By Fred Tuccillo, Managing Editor
Citing the history of failed consolidation efforts in Princeton as an example of the challenge, Gov. Jon S. Corzine this week vowed continued state pressure for shared services and mergers among New Jersey’s 1,900 governmental units and 600 school districts.
Answering questions from community newspaper editors at Drumthwacket on Wednesday, the governor said that the recession’s impact on governmental revenue and his administration’s insistence on capping increases in municipal and school district budgets were beginning to create a more receptive atmosphere for such efforts.
”We’re going to keep pushing on it as long as I am governor,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons we put the cap on.”
Gov. Corzine also said that his administration will soon take steps to increase pressure for “school districts without schools” to move toward consolidation with neighboring school systems.
The governor’s comments came as a new push for municipal consolidation in Princeton received a boost from several current and former borough and township officials. Pointing toward a joint meeting on consolidation scheduled for April 27, Deputy Mayor Chad Goerner and former Committeewoman Roz Denard of Princeton Township joined Councilwoman Barbara Trelstad and former Councilwoman Wendy Benchley of Princeton Borough in a statement of support for a merger of the two municipalities.
The four, whose full statement is published on page 11A, made specific reference to current state efforts, saying, “As you may know, the state has passed a Local Option Consolidation Act that was modeled on the prior consolidation failures in the Princetons.”
In their statement, they say that consolidation would lead to a more efficient delivery of police and other services, improved community planning and a governmental focus on Princeton-wide priorities rather than municipal disputes. They also said that a single Princeton municipality would be better positioned to manage the community’s relationship with Princeton University and seek and apply state aid.
”We recognize that this will not be an easy task and that history has proved consolidation difficult,” the officials said. “If we are to engage in this process again we must remain sensitive to the concerns raised by residents of both municipalities. We must encourage discussion and dialogue in order to make the effort successful.”
In his question and answer session with community editors, Gov. Corzine called the multiplicity of governments and districts of all kinds in New Jersey “one of our biggest problems on cost and, I think, on corruption … so many units and levels without transparency.”
He said that public resistance to consolidation was, in part, due to “a historic failure of political courage. It will only change when people feel and are convinced by their political leadership. … People have to vote for the people that they think will make this change.”
But he then added: “We have a stronger authority with respect to schools and we will be exercising it … in a matter of weeks.” He did not elaborate, except to make clear that he was referring to some 16 school districts that have no schools or students of their own and merely arrange to send children to schools in larger neighboring districts.
He was asked to respond to the argument that such districts need their own school boards and administrators to ensure that larger “receiving districts” are spending appropriately on the students they receive from smaller communities.
”You would think that you could put together a system that watches out for the spending and the education of the children without having to have another administration,” Gov. Corzine said.
The governor also used much of the 75-minute session at Drumthwacket to defend his $29.8 billion budget, arguing that he had made unprecedented spending reductions — totaling $4 billion — while protecting funding that “supports the middle class.”
He singled out the retention of property tax rebates for seniors and those making less than $75,000 a year as well as the maintenance of school aid levels. He noted that the state’s median annual income is $65,000, adding, “And the last time I checked, a lot of seniors were in the middle class.”
Citing the connection between state aid to education and local property taxes, Gov. Corzine said, “If you are putting more money into the schools, you are doing more to dampen property taxes than anything else you could do.”
He said that the state’s challenge in maintaining “the safety net” for those most severely impacted by the recession, while coping with a 12 percent drop in its own revenues, had forced “a lot of choices I am not happy with.”
But he challenged critics to come up with specific alternatives, saying, “They don’t generally tell you what they would have cut instead.”
He also defended the budget’s provision allowing municipalities to defer this year’s contribution to the state pension fund, arguing that it differed from much-criticized deferrals by previous state administrations. The difference, he said, is that this provision lays out a payback requirement and schedule.
”This is not my favorite option but it is the only way, I feel, that we can support our municipalities during this economic crisis,” the governor said. “And it’s completely voluntary — if a municipality doesn’t want to do it, it doesn’t have to.”
