Borough candidates disagree over how to tighten budget
By Marjorie Censer, Staff Writer
Candidates for the Princeton Borough Council agreed that the council must address ways to improve the borough's finances - but differed on the methods of doing so - at an endorsement session with The Packet's editorial board on Tuesday.
Incumbent Democrats David Goldfarb and Mildred Trotman met with challenger Joshua Leinsdorf, who is running as an independent. Mr. Leinsdorf is a member of the Princeton Regional Board of Education.
Mr. Goldfarb suggested several methods of increasing borough revenue, including increasing parking fees and asking Princeton University to remove some of the burden on the borough police by paying for university security officers to receive the credentials to process arrests.
Ms. Trotman also said the demands on the borough require the university to contribute additional funds.
"We just have to tap into the university and get more," she said. "People have grown to expect so many services in Princeton."
The candidates agreed that the New Jersey Council on Affordable Housing requirements now facing the borough are unfair. Mr. Goldfarb said he would consider not complying with the regulations if a suitable plan cannot be created. Ms. Trotman said she would not go that far, but that she would consider fighting the requirements.
Mr. Leinsdorf agreed the regulations are unreasonable, but said the problem of affordable housing in Princeton is real.
"I think Princeton is already unaffordable," he said.
In discussing the financial status of the borough, Mr. Leinsdorf criticized past decisions made by the council - particularly the downtown redevelopment project - and said the borough could save money by investing in a public transportation system, such as a jitney.
"We wouldn't have needed a garage in the first place," Mr. Leinsdorf said, adding that school-busing costs could also be saved. "Public finances are in a catastrophic condition," he said.
Mr. Leinsdorf said Witherspoon House, the apartment building with ground-floor retail uses fronting the new plaza, should pay property taxes, rather than a payment in lieu of taxes, adding that borough taxes have increased because of the development.
"I don't like paying for luxury apartments," he said.
The Democratic candidates said Mr. Leinsdorf was exaggerating the financial impact and defended the borough's decision to invest in the downtown redevelopment.
"I'm happy to defend the decision that was made," Mr. Goldfarb said, noting that he originally opposed the project. "I became a proponent of the project."
The candidates also clashed on residential zoning ordinances and police staffing - Mr. Leinsdorf said both could be addressed to save costs.
Mr. Goldfarb and Ms. Trotman said the goal of a residential zoning ordinance is to maintain the value of all the homes in an area.
"Our goal should be to try to identify the aspects of Princeton that make it the place that we love," Mr. Goldfarb said, adding that he is generally pleased with the so-called "McMansion" ordinance as it came before the council last week, although he has concerns about the square-footage cap.
Mr. Leinsdorf said, in reference to the McMansion ordinance, that the council should not regulate what he called "people's most valuable asset" and said that the borough could benefit from additional tax revenue generated by the increased value of homes.
"This is like a nightmare ordinance, and it's not really the borough's business," he explained.
Mr. Leinsdorf said the borough also could save money by consolidating its police force with that of Princeton Township. Mr. Goldfarb agreed and said he sees total consolidation of the borough and township as inevitable.
"If we're going to consolidate, it makes much more sense to do it department by department," Mr. Goldfarb said. "I strongly support consolidation of the police departments."
On the subject of the University Medical Center at Princeton site, once the hospital carries out its intended move to a new location, Mr. Leinsdorf said he would still like the council to see what it would take to keep the hospital in Princeton.
Ms. Trotman said she was not willing to sacrifice the surrounding neighborhoods for the hospital's financial benefit. She added that future development on the site will be good for the borough.
"The bottom line I have is the borough is not going to suffer," she said. "Whatever replaces the hospital is going to be something that is beneficial to the Princeton community...and zoning is going to have to dictate that up front."
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