To the Editor:

There have been letters in local media commenting negatively on my plans to renovate existing apartments and construct new ones on Witherspoon Street. It is important that I correct their inaccuracies.

A number of years ago my late architect wife, Barbara, and I began to design the restoration of 16 Witherspoon Street properties. When we bought them, we knew that they all needed significant renovations, but we believed that they all have great character, storied histories, and deserved to be faithfully restored. I strongly doubt that a “developer” would give this project the care and attention to detail that we have.

From the start, our plans included accommodating the 16 families and 16 single tenants living in the existing studio apartments, duplexes, and single-family homes.  more

To the Editor:

I am concerned about the points made by Lawren Smithline in her letter of January 22 concerning the new bike lane on Harrison Street in front of the shopping center [“Asking Town to Pump the Brakes on Harrison Street Traffic Modifications,” Mailbox].  I didn’t realize what a poor job was done until I read and reread the letter.  First, the bike lane is built in one direction and is built over the length of one half of the block because it was financed by the developer of The Alice and not the Princeton DPW.  Therefore, I do not expect as good a quality job to result when all is said and done. Second, given my interest and concern regarding Vision Zero and Gov. Phil Murphy’s signing of the Target Zero bill recently, I am as distressed as Ms. Smithline is about what the outcome is. Even before the bike lane was added cars would be in the right lane that would try to go through the intersection with Terhune Road. Once upon a time I was biking and struck by a car driver making a right-hand turn into a driveway. I feel Ms. Smithline’s bewilderments as to how this construction design could have been allowed to happen by our Engineering Department. Jim Purcell bicycles from Lawrence Township to work. Therefore, I expect much more out of a Township Engineering Department employee than to allow a situation to be allowed to exist that so clearly does not promote Target Zero/Vision Zero. more

To the Editor:

I was delighted to read the special section in last weeks’ issue [January 15, pages 16 and 17] entitled Lawrence Township News. I moved to Lawrenceville 20 years ago and it was a great decision.

I loved the stories about nationally recognized Joanne Canady-Brown and her wildly popular Ginger Peach Bakery, the energetic Lawrence Education Foundation (raising tons of money for our schools), and Cherry Grove Farm with its barns and animals and its award-winning cheese-making operations, classes, and workshops. more

To the Editor:

We are writing to voice our support for all three questions in the upcoming school referendum on January 28.

We have lived in Princeton since 2016 and are the parents of four students in the Princeton Public Schools district. During this time, we have watched as Princeton has grown and our Littlebrook community has expanded.  The year after our oldest children began at Littlebrook, the computer lab was taken away to allow room for a classroom.  Over the next few years, our World Language (Spanish) classroom was converted into a fourth-grade classroom, storage closets were converted into rooms where special education students could be pulled out for additional support, the stage was converted into storage, occupational therapy was conducted in the halls, and students and parents met individually with teachers in the lobby. Last year, our music room was converted into a classroom and music was held on a cart.  This year, our pre-k class was moved to Community Park to make way for yet another classroom.

The reason for these changes is simple. Princeton is growing and so is our school enrollment.   more

To the Editor:

My family and I feel very proud and fortunate to call Princeton home for nearly 15 years. With two daughters at the Princeton Charter School, we moved here for the same reasons that many of you find Princeton attractive. Friendly and caring neighbors, a walkable town with proximity to the university, and great schools are just some of Princeton’s most favorable traits. Today, however, one of these attributes is significantly at risk. Without passing all three measures of the referendum, the quality of education in our schools will decline precipitously.

Princeton Public Schools are already over, at, or near capacity in terms of size, and infrastructure is desperately in need of repair. The estimated impact of the referendum per average, assessed Princeton home is less than $11 per week. These funds can provide a life-saving infusion to our schools. By adding capacity across our schools, this referendum extends Princeton’s quality education across current and additional families moving into the area. This referendum enables our teachers to continue inspiring curious minds. This referendum encourages students to thrive in an open, welcoming, and safe environment. Even for residents who don’t have children at PPS, the referendum provides critical value and economic benefit — communities with well-funded schools have stronger home values. more

To the Editor:

Princeton residents are being asked to approve another tax hike for Princeton Public Schools (PPS) through the 2025 referendum. While our schools are vital to the community, this referendum highlights the failures of three key entities — PPS, the municipal Council, and the local Democratic machine — to work together effectively. A “no” vote isn’t about rejecting support for children but about demanding accountability and sustainable governance.

PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) from new apartment developments total over $2.66 million annually. Historically, 50 percent of tax revenue has gone to schools, and PILOT, as a tax payment, should follow the same principle. PPS should receive $1.33 million yearly from this revenue stream, a figure likely to grow over time.  more

To the Editor:

I support three “yes” votes on the January 28 schools referendum. With some qualifications.

Excellent and inclusive schools are among the most important things that make Princeton great. Having participated in the long-term planning discussions over the past few years, it is clear that our elementary and middle schools are already over-full. Investing now is essential for great schools. It would have been better to have expanded the schools years ago. Although we have had school bonds in recent years, it has been decades since new classrooms were added at the elementary and middle-school levels. We can’t wait any longer.  more

To the Editor:

The Municipality of Princeton should pump the brakes on the traffic modifications for North Harrison Street. While some evolution of traffic control on North Harrison may be necessary, the change is off to a bad start.

The new dedicated bicycle lane on North Harrison Street between Valley Road and Terhune Road creates hazards for all. A bicyclist in the bicycle lane who proceeds straight across Terhune Road faces the peril of motorists turning right across the bicyclist’s line of travel. It would be better for that bicyclist to ignore the bicycle lane. Motorists entering the block from various directions encounter a sudden merge from two lanes to one. Drivers in the right lane face an unenviable situation. more

To the Editor:

We write in support of the public schools referendum on January 28. As we learned about the proposals, we found that nearly all voices, both for and against, agreed that children and their education are core to what makes Princeton the treasure it is. This unison heartens us. However, reasonable people can disagree on details. Why now? Why this amount? Why this order? No proposal will satisfy everyone. In the past few months, we’ve arrived at our own answers to these questions. We hope they might help inform yours.

Why now? The public schools are already at or beyond capacity and Princeton is adding ~1,000 new housing units in the next five years with more to follow. more

To the Editor:

We have lived in Princeton since 2006. Our older son and younger daughter graduated from Littlebrook Elementary School, John Witherspoon Middle School, and Princeton High School. Our daughter graduated from PHS in 2024.

Although we no longer have children attending Princeton Public Schools, we enthusiastically support the upcoming three-question referendum. We want all students to have the same wonderful experiences and opportunities our kids had. more

To the Editor:

As a recent graduate of Princeton High School, I am writing in support of the January 28 bond referendum. The first question of the referendum includes replacement of the PHS HVAC system. From personal experience, this is sorely needed, and I strongly urge a “yes” vote on this question. In case you don’t know: PHS temperature regulation has exactly three settings for the entire building — boiler, nothing, and air conditioner. Some rooms are sweltering under all three settings, and some rooms are frigid under all three settings — and good luck guessing which ones are which from the floor plan. If the PHS HVAC system doesn’t need replacement, I honestly don’t know what does.

As to the rest of the referendum, much has already been said, so I will be brief. A lot of new housing is going to be built, including Fourth Round requirements that the school district is barred from considering in its demographics. The medium term is uncertain; demography usually is. But in the long term, there will be substantial growth, and we must plan for it. Vote for the plan you think most prudent in the long term; consider nothing else.

Akash Jim
Princeton High School Class of 2022
Vandeventer Avenue

To the Editor:

Princeton’s public schools are a cornerstone of our community. On January 28, voters have the chance to ensure that our schools remain strong and healthy. Passing this measure is more than just addressing current needs — it’s a strategic investment in the future of Princeton for all residents.

As parents of students at Littlebrook Elementary School and Princeton Middle School, we moved to Princeton in 2017 because of its reputation for exceptional public education. From our crossing guard, Virginie, who greets our children by name each morning with a smile, to the teachers who support struggling students and inspire curious minds, every interaction reflects the care and excellence that define our schools. more

To the Editor:

As residents of the Princeton Housing Authority (PHA), we are frustrated with lack of action on our behalf. The PHA and town discovered the need to update their Cooperation Agreement 19 months ago and though Council put this on its 2024 Goals list, Council took no steps toward this in 2024. The PHA needs to resolve a number of issues with the town in order to make decisions that affect us.

