LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, April 8
By:
Belligerence, venom from familiar source
To the editor:
I read Emily Cook’s recent letter (The Packet, March 28) with great interest. Previously, I had thought that some of the self appointed "deer lovers" were the most venomous and belligerent people I had ever encountered but it seems that some members of the anti-war movement, who came to the recent meeting of the Township Committee, have similar characters. Or could they perhaps be some of the same people wearing different hats?
I have previously participated in the making of the anti-war video and a number of meetings against the war and these gatherings were all characterized by serious, civilized debate as befits such an important topic. I do not think that personal invective or ad hominem attacks should have a place in political discussions.
Ms. Cook, who two years ago was the Green Party candidate running against Phyllis Marchand in a municipal election, must know that the whole sad concatenation of events from George Bush’s supposed election to the anti-environmental legislation, the tax cuts and budget deficits, the reduction of funding for education and health needs, and finally the attack on Iraq, could not have taken place without Ralph Nader’s and the Green Party’s assistance. Nader’s run for president, which was more of an "ego trip" for him than a serious campaign, took enough votes from the Democrats to enable Bush’s taking power.
Ms. Cook should also realize that there could be honest and justified differences of opinion on the desirability and effectiveness of a resolution to be passed by Township Committee against the war. Finally, I think that it is extremely unfair of Ms. Cook to heap invective on Mrs. Marchand for everything Ms. Cook does not like about the new municipal building. As anyone with any knowledge of Princeton politics should be aware, Mrs. Marchand was not the mayor at the time the design for the building was chosen nor even a member of the building committee that was then established to implement the project.
Leonard E.A. Godfrey
Member
Princeton Township Committee
Lake Drive
Princeton
Mayoral candidate thanks supporters
To the editor:
I want to thank all those who supported me for mayor of Princeton Borough in the Princeton Democratic endorsement vote on Sunday, April 6. I went into the meeting an underdog and with your support, I was able to edge out a five-term assemblyman in his own hometown. We will have a tough, open primary battle. I promise to give it my best and I hope for your continued support.
Joe O’Neill
Gordon Way
Princeton
Crosstown 62 is too valuable to lose
To the Editor:
Transportation services are of great concern to people as they age. As eyesight dims and response time slows, many citizens choose to or are forced to stop driving their own cars. Giving up car keys is one of the most difficult personal adjustments many people have to make, but they do so for their own safety and that of others. Seniors are then faced with serious problems in shopping, getting to professional appointments and keeping up some activities of interest.
These problems can be overwhelming in Princeton. There is limited public transportation; then, too, buses often can’t meet the needs of older riders or those who are minimally impaired. We have been fortunate to have the Crosstown 62 Transportation Services program. As currently operated, it has helped many seniors overcome the difficulty of giving up their cars. Crosstown 62 has provided reasonably priced rides to doctors, dentists, shopping and other services, as well as to recreational outlets. The drivers have had sensitivity training in meeting the needs of older adults and were trained by the staff of the Princeton Senior Resource Center. Seniors report that the drivers are very helpful, and that they go beyond the usual courtesy. They try to meet the needs of their passengers by taking extra time and sometimes helping riders cope with grocery bags.
The program is reported to have provided 4,000 rides at an overall cost of $36,000 during the past year. The municipalities’ cost is a great deal less than other senior transportation programs run by all nearby local governments. We are now concerned because this program is threatened. The contract for services runs out on June 1, 2003.
The Board of Trustees of the Princeton Senior Resource Center expresses its grave concern regarding the potential loss of this program. We strongly support the Human Services Department and Commission in their efforts to continue providing these valuable services. We ask that Borough Council and Township Committee work with all deliberate speed to provide uninterrupted transportation at the current level for seniors in Princeton Borough and Princeton Township.
Billie Emmerich
President, Board of Trustees
Princeton Senior Resource Center
Dodds Lane
Princeton
Princeton Future violates tax laws
To the editor:
What does Princeton Future have to hide? Why is it violating federal tax laws?
Princeton Future Inc. is a nonprofit entity that has become very powerful and influential in determining Princeton Borough’s land use policy. Nonprofit status is a privilege, not a right. As a nonprofit, it has certain obligations to the public. One of those obligations is that it provides a copy of its IRS Form 990 to any person who requests it. The 990 discloses the source of all its income, including the names of its largest donors. The 990 also discloses how it spent its money.
On Feb. 27, I called Sheldon Sturges, Princeton Future’s vice-chairman. I requested a copy of all of Princeton Future’s 990s completed to date, which I estimated would be two for calendar years 2000 and 2001. Mr. Sturges asked me many questions about why I wanted it and was I going to use it in "litigation." I answered all of his questions, although under the IRS laws they are all illegal and improper. After our conversation, I promptly faxed him a letter repeating my request.
On March 13, I faxed Mr. Sturges another letter, repeating my request.
On April 2, I saw Mr. Sturges at a social event. I introduced myself as the woman wanting the "forms 990." He responded, "You can have them now; the lawsuit is over."
On April 6, I saw Mr. Sturges at a social event. I asked him when I would be receiving the 990s. He responded that he had spoken to several of the large donors and they don’t want their names made public, so he is not giving me the 990s.
Princeton Future is violating IRS law by not promptly providing me with a copy of these forms. Until they comply with federal laws, they should be recognized for what they are: a violator of federal tax laws. They should not be permitted to hold public hearings, testify at public hearings or communicate with public officials. They appear to be a secret organization that refuses to obey federal tax laws and should be treated as such.
