from Hernandez, Clarkin, and Kavanagh for Council, May 2023
PARSIPPANY – When our all-Republican Mayor and Council campaigned to Parsippany voters, they ran on a platform of fiscal conservatism. The last thing anyone expected was a tax increase of over 18% 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.
We, Judy Hernandez, Bernard Clarkin, and Matt Kavanagh, have reviewed the Mayor’s budget and see several areas of alarm. This administration has proposed a massive, undefined $750,000 salary adjustment, nearly four times the $200,000 salary adjustment included in the 2022 budget.
The Mayor has also budgeted $1,091,000 for salaries and expenses in his own office and the administrator’s office. That is a $264,000, or 32%, increase over the $827,000 paid in 2022.
These two items alone combine for over $1 million in spending increases.
This proposed budget also includes another raid on our sewer and water utility fees amounting to $1.8 million to make up for this increased spending. Unfortunately, this crucial information is hidden away in the “User Friendly” version of the budget, despite last year’s $1.5 million raid being clearly shown in the 2022 User Friendly budget. The User Friendly version of the budget is meant to be easier for Parsippany residents to read and interpret, not to hide the facts.
These raids have the same effect on Parsippany residents as tax increases: less money in your pocket and more for the Mayor’s runaway spending.
Our community needs to hold this Mayor and Council accountable before it’s too late. A tax increase of over 18% in two years is unacceptable. A $3.3 million raid on utility fees in two years is unacceptable. We are calling on the Council to tackle this budget line-by-line and eliminate overspending.
We are as sick and tired as you are of being overtaxed. It’s clear that this administration needs a check to keep spending down and put more money in our residents’ pockets. We are asking for your vote this November so we can be that check.
Meet the Candidates
Judy Hernandez
- Engineer with experience in wastewater, water infrastructure, and environmental sustainability
- Co-founder and co-leader of the Parsippany Green Team
- Former member of the Open Space Committee, Environmental Advisory Committee, and Planning Board
- Parsippany resident for 23 years who has fought against overdevelopment
- Board member of the Parsippany Child Day Care Center
“Hope is contagious. I want to communicate the hope that if every one of us is inspired to act collectively, we can positively impact our future.”
Bernard Clarkin
- Certified Public Accountant and former Chief Financial Officer for over 20 years with extensive financial and budgeting experience
- Successful small business owner for the last 10 years
- Parsippany resident for over 35 years who successfully fought developers on bad projects in his neighborhood
- Graduate of Georgetown University with an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University
- Former member of the Knoll Advisory Committee
“I want to limit local tax increases in a transparent way, make sure developers respect our neighborhoods, and pursue more green energy initiatives which can save money as well as improve our community’s livability.”
Matt Kavanagh
- US Navy veteran and graduate of the US Naval Academy, Class of 2002
- 20 years’ experience in the energy sector, currently the Chief Operating Officer of a clean energy firm
- Experience managing large corporate budgets similar in size to Parsippany’s
- Co-founder and co-leader of the Parsippany Green Team
- Parsippany Soccer Club coach
“A sustainable community is environmentally conscious, but also diverse, resilient, responsible with resources, financially savvy, and plans for the long run. That is absent in our township government right now, so I’ll be focusing on this for Parsippany’s long-term future.”
Issues
Why is this election important?
The Township Council has a serious impact on your life, deciding how to spend nearly $100 million of your tax dollars and ensuring the services you rely on are dependable and affordable. Many of the ideas that shape our nation begin at the local level. We deserve a local government that reflects every resident of Parsippany, and that can’t happen without your vote.
Did you know your municipal taxes went up 18% in two years?
Despite a cap of 2% on property tax increases, the one-party Mayor and Council raised your municipal taxes by 18% between 2022 and 2023. Tax increases this high are unprecedented in Parsippany. We cannot afford this runaway spending for the rest of the Mayor’s term.
Judy, Bernard, and Matt will be a check on the Mayor’s spending and end these unsustainably high tax increases.
Sustainable Future
Building a sustainable community is about preserving our environment and our residents’ pocketbooks. By promoting sustainable initiatives, we can protect our green spaces, create high-quality local jobs, harden our energy grid, and save on costs. Judy, Bernard, and Matt will work to protect our environment and infrastructure to ensure the prosperity of our community for generations to come.
Affordability
We are committed to making Parsippany more affordable for all residents. Our local government must work to attract businesses to our vacant properties control taxes, and implement cost-saving measures.
Judy, Bernard, and Matt will work to ensure that our community remains a place where families can grow, seniors can retire comfortably, and all of us can thrive.