We understand that, after a 2023 situation in which PHA management did not receive notification before the town reintroduced parking permit enforcement following the pandemic pause, the PHA reached out to their Council liaison, Councilman Newlin, and asked for a meeting to discuss the parking ordinance with the town. At that June 1, 2023 meeting we’re told the discussion of the issues and difficulty with the ordinance made it clear a “quicker” solution was needed and Councilwoman Pirone Lambros suggested it would be more expedient to address the situation through the PHA’s Cooperation Agreement with the town. more

To the Editor:

As a proud member of the Princeton community who has spent the last 25 years working in the field of education, I am writing in strong support of the upcoming school referendum. This is a pivotal opportunity to invest in our schools and ensure that every Princeton Public Schools student has access to the facilities and resources they need to thrive.

Our schools have long been a cornerstone of Princeton’s excellence, but growing enrollment and aging infrastructure require thoughtful action. This referendum addresses those needs with plans for expanded classrooms, upgraded science labs, enhanced arts spaces, and modernized facilities across our elementary, middle, and high schools. These improvements will ensure students have spaces that support innovation, creativity, and collaboration.

Investing in our schools is an investment in our town’s future. I encourage my fellow residents to join me in supporting this referendum and ensuring that Princeton remains a leader in public education.

Daniel Scibienski
Linden Lane

To the Editor:

The cycle seems to be: Great schools make Princeton attractive. Princeton being attractive makes it unaffordable. Princeton being unaffordable mandates more housing. More housing produces more students. More students require more funding. More funding makes great schools.

However, the cycle can easily be broken: More housing means more traffic. More traffic means gridlocked streets. Gridlocked streets make Princeton unattractive. Perhaps Princeton’s schools can be funded using congestion pricing.

Michael Diesso
Harrison Street

To the Editor:

It seems that none of the letters urging us so enthusiastically to vote in favor of all three questions of the referendum makes any equally enthusiastic mention of the extra (projected) $532 annual per-household increase in everybody’s municipal taxes, should all three questions be approved.

Maybe this increase should not be borne by people who have been living in Princeton for 24 years or more? The ones who have put two generations of children — both their own and those of their fellow Princetonians — through the 12 years of public schooling? Those who, through the years, have already carried the price for the repeated (and unfailingly deemed urgent) costly improvements and repairs to school facilities and programs? Those very improvements and repairs that every time turn out to have been insufficient? more

To the Editor:

We are writing in support of the PPS referendum and to encourage our neighbors to vote on January 28 (or earlier by mail).

As parents of children who have gone through the Princeton Public Schools starting in kindergarten at Community Park Elementary School, onto Princeton Middle School, and through to graduation from Princeton High School, we are quite aware of the condition of the buildings and of the increasing student population at all schools. These factors put pressure on our facilities, our teachers, and our students.

Upgrading the HVAC system at PHS will mean installing more efficient equipment to heat and cool the building while providing a more stable and consistent environment for learning. Expanding the elementary schools and Princeton Middle School will provide more spaces for learning core curriculum, special needs, and the arts with the small class sizes that make PPS such a desirable and successful educational environment. more

To the Editor:

Over the past several weeks, scores of our fellow Princeton community members have written letters in support of the upcoming school referendum. We, too, are writing to express our support for the district’s plans. We take pride in our excellent public schools, and are grateful for the education that our children received, thanks to the investments of prior generations of taxpayers.

To remain excellent, our schools need ongoing attention, investment, and renewal. Right now, the high school needs a new HVAC system and several schools (Community Park, Princeton Middle School, and Littlebrook) need more space. We applaud the district for putting together a plan that addresses these needs while leveraging $19.9M in state support.

We plan to vote “yes” to all three questions, and urge our fellow residents to vote “yes” as well.

Heather Howard
Aiken Avenue
Liz Lempert
Meadowbrook Drive

To the Editor:

I am writing in support of the PPS referendum. The Board of Education has outlined specific plans for needed renovations to our public schools’ buildings. The only mechanism available to the Princeton Public Schools to perform needed facilities improvements is the one they are employing — a referendum that funds the improvements via a bond that stretches the costs across many future years, so that the cost in any one year is not too great.

