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PRINCETON: Town reaches out to attorney in winning property tax lawsuit

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
The lawyer who represented Morristown in a winning property tax lawsuit against Morristown Medical Center is being brought in on a pro bono basis to advise the Princeton Council on what it should be doing in a similar lawsuit involving Princeton University.
Attorney Martin Allen, a member of the same law firm as state Sen. Kip Bateman (R-16), is scheduled to meet with council in closed session on Monday at 4 p.m. Mr. Allen did not return a phone message seeking comment.
Morristown reached a $15 million settlement with the Medical Center, which had lost a lawsuit that the municipality brought challenging the exemption. The same New Jersey tax court judge in that case is also hearing the lawsuit four Princeton residents filed seeking to have the university lose its property tax exemption.
The town is technically a name defendant in the case but is staying neutral. The town has a lawyer representing the municipality, Harry Haushalter, who did not return a phone message seeking comment.
In explaining why Mr. Allen is coming on Monday, Councilwoman Jenny Crumiller said Friday that she and other officials want to “cover our bases” and “make sure we’re doing the right thing” in the residents’ litigation. She has made clear that she is pulling for the residents, given the university would pay more in property taxes if they win.
The town reached out to Mr. Allen to invite him to speak with the governing body. Officials said he would not be paid for his time.