Two Candidates to Square Off for Princeton Borough Mayor

Patch asked the two candidates a series of questions. There answers are below and the candidates are listed in alphebetical order. 

Name: David Goldfarb

Age: 57

Occupation: Legal Assistant at Drinker, Biddle & Reath, LLC,

Married? No

Children? No

How long have you lived in the borough? Since 1981, but I’ve been in Princeton since 1963, I grew up in the township at the corner of Balsam Lane and Riverside Drive.

How long have you been on Borough Council? Since November 1990.

Why are you running for Mayor? Mildred Trotman decided not to run and I’ve been encouraged by a couple of colleagues to do so. It’s something I’m willing and able to do. In the borough form of government, there’s no real executive power, it’s the first among equals. I think I can do the job well and it gives me somewhat of a more conspicuous platform for issues I’m specifically concerned about. I believe I know what my colleagues on council are interested in and share viewpoints and think we can accomplish some good things together.

Other boards/committees: Member of several municipal committees, including the regional sewerage authority, a member of borough council, sewer operating committee, borough finance committee, public safety committee and the consolidation and shared services study commission.

What’s your greatest strength in this race? I believe it's my familiarity with the borough finances and issues that face the borough.

What are the top two issues facing the borough? The biggest may be consolidation. If it goes before the governing bodies this summer, there will be active and interesting discussion; it’s something people in the community care a great deal about. Depending on the outcome, it could be biggest issue in the year ahead. Another strength, if we do consolidate, is that I will have broad familiarity with not only issues of consolidation (being on the commission) but also how the borough runs, having been on governing body for 20 years.

The other issue is trying to make ends meet without raising taxes on residents in an era where state aid is likely to be constant or declining.

We need to engage the university in respect to voluntary contribution, to come to an agreement that’s fair that we can rely on in planning for the future.

Other: Goldbarb is running for mayor despite his employer being the firm that represents Princeton University in the Arts and Transit issue. He said he recuses himself from discussion and votes in regard to this issue, just as he does anytime his employer has a client with issues before the borough.

Name: Yina Moore

Age: 55

Occupation: A part-time consultant whose career has spanned the fields of architecture and planning, finance and development and transportation.

Married? Yes

Children? Yes

How long have you lived in the borough? All of my life. I live in the house I grew up in and my family has been in Princeton for 120 years. I’ve been back in town for the past 16 years.

Why are you running? I have experience germane to the issues the borough is dealing with today, including revenues, pilot payments from the university and land use issues. And I am free from conflict (unlike opponent David Goldfarb).

What’s your greatest strength in this race? I bring a fresh voice and new ideas and different ideas that have not come to bear on many different issues. I have affiliations with one of the major property owners in town as an alumna of Princeton University.

What are the top two issues facing the borough? Consolidation- I see this less as an administrative consolidation and more as a consolidation of values and goals. None of that is part of the consolidation discussion. It’s about bringing people together to find commonalities in order to move forward.

Self-determination- Thinking forward as a community, thinking of a way to sustain the community that we want and maintain quality of life, affordability, diversity. A municipality has roles and responsibilities and must act in its own interests first over private interests. That includes developing a master plan and the mayor setting the agenda.

How long have you been on the Planning Board? Since 2008

Other boards/committees: Has been a member of several boards and committees, including the zoning amendment review, Princeton Nursery School, Princeton Public Library Foundation, Princeton Education Fund Alumni Fundraising, Princeton Young Achievers, Corner House Foundation, HiTops Fundraising Advisory, Princeton Future, Community-Based Neighborhood Retail Initiative and Witherspoon Street Corridor Study.

Other: She said Goldfarb may not be able to fulfill mayoral responsibilities because he must recuse himself on issues where his employer represents Princeton University.

“At what point do you draw the line? Last time I checked, 46 percent of the borough’s land is owned by the university,” Moore said. “There’s not much that doesn’t relate to how things go with the university.”