By Anne Levin

At its meeting on Monday, April 10, Princeton Council amended the 2023 budget to reduce the tax increase from what was originally introduced as $0.045 per $100 of assessed value, instead to $0.029 per $100 of assessed value. This translates to an increase for the average Princeton taxpayer of $279 for the year.

The meeting also included presentations on Phase III of the Witherspoon Street Improvement Project, which extends from Leigh Avenue to Valley Road, and efforts by the Civil Rights Commission (CRC) to change the “Welcome to Princeton” signs located at gateways to the town.

The budget was introduced last month at $72.47 million, a rise of about $1.27 million over the last year. The increase is due to a rise in costs for things like health care and waste management. Several members of Council thanked the town’s Chief Financial Officer Sandy Webb and her team for getting the cost down.

“Some prices for equipment we’re replacing were shockingly high,” said Councilwoman Eve Niedergang. “It’s still a tax increase, which we don’t like to see, but it’s a lot less than what we started with. A lot of creativity and hard work went into that.” A public hearing on the resolution is April 24.

In a report from the Princeton Police Department, Lt. Tom Lagomarsino said the police and the Princeton PBA Local 130 are partnering with local restaurants, bars, and Uber to start a new program that will offer patrons a free ride home within Princeton, should they need one. The idea is not only to promote having a designated driver, but to also help promote Princeton restaurants and bars, Lagomarsino said.

Nick DiDomizio of the Civil Rights Commission (CRC) told Council that the “Welcome to Princeton” signs, which say “Settled 1683,” acknowledge when the first structure was built here by European settlers, but ignore the fact that the Lenape people lived here first. This language “is not inclusive, and implicitly ignores the history of the Indigenous people that inhabited this land prior to European settlers,” he said. The CRC recommends removing “Settled 1683” from the signs if it is the only wording on the signs
acknowledging Princeton’s  history.

The CRC recommends that historical information should at least have an acknowledgement of the historic homeland of the Lenape people. The signs could also include other information such as a municipal-centric timepoint, “Consolidated in 2013,” and other historical data points that relate to the major historical events or historic neighborhoods within the municipality of Princeton, he said.

In addition to changing the signs, the town could undertake such long-term plans as donating time and/or funds to support Indigenous organizations, and a commitment to returning land to Indigenous people. Councilmembers thanked DiDomizio and fellow speakers including Kim Dorman and Bob Durkee for their input. Municipal Administrator Bernie Hvozdovic asked the CRC to share the research they have already completed with municipal staff as they look into the issue.

Assistant Municipal Engineer Jim Purcell gave the presentation on plans for the third phase of the Witherspoon Street Improvement Project. The first phase, which runs from Nassau to Green streets, is scheduled for completion next month. Construction on the second phase, which extends from Green Street to Leigh Avenue, is to begin in May; a pre-construction meeting for the public will take place on May 10 at 7 p.m. in Witherspoon Hall.

The design process for Phase III is beginning, and will continue through June, Purcell said. The final design is targeted for September before the project goes out to bid. “We have to award a construction contract by October 21 because we are using DOT (Department of Transportation) municipal aid funds, and they’ve set a deadline,” Purcell said, adding that Princeton’s own capital improvement funds will also be used.

Included in the proposed plan is a reduction in traffic lane widths from 12 to 11 feet, and wider sidewalks. Traffic-calming measures would include bumpouts and raised crosswalks. ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant sidewalks and curb ramps, and replaced and added street trees are also part of the plan, as are plans for drainage improvements, sewer repairs and replacement, power line upgrades, and a gas modernization program. Full details of the presentation are available at princetonnj.gov.

Council’s next public meeting is on April 24 at 7 p.m.