Who are the rich and powerful that are controlling future development in Princeton but don’t want their names made public?
Eleanor J. Lewis
Linden Lane
Princeton
What’s in a name? The plot thickens
To the editor:
My thanks to Mr. de Agustin (The Packet, April 1) for his objections to the French bashing we are witnessing. There is much of value that the French and Americans have in common, such as a shared love of liberty.
I am grateful, as I trust Mr. de Agustin is also, that Rep. Ney, who, as overseer of the congressional cafeteria, originated the "freedom fry," is not in charge of the Library of Congress. We might have had a new title for the Dickens’ classic: A Tale of One City.
But the congressman may be expressing something deeper than patriotic zeal. He shares his surname with Marshal Ney, one of the great French heroes of the Napoleonic Wars. Marshal Ney was sent by the French government to head off Napoleon after his escape from his first exile on Elba. Instead, Ney allied himself with Napoleon. Subsequently, Ney was convicted of high treason, sentenced to death and shot the next day. So, was the congressman expressing patriotism, or revenge for the execution of an ancestor? Remember that you read it here first.
Robert B. Comizzoli
Knickerbocker Drive
Montgomery
Re-elect Dodson, Katz to WW-P school board
To the editor:
The West Windsor-Plainsboro School District will be making a critical decision this year in the selection of a new superintendent. In some ways, the multi-year contract nature of this action is even more significant than shorter-term policy decisions that can be adjusted and modified based on new information. It is imperative that our school board retains experienced and dedicated members that are also independent thinkers.
In Plainsboro, I recommend re-electing Dee Dee Dodson for the board. Although I am a West Windsor resident, I have always felt that Dee Dee has the education of children from both townships as her main goal. Dee Dee has a long history of volunteering within the school system both in the classroom and on committees. However, this did not prevent her from speaking out in disagreement when needed. For several years, she wrote a weekly column in a local newspaper that expressed the issues on many parents’ minds. When a local independent Web site started a school topics chat board, she volunteered to be the moderator. After a groundswell of support from her friends and readers, Dee Dee decided that election to the school board would give her more of a chance to make a difference from the inside. While on the board, she has worked hard, raised important questions and considered all sides of the issues. She stands up for her convictions, yet works towards common goals. Dee Dee considers open communication between the school system and the community as key. A free and informed people make the best decisions.
In West Windsor, I recommend the re-election of Stan Katz. Stan has also been on several volunteer board committees and knows first-hand the importance of public participation. I was privileged to serve on one of these committees with him and experience his strong logical and analytical abilities. Stan has brought his knack for microanalysis and penchant for seeing all sides of the strategic issues to our board. He is another strong supporter of open communications and community involvement.
I know that many residents will have a "throw out the bums" attitude toward the current school board due to continuous tax increases and recent curriculum changes. My own family is distraught over what is happening to the middle school program. These two fine board members are not the problem and I hope they do not bear the brunt of voter wrath. In a second term, they will have even more experience and influence to look out for our interests. I trust them to conscientiously evaluate results and to make reasoned, hard and independent decisions when necessary.
Andrea Mandel
Ellsworth Drive
West Windsor
Newman is qualified, fair and committed
To the editor:
My husband and I strongly support Michael Newman for the West Windsor seat in the upcoming West Windsor-Plainsboro Board of Education election. During the past three years, our families have worked on various volunteer efforts for organizations including the Princeton View Homeowner’s Association, the Village School PTA and, most recently, the Maurice Hawk School PTA. It was, however, during the many Board of Education meetings that Mr. Newman and I attended that I learned that we shared many of the same philosophies and visions about the future of our school district.
One such issue that is critical to the future of the WW-P school district is the maintenance of equity among the schools, including equity of facilities, equity in quality of education and programs and equity in the distribution of the student population among the schools. This is critical at all levels elementary, middle and high school especially in a district that maintains 10 buildings, ranging in age and technological capabilities, that are physically located in two different townships.
Michael Newman’s professional expertise, gained over 13 years as a municipal finance banker, will provide him with a unique perspective on how to ensure this equity within a very complex and tight budget. His personal commitment to fairness and action above politics will provide him with a strong foundation on which to make decisions that are best for all of our students and their families.
Although our school district is considered one of the best in New Jersey, we will face many complex and difficult decisions in the coming months and years. To maintain the excellence we have come to enjoy, yet respect the taxpayers who share this burden, it is critical that we elect qualified, fair and committed people.
Michael Newman is one of these people. Please join me in voting for Michael Newman on April 15. Thank you.
Francesca Miraglia Schoenblum
Madison Drive
West Windsor
Re-elect Carter in Montgomery
To the editor:
I am writing because I read the article from those running for Montgomery Township school board positions and noticed there was not any personal data about the candidates. I think this is valuable information for the voters and I wanted to pass along information I have about one of the candidates, Susan Carter.
There is a wealth of experience embodied in this candidate. Before she lived in New Jersey, she was a member of the New Hampshire Legislature for about six years, where she served on the Education Committee and chaired subcommittees on special education, school choice and the program for statewide assessment.
She has served as a member of the school board of Montgomery Township for the past seven years, including chair of the MTS policy committee; member of the MTS negotiations committee; Montgomery Township schools’ representative to the Somerset County Educational Services Committee, which oversees the alternative high school and elementary and secondary special education schools; and president of the Somerset County School Boards Association.
As you can see, she is well-qualified and deserves the support of the community.
Teri Peterson
Red Oak Way
Montgomery