By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
Princeton University said this week that it wants to wait until its next president is on board before negotiating a multi-year, multi-million-dollar contribution to the consolidated Princeton.
University Vice President and Secretary Robert K. Durkee said Monday that course made sense given the amount of money involved, upwards of $15 million spread across the life of any agreement. Princeton is in the midst of finding a successor to replace current President Shirley M. Tilghman, who is retiring next summer.
While the university is not legally obligated to make the contribution, Mr. Durkee said the school felt it important to do so. He said the university cares “a lot” about the quality of life of the town.
Mr. Durkee said the two sides would work toward an agreement, preferably in the five- to seven-year range. Princeton Mayor-elect Liz Lempert said Tuesday having a multi-year agreement with the university is beneficial because it provides predictability to local officials when they have to create the municipal budget and therefore can know how much to expect from the university.
Though she was not ready to tip her negotiating hand, she said officials from both towns feel the university should be contributing more financially than it does now. She was quick to add that she felt the school does a “tremendous” amount of good to the community, something she appreciates.
As for next year, Mr. Durkee said the university would provide just shy of $2.5 million to the consolidated municipality. The figure represents the combined amount the university pays to Princeton Borough and the Township in financial contributions this year, he said.
Aside from the direct contributions, Mr. Durkee noted that the school also voluntarily leaves on the tax rolls graduate student housing properties in the township. He said that comes out to $2.4 million a year in school, county and municipal taxes the university pays.
Ms. Tilghman, the 19th president in university history, is due to step down at the end of June. Kathryn A. Hall, chairwoman of the university board of trustees and leader of the presidential search committee, has said the goal is to have a candidate that the full board of trustees can consider in the spring.

