LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, Dec. 16
PU should pay only for services rendered
To the editor:
Here’s hoping the financial challenge betwixt Princeton University and Princeton Borough (and Township) may be worked out in a logical and constructive way. Nothing could be more important to our community.
Perhaps these thoughts may help.
In the language of land-use regulation, the university represents an "inherently beneficial" use of its property, appropriately distinguished from commercial and other enterprises.
The substantial assets of the university are there for the educational purposes of the institution. They are neither contributed nor managed for the benefit of local government, except that the university should be responsible for costs it imposes on its host municipalities. It should be possible to "do the numbers" for the proportion of total municipal service expenses actually committed to campus and other university-owned properties, such as police, fire and any others not paid directly (like utilities).
The same should apply to school costs which seem properly covered by university payment of taxes on its residential properties.
Beyond coverage of real costs incurred, the university should not be held for additional support, as by ransom for planning and zoning decisions. These should be made in their own right, including allocation of specific added costs they may impose. Rather, the municipalities need to manage and balance their accounts properly, without demanding an extra allowance from "Big Daddy" beyond what’s due for services rendered. It’s a tough job, but lots of towns do it.
Bob Rodgers
Laurel Road
Princeton
Voters, not parties, should fill vacancies
To the editor:
The comedy of errors surrounding the replacement of Mildred Trotman on the Princeton Borough Council shows why it is better to let voters, rather than party officials, choose their representatives. The appointment process to fill the vacant seat also proves my campaign claim that the Borough Council is a private club that plays by its own rules.
Instead of seeking guidance from the voters, the Princeton Borough Democratic Organization sought a candidate from Princeton Future, another private club masquerading as a public body.
In the event, the "highly recommended" choice was ineligible to serve, just like a recent Republican candidate for the council. Often, partisan party officials can flout or bend legal requirements, counting on their judicial brethren to rewrite the rule like stopping the vote count in Florida in 2000 or allowing the replacement of a Senate candidate after the deadline in New Jersey in 2002.
This year, we have the preposterous claim by the borough attorney, whose barrage of misinformation three years ago was largely responsible for the taxpayers having to subsidize the luxury downtown development, that the statutory one continuous year residency requirement is "esoteric." Councilman Goldfarb, who has been a member for 15 years, called it "ill-conceived."
Without this rule, there would be nothing to prevent the filling of vacancies with party hacks from other towns or other states, who could move into the borough the day before their appointment. This is the way government officials were chosen in Russia under the communists.
More troubling is the fact that neither the borough attorney nor anyone on the council or in the party leadership seemed to know the statutory qualifications for holding public office. In democracies, checking the qualifications of candidates is the first order of business, not the last.
Borough voters can take heart that next November, four of the seven members of the governing body a majority will be on the ballot. I hope there will be four qualified candidates to stand against their incompetence and arrogance.
Josh Leinsdorf
Forester Drive
Princeton
Flood-control measure is needed in township
To the editor:
The following letter was sent to Mayor Phyllis Marchand and members of the Princeton Township Committee:
I have received a copy of a letter written by Philip Feig addressed to Mayor Marchand and Township Committee members regarding the township’s proposed flood-control ordinance.
In his letter, Mr. Feig expresses concern that "there is quite a taking of individual property rights created by this ordinance." But the increase of impervious surface (rainwater runoff) which exacerbates existing flooding conditions is exactly that "the taking of individual property rights." The increase of impervious surface is "taking" our right to simply enjoy and protect the properties so many of us purchased many years ago to raise our families.
Is the right to "add few pieces of bluestone to create a simple patio" more important that the right to protect homes, backyards, mature trees and the stream banks in entire neighborhoods?
For more than three long years, there have been public discussions regarding the flood issue in Princeton. We have had floods, public hearings, coverage from local newspapers, more public discussions, more floods, more coverage from local newspapers, more floods and more floods. We had several public hearings for the flood-mitigation plan, and public hearings for the flood-prevention ordinance. Many of you were present at all of these meetings, but Mr. Feig writes that he did not see any discussions in the press.
I have written to Mr. Feig, sent him pictures of flooded backyards, and invited him and any other concerned residents to come and visit our neighborhood. If someone else expresses concern that the township is trying to interfere with a property owner’s rights by introducing this ordinance, we will be happy to invite them to visit our neighborhood.
We have nothing to hide. The devastation to our properties as a result of flooding is here for everyone to see. People need to know how important this ordinance is.
Thank you for all the work you and Township Committee, members of the Flood Control Commission, the Planning Board, the Environmental Commission and especially Township Engineer Bob Kiser have done. I look forward to the public hearing on Dec. 19.
