LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, April 15
By:
Mayoral candidate grateful for support
To the editor:
I am grateful for the support I received by the Princeton Community Democratic Organization’s endorsement meeting. I was especially encouraged by the turnout of over 130 residents from our two communities for the event.
PCDO should be commended for its commitment to good government and airing of candidates’ views, particularly for the office of mayor of Princeton Borough. The forum was a unique event for Princeton residents to hear the candidates express their ideas and answer truly meaningful questions from the audience.
In my efforts to run for mayor, I hope to run a substantive and issue-oriented campaign one that can be truly positive for the residents of the Borough. I look forward to the days ahead talking to the many voters who make up this wonderful town.
Reed Gusciora
Maclean Street
Princeton
Endorsement process needs improvement
To the editor:
I am pleased that the recent Princeton Community Democratic Organization vote (The Packet, April 8) led to no endorsement for borough mayor at the primary election. We are fortunate indeed to have two fine candidates. It will be good for all primary voters, not just the 50 borough residents eligible to vote last week, to debate and to hear what they have to say.
In the Princetons, where Republicans these days have little chance in an election, a council or committee seat is usually decided by a few hundred voters at the Democratic primary. An endorsement at the PCDO could have led to a mayoral decision being made by a mere 50 borough voters (assuming, as I suspect, that such endorsement, with its attendant ballot placement, were to carry significant weight with voters at the subsequent primary).
The local political endorsement vote, which is a quite normal procedure in our electoral system, has a curious additional aspect in our two Princetons, where the two municipalities have different governing structures. To gain an endorsement for local seats, a candidate has to get 50 percent of his or her town’s PCDO votes and, in addition, 60 percent of the combined borough and township votes. A candidate at a minimum should, of course, have to gain a majority of his or her town’s votes. But there is another effect in our towns: Residents of the other municipality, in effect, can have a "veto" power to prevent an endorsement if sufficient numbers of the "other" town vote against that candidate.
Not so important? Perhaps some day it could be. Township residents can in this way influence the vote for the borough’s mayor, but borough residents have no such opportunity, as the township’s mayor is chosen by the Township Committee, not by the voters. At the PCDO endorsement session, the borough voters did give a scant majority to one candidate, the township voters to the other.
Is there a better procedure? A simple way would be to allow only residents of a municipality to vote on candidates for that municipality, and to require at least 60 percent of those votes in order to win an endorsement of the political party.
Anthony Lunn
Hawthorne Avenue
Princeton
Protests give aid and comfort to enemy
To the editor:
My compliments to the Princeton Township Committee for not passing an antiwar resolution in the face of some 576 signatories by the Coalition for Peace Action. The committee was not elected for their national or international expertise on foreign affairs, nor were they elected to attempt to represent so many diverse constituent opinions on such a critical subject.
I would ask those who might continue to protest to recall some past history Japan attacked us on Dec. 7, 1941, when hundreds of thousands of well-meaning citizens had for some time been protesting any possible involvement in the European war. Such pressures influenced Congress not to prepare our nation. When President Roosevelt declared war a day or two later, our country had only 100,000 men in the Army, many of whom were training with brooms instead of guns, trucks instead of tanks. The attack unified our country behind the president and every man, woman and child was affected for four years with rationing and sacrifices while 15 million men and women were in the service.
On Sept. 11, 2001, we once again were attacked and some 3,000 innocent citizens died. Again our president declared war. This time it was on all terrorists and any country that harbored them. The country was solidly behind him, albeit some chose to believe there might be other ways to protect ourselves. Once again every man, woman and child was affected only this time it was in our own back yard, not on battlefields abroad. (As an aside, had the president chosen to invade Iraq two weeks later, the country would have been solidly behind him.)
But months went by. There were no more attacks. There has been no sense of a nation at war. We continued to live in a peaceful society with merely a few inconveniences at the airport. Our president waited months after the United Nations passed Resolution 1441 demanding Iraq disarm or else. The "or else" finally came.
