By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
Republicans Kelly DiTosto and Lynn Irving are running for Princeton Council to break the grip that Democrats have on municipal government.
“I think that the reason why council gets away with what they do — which is not vetting anything to the community until it’s a done deal — is because it’s a one-party rule,” said Ms. DiTosto in an interview. “If you have everyone that thinks exactly alike, then there can’t be any real discussion.”
Ms. DiTosto said municipal spending needs to be scrutinized and so-called luxury items done away with. For instance, she cited how the council members voted themselves a pay hike.
Ms. Irving faulted the years of “overspending,” and pointed to how towns with similar populations to Princeton’s have smaller municipal budgets. West Windsor had a budget this year of $38.1 million, compared to Princeton at $61 million, according to figures she provided.
Ms. DiTosto took aim at the “promises” of the benefits that were supposed to come by merging the two Princetons. She voted for the merger, something she calls “a good thing.”
“I know that a lot of promises were made when consolidation happened, everything from brush removal to road repair to lowering taxes to cutting back on government,” Ms. DiTosto said. “All those promises were not met.”
Ms. Irving said she had supported the merger, too, and believes the public’s expectations are not being met.
“We thought our property tax would not be raised for a time, at least five years,” she said. “But after two years, the mayor (Liz Lempert) said in order to be fiscally responsible, we have to raise property tax again.”
Ms. DiTosto said the council should look closely at whether Princeton University is paying its fair share in taxes to the community. The school should be paying taxes on its properties, said Ms. DiTosto, adding the school buys up land “left and right” and consequently the town loses tax ratables.
“The council does not work for Princeton University, the council works for the taxpayers in Princeton,” she said.
Ms. Irving pushed for cordial town-gown relations.
“I don’t think we should be fighting with them,” she said. “Without Princeton, our property value won’t be that high.”
Ms. DiTosto said the agreement the school and town reached last year — for Princeton to contribute $21.7 million voluntarily over seven years — was not big enough.
“I also believe that when you have members of council that have direct ties to the university, either through marriage or their own job, and they have to recuse themselves from votes, I think that’s a problem,” Ms. DiTosto said.
She said neither she nor her employer has ties to the school.
The two women face long odds in unseating one or both of the incumbents in a town where there are more registered Democratic voters than there are Republican.Ms. DiTosto, 52, is a graduate of Villanova University and works in an accounting office. She has lived in the community since 2001. This is the first time that she has ever run for political office.
Ms. Irving, 51, is a native of China, and works as a Realtor. She has lived in Princeton for 28 years. She graduated from South China Normal University and Rutgers University. Like Ms. DiTosto, she is running for political office for the first time.
Princeton Council members serve three-year terms. At the moment, there are six members, all Democrats.