”The bond and stock markets will have a far greater impact on the pension system than these deferrals,” he said. “The drawdown is very small, compared to the swings that go on in the market … and all of it could be completely washed away if the stock market comes up.”
GUEST OPINION: The case for Princeton consolidation
The 1996 report of the Consolidation Study Commission’s “Thinking as One Town,” outlined a prescient concern if the township and the borough remained separate municipalities: “We believe that two municipalities will be less able to agree upon and fund a range of community-wide needs.”
That moment has all but arrived. Princeton Township and Princeton Borough are quite unique in that we have a large number of joint commissions all of which are funded jointly by both municipalities. When Princeton Borough (approximately 1.8 square miles) is faced with a finite ratable base and hemmed in by a large tax-exempt entity, it is only inevitable that in time its budget needs outgrow its ability to fund them without either service cuts or significant increases in property taxes.
This unfortunate circumstance coupled with the current economic environment can cause Princeton Borough to reduce or eliminate their funding for certain joint services. When this happens, the Township is then forced to eliminate or significantly scale back on the service too as they will not be able to fund the full cost on their own. The end result becomes an elimination or reduction of services for both Borough and Township residents.
We all have served or are currently serving on our respective governing bodies. We both feel that whether one resides in the Township or the Borough, what makes Princeton the place we call home is a vibrant and successful central business district and our wonderful open space. We both see our community as truly one town and see a way forward: full municipal consolidation. While consolidation will never be the answer to all the issues facing our communities, it has the potential to:
• Deliver services more cost-effectively and efficiently – One police department, one public works department and one administration will result in cost savings and reduced overlap. Eliminating joint commissions will save time in executing service delivery.
• Have our governing bodies focus on governing again – What percentage of time has minutiae occupied the governing bodies’ agendas while other, more important issues were moved to the background? A consolidated government will allow us to truly govern as one community and focus on long-term vision.
• Plan our future as one town – There is no question that the Central Business District of Princeton Borough remains a core trait of our community identity and it is vital to both municipalities. As we develop bike routes and sidewalks in the township to encourage flow to the downtown, they shouldn’t suddenly end at the borough line. When we look at mass transit services, they shouldn’t be confined to only one municipality and not integrate the other. When the Township is faced with finding housing solutions for its 55 and older population, they should be able to offer real opportunities closer to the town center where they have better access to transportation and volunteer activities. If we are one town, we can better integrate our planning.
• Engage Princeton University as One Town – As stated in the 1996 Study “Consolidation would create a stronger municipality to deal strategically with its tax-exempt institutions while it eliminated the red tape created by two sets of administrative processes.” Working with the University as one municipality will allow us to better prioritize our concerns and needs for the betterment of the entire community.
• Better Application of State Aid – A municipality of 30,000 residents will command more attention than two separate municipalities whose identities are often confused by state employees outside of Mercer County. Grants and assistance will flow to one municipality instead of two where they will then be implemented to the benefit the entire municipality instead of just one without the cooperation or input of the other.
We recognize that this will not be an easy task and that history has proved consolidation difficult. If we are to engage in this process again we must remain sensitive to the concerns raised by residents of both municipalities. We must encourage discussion and dialogue in order to make the effort successful.
As you may know, the state has passed a Local Option Consolidation Act that was modeled on the prior consolidation failures in the Princetons. Our next article will address some of the questions and concerns that we have heard from our constituents in regard to municipal consolidation and how the new Local Option Consolidation Act could alleviate some of these concerns.
On April 27, the governing bodies have agreed to hold a joint public meeting on the consolidation of services and municipal consolidation. The meeting will be held at 7:00PM at the Princeton Township Hall, 400 Witherspoon Street. We encourage you to attend this important meeting.
—Chad Goerner, Deputy Mayor, Princeton Township
—Roz Denard, former Committeewoman, Princeton Township
—Barbara Trelstad, Councilwoman, Princeton Borough
—Wendy Benchley, former Councilwoman, Princeton Borough

