To the Editor:

My public life began when then Princeton Borough Mayor Marvin Reed appointed me to the Cable Television Committee in the 1990s. The first task of the committee back then was to establish a permanent studio to serve as a location where local residents could learn to shoot, edit, and cablecast local access programming. Using funds collected from cable fees and made available to the committee by the governments of Princeton Borough and Princeton Township, we able to acquire equipment and secure a few rooms in the Arts Council Building to be the first home of Princeton’s TV30.

While TV30 has had a few homes since that time, it’s strong commitment to local issues and local originated programming has remained constant. I always take the time to appear on TV30 shows when invited because
I believe it is important to support local access. At a time of declining local media, Princeton Community Television/TV30 is a vital service that must be allowed to continue.
I am disappointed that the most important funding source for TV30 — the fees collected from cable subscribers — has been withheld by Princeton government for the 2019 budget year. I hope that in future years the mayor and Council will rethink this position. Princeton Community Television is too valuable to lose!

Andrew Koontz
Freeholder, Mercer County
Spruce Street