Our public schools are doing an amazing job of educating a large — and growing! — number of kids.  It’s important that we keep the facilities in decent shape so that the schools can continue to do well in their educational mission. more

To the Editor:

Adding to a successful year (“Growing Town Balances Optimism, Concerns at 2024 Year End,” January 1, page 1), the nonprofit Princeton Einstein Museum of Science (PEMS) enlivened Dohm Alley on Nassau Street for over five months with a free exhibit, “Einstein’s Attraction to Magnetism.”  Over 20,000 people from across the country and around the world enjoyed the show, funded by the Richard Lounsbery Foundation and with special thanks to Stanley Dohm and Princeton Future.

PEMS closed out the year with a $50,000 gift from the William Watt Family and will be back next in 2025 with a new exhibit, “Einstein’s Brain: Mind of a Genius.”

Elizabeth Romanaux
PEMS Founder and Chair
Sycamore Place

To the Editor:

Regarding the upcoming referendum vote for Princeton Public Schools, I offer the following for consideration by the taxpayers as they weigh the pros and cons of supporting what I believe to be a well-conceived plan by the district. During my own recent service as a School Board member, I wrangled with this planning. As a parent, I know our middle and high schools to be unpleasantly crowded and Littlebrook School has no room for storage or growth. Redistricting is coming for our elementary schools no matter what, and the referendum will enable that redistricting to be thoughtful while supporting walking and biking to school.

I begin with the premise that small class sizes are in the best interests of our students and teachers. New housing units continue to be built in town. Growth is here and coming.  more

To the Editor:

Like many of our neighbors, one of the reasons we moved into the Municipality of Princeton was due to the excellent public schools. Our three boys (two of whom will graduate from Princeton High School this June) have benefited tremendously from their time at Littlebrook, Princeton Middle School, and Princeton High School. So that future students can likewise enjoy the advantages of a top-notch public school education, we urge our Princeton neighbors to support the January 28 public schools referendum.

Our schools are already at or near capacity — this before the increase expected in the coming years due to the 1,000+ additional housing units coming online in the next five years. In order to continue to provide the same level of public school excellence so many of our children have enjoyed, particularly related to class size, it is imperative that we plan ahead and provide more space in our schools and fund necessary renovations. Unfortunately, we cannot pay for the necessary expansions/renovations out of existing operating funds, due to the state-imposed 2 percent cap on the amount school taxes can grow year-to-year and because doing so would prevent us from receiving state aid to subsidize the cost of improvements (and, if all three of the questions described below pass, our community will receive an estimated total of $19.9M in state aid). more

To the Editor:

Rejoice! After years of asking, Mercer County is now accepting #5 plastics in our curbside recycling bins. So in 2025, we can recycle all #1, #2, and #5 plastics —including yogurt and condiment containers, amber-colored prescription bottles, take-out containers, beverage caps, and jar lids.

The county says that 91 percent of what we put in the yellow bins gets recycled, so long as it is clean and empty with no plastic bags. Per a recent waste study, of the 26,998 tons of recyclable material collected throughout Mercer County in 2022, 24,568 tons was in fact recycled into new raw materials.

The addition of #5 plastics will not only boost our community’s recycling gains, but also reduce the amount of garbage that goes into our trash bins and landfills, decreasing costs and increasing reuse all around. In a world where it’s not easy to avoid plastics, this is welcome news.

James Bash
Harrison Street

To the Editor:

The 2024 Year in Review [“Growing Town Balances Optimism, Concerns at 2024 Year End,” January 1, page 1] reminds us of what an exceptional place Princeton is to live in. We cannot let the moment pass without recognizing the outstanding year our performing arts organizations had as they brought national and world class talent to our area.

With a distinctive reputation for innovation and individuality, American Repertory Ballet (ARB) is recognized as one of the state’s premier performing arts organizations. Presenting classical repertory alongside new and existing contemporary work, ARB entertained the thousands who attended to start their holiday season with The Nutcracker, and pushed the boundaries with Artist in Residence Ethan Stiefel’s Princeton premiere of VARIANTS.  more