It’s obviously not clear at this time whether this particular invasion was timely or best as an overall war strategy backing up our declaration of war in September 2001. Unless those who protest have special insight into the CIA, State Department and the White House, I would hope they would genuflect and pray it is part of a sound plan in our defense, pray for those in charge, for those in battle.
One thing that simply cannot be overlooked is the impact of those protests on our men and women in battle. As one of millions who have served overseas in battle, I can assure you it is devastating to feel the country is not with you. And ask those in the Hanoi prison camp about the visit by Jane Fonda. Most important, as Arabic TV in Iraq and elsewhere play back pictures and words of these protests, it gives aid and comfort to our enemies, their spirits to continue to fight. That can mean American deaths. For now, I join the cause for peace and pray it will come soon.
Herbert W. Hobler
Mercer Road
Princeton
Girlchoir fund-raiser lifts voices, spirits
To the editor:
On behalf of the Princeton Girlchoir, I would like to thank our Princeton area community audience for overwhelming support at our annual fund-raising event last Friday night. Our a cappella concert, "Spring Sing," was a tremendous success, due to the sold-out performance of the PGC Concert Choir, the Princeton University Nassoons and the Wiffenpoofs of Yale University.
At Princeton Girlchoir, we strive to offer excellent vocal training and performances to the Princeton area’s gifted and talented young female singers. Our fund-raising efforts make it possible to keep tuition affordable and financial aid available. This year, we can boast a membership of 160 girls from over 40 different schools in more than 30 communities in central New Jersey and Bucks County, Pa. Our singers from third through ninth grade represent a variety of ethnic and economic backgrounds. The oldest girls, seventh- to ninth-graders, go on tour each summer and are featured at choral festivals throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. This summer, they will be one of three American youth choirs performing at Festival 500, St. John’s Island, Newfoundland. In 2004, they will travel to Hawaii to the International Pacific Rim Festival.
The "Spring Sing" committee Jeaninne Honstein, Ronit Heker, Marta Lively, Debbie Modzelewski, Janet Perkins, Jaye Semrod, Bonnie Wilson, Janet Westrick, Lorri Watson and I offer special thanks to all the parent volunteers who ushered, chaperoned, stuffed envelopes and served dinners. PGC parents, in both volunteer and financial support, truly make up the backbone of our organization.
Without the help of the Princeton Nassau Presbyterian Church, the Nassoons and the Yale Club of Princeton, we could not have mounted such a successful event. Their generosity was unfailing and truly community spirited. John Baker and Nick Sferra did audio and visual recordings. Scores of area businesses and schools mounted our posters and spread the word. The Packet gave us coverage that really made a difference in our publicity efforts.
Last Friday night, we celebrated the wonder and the power of the human voice in song. And what a celebration it was full of laughter, some tears, sighs and applause. Thank you all.
Please join the Princeton Girlchoir at our 14th Annual Spring Concert, at Richardson Auditorium on the Princeton University campus, May 17 at 7:30 p.m. New member auditions are in June. Let the music continue.
Margaret P. Borah
President
Princeton Girlchoir Board of Directors
Nassau Street
Princeton
PU is too focused on ‘bottom line’
To the editor:
There is little doubt that Princeton University is an image-conscious institution. Both by its own initiatives and those provided by its public-relations firm, the university not only self-promotes its superb academic credentials but also takes considerable, justifiable credit for its contributions toward Princeton’s and surrounding towns’ quality of life.
Because of its huge endowment and extensive land holdings, the university is without doubt a major player with enormous clout. Unfortunately, like many big corporations, it often chooses to use this clout in self-serving, detrimental ways with little regard for those it is impacting. Many of its extensive, unspoiled land holdings which contribute so significantly to the beauty of our area have already been sold off to developers or are in the process of being sold with apparently little thought being given to the consequences of such actions. The sole consideration of the university seems to be "the bottom line."
