Politics & Government

A Last-Minute Candidate Jumps into the Borough Mayor Race

Jachera needs 13 votes in Tuesday's primary election to make it onto the November ballot.

Borough resident Jill Jachera is running as a write-in candidate for borough mayor on the Republican ticket.

She needs 13 votes to get on the ballot as the Republican nomination come November.

“I believe Princeton is at a crossroads and needs to have leadership that can lead us through the critical challenges that we’re facing such as the dysfunctional town-gown relationship, high property taxes that are driving many residents out of the community and potential consolidation,” she said.

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Jachera said she had no political aspirations, but several colleagues asked her in late April to consider a mayoral bid. 

“They were dissatisfied with status quo of choices and Princeton's future and asked if I would consider running,” she said. “They knew my skill set and felt I would be appropriate for theposition.”

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By the time Jachera decided to run, it was too late to submit her name for the ballot.

Being a Republican in Princeton is not without its challenges because Democrats outnumber Republicans 5 to 1, Jachera said. But she hopes that people look past partisan politics.

She believes the biggest issues facing the borough are high property taxes, consolidation and the borough’s relationship with the university.

Borough spending has given residents a tremendous quality of life, but it has made Princeton unaffordable for many.

At the same time, high borough taxes have made some resent Princeton University’s tax-exempt status. Jachera believes new people and a new approach will help break the stalemate with the university and encourage constructive and respectful dialogue.

When it comes to consolidation, Jachera says she is keeping an open mind.

“I understand the reasons why people oppose consolidation and I would have preferred another form of government (besides borough), but when faced with the costs savings- which I believe are only the tip of the iceberg- and weigh the fact that Princeton is unaffordable for many to live in, I think it’s more important to keep Princeton affordable than any other argument that has been made against consolidation.”

Jachera is a member of the Princeton YWCA Board, a past president and a member of several committees. She is on the advisory committee of her son’s Boy Scout troop, will  lead her daughter’s Girl Scout troop, and is a member of the student life committee at Princeton Charter School. 

A former employment law attorney at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, Jachera is now a part-time training consultant for employment matters. 

Jachera, 49, is married with two children. She has lived in the borough for 17 years.


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