PACKET EDITORIAL, May 26
By: Packet Editorial
Under normal circumstances, The Packet would not weigh in with an endorsement in the Democratic primary contest between Chad Goerner and Scott Carver for a seat on the Princeton Township Committee.
But given that no Republican candidate has filed to run in November, the June 6 Democratic primary is, in effect, the election. Voters would thus be wise to give it closer attention than it might otherwise warrant.
Fortunately for township residents of all political persuasions, whichever candidate is chosen by the Democrats to bear their party’s standard in the fall will, in our view, serve the community well.
Both Mr. Goerner, a 30-year-old institutional financial consultant, and Mr. Carver, a 42-year-old lawyer and corporate executive, have prepared themselves for elective office. Both have served the community as volunteers Mr. Goerner with The Arts Council of Princeton and the Princeton Parks Alliance, Mr. Carver on the Environmental Commission and as liaison to the Site Plan Review Advisory Board. Both take thoughtful, articulate and knowledgeable positions on issues facing the township.
And both, to their credit, have put the messy chain of events that led up to this primary contest behind them. Township Committeeman Bill Hearon’s on-again, off-again resignation is a non-issue. The Democratic Municipal Committee’s recommendation that the Township Committee appoint Mr. Goerner, over Mr. Carver, to serve out Mr. Hearon’s term and Mr. Carver’s subsequent decision to drop out of contention, citing philosophical differences over the party’s direction is ancient history. A primary race, both now say, is healthy for the party, allowing for open discussion and debate.
We agree. And what stands out in the discussion that has marked this campaign we hesitate to call it debate, because the candidates do not, in fact, betray any noticeable disagreement on issues is the contrast between Mr. Goerner’s idealistic enthusiasm and Mr. Carver’s level-headed pragmatism. Both are endearing qualities, to be sure, but we find Mr. Carver’s approach more suitable to local government.
For example, Mr. Goerner’s prescription for relieving the pressure of property taxes on township homeowners is a three-point plan: Bring transparency to the budget process and put budget data online; create a nonpartisan citizens’ tax advisory committee; and open up a more constructive dialogue with Princeton Borough. Mr. Carver’s is to push for a special legislative session and/or property-tax convention to resolve what is, at its core, a larger statewide problem. Where Mr. Goerner would construct an elaborate process to address this issue locally, Mr. Carver recognizes the limitations some might even call it futility of trying to ease the onerous burden of New Jersey’s property-tax from the bottom up.
On other issues, Mr. Goerner’s bottom-up approach is refreshing. He advocates regular informal meetings of the Township Committee to promote citizen involvement, and an open application process for appointments to public boards and commissions. On a governing body that tends to neither inspire nor engage in a great deal of public discourse, these would be welcome changes, and we would encourage the Township Committee to adopt them regardless of the outcome of the primary.
Mr. Goerner has a bright future ahead of him in politics. He is engaging, sincere and full of ideas. Our choice in this race, however, is Mr. Carver, whose experience, maturity and cultivated common sense earn him the very slightest of nods.