Olivia Applegate
Random Road
Princeton
Township should pass stormwater ordinance
To the editor:
As Princeton Township homeowners and residents, we support the proposed township ordinance limiting impervious coverage on residential property.
In our view, the proposed ordinance sets standards that protect us all from the effects of increased stormwater runoff caused by construction that does not include appropriate steps to insure adequate drainage. We also support the ability of homeowners to develop their property to meet their needs when such development does not infringe upon the rights and property of others.
Those who complain that 5 percent of homeowners won’t be able to pave more of their property without adding more drainage are, in effect, asking for a free ride for the few at the expense of the many.
We all know that flooding problems plague many township neighborhoods. We feel the proposed ordinance, put forward by the township engineer, is both fair and farsighted. It sets reasonable limits to increased impervious coverage and encourages environmentally responsible development in our community.
Ericka Deglau
Jeanne Fountain
Joan Bartl
Hillary Hays
Woodland Drive
Princeton
Sidewalks, curbs are dictatorial decisions
To the editor:
As a resident of Princeton Township for close to 45 years, I am deeply concerned with the manner and methods that the township goes about installing sidewalks and curb stones.
If I can believe what I have read in the past year about Snowden Lane, and now Overbrook Drive, it appears that there is some hidden agenda in our Princeton Community Master Plan to arbitrarily install sidewalks and Belgian block curbing to every country lane in the township without even the consent of the property owners. This outright disregard for citizens’ rights seems impossible to believe in a democracy, and appears close to being a form of "eminent domain."
In many ways, the paving of land seems to be contrary to flood water control and open space. Simply put, is just anther form of needless urbanization. Most of all, this autocratic form of dictatorial power is not the proper way to transact business in a free society. Possibly, if there were a better balance of community representation on the Township Committee, this type of single-minded action would not happen.
John H. Denny
Prospect Avenue Extension
Princeton
Survey draws broad participation
To the editor:
Recently, all Princeton High School students and the parents of elementary and middle school students were asked to complete a survey titled "How did you (or your child) get to school today." I am writing on behalf of the township’s Sidewalk & Bicycle Advisory Committee to thank the many parents and students who responded your participation exceeded all our expectations. We are very appreciative.
Our purpose in producing the survey was to generate community involvement to ensure that transportation planning reflected the wishes and desires of the people in our community. With a focus on routes to school, we sought opinions as to travel choices. We wanted to know, for example, if folks in our community would prefer traveling by automobile, or by bus or would they rather walk or bicycle?
In conducting this survey, we had a great deal of help. There were many interested parents and citizens, including members of the Princeton Regional Board of Education, the PTO, Princeton Regional Planning Board members, and many township and borough officials among them the late Mayor Joseph P. O’Neill all of whom contributed. We would like to thank everyone who helped out. And we would especially like to thank PRS Superintendent Judith Wilson, and all those within the school system who distributed and collected the survey.
The survey tabulation, through volunteers, is now in process. Already we know that 49 percent of survey respondents usually travel to school by automobile, 29 percent by bus, 15 percent by walking, and 7 percent by bicycle. We expect to have other results that can be circulated soon, but the full analysis will not be completed until some time next year.
Well over half of the parents with children in the Princeton Regional elementary schools completed the survey form, around 800 responses. Over a third of the parents of middle school students did so as well. Most high school students filled out the survey. In all, close to 2,200 completed forms were returned.
The SBAC continues to seek your input, whether or not you responded to the survey. We invite you to submit your thoughts and encourage your participation in our discussions regarding transportation issues. This is not just about streets. It is about the physical connection between us and our neighborhoods and schools and, in turn, the world around us. It is about how we experience that connection. You can email us at [email protected] or write to: SBAC, Princeton Township, 400 Witherspoon St., Princeton, NJ 08540.
Ron Lessard
Chairman
Sidewalk & Bikeway Advisory Committee
Birch Avenue
Princeton
Give generously to rescue squad
To the editor:
I hope that, in this season of holiday giving, Princeton residents will remember to include the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad in their charitable donations.
The squad was recently dispatched to my house when my 3-year-old ingested bleach. I called 911 and was connected to Poison Control. The EMTs responded within minutes in the midst of the chaos, I was still able to wonder to myself how they managed to get there so quickly. They were calm and professional, working seamlessly as a team. One spoke to Poison Control, one stayed with my daughter and me and clearly explained what was happening, one took my husband in the other room to fill out paperwork so that I could stay with my daughter. They were all well trained and knowledgeable. I was surprised to learn that they were all volunteers.
