By Greg Forester, Staff Writer
A bill sponsored by an Ocean County legislator that would consolidate Princeton Borough and Princeton Township into a single municipality has acquired the support of Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, D-Princeton.
The bill, proposed by Assemblyman David Wolfe, R-Ocean, would also consolidate the borough of Hopewell and Pennington with Hopewell Township, in addition to affecting the Princeton area.
It originated as retaliation by Mr. Wolfe for what he called “a lack of legislative courtesy” on the part of Mr. Gusciora, in the form of legislation that would combine the Ocean County boroughs of Mantoloking, Lavalette, Seaside Heights, and Seaside Park into a single municipality.
It would do the same to six municipalities on Long Beach Island.
”I introduced the bill to do (Mr. Gusciora) the same kind of favor in his district, so he would get a response from his constituents,” said Mr. Wolfe, who noted that Mr. Gusciora has yet to speak to him in person.
Mr. Gusciora’s responded to Mr. Wolfe’s consolidation proposal and courtesy criticism with a statement titled “Let’s work together for New Jersey,” which called on Mr. Wolfe and other legislators to help him address municipal consolidation.
Also, Mr. Gusciora has since offered to co-sponsor Mr. Wolfe’s proposal, which seeks to do what Princeton Borough voters have defeated in referendums four times since 1953 — consolidate Princeton’s two municipalities.
”In these tough economic times, citizens need lawmakers who are going to do what is in the best interest of the state,” said Mr. Gusciora. “I consider myself to be a New Jersey legislator, who happens to be from Mercer County.”
Mr. Wolfe said he agreed that there is a need to look at shared services and consolidation, but there is a proper place to do it.
”There is a (state) commission that looks at property taxes and at towns that might be good for consolidation,” said Mr. Wolfe. “That’s the place where it should be done.”
Consolidation is appropriate when such an action has local support from citizens, Mr. Wolfe said.
”If the residents want to do it, fine,” Mr. Wolfe said.
