From parking to property taxes, three of the four candidates for two open Princeton Council seats fielded questions from the public at the League of Women Voters of the Princeton Area’s May 1 candidates forum.
Incumbent Princeton Council member Tim Quinn, Michelle Pirone Lambros and Mia Sacks, who are running in the June 4 Democratic Party primary, took part in the forum that was co-sponsored by Princeton Community TV.
Adam Bierman, who is running as an independent candidate, did not participate.
There was little disagreement among the three candidates that the roll-out of the new parking meter system, including a hike in the cost, could have been handled differently when they were asked about it.
Quinn said the upgrade to new parking meters was necessary, although its installation during the holiday shopping season was ill-timed. Princeton Council is working with the business community to lower the rates and also to bring down the app fees, he said.
Sacks said there was no choice but to replace the parking meters, while acknowledging that it did not go smoothly. There is a need to ensure rapid turnover to help the businesses, she said. Princeton officials are still collecting data, and the glitches will be worked out.
Pirone Lambros reported that merchants are unhappy about the new parking meters, which have impacted their businesses and resulted in decreased sales. Comparing parking meter revenue to property taxes paid by commercial properties, she pointed out that parking revenue is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, but property taxes generate millions of dollars.
The question of hiring six firefighters – a first for Princeton, whose fire protection has been provided by a volunteer fire department since 1788 – drew a mixed reaction from the candidates. Quinn approved of the move, but Sacks and Pirone Lambros did not.
Hiring six firefighters is “a need, not a want,” Quinn said. The number of volunteer firefighters who respond to calls has been dwindling, and it has become necessary to hire firefighters, he said.
Pirone Lambros disagreed and added that once there is a mix of paid firefighters and volunteer firefighters, the morale among the volunteers will begin to erode and the town will lose them. “You need to keep the middle class in town if you want more volunteers,” she said.
The candidates also were asked about Princeton Council’s relationship to the Princeton Public Schools and Mercer County, which account for most of a property owner’s tax bill.
Quinn, who is a former school board member, said that shared services was a priority for him when he served on the school board. He said that he expects that share services would result in savings, and Princeton Council will hire a consultant to study it. He said he does not have enough information to comment on Mercer County.
Sacks said she would look forward to working with the school district to lobby state lawmakers for a change in the funding formula for schools. Mercer County also should be more transparent in how it spends taxpayer dollars, she said.
Pirone Lambros called for more coordination and discussion between Princeton Council and the Princeton Public Schools Board of Education. The school board did not fully explain why a $129 million bond referendum was needed, she said.
And asked about the need to increase transparency before Princeton Council takes a position on an issue – which would enable residents to study the issue, too – there was no disagreement among the candidates.
Sacks said all “significant” ordinances should include an executive summary – why the ordinance is being proposed, what it will accomplish, and also a link to any of the advisory boards or committees where it was discussed.
Pirone Lambros agreed that it would be helpful for residents to understand the ordinance. She pointed out that there was no presentation on the proposed ordinance that would have changed the floor area ratio (FAR), which impacts the size of new houses and additions to existing houses. There was much confusion, she said.
Quinn said transparency is the goal that Princeton Council seeks in its public meetings. The council develops a list of priorities in its annual goal-setting meeting, which is held in public. There is a need to improve communications, he said, and perhaps live-streaming the meetings would help.