Had it been necessary, they were fully equipped to defibrillate her, give her oxygen, transport her to the hospital perform services that in a different situation might have been the difference between life and death.
I don’t know if all Princeton residents realize that the squad is entirely volunteer, that it is not supported by or connected with any state or local agency, and that tax-deductible charitable contributions are vital to its operation. I learned from their Web site (http://www.pfars.org) that each call costs the squad more than $230, and that the number of calls has been steadily increasing, up to 2,321 in 2004 compared to 1,762 in 1996. Volunteer EMTs sleep in the building every night of the year and are always available by pager and radio to respond to emergency calls. Their uniforms and training are provided by the squad with no cost to the member (but, I’m sure, at considerable cost to the squad.)
We in Princeton are lucky to have this dedicated group of men and women that we can call on in life-threatening emergencies. They were certainly a blessing to my family two nights ago. I will certainly be showing my appreciation by donating online through the Web site from the home page go to "General Info-Fund Drive." It is also fine to mail a donation to Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad, PO Box 529, Princeton NJ 08542 and I hope many people will be moved by this letter to do so.
Anne Robotti
Dorann Avenue
Princeton
Misleading editorial betrays political bias
To the editor:
Once again, The Packet offers its readers a possibly politically biased and definitely uninformed and misleading editorial about Rocky Hill (The Packet, Dec. 9). A line-by-line, clause-by-clause "fisking" is in order, but I will adhere to The Packet’s letter length requirements and only mention a few items.
The scare quotes used with the term acting mayor was pure hyperbole. The Borough Council president always "acts as mayor" in the mayor’s absence. To present this as somehow illegal distorts the facts.
You state that the Rocky Hill Republican Committee has only two members and find this ominous. You obviously are unaware that Rocky Hill is so small that if one committeeman and one committeewoman were not mandated for each municipality, we might not have any. The fact that he and/or she are elected officials is not unusual in any instance, and especially not considering our population. The fact that the committee chairman selected a midterm replacement for committeewoman is normal and proper. I am surprised that you did not use scare quotes with the term hand-picked a very pejorative term, as you are well aware.
Ms. Uhrik did indeed finish third in the recent race to fill two council seats. Your readers might be interested to know that there was only a 12-vote difference between first and third. They might also be interested in the repeated public declarations of support for Ms. Uhrik uttered by Jared Witt and Ed Zimmerman.
You find it remarkable that the committee "was able to line up the three council nominees over the weekend when that position didn’t even become vacant until Monday night" and later mention "a list concocted before it (the vacancy) even existed." You are being either extremely naive or disconcertingly disingenuous. You make it seem as though being prepared is a vice. As a participant in the discussions and one of the nominees for the council seat, I can assure your readers that careful consideration was given to all six openings and to the two recommendations made. And when you insinuate that one man, Mayor Nolan, has dictated his desires onto Rocky Hill, you are not only wronging that man, but insulting the intelligence of all Rocky Hill residents.
No mention was made that Mr. Witt and Mr. Zimmerman are vocal political opponents of Mayor Nolan and the Republicans in Rocky Hill. They have ginned up this (non)controversy in the hopes of political gain. Your editorial will have a long life; I expect to see it prominently featured in Mr. Zimmerman’s mayoral campaign next year.
Which brings me to the above-mentioned possible political bias. When a disgraced Democrat senator resigns and is illegally replaced on the ballot, no objection. When a Democrat governor selects a replacement for his own seat in the U.S. Senate, it’s OK. When Democrats in Princeton go through the replacement process, your only thoughts were that the procedure was "elaborate and time-consuming." Ah, but when evil Republicans go through the exact same process, we are equated with smoke-filled rooms and political favors. You are not fooling anyone.
Thomas Roshetar
Princeton Avenue
Rocky Hill
WW council should follow will of the electorate
To the editor:
The West Windsor Township Council should exercise the will of the people on the evening of Dec. 19 by voting yes on the review process for thetransit village.
Over 80 percent of West Windsor’s voting public voted for Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh and his slate; they made it clear that they were going to move forward on studying the transit village.
The vote on Monday is to move it forward so that public discussion can determine its viability, and nothing else. The debate will come, but others want an early kill.
The 50 or so people who want to stop everything in this town will get their chance to speak in the proper forum, but they shouldn’t have the ability to stop what the overwhelming majority voted for in the last election.
Council, please do what the electorate has asked you to do, not what a few will have you think you ought to do.
Matti Prima
Stuart Lane East
West Windsor
Transit village will raise property taxes
To the editor:
As a follow-up to my letter to the editor concerning the impact of property re-evaluation in West Windsor, a number of residents have asked how much the proposed Princeton Junction transit village will lower property taxes.
