Milin Shah Formally Announces Council Bid

Former Parsippany Planning Board member Milin Shah on Friday announced his candidacy for the Township Council.

He said he will run alongside Mayor James Barberio and Councilman Vincent Ferrara, who are seeking re-election. The official announcement of the ticket is expected to come Feb. 21 at 6:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Parsippany Hotel.

Shah, 25 (he'll be 26 in a month), reflected on the time that has passed since his unsuccessful bid for council six years ago.

"I’ve grown and matured quite a bit since my last campaign in 2007," he said via a statement that recounted his background as a law student at Seton Hall University, as an intellectual property specialist for a New York City firm and as a township volunteer and Parsippany Hills High School basketball coach.

"Parsippany is more than just the place I call home," Shah explained. "This is where I grew up, where I’ve met my oldest and dearest friends and where I gained the skills, confidence, tools and resources needed to become a successful young professional.

"Many of my high school friends have asked me, 'Milin, come move in with me in New York or Hoboken,'  'Milin, let’s move down to D.C. or let’s head out to California.' My response has always been the same: Parsippany is the reason I am as successful as I am today, and I’m not going anywhere until I give back to the town that has done so much for me."

Shah said his campaign is about "bringing a fresh perspective to the Township Council."

"I want to be a voice for all the Parsippany residents," he stated. "As an outsider, I have the opportunity to challenge the status quo. I can stand up and say, 'The way it’s always been done is not good enough anymore.'”

He said that if he is elected, his immediate priorities will be to increase revenues for the township, cut unnecessary costs and expenses, be accessible and available to listen to feedback from as many members of our community as possible, generate small business growth in the township and "always put Parsippany and its residents first."