Borough Council Candidate: Tamera Matteo

Name: Tamera Matteo

Street of Residence: Snowden Lane

Occupation: Former business owner, Matteo & Co, a home furnishings retail store. Currently, small business consultant. 

Previous Government Experience:  

I have never been an elected official, party leader or government employee. However, as a Princeton resident, taxpayer, business owner and parent, I know good local government and have seen it occasionally fall short. Through my volunteer activity, I have worked directly with the school districts in Princeton and Trenton, the Division of Youth and Family Services as well as other government agencies that assist families and children.

Other Civic Experience: 

I currently serve on the Boards of the Corner House Foundation and McCarter Theatre Gala. I was the former PTO president for Witherspoon Middle School during the transition to a new principal between 2009 and 2011.  In this role, I led volunteers, developed consensus, and encouraged participation. I was honored to receive the 2007 Woman of Achievement Award from the Mercer County Commission on the Status of Women for my work as a court-appointed special advocate for children.  

I have also volunteered with numerous Princeton organizations, including Youth Concerns, HiTops, Planned Parenthood, Friends of the Library, Borough Merchants for Princeton (now the Princeton Merchants Association), Arts Council of Princeton, Community Park Pool Friends, Save Our Schools NJ and the Princeton Educational Foundation.

Why do you want to represent Princeton on Council?

I am running because I think that the municipalities have not reached their full potential.  Communication between council members and residents can be improved. Challenges regarding businesses, non-profits, government and residents have not been addressed in the context of the community as a whole.   

I believe my experiences as a long-time business owner, an engaged community volunteer and a former middle school PTO President give me a unique perspective on addressing these issues. As a former merchant, I understand the need for a vibrant downtown and a full-service shopping center – I know how important that is to residents, to business people, to visitors, to students, to all members of the community. As a long-time community volunteer for non-profits and the school district, I have brought people together to address difficult issues and solve tough problems. This collaborative and cooperative approach to problem-solving is needed now more than ever in the new Princeton.  

What differentiates you from your opponents?

All of us running for Council love Princeton for our own reasons.  I love Princeton because of all the opportunities I have had to interact with its citizens. While new to the local political arena, I have a breadth of experience in the local community which I believes sets me apart from the other candidates.  

I have been a merchant, a non-profit board member as well as the President of John Witherspoon PTO.  As such, not only would I provide a fresh perspective on the challenges facing Council but also could act as a liaison between the various stakeholders in town, including the residents, local merchants, the school district and non-profits.  I believe my experience in each of these arenas gives me a unique insight into each, having “walked a mile in their shoes.”

If elected, what are your TWO top priorities for Princeton and specifically what will you do to make those a reality?

1. Community transportation issues -- from downtown parking to the coordination of the Dinky, NJ Transit, FreeB and Tiger Transit – affect us all. Princeton enjoys remarkable transportation resources for a small town. But we need better coordination, more aggressive marketing and a customer-oriented approach in order to make the most of our transportation opportunities.  To start, we should investigate the feasibility of a shuttle that would move downtown employees and shoppers between the Princeton Shopping Center and our central commercial district to free up parking and traffic in our congested downtown. We must roll up our sleeves and respond quickly when the transportation study commissioned under the recent Memorandum of Understanding among the Township, Borough and Princeton University is released.  If Princeton can solve parking and transportation issues, while maintaining efforts to make the town more walkable and bike-friendly, we can improve our environment, address issues of community affordability and provide needed options for seniors, students and our youth.
2. I am equally committed to bringing the principles of customer service to our new government.  As a Councilmember, I will treat our residents as I treated the customers in my store–with care and respect – identifying their needs, responding to their concerns, communicating effectively, and delivering results.  My first step would be to share the Council’s agenda and activities with community residents through a user-friendly web site, local new media (including Princeton Patch and Planet Princeton) and even through Facebook.  We must also learn how residents want to communicate with their government:  through public meetings, neighborhood get-togethers, office hours, telephone, email, Facebook or Twitter?  I am determined to engage more of our residents in governing our community.  To do that, Council must be responsive, effective, efficient and citizen-oriented.