The simple answer is, when completed, the transit village will not lower property taxes, but rather substantially increase them. The impact would be roughly twice that of the proposed new school referendum. Combined, the two proposals should be enough to achieve a property-tax burden of $29,000 a year on a house with a currently assessed value of $400,000 by tax year 2013.
There is a common misunderstanding of current property-tax laws which suggests that increased commercial development means lower taxes. This is a dangerous oversimplification, which, if followed, as is the case with this transit village, will have dire tax consequences.
Thomas P. Frascella
Former Mayor of West Windsor
Canal Pointe Boulevard
West Windsor
Operation Friends thanks its many volunteers, donors
To the editor:
This letter is to thank the many volunteers and donors in and around Montgomery Township who responded to our campaign for the project Operation Friends. Operation Friends was created to aid and support the children and families in Biloxi, Miss., who were devastated by Hurricane Katrina and suffered tremendous loss and continue to be in great need.
There are many people and organizations to thank for their generosity including our citizens, teachers, students, school administrations, school and municipal employees, the Blawenburg Fire Department, Jackie Ralph at Johnson & Johnson, Diane Spath at Braun Research, and many more. Donations included clothing, personal hygiene products, school supplies, books, gifts, toys and money. A special thank you to those families who lovingly packed individual boxes for specific children.
The idea for Operation Friends began when Frank and Noel Drift tried to imagine what it would be like if their grandchildren were going through this ordeal. We were able to establish communication with the administrators and school nurses through John Warms’ NSO national network connections. After John visited the area personally, he understood their needs. The Drifts and John enlisted the help of Rich and Valerie Smith, school board member Charlie Jacey and Arlene Jacey and school Superintendent Dr. Stuart Schnur to help launch Operation Friends in the community.
The Drifts made pleas and demonstrations of sample personal gift boxes at back-to-school nights and flyers were sent throughout the community. Children and adults became excited and overwhelmingly willing to donate and work. Volunteers under the direction of Arlene Jacey sorted through and packed donated clothing at the Blawenburg firehouse for two weeks. Volunteers also packed boxes of personal hygiene products donated by Johnson & Johnson at the Daube Farm. Volunteers helped load the boxes onto a 48-foot trailer donated by J. D. Carton & Sons of Parsippany and a brand new 24-foot empty horse trailer. The Drifts and the Smiths personally drove the precious merchandise to school gymnasium in Biloxi, where Superintendent Dr. Paul Tisdale, school nurses and staff were awaiting their arrival. They went to Beauvoir Elementary School to meet evacuated children, who had lost their homes and all of their possessions. The stories the children told were heart-wrenching. The students were deeply touched that we cared so much about them and are extremely grateful as is evidenced by the many heartfelt thank-you notes we receive on a regular basis.
The children in Biloxi still need your help. We recently sent more personal boxes, necessities and Christmas gifts to those most affected. We hope to raise additional monies in order to address further needs as their temporary FEMA housing units are established. Hopefully, the citizens of Montgomery and surrounding areas will continue to give of their time and financial resources. We are accepting donations. Checks can be made payable to MTEF/Operation Friends. Please visit our Web site at www.operationfriends.com for pictures and more information on how you can help.
Thanks to all.
Peg Warms
Brookside Drive
Montgomery
Recognize the real War on Christmas
To the editor:
The buzz on talk radio and on cable TV describes a War on Christmas. It’s true. There is a War on Christmas. But it’s not the war you’ll hear the windbag pundits talk about.
That false crisis centers on whether sales circulars and store banners proclaim "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas," and why store clerks salute you with "Season’s Greetings." That’s a war? Come on. Get real. It’s not even a skirmish.
Why get upset about "Christmas" being dropped from the commercial marketplace unless you think there is some intrinsic connection between the miracle of God’s incarnation and maxing out your credit cards at the shopping mall.
The real War on Christmas is the growing reality in the culture that the shopping and the decorations and the overconsumption is actually the major part of the celebration of Christmas.
Christians have a part in this real War on Christmas. It’s to remind the world that the miracle of Christmas is that God loves us so much, God came down to earth to save us, to dwell with us, to teach us. And God took the form of an ordinary human child born to an ordinary human family under dire circumstances.
This is the meaning of Christmas worth fighting for. Let the shopkeepers call their silly winter sales what they wish. Christians proclaim Emmanuel God with us not only with our lips and shopping habits, but in our worship and praise. Come hear the story again this Christmas.
Paul Lutz
Pastor
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
Princeton-Hightstown Road
West Windsor
Is there still a Christmas?