Now Princeton University is attempting to impose its will on its neighbors in the Princeton Landing development. It has put in motion plans to completely redesign the Sayre Drive interchange in such a way as to adversely impact the residents of this community. The implications of this proposed construction include traffic gridlock, destruction of many trees, possible lack of emergency-service access and a probable decrease in both quality of life and home values.
While the homeowners will be impacted 24/7, this plan is being offered simply as an additional convenience for the university’s corporate colleagues at the Forrestal Center. The Forrestal Center already has numerous access routes and this change is totally unnecessary, wasteful and without merit. In addition, further improvements will most likely be required down the road to upgrade this initial undertaking; the university has exempted itself from all future costs. The decision as to whether or not this plan will fly is now in the hands of the Department of Transportation. It would be hard to reconcile approval of this application with all of the McGreevey administration’s budget concerns and serious deficits.
The residents of Princeton Landing, who should be given primary consideration in this decision, do not want this costly, destructive project. Princeton University must understand that it takes more than a good PR firm to be a good neighbor.
Barbara L. Levenson
Sayre Drive
Plainsboro
Don’t leave debris at fishing sites
To the editor:
The young cormorant had a fish hook stuck in the back of his neck, the fishing line trailed down his back and wrapped around his leg. The lead weight attached to the fishing line at his foot caused him to limp badly. Unable to swim, fly or feed, the cormorant was dying.
The fishing season is upon us. I often see fishing line and other fishing debris left at fishing sites. Please help: If you fish, take your trash with you to dispose of safely.
When I see fishing debris, I take it with me because fishing trash can be fatal to wildlife.
Elise Murray
Cherrybrook Drive
Montgomery
Friends of WW library thank their supporters
To the editor:
It’s amazing, but the Friends of the West Windsor Library again raised a record amount in this year’s annual book sale. We grossed over $20,000. With most books selling for only $1 and 50 cents, the number of books sold was outstanding.
So many factors contributed to the record-breaking sale such as the donation of so many wonderful, pristine books by members of our community, the careful organization of the sale books by an army of volunteers, our eye-catching bright yellow sales signs and excellent advertising and publicity placement in the area newspapers and, most importantly, the buyers who came in droves, despite the wet weather, to patiently glean the huge stacks of books for special buys. In addition to the cash raised, hundreds of donated books, CDs, videos and audio books were placed into circulation at the library.
Congratulations and many thanks go to our annual book sale co-chairs, Sylvia Russo and Nancy Henderson, for their boundless enthusiasm, energy and creative organizational skills. Also, thanks go to our entire board of directors Kaija Greenberg, Hema Ramamurthy, Margaret Pei and Lorraine Fisch because without these dedicated individuals, our annual book sale would never occur. We all extend a big thank you to the many volunteers who sorted and sold books, made signs and baked cookies and brownies, because it is truly you who made the sale fun and rewarding. Finally, thanks go to the West Windsor Fire Department for lending us its banquet tables, to Glendale Wines and Liquors for collecting flats that we use to display our books and to all the businesses that displayed our sale fliers.
All money raised by and donated to the Friends is used solely for the benefit of the West Windsor Library. Next time you visit the library, please note the new informational signs, outside and inside, purchased by the Friends with funds from previous book sales. Funds are also used to underwrite all the special children’s programs, the Summer Reading Program, the library’s Special Sunday Programs, as well as to purchase additional benches, tables, subscriptions, books, audio and computer peripherals and supplies, DVDs and audio books.
We welcome all donations for next year’s book sales as well as for the ongoing book sale inside the library. Please leave your donations with the staff at the circulation desk.
The Friends’ 2003 annual meeting will be held Wednesday, April 30, at 7:30 p.m. in the library. The public is invited to attend and to meet our new board members and executive officers. Enjoy a slide presentation by Joan Parry, president and co-founder of the West Windsor Historical Society. If you have any questions or need help with your donations, please call the West Windsor Library and speak with Kaija (609) 799-0462.
Irene Hoyt
Outgoing President
Friends of the West Windsor Library
North Post Road
West Windsor

