To the Editor:

One of the often-repeated narratives of proponents of the new Master Plan is the phenomenon of the “missing middle.” I’ve done some research and discovered that Princeton is not on lists of the 0 or 15 highest income or highest property value communities in New Jersey. Nor is it on lists of the 10 or 15 lowest income or lowest property value communities. It is, however, on several lists of best small towns and best communities in New Jersey.

I am in the middle. After 26 years as a Princeton resident, I know many others who would fall, by reason of income or the value of their homes, in the middle. All of this leads to the following question. Is the middle really missing, or is it simply overlooked by our municipal authorities?

While doing research on the new Master Plan, I went to the municipal website to locate contact information for members of the Planning Board — the folks who have the power to approve or disapprove the new Master Plan, and thus to determine our community’s future. To my surprise, the website contains only the names of the Planning Board members. It does not list their experience, qualifications, or individual contact information. There is one point of contact — a single email address for a liaison, who will supposedly pass communications to the board members. I did email this person but received no acknowledgment — either from the liaison or any board members.

Planning Board members are appointed, not elected. In the current situation, the future of our community will be determined by a group of people of unknown experience and qualifications who are not subject to the democratic process: election by residents.

We urgently need to pause the Master Plan process to fully answer residents’ questions — including whether the middle is really missing — and to establish a means for the residents — not a group of appointed individuals — to determine the future of our community.

Maryann Witalec Keyes
Franklin Avenue