Candidate Profiles for Princeton Council

Three candidates are running for two three-year terms on Princeton Council. Incumbent Democrats Jenny Crumiller and Patrick Simon are on the ballot against Republican Fausta Rodriguez Wertz.

NAME: Jenny Crumiller
AGE: 54
OCCUPATION: Not employed besides Princeton Council

1. Please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your background and why you should be elected. 

I have deep roots in the community, having been involved in volunteer and neighborhood activities since moving here in 1991. I was elected to the former Borough Council in 2009 and served for one year on the new Council. My proven record of implementing consolidation successfully is my greatest strength in terms of qualifications. 

2. What do you think distinguishes you from other candidates? What do you bring to the table? 

I’m an advocate for neighborhood protection as well as preservation of Princeton’s character and charm. 

3. What are the most pressing issues facing the Princeton Council today? How would you approach and resolve these issues?  

Keeping the municipal portion of our property taxes in check while maintaining the level of services residents expect is always a challenge for elected officials. Given steadily rising employee costs, some of which are mandated, we need to concentrate on our police force. It is our largest personnel expense and offers the biggest savings from consolidation. I support the recommended “right-sizing” of the force to reduce its numbers over the next several years through retirement and attrition.

Another issue is reconciling our general and land use ordinances as well as our Master Plan. I have been working with subcommittees to streamline this process while assuring public participation. 

But perhaps the most pressing as well as challenging issue is Princeton’s escalating property values that drive up rents and prevent lower income and, increasingly, middle income people from moving here and staying here.  There are no simple answers but what is clear is that our affordable housing programs are essential.  I will continue to support those programs and their expansion when possible.

NAME: Fausta Rodríguez Wertz
AGE: 60
OCCUPATION: Translator

1. Please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your background and why you should be elected.

A resident of Princeton since 1989, I was born and raised in Puerto Rico.

After studying at the University of Puerto Rico where I served on the Business School Student Council, I graduated with a B.A. degree from the University of Georgia, majoring in Marketing and Economics. I also hold an M.B.A. from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

I have been a Board member of the Princeton Unit of Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (now Learning Ally). In this capacity, I led the creation and marketing of a Walking Tour of Princeton audio cassette. Other volunteer activities include support of Trinity Church, the Lewis School, the Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart and Princeton High School, from which my son Alan graduated in 2010.

I am a freelance translator bilingual in English and Spanish. I have also worked as a senior claims examiner, auditor and underwriter of group medical benefits. Additional professional activities include real estate and retail sales.

I stand for active participation in the democratic process, wherein our democratically elected representatives are truly inclusionary and encourage our entire community to participate and integrate themselves into our democracy. That’s diversity!

If you support participation in the democratic process, transparency in all aspects of government, and fiscal responsibility, please vote for me for Princeton Municipal Council on November 5th.

2. What do you think distinguishes you from other candidates? What do you bring to the table?

As a Latina and 24-year resident with an MBA, experienced in cost analysis, with ample experience in the private sector and non-profits building consensus to find solutions, I am prepared to face up to the challenges Princeton must meet and work to solve them, while being accessible to all our residents.

Additionally, true diversity of culture, ethnicity, politics and experience leads to real transparency. I will be the first Latina in Council history, bringing a fresh point of view and opportunities for constructive engagement.

3. What are the most pressing issues facing the Princeton Council today? How would you approach and resolve these issues?

The most pressing issue are high property taxes caused by excessive public debt and spending. My priority would be to reduce debt and spending by the following:

a. Schedule routine fixed costs, maintenance, upkeep, and repairs from the operating budget, instead of issuing more debt.

b. Hire fewer consultants.

c. Consider the best and maximum utilization of existing municipal structures before expanding any existing buildings or proposing any new construction, possibly including sale as a cost-saving measure.

d. Do cost analysis of new projects to determine cost effectiveness; if not cost-effective, the project should not be undertaken.

Three years ago I was selected by the Princeton Borough Council to serve as a citizen member of the Joint Consolidation and Shared Services Study Commission. My tenure on the commission awakened in me a call to community service and leadership, and I ran for council last year with a few key goals: to implement the recommendations of the commission and the Transition Task Force to fully realize the intended benefits of consolidation, to work to improve local emergency planning and management, and to improve the working relationship between the municipality and the university. 

I was successful in my bid for a seat on the council, I was sworn in on January 1 of this year, and I have worked the past ten months to follow through on each of those goals.

I chose to run again this year simply to have the opportunity, if the voters in Princeton approve, to continue to work on these and other important issues for the community.

Emergency Planning and Management 

This spring I chaired the Emergency Preparedness Task Force, and I serve now on the Local Emergency Management Committee. This fall we approved the first basic Emergency Operation Plan covering all of Princeton, and by the end of the year we expect to complete 15 plan annexes covering various aspects of emergency management in detail, including shelters and comfort centers, alerts and emergency communications, hazardous materials events, and emergency medical.