Republicans voice optimism and resolve
By Nick Norlen, Staff Writer
Perhaps the only surprise in Princeton’s elections Tuesday was that both parties chose Conte’s Pizza on Witherspoon Street as their venue to await the results.
Approximately 250 pizzas later, the five incumbent Democrats walked out winners.
According to unofficial results from the township clerk’s office, incumbent Democrat and longtime Mayor Phyllis Marchand garnered the most votes for Township Committee with 2,266, followed closely by incumbent Democrat Lance Liverman with 2,246.
Republicans Cindy Randazzo and Esther Mills finished with 1,260 and 1,241 votes, respectively.
In the borough, unofficial results from the clerk’s office placed incumbent Democrats Roger Martindell and Andrew Koontz — with 1,076 and 1,013 votes, respectively — well ahead of Republicans Linda Sipprelle, with 595, and Joseph Codega, with 401.
Democratic Borough Mayor Mildred Trotman, who ran for the mayor seat unopposed, received 1,180 votes.
Kim Pimley, who lost to Mayor Trotman in the Democratic mayoral primary, received 18 write-in votes.
Celebrating with her supporters Tuesday night, Mayor Marchand said she didn’t take her victory for granted.
”Any good politician, I don’t think, is ever confident,” she said.
Mr. Liverman, though, said he was “confident that people would look at the record.”
Mayor Marchand said that was among the challenges during the campaign.
”If you’re a new candidate, you can just promise the sky,” she said. “It’s a little more realistic when you’re an incumbent.”
However, she credited her Republican opponents with running an “issue-oriented campaign.”
She added, “They had their issues. We had our issues. On most things we agreed,” the mayor said, adding that the absence of “ugly” tactics in the campaigns was “a tribute to our community.”
Among the areas where the candidates did disagree was taxes — with Mayor Marchand taking the position that much of the burden is out of the control of the township, which she said has done a responsible job with finances.
”I wish we could have control over everyone’s total tax bill,” she said. “We’re doing whatever we can with our small portion.” Along with continuing to maintain sound finances, Ms. Marchand said she wants to further efforts toward sustainability in Princeton.
Mr. Liverman said he will continue to focus on youth concerns, infrastructure issues and traffic calming.
Ms. Mills said she was satisfied she got as many votes as she did.
Noting that she was celebrating her birthday Tuesday, Ms. Mills said she always expected to enter the political fray one day, just not so soon.
”I think that we got our feet wet,” she said. “I feel like I learned a lot.”
Ms. Randazzo agreed.
”I’m just hoping, at some point, someone’s going to believe that there’s going to be change,” she said.
She said she hopes Mr. Liverman and Mayor Marchand acknowledge the number of voters with a different view.
”You need all of those voices,” she said, noting that she had been invited to participate on a few township boards. “You need that diversity.”
Saying they’d consider running again, both Republicans said they hope their party can gain momentum.
”It’s a process to bring the two-party system back up,” Ms. Mills said. “It’s just a matter of us getting organized and building from there.”
Musing on his victory Tuesday night, Mr. Koontz, who is also the local party chairman, said he was “expecting a traditional Democratic performance.
”And I think that’s what we saw today,” he said. “I think we built a very strong party over the last decade.”
Mr. Martindell agreed the next day.
”There was nothing in this race that appeared to be unusual,” he said. “The outcome didn’t disappoint.”
Both councilmen said they will focus on concerns about downtown development, which they said they were reminded of while campaigning.
Mr. Martindell said he also plans to focus on a number of issues that pertain to relations between the borough and the township.
Similarly, Mr. Koontz said he wants to pursue consolidated services, as well as park and recreation improvements.
While announcing his victory, he credited Ms. Sipprelle with running a “great race,” and Mr. Martindell acknowledged Wednesday that he agreed with her on certain issues — particularly concerns about the transparency of the borough’s negotiations with downtown developer Nassau HKT.
Mr. Martindell said people “deserve an answer” about the details of the process.
”It’s my job to get it for them. And I hope other people would feel the same way,” he said. “Linda Sipprelle did. Good for her.”
Although Ms. Sipprelle could not be reached for comment, she wrote in a letter to The Packet that she was “encouraged by the election results.”
She added, “I consider it a victory of sorts and a step in the right direction when council members, since I launched my campaign, have also started to talk about cutting property taxes, the need for transparency in council deliberation,” and other more conservative issues, she said.
Despite suspicions raised by Mr. Koontz and others on Election Day, Borough Clerk Lea Quinty said that she could not confirm whether Mr. Codega was in fact a township resident.
Although she said the residence on his voter registration is listed as Clap Hall — in the borough — she said the university directory lists his current dorm as South Baker, part of the new Whitman College — in the township.
As during the campaign, Mr. Codega did not return calls seeking comment.
Borough and township residents also voted on four statewide ballot questions, two of which — those dealing with Green Acres funding, and a minor language change in the state’s constitution — were passed by state voters and also approved locally.
Although two other questions, on the funding of stem cell research and use of the increased sales tax for property tax relief were rejected by state voters, they passed in both borough and township.