It’s been quite the first year of my town council term, a learning experience! Politics isn’t what you see, but what goes on behind the scenes. Having been born and raised in this fabulous town, I expected our leaders to always do the right thing. The entire council has been supporting our constituents in opposing an 880,000 sq ft warehouse that could have devastating effects on our water, air, traffic and green space! In the end hopefully good efforts will prevail.
We welcome the arrival of Mike Sylvester. I look forward to his levelheaded conservative values. I anticipate he will be an ally in the year ahead The budget (currently under pressure), health (cannabis, water etc.) and the unified council to protect (including warehouse and open space) Sparta.
Progress on Campaign Promises: Clean Water; In my first year the town has developed a plan to improve and filter Spartans large water system. More on progress in Q1 of 2026.
Another promise was No Mega Warehouse. None so far.
One of my promises was protecting Open Space: We have much to learn and work to do here
One of our biggest achievements this year is the defeat of the previous council led cannabis retail sales ordinance. Apparently without sharing their plans with Councilman Scott and I, the previous council never disclosed they had been planning this pro cannabis effort for over a year. Back in March, Blumetti, Clark and Chiariello over a chorus of objectors in the audience, voted for sales of cannabis as close as 250 feet from our schools, churches, day care centers, playgrounds and sports fields. etc.
With the help of many committed volunteers, Spartans were able to get 1,570 signatures saying NO to retail cannabis sales in one week. This helped us to get the question on to the ballot on Nov. 4. The town overwhelmingly said NO to cannabis sales; 65 percent to 35 percent. As such, the council overturned this decision, and cannabis will not be sold in Sparta. That evening, Blumetti reminded us that the consideration of cannabis sales comes up again in April 2026. Blumetti says he will be fully supporting cannabis sales again under the premise that the electorate will have changed their minds by then; not my mind.
There have been decisions made that were not in the town’s best interest and not being shared with our constituents. Sparta went through a very trying and stressful time with COVID, and high inflation. We continue to dig into and understand how prior councils allowed the town to slide into a financial jam by burning through the healthy surplus. Not raising taxes during a 30+ pecent inflationary environment appears to have been a mistake. Just as our personal budgets have been squeezed, so has the towns.
We have suggested plans to limit a potential 15 percent surge in population growth. This is possible due to the fourth round of Affordable housing requirements being forced on towns from Trenton. Through smart planning and working with affordable housing developers, Sparta can limit the chances of the need for new $100,000,000+ school and a thousand+ new students to educate, at a $25,000,000 annual cost. The cost of these increases could crush Sparta’s budget with a total of almost ½ a billion ($475,000,000) increase in the Sparta education operating budget, over 13 years (K thru 12). This requires serious action. We must actively work with Affordable Only Developers to limit the number of units to 311 affordable units or 20% of the 1,555 possible units Trenton, and developers are pushing for.
I again thank you for your support in the Town Council’s efforts in the year ahead.
Marjy Murphy
Deputy Mayor, Sparta Township