To the editor:
Is there still a Christmas?
At my older son’s public school winter concert last night, Chanukah was on the program, but no Christmas. Christmas wasn’t on last year’s program either, but at least there was Feliz Navidad. Now that’s gone too. In case I’d missed something, I looked up the school calendar on the Web, and Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are still there, but Christmas isn’t.
At my younger son’s private kindergarten, they have a winter garden, an advent storytelling and a shepherd’s play. But no Christmas.
At work this week, the marketing department gave me a stack of cards to fill out to mail to customers. The message was "A World of Thanks." Are they left over from Thanksgiving? What holiday is it that I’m supposed to fill these cards out for?
My mail is full of holiday gift guides, and holiday sales advertisements, and last-minute gift guides, and exhortations to buy holiday gifts. But why? What holiday are they talking about? Why buy gifts if there’s no Christmas to buy them for?
Like Maria Larkin (Letter to the editor, The Packet, Dec. 13), I, too, am heartbroken over losing Christmas. Seemingly in the blink of an eye, a wonderful English word, an American tradition, a holiday that has enriched the lives of billions of people around the world for two millennia, has disappeared. The exuberant greeting "Merry Christmas" has been silenced, replaced by … nothing.
A century ago, an 8-year-old girl named Virginia wrote to her local paper asking, "Is there a Santa Claus?" The undersigned is asking you now: Is there still a Christmas?
Mark Hornung
Servis Road
Montgomery
Assemblyman is honored to serve
To the editor:
Over the past three years, through knocking on over 20,000 doors, holding town meetings and attending community events, I’ve had the pleasure of talking with many of you personally. Thank you for talking so candidly with me about the issues of concern to you and your family. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to stand on your front porch and talk with you about what I’ve done and what I’m going to continue to do.
It’s been an honor to serve as your assemblyman the past two years and I’m humbled to have your support for another term. Over the past two years, I’ve worked hard every day on the issues we spoke about and on making the services my office offers easily accessible to everyone.
I’m going to continue working hard to lower property taxes, restore ethics in government and improve education. I’m going to continue working on all of the things I heard from people on their front porches. And I’m going to continue working to make my office as easily accessible as possible by holding town meetings, offering evening and weekend hours and setting up mobile constituent service centers.
I look forward to working every day for the people of central New Jersey. Thank you for the opportunity.
Bill Baroni
Assemblyman
District 14
Whitehorse- Mercerville Road
Hamilton
Washington respected basic human rights
To the editor:
While Gen. George Washington led the Continental Army in the fight to establish our independence and to rid this land of the British invaders, he instructed our brave, hungry and ill-clad soldiers to refrain from plunder and from harsh treatment of prisoners. As Professor David Fischer states in his excellent history, Washington’s Crossing: "He (Washington) often reminded his men that they were an army of liberty and freedom, and the rights of humanity … should extend even to their enemies."
How dare Vice President Cheney and others in the administration ask that special exemptions be made to such a long-standing policy so that the CIA may torture prisoners, keep them incommunicado, uncharged and without due process?
Are we turning into Nazis? Until now, "cruel and unusual treatment" was a violation of the Bill of Rights. What have we come to?
As a patriot, I am ashamed, afraid and sorrowful.
Eleanor May
Walnut Lane
Princeton
Bear torture, slaughter is worst felonious crime
To the editor:
On the Web site www.newjerseyhunter.com, hunters share stories of the bears they killed during the recent hunting season. One hunter tells how he shot a bear, who, though seriously wounded, picked himself up and ran in terrified flight. The hunter fired again; the force of the blast knocked the bear back and onto a fallen tree. Even with two bleeding wounds, the bear held onto life, ran once more, escaped, and hid in a thicket. Twenty minutes later, having tracked the voluminous blood trail, the hunter found the bear. And when the poor animal got up to run, the hunter fired and the shot tore into the bear’s shoulder. This wound, compounded with the others, poured the greater amount of the bear’s life-blood to the ground, and he died.
The picture accompanying the story is of the pitiful bear being held by the hunter who had a joyous smile across his face. It was as if he had done some great deed and had not just brutally tortured and slaughtered an innocent animal.
There are no grays between the black-and-white nature of these killings, but only the crimson variants of blood and torn flesh. Though man’s law claims this slaughter to be legal, the greater law of mercy and compassion condemns it to be of the worst felonious crime.
The Animal Protection PAC fights for animals because we know the savage nature of hunting and the monstrous agony it causes. Now you know, too.
Stuart Chaifetz
Director
Animal Protection PAC
Dobson Lane
Cherry Hill

