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Vol. LXII, No. 14
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Wednesday, April 2, 2008
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Vol. LXII, No. 14
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Wednesday, April 2, 2008
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WENDY BENCHLEY
Boudinot Drive
LANCE LIVERMAN
Witherspoon Street
MARY COOPER
Bryn Mawr Club President
JANET FEARON
Wellesley Club President
EVE NIEDERGANG
Forester Drive
WILLIAM STEPHENSON
Governors Lane
To the Editor:
I enthusiastically support Casey Lambert’s candidacy for Princeton Township Committee.
When Casey served her first term, 2002-2004, she and I shared several committee assignments and I was able to see first hand what a capable, involved, and intelligent member she was not only in her Township liaison positions but also in the wisdom, experience, and responsiveness she showed on Township Committee. It was refreshing to have someone who listened to the public and responded positively and thoughtfully to their concerns.
Casey worked on many issues while a member of Township Committee and she has continued work as a private citizen. I most appreciate Casey’s early and dedicated attempts to preserve the Princeton Ridge. She started before the senior housing overlays went into place and continued during her term on the Environmental Commission. She rightly pointed out from the beginning that planning for housing of all types constitutes an important public policy issue that should be researched thoroughly before allowing development. Building expensive housing for older residents on an isolated, fragile and protected piece of land was not a wise solution. Casey will proactively work on the housing issue while upholding environmental standards. She is already working with outside experts to develop a model sustainability plan for Princeton.
Finally, as a long-time member of Borough Council, I see Casey as the person who can best bring about a change in the Township’s relationship with the Borough. At a time when these two municipalities should be acting in concert on a host of important issues, we find ourselves quite literally in a stalemate. I think Casey is the person who can finally bring the Township into a new cooperative alliance with the Borough. In short, it is time for a new approach.
We are lucky to have Casey Lambert, a candidate with experience, wisdom, and good judgment, prepared once again to serve the community she has been a part of for 44 years. She will have my vote and I urge others to vote for her also.
WENDY BENCHLEY
Boudinot Drive
To the Editor:
It is a pleasure for me to endorse Bernie Miller for Princeton Township Committee. Bernie has demonstrated time and again that he is concerned about the well-being of our residents. He has served on various municipal commissions and boards in the Township since 1970. He was one of the original social architects that helped plan and push for development of Griggs Farm, a housing project that includes affordable and market rate dwellings. He has led the fight for improved fire safety inspections of Township businesses, helped the Township Police Department restructure, and negotiated labor contracts with our Police and Public Works Departments. As chair of the Cable TV Committee in 2002, he pushed to update the internal technology so that TV 30 could continue to deliver stimulating programming.
The list of Bernie’s accomplishments is testament to the kind of person we need and want on Princeton Township Committee. Please join me in voting for Bernie Miller.
LANCE LIVERMAN
Witherspoon Street
To the Editor:
We have just completed the annual Bryn Mawr-Wellesley Book Sale in Princeton, and wish to express our appreciation to all those involved in making it a great community success. This is the 77th consecutive year of the sale. It contained some 80,000 books, tapes, videos and DVDs, and drew book/movie/music lovers from our community and the whole East Coast. The proceeds are used to help students from the Central New Jersey area attend Bryn Mawr and Wellesley colleges.
Princeton Day School makes this event possible by providing its facilities for the entire two weeks of its Spring vacation. We also rely on the year-long contributions of books from the community, the volunteer work of club members, families and friends, and of course our customers who eagerly look forward to the sale each year.
We had books of art, fiction and nonfiction for all ages, covering the entire range of tastes at very low cost. This year we also did special events such as Children’s and Senior’s discount times, and a workshop on “Is This Book Valuable?” Another highlight was Collector’s Corner, featuring older and rare books of special interest. We sincerely thank all who participated in any facet of this remarkable event.
Everyone can help us continue this tradition by making tax-deductible donations of books throughout the year. Our warehouse is located in the rear parking lot at 32 Vandeventer Street in Princeton and is open all year long, every Wednesday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. The phone number is (609) 921-7479; the website, www.princetonol.com/groups/brynmawr.
MARY COOPER
Bryn Mawr Club President
JANET FEARON
Wellesley Club President
To the Editor:
I write to urge Princetonians to vote on Tuesday, April 15 in favor of the school budget. As a parent actively involved in the schools (I’m a former president of the Riverside Elementary PTO), I have supported and continue to support the Princeton Regional Schools and its efforts to ensure educational excellence.
The budget up for vote on April 17 is very conservative; the overall tax impact is 3.32 percent, well under the 4 percent state imposed cap. However, the impact of the budget is different for the Township and the Borough. Princeton Township taxpayers will experience a one-cent tax rate decrease while taxpayers in the Borough will experience a 9.5 cent increase. These rates are not under the control of the Princeton Regional Schools, the School Board or, indeed, Princeton Township and Borough; rather, these rates are determined by the Mercer County Tax Board based on the market value of real estate in each municipality, the same way county tax rates are calculated. The tax formula changes year to year, sometimes favoring the Township, sometimes favoring the Borough; this year, individual Borough taxpayers are facing a bigger tax impact.
I am lucky enough to live in the Borough and will get to pay more this year than my Township peers. Yet I am still supporting the school budget because I understand that every effort was made to keep costs under control and that this year’s budget is a fit for our tight economic times. Given increases in the cost of fuel and in health care, it is truly a reflection of the Board’s hard work and careful budgeting that the school budget has come in with such a small increase. While this budget presents no new programs, it does maintain the tradition of educational excellence that is a Princeton tradition and, lest we forget, largely responsible for the value of a Princeton home. I urge voters to join me in voting “yes” on the budget on Tuesday, April 15.
EVE NIEDERGANG
Forester Drive
To the Editor:
Has anyone ever figured out why our most heavily traveled streets have sort of a third world charm about them? Massive, immortal potholes seem to be a way of life.
Several years ago, there was a Pothole Hotline in the Township, which indicated that there might be some interest in repairing the most dangerous ones. Apparently other priorities arose.
Each resident quickly learns the location of the most dangerous routes. Harrison from Terhune to Nassau, a major thoroughfare, is also a major nightmare. Not as heavily traveled, but a left from Terhune into Grover is always a jarring experience.
If the answer is that we need to pay more taxes in order to have streets that are safe to navigate, never mind.
WILLIAM STEPHENSON
Governors Lane