PCDO endorses Lempert for mayor

Lempert’s opponent, Kevin Wilkes ’83, received 34.8 percent of the vote of the 345 votes cast. The remaining votes did not support an endorsement of either candidate.

The Council candidates who received PCDO endorsement were Borough Councilwoman Heather Howard, Township Committeemen Lance Liverman and Bernie Miller and Borough resident Patrick Simon.

Four additional candidates, Borough Councilwomen Jo Butler and Jenny Crumiller, Township resident Tamera Matteo and vice chair of the Transition Task Force Scott Sillars earned a PCDO recommendation.

Current Borough Mayor Yina Moore ’79 and Borough Councilman Roger Martindell did not receive an endorsement or a recommendation.

In order to receive PCDO’s official endorsement, a candidate must receive 60 percent of the votes cast at the meeting. However, with only 40 percent of the votes, a candidate may receive a PCDO recommendation.

The endorsement meeting is held in the spring before every election and before the June Democratic primary. The meeting was moderated by Deborah MacMillan.

Wilkes and Lempert debated town-gown relations, the state of downtown Princeton, affordable housing, charter schools, property value reevaluations and the Hispanic community of Princeton.

Wilkes noted that the local community has suffered from the University’s planned expansion, but added that the town and school can work together.

“We have the ability to bring the University to the table,” Wilkes said. “I imagine rail transit moving all the way to Nassau Street.”

Lempert emphasized the need for open negotiations with the University.

“We have a lot of expertise in our community ... we have people who have knowledge of the inner workings of the University,” she said. She added that she wanted to maintain the historic character of the downtown while making sure its commercial area was affordable for all.

“[In the future,] I want to see a place that does not look radically different from what it is today,” she said.

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The candidates for the Princeton Council presented opening statements, answered two questions selected by the moderator and finally had the opportunity to answer questions previously asked to a different candidate or to present a closing statement. Issues discussed in the Council debate included expected consolidation savings, police staffing, the University, affordable housing, property taxes and reevaluations.

There was a consensus among council candidates about the need to prevent property taxes from increasing. A number of candidates also mentioned the importance of open communication with the University and the need for an increased payment from the University in lieu of taxes.

The outcome of the PCDO meeting is no predictor of how the real primary election will play out.

Moore did not receive the endorsement of the PCDO last year but managed to win the Democratic primary against former Borough Councilman David Goldfarb. Goldfarb received more than 40 percent of the votes in last year’s endorsement meeting and consequently an official recommendation.

The endorsement meeting took place in front of a full auditorium at the Jewish Center of Princeton. There is currently no Republican candidate for mayor of Princeton.