To the Editor:

I write to share that I will seek election to Princeton Council. I decided to run after Eve Niedergang announced that she will be completing her elected service this year. I wish to thank Eve for her decades of community engagement and leadership as an advocate for our environment and sustainability, and as a dedicated member of Council. 

Princeton is a special town where my family has lived for the past 29 years. I have been honored to serve our community in a variety of roles — as a Little League coach; as a member of nonprofit Boards, including The Watershed Institute, Sustainable Princeton, and McCarter Theatre Center; and as a member of the town’s Citizen’s Finance Advisory Committee. I am currently finishing my second term as a member of the Princeton Public Schools Board of Education. It would be a privilege to continue serving our community as a member of Council.

Our community is at a pivotal juncture. As we grow, we need to ensure that our growth is smart, sustainable, and respectful of our unique character. At a time when the average home cost exceeds $1 million, we need to find ways to make our town more affordable for individuals and families at all income levels so that our significant diversity, which is one of our great strengths and defining characteristics, may be sustained and expanded. 

Climate change requires us to increase our resiliency to cope with more extreme weather events, protect our environment, and continue to be a state leader in sustainability. With a changing economy, we need to maintain a vibrant downtown that supports local businesses while also nurturing other areas of commercial activity, including the shopping center and Route 206 at the northern edge of Princeton. We need to do these things while delivering services that are excellent, efficient, and serve the needs of all residents. 

As a former public finance professional, I will help manage our budget and borrowing in ways that hold tax increases as low as possible. As a creative thinker, I will bring fresh perspectives to an already strong Council and help find solutions to the full spectrum of challenges and opportunities that our town will face in the coming years. 

Finally, Princeton has an incredible number of exceptional nonprofit institutions. We must nourish strong partnerships with our institutions, ranging from the YMCA and YWCA to the Princeton Public Library, the Arts Council, the Institute for Advanced Study, the Seminary, Princeton University and, especially, our public schools. And we must work closely with our houses of faith. 

In the coming months, I look forward to opportunities to listen to and learn from residents, nonprofit leaders, business owners, and all members of our community, with a focus on how, working together, we can ensure that Princeton continues to be a vibrant and caring town.

Brian Mcdonald
Journeys End Lane