Recent news

Run-down of Post-election News Stories

A quick collection of online news stories

Local:

http://www.towntopics.com/nov0911/story1.php

http://princeton.patch.com/articles/princeton-says-yes

http://allprinceton.com/content/consolidation-and-democrats-are-big-winn...

http://www.centraljersey.com/articles/2011/11/10/the_princeton_packet/ne...

http://planetprinceton.com/2011/princeton-trailblazers-vote-to-unite-2/

http://princeton.patch.com/articles/consolidation-passes-democrats-sweep...

http://princeton.patch.com/articles/princeton-merger-trend-or-isolated-vote

 

Regional:

Consolidation wins!

Unofficial tallies from Princeton borough show about 61% voting in favor.  Less complete Township results show over 75% in favor.

 

Breakdown by voting district:

District 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 absentee total
FOR 76 103 247 113 139 86 159 137 178 158 1396
AGAINST 14 48 159 138 139 110 68 60 92 63 891

overall turnout

 22% 42% 61% 53% 47% 44% 42% 48% 60% - -

 

Princeton consolidation proposal can take lessons from success in Senaca Falls, N.Y.

By Phillip Dressing and Anton Lahnston

A question often asked during meetings about consolidation is, “Where has this been done before and what can we learn?” With some guidance from the Center for Governmental Research (CGR), contact was made with Seneca Falls, N.Y. — a community that voted in March 2009 to consolidate and, on Dec. 31, will complete its transition to consolidation.

Seneca Falls and the Princetons have some differences.

$4.8 Million in Annual Financial Benefits

At the library on October 1st the Consolidation Commission presentation included a slide on the financial benefits of consolidation. This is what is said:

The potential financial savings from consolidation are significant. Specifically, the following financial benefits are achievable within three years if we consolidate:

  • Financial savings for existing municipal services of $3.2M.
  • Savings achieved by extending municipal garbage collection to Princeton Township residents, which works out to approximately $0.8M.
  • Police staffing for traffic and community service police officers, over and above what

Don't be Myth-Led

See the attached PDF for an updated flyer version of the ad Unite Princeton is ran in the Town Topics on October 19.

teaser image of flyer

PRINCETON: Let’s consolidate. And that’s that.

By Pam Hersh
 
I require no special committee or commission to prove that consolidation of Princeton Borough and Princeton Township has nothing to do with rodents. But this past week, my mind was making a connection between the consolidation debate and Princeton’s newest mascot — the huge inflatable rat occasionally hanging out on Nassau Street in Princeton Borough.

   I admire its tactile simplicity in conveying a straight-forward political message — a protest against an asbestos abatement contractor that Princeton University hired. One could go up to Mr.

Princeton Future: Consolidation Meeting Oct. 1, 2011

Princeton Future: Consolidation Meeting Oct. 1, 2011 from Princeton Community Television on Vimeo.

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Video

DCA to cover 20% of Consolidation Transition Costs

This week saw the important announcment that the New Jersey Deparatment of Community Affairs (DCA) will provide a grant to cover 20% of the transitions costs if Princeton approves consolidation.

The grant is important becuase it means that Princeotn residents are predicted to see tax savings (rather than just no growth in taxes) in the very first year of consolidation.

 

Community Events September 27 and October 1

There are two public meetings this week at which citizen participation is critical!

The first is Tuesday, September 27, 7pm at Princeton Borough Hall. This is a joint meeting of Township Committee and Borough Council, primarily to hear views from members of the public on consolidation. Come out and be heard!

The next is Saturday, October 1, 9am to 12 noon at the Princeton Public Library – cosponsored by Princeton Future, the League of Women Voters and the Library. There will be panels on governance, public works, police and finance & taxes ... with audience Q&A after each one.

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meeting
community
event
public

A Vote for Consolidation: Hurricanes Do Not Recognize Political Borders

From the Town Topics
9/14/2011

To the Editor:

Princeton Borough and Township must consolidate. Almost three weeks have passed since Hurricane Irene wreaked havoc on our collective community including the tragic loss of life of a heroic EMT volunteer, flooding, and power loss. Our Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad serves both the Borough and Township; imagine the problems that would ensue if two separate first aid and rescue entities only worked within their respective borders. To summarize my ten years of study on crisis management in a sentence: unified leadership is vital for a community’s safety.

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