LETTER: Honeywell deal a sour one for Morris

I have spent much time investigating this story on my own separate from the group here in Morris Township opposed to the development project.

Prior to July of 2010 Honeywell built a new office complex in the Washington D.C. area it had once called its “International Headquarters.” It is also true at the same time employment at that facility was increasing the employment levels at the Morris Township site were decreasing.

Shortly before Gov. Christie’s press conference of July 2010, where he announced that he had struck a deal with Honeywell that required stand-alone legislation for a multi-million dollar economic development grant that would eventually materialize into a $40 million cost, someone from the Board of Chosen Freeholders had told the Daily Record that they found out somehow that if Honeywell does not get a multi-million dollar deal of some kind they will leave and damage Morris County. The state Legislature did pass the stand-alone legislation and gave Honeywell what they wanted.

Then residents found out more bad news that they were going to build residential homes on the site to pay for the demolition of perfectly good office buildings. The company saying it did not make financial sense for them to as they put it, “retro fit the buildings,” the court ruled against the Morris Township group.

In or around May of 2014 our congressman, Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, held a telephone town hall meeting in which I participated. I asked if I could have a little table report listing employment figures on both facilities in-between 2000 and 2013; the congressman said fine, no problem just write to my office.

On June 16, 2014 I met in person with the congressman at his Morristown office and he confirmed for me again that all I had to do is write to his office no problem. On June 17, 2014 I wrote the congressman a formal request.

On Sept. 4 2014, the congressman issued a hand-authorized letter stating that this was purely a state issue and not a federal issue and that there is nothing he can do and he referred me to the state attorney general’s office to file a complaint. Quoting the hand-authorized letter: “You are quite correct in identifying this as a state, rather than a federal issue. Of course I am not privy to the internal decision-making process at Honeywell, and therefore, cannot form an opinion regarding the substance and timing of their various tax applications. “

It is also fair to report that our congressman is chairman of the defense appropriations committee and Honeywell is a major defense contractor. It is also fair to report that our congressman is one of the most powerful and influential Republican members of Congress.

I must draw the conclusion that this is a major scandal involving Gov. Christie, who sold New Jersey out to obtain support for a presidential bid; to determine whether that is true we need an independent investigation. What do you think will happen when the statute of limitations of five years expires? They will move the rest of the jobs to the Washington D.C. area. Why does Honeywell need two headquarters? The answer is it doesn’t, no one does.

I must demand in public that our congressman keep the promise he made to his district and provide the spreadsheet and if they complain, issue a subpoena and hold accounts payable, until they fork it over and stop railroading Morris residents.

Joseph G. Abbondanzo

CONVENT STATION