Mayor Calls for Community Support in State of Township Address

The future of West Orange relies primarily on its residents to help support government for the next generation, touted township Mayor Robert Parisi Wednesday morning during his State of the Township address.

"My generation, this generation, unlike that of our parents, has grown up in a world where our expectations of government are high, but our willingness to place blame on government is even higher," he told a crowd of 300 at the Wilshire Grand Hotel, where he spoke during the annual breakfast meeting of the West Orange Chamber of Commerce.

"Our reliance on government for services, for programs (and) for answers has often paralyzed us ... economically, politically and socially. But government alone cannot solve the problems we've encountered ... as government alone, is not responsible for them."

For the Sake of the Deficit

Parisi said his top priority is the township's budget. West Orange currently faces a $3.4 million deficit with .

"We will reveal a reorganization of much of our government structure in the hope of better utilizing the individual talents of our employees and, at the same time, maximizing efficiency," he said during his roughly 45-miute talk. "All we do, all we will do, is focus on serving the people of this community and we have re-pledged our commitment to that mission."

Such restructuring .

Parisi said other changes included:

• Reorganizing phone systems to make sure that every resident that calls during working hours will get a live person on the phone.
• Restructuring the municipal building parking lot to provide more spaces for visiting residents and have those spaces closer to the building.
• Unveiling a "storm hotline," where residents can contact an actual person 24 hours a day during snow or storm emergencies.

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said he will work with Parisi to help West Orange accomplish its goals for this year.

"What he said that's important is that whether you're Democrat or Republican, the times we live in are very different times and they're challenging times," he said. "The only way we're going to get through this is us working together ... because we all are sharing the same problems."

No Tax Increase

Parisi, a 12-year veteran on the township's council before elected as mayor, said some of the burdens West Orange now faces stemmed from past decisions.

"There were decisions made that proved to be great successes for our township and there are others that are the source of obstacles for us today," said Parisi. "I am always pleased to highlight the successes, but I also accept the responsibility of those that have grown into today's challenges."

He said, though, raising taxes is not an option to help offset expenses.

"Forgetting the rhetoric that surrounds New Jersey and the stigma of our taxes, forgetting our community's place in that it is simply a matter of recognizing that as the economy struggles, as people struggle in their careers, as small businesses face struggles, as our tax collections suffer and tax appeals increase, raising taxes any further is not the answer," he said to the crowd.

"The budget process has dominated the first six months of this administration, but the 2011 budget we present to the township council and to the public will be a balanced budget that will not include a municipal tax increase." The budget is scheduled to go before the council Feb. 24.

Layoffs and Police Restructuring

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"These times, uncertain as they are, bring light to the underlying reasons for the structural tax problem in New Jersey ... employee related costs ... no one is to blame for these costs and demonizing public employees is not a solution and will not change the fact," he said. "In ways no one could have predicted a generation ago, health care and pension costs have far outpaced our ability to pay them."

Parisi also said the township will reveal a reorganization of the police department to help combat "activity over the last several weeks," he said.

The reorganization will  for patrol and will have less officers serving in administrative positions, said Parisi.

He called for the community to help in this process and asked neighbors to rally support.

"There is nothing more sacred to the family than the neighborhood they call home and each of us must make a commitment to be a part of the process by being an active neighbor, by looking out for each other and asking that others look out for us," he said. "Policing is just one piece to that and, alone, cannot provide us the future we all hope for."

Redevelopment Downtown and Online

Parisi told the audience that  at the dilapidating Edison Battery Factory is not a "failed project," but an "approved plan" that will gain support this year. The initial plan is to construct condominiums next to Thomas Edison National Historic Park on Main Street.

Parisi said the township will reopen dialogue with a financial investment firm, Prism Partners, to move "this project upward and onward." He emphasized the project will not be funded by taxpayer dollars.

He also said the township has moved forward in developing a new website for the community.

"With the township council's support, we have allocated significant and necessary resources to completely upgrade and improve the township's website, but not for the bells and whistles it will provide, but for the efficiency it will provide to local government and the ease it will provide our residents," he said.

The site will allow residents to pay sewer fees and taxes and register for programs. The council allocated $40,000 for the project in January.

'The Small Things'

Parisi said despite the "big things" that occupy the township, his administration also will focus on the "small things," such as making sure Interstate 280 ramps and public parks are kept clean.

Of these initiatives, he said a $2.4 million federal grant-funded streetscape improvement project on Main Street intersections will begin in the spring. He also said the Valley section will start a grant-funded beautification project around the same time.

"Though these projects only provide visual improvements, they speak to our commitment to keeping our township looking upbeat and fresh, while simultaneously ensuring we operate at a high level as well," he said.

Working Together

Parisi said that the current economic challenges in the township, state and nation provide a "time of uncertainty" that needs a strong community to help guide decisions.

"We are surrounded with the blessing in our life and our community: Young children that inspire us, business owners that create jobs and drive our local economy, (and) residents and neighbors that give each of us a piece of themselves in the contributions they make to our town," he said.

Parisi also acknowledged students of West Orange High School who exemplify the future generation of the township and the decisions the current generation has to make to help lead them.

West Orange Board of Education Superintendent Anthony Cavanna, one of a dozen township school officials in the crowd, said he agrees with Parisi's vision for the students and for the township.

"The students have accomplished a lot in West Orange schools and we expect them to go out and do great things and return to the community," said Cavanna. "He (Parisi) was on point that we have a good community ... but the economic times are affecting us all, so we're going to have to do business in a different way."

West Orange Councilwoman Susan McCarntey said Parisi has tough decisions ahead, but working together is the direction to a solution.

"I think he is facing the stark fiscal reality of where we are and he's meeting it head on," she said. "It's very difficult and I know he's struggling, but he's doing it and he's committed in his vision to not increase taxes."

[Editor's note: This story first published Feb. 16 at 3:37 p.m.]