Jeff Grayzel's Blatant Hypocrisy-Part 7

Grayzel recently sent out a mailer to Township residents touting such falsehoods as "keeping property taxes stable" and "upgrading neighborhoods". We put this fabulist's assertions under the microscope and not a single one of them is even remotely true. Here is a summary of Grayzel's fictional claims vs documented hard fact. A more detailed report follows which is well worth the read.

Jeff Grayzel’s campaign mailer paints him as an experienced, pragmatic leader who has delivered fiscal stability, economic growth, and community unity. But when you look beyond the slogans, the evidence tells a different story. His record in Morris Township reflects short-term political posturing, opaque fiscal management, and a lack of accountability on the very local issues that matter most to residents.

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1. “I’ve kept taxes stable — fiscal responsibility”

Grayzel touts seven years of “stable taxes” as proof of fiscal discipline. In reality, his policies rely on Payment In Lieu Of Taxes (PILOT) programs that shift the burden onto schools and

homeowners.

PILOT programs exclude schools. Under Morris Township’s PILOT agreements, 95% of

payments go to the municipality and 0% to the school district. As new residential developments add students, the school system gets no new funding. According to Morris Focus (Dec. 18, 2023), neither the Township Committee nor developers have committed to sharing PILOT revenues with the schools. That means larger class sizes, budget stress, and eventual school tax hikes.

“Stable taxes” hide future costs. Deferring maintenance, school funding, or infrastructure

improvements may make the numbers look steady now — but it merely postpones the pain. The next generation of taxpayers will foot the bill.

Nearby towns prove the risk. In Parsippany, similar PILOTs created a $3.5 million education

funding gap for 164 new students, forcing cuts or higher school levies. Morris Township is on the same trajectory.

Bottom line: Grayzel’s “stable taxes” are a mirage. PILOT deals and deferred spending shift costs to homeowners and schools instead of solving problems responsibly.

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2. “I’ve delivered economic growth — look at the Red Bulls and Restoration Hardware”

Grayzel takes credit for high-profile developments like the Red Bulls training facility and

Restoration Hardware. But these are corporate relocations and county-level projects, not

grassroots economic revitalization.

Selective credit. These deals were largely driven by state and corporate incentives. The mayor’s

role was limited to land-use approvals and tax abatements.

Short-term gain, long-term cost. PILOTs and incentives reduce immediate tax burdens for

developers but deprive schools and residents of fair revenue. Economic development that fails to benefit the broader community isn’t real progress.

Uneven priorities. Residents have raised concerns that while large developers get breaks, small

businesses and neighborhood infrastructure languish.

Bottom line: Grayzel’s “growth” is built on corporate deals and developer subsidies, not on

building a balanced, sustainable local economy.

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3. “I’ve upgraded infrastructure — roads, sidewalks, and neighborhoods”

Routine road paving and sidewalk repairs are being marketed as visionary leadership.

Routine work, exaggerated credit. Most road resurfacing projects are state- or county-funded

basics — not special initiatives by the mayor.

Evidence of stagnation. The Route 24 / Columbia Turnpike interchange project was stalled when

Morris Township refused to provide a letter of support needed for funding. County officials

publicly blamed the township for holding up the project (Patch, 2021).

Incomplete follow-through. Promised “green infrastructure” and “bikewalk” initiatives remain in the planning stage. As The Local Lens (Apr. 2025) reports, discussion continues without tangible delivery.

Bottom line: Maintenance isn’t innovation. Morris Township deserves leadership that funds and

finishes modern infrastructure projects — not a mayor who takes credit for pothole patching.

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4. “I bring people together and fight hate”

Grayzel’s mailer promotes unity and inclusion — but his governing style tells another story.

Opaque public process. During the Ketch Road redevelopment, residents said they learned of a

major hearing only days in advance. The plan was approved unanimously (5–0) despite

widespread opposition (Morristown Green, Oct. 3, 2025).

Key stakeholders excluded. The school district was shut out of PILOT negotiations, even though

these deals directly affect education budgets (Morris Focus, Dec. 18, 2023).

Bottom line: “Bringing people together” means transparency and collaboration — not rushing

controversial votes or sidelining schools and residents.

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5. “I’m an engineer and problem solver”

If Grayzel’s engineering background truly informed his leadership, Morris Township would see

data-driven planning and accountability. Instead, it sees vague promises and missing metrics.

Data-free decisions. PILOT approvals have lacked clear studies on student growth, fiscal impact,

or infrastructure demand. A “problem solver” should quantify outcomes before committing

taxpayer money.

Incomplete system design. Despite discussions of “Complete Streets” and sustainability, the

township has not implemented comprehensive solutions for stormwater, walkability, or transit

safety.

Bottom line: Grayzel’s “problem-solving” claim collapses under scrutiny. Real engineers

measure success — they don’t govern by slogan.

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6. “Standing up to the chaos in Washington — delivering stability here at home”

Grayzel’s mailer leans heavily on national political rhetoric, declaring that he’s “standing up to

the chaos and division in Washington.” That message may sound inspiring — but it’s irrelevant,

and it hides local failings.

National distractions, local neglect. Township residents face overdevelopment, fiscal opacity, and stalled infrastructure — none of which are caused by Congress or the President. Grayzel’s focus on Washington is a deliberate deflection from his own failures to address local priorities.

Local instability is self-inflicted. By promoting PILOT deals that exclude schools from tax

revenues, Grayzel is creating the very “chaos” he claims to oppose. The Morris County School

Boards Association warned that PILOTs “create fiscal chaos at the local level” (Parsippany

Focus, Feb. 12, 2024).

Blame-shifting isn’t leadership. Instead of confronting community frustration over development, transparency, and traffic, Grayzel invokes national politics to rally partisanship and distract from his record.

Bottom line: National issues are irrelevant to Morris Township governance. Grayzel’s rhetoric

about Washington is a smokescreen to hide his lack of results at home.