Princeton Mayoral Candidates Outline Positions, Differences

The two candidates vying for Mayor of a consolidated Princeton were cordial and respectful to each other at their first and only debate on Tuesday, but clearly outlined how they differ from one another.

Democrat Liz Lempert, 43, has served four years on Township Committee, and currently serves at Deputy Mayor. She has been active with Sustainable Princeton and helped preserve Princeton Ridge. She is the mother of two children in the Princeton Public Schools. She helped lead the effort for Princeton consolidation and has been active in the year-long transition process. She helped craft the Township’s first budget that included no tax increase and helped negotiate the first Payment in Lieu of Taxes from Princeton University.

"If you believe, like I do, that consolidation brings with it a chance for a fresh start and that we need a mayor who combines current experience with results, and who can lead our community into the future, then I hope you will support me," Lempert said.

Republican Dick Woodbridge, 68, touted his experience. He grew up in Princeton, raised three children, attended Princeton schools, earned his undergraduate degree from Princeton University, served as Township Mayor, president of Borough Council and has served on 32 boards and committees over the years.

“I know this town, I love this town and I understand this town,” Woodbridge said, noting critical issues facing Princeton requiring leadership: the AvalonBay development, the University’s Arts and Transit Project and A2586, pending state legislation that would exempt private colleges and universities from local zoning.

He said there are three things that differentiate his candidacy from Lempert's: experience, experience and experience.

"If you’re having a heart valve replaced, wouldn’t you want a surgeon who had done it many times before," he asked.

Thursday’s debate was held at the Jewish Center of Princeton.

The debate was moderated by Barbara Trought, a member of the League of Women Voters in Burlington County. Trought collected, organized and posed questions from the audience to the candidates.

Here are some of the topics that came up during the debate and how each candidate responded. To watch the complete debate in the coming days, visit Princeton Community TV or AllPrinceton.

Republican v. Democrat

Woodbridge downplayed the role of partisan politics in local elections, saying traffic and potholes are not Republican or Democratic issues.

Lempert said she believes in Democratic ideals like sustainability, environmental protection and income equality, national issues that translate to local government.

Valley Road School

Woodbridge supports a plan to turn over the former Valley Road School to a nonprofit organization that would repair the building and turn it into a local community center.

Lempert said she has concerns about turning over a public building to a private entity organization, although she supports the idea of a community center. She worries about the cost to restore the building, citing a decade-old study that estimated repairs would cost $10 million.

Tourism and Economic Development

Both candidates recognize Princeton as a tourist draw and driver of local economic development. Both want infrastructure improvements, traffic management and offsite parking options.

Woodbridge said he helped create the downtown business district several decades ago, bring the town from “dead” to more than a 2 million visitors last year.

Neither candidate provided an answer to a resident’s question about how to leverage tourism to offset property taxes, although Woodbridge suggested hiring a director of tourism and economic development.

Post Office                                          

Both candidates support bringing post office services back to the Princeton Shopping Center. Lempert said one retailer is already interested in offering services within their store and she will work to make that happen. Woodbridge suggested working with the new owners of the Shopping Center.

Keeping Taxes Flat

Woodbridge would like to see the budget process mirror that of private industry. He admires the job done by both the Township and Borough administrators, but says he doesn’t believe it’s true zero-based budgeting. And he noted that last year’s budget wasn’t “flat,” it just appeared that way because the Township dipped into its surplus and also used a portion of the University’s PILOT payment. He said 80 percent of the budget is county and school costs, and suggests collaboration with those entities to identify cost savings.

Lempert said the Township’s Citizen’s Finance Committee, a collection of local finance experts, has been “invaluable” in providing assistance in budget preparation over the past two years.

“The good news for 2012, because of consolidation and attrition, is that we’re already down $500,000 in 2012 going into 2013,” she said. “I can guarantee there will be no tax increase in 2013.” 

Reducing Duplication and Cost as a Result of Consolidation

Lempert said a key aspect of consolidation has been avoiding costs. For example, both municipalities needed to upgrade their police dispatch systems, but with the merger there’s now only one cost to upgrade. She said there are similar examples with the Department of Public Works buildings.

Woodbridge said as a member of the Transition Team’s Public Safety Subcommittee he noticed that there has been a lack of regular maintenance done, including for police equipment, DPW buildings and the former Valley Road School.

“You can’t save money in the long term by not doing regular maintenance,” he said.

Managing Traffic and Transportation

Woodbridge called the DOT’s jughandle trial and the closure of Quakerbridge Road a "total disaster." He advocates a regional and aggressive approach with DOT, an effort to improve offsite parking and making public transportation more attractive.

Lempert said DOT was trying to address north-south traffic congestion on Route 1, but that’s come at the expense of east-west traffic. She understands that the state was aiming for solution that didn’t involve spending money, but said the time has come for a regional approach with DOT to encourage real investment in traffic improvement in the area.

Avalon Bay (how development can enhance, not detract from, Princeton)

Lempert said the issue of AvalonBay is scheduled for the Planning
Board’s Oct. 25 meeting, so the issue may already be decided by Jan. 1. She said she is disappointed in the developer's plan, although it does bring housing diversity and affordable housing to town. She hopes the AvalonBay will listen to the residents’ concerns and amend the plans.

Woodbridge wants large developers to provide a fiscal impact statement to the town before projects are considered. That would include the impact on school enrollment, police and other public services. As a former firefighter, he is concerned about AvalonBay's proposal for a four-story wood building, which is highly flammable.

Relationship with Princeton University

Woodbridge said officials need to deal with the issues proactively, meeting with University officials once or twice a year about its future plans.

Lempert said it’s in the town’s best interest to have a productive relationship with the University, something Township Committee has been able to do over the past several years. She said it’s a matter of mutual respect, a professional dialogue and collaboration. 

Designating the Morven Tract a Historic District

Lempert said historic preservation has worked in parts of Princeton, but she also noted a strong opposition from residents. She wonders if there’s room for compromise, perhaps starting with a neighborhood poll to gauge residents' opinions, plus clarification about specifically what historic preservation would mean for the area.

Woodbridge expressed concern that he hasn’t heard anyone making a strong case in favor of preservation and isn’t sure what the rush is. And he’s concerned about the outpouring of citizens against the proposal. He attended a recent Borough Council meeting on the subject and couldn’t tell “if I was watching a Borough Council meeting or WWF presentation."

Teen Center

Both candidates support the idea of a teen center in town. Woodbridge said he hadn’t heard the idea mentioned recently, but there were similar efforts in town in the 1950s and 1960s. He suggested that the former Valley Road School, should it be become a community center, would be a good location for a teen center.

Lempert, the mother of school-age children, said parents let their children hang out downtown after school, but it’s sometimes hard to find a good gathering place aside from the library. She said there is an interest to start a teen center in town, but that funding and space are an issue.