William Hoover, Princeton
Dear Governor Christie;
I had the pleasure of attending your talk at Princeton University last Friday. Though I am a registered Democrat, I must say that I found you to be an inspirational speaker. I was particularly impressed by your comment that you were pursuing the end to nepotistic and overly familiar relationships with regard to government hiring and business dealings.
University President Shirley Tilghman gave you a hearty welcome and pointed out that you are an ex officio member of the Princeton University Board of Trustees. It appears that this position granted to the Governor of New Jersey dates from the 1700s.
The relationship between Princeton University and the residents of both Princeton Borough and Princeton Township has not always been a bed of roses. There are major questions raised now as to the propriety of granting a non-profit, non-taxable status to a multi-billion dollar enterprise like the university. The question of non-payment or partial payment of property taxes by the university is an ever present subject. And, as you pointed out in your talk on Friday, we now have the issue of moving the Dinky station.
My question to you is this: In view of the fact that you are the governor of New Jersey, elected by and for the people, is it really appropriate that you sit as a member of the board of trustees of this multi-billion dollar business which has such controversial issues attached to it? Is the governor’s position as a member of the board of trustees of Princeton University somehow more benign than if you were a member of the board of Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Johnson and Johnson, Church & Dwight, or Dow Jones?
The decision by Princeton University in 1746 to make the governor of New Jersey a member of the University Board of Trustees was truly a brilliant political ploy, but perhaps after 200 years this close relationship between the governor of New Jersey, the Legislature of New Jersey, and Princeton University is just as anachronistic as the idea and status of the university being a not-for-profit enterprise.
William N. Hoover
Princeton

