On Nov. 5, Princeton voters will cast their ballots in the school board election. Six candidates — Ari Meisel, Shenwei Zhao, Mara Franceschi, Erica Snyder, Chris Santarpio, and Lisa Potter — are vying for three open seats on the board.
Franceschi is the only incumbent seeking reelection while current board members Brian McDonald ’83 and Betsy Baglio ’96 have both opted not to run for another term, as McDonald instead aims to replace Eve Niedergang GS ’85 on the town council. If elected, the position has a three-year term.
The Daily Princetonian interviewed the six candidates to understand their perspectives on key issues in the race, including: strengthening partnerships with the University; problems associated with supporting a growing school district within a constrained budget; and discussing future plans for the town’s recent acquisition of the Westminster Choir College campus.
University partnerships
In 2023, Princeton University committed $14.6 million to Princeton Public Schools (PPS) over five years, with a $2.34 million unrestricted voluntary contribution and an additional $500,000 voluntary contribution towards implementation of PPS strategic priorities, totaling $2.84 million made in 2024. In 2023, Princeton University also paid a total of $7.7 million in property and sewer taxes to the Municipality of Princeton.
Franceschi told the ‘Prince’ that this type of funding allows PPS to “avoid that financial wall that we are constantly trying to push up and dodge” and allows the district to implement “some very necessary special projects.”
Candidates also expressed unanimous support for stronger collaboration between the University and the local school district.
Currently, University-led initiatives like the Princeton University Preparatory Program and Teachers as Scholars seminars, along with extracurricular efforts such as Ballet & Books, the Trenton Circus Squad Mentor and Tutor Program, and Big Brother Big Sister, extend their work across Princeton and Trenton.
Meisel suggested that the University could step in to provide additional support in areas where the school district frequently depends on external companies and organizations for advertising and demographic mapping.
“So many members of the Princeton University community are literally at the top of their field — there is nobody that knows more than they do about particular things,” Meisel said. “A lot of them are parents in the Princeton public school system too, but we're not engaging those people in the way that we should.”
Santarpio and Franceschi both emphasized the success of the Reading with the Tigers program, where over 300 student-athletes visited Princeton public schools to read to students and share their experiences.
“Those are the building blocks that we can work on and continue with,” Santarpio said. Last year, Santarpio hosted a STEAM Day for Community Park Elementary School in partnership with the Pace Center for Civic Engagement, the McCarter Theatre Center, and the Princeton Rocketry Club. “I did not grow up in a town like Princeton, and I think there [are] tremendous opportunities to collaborate and work with the town, as well as the University,” he explained.
The candidates described the partnership between the school district and the University as mutually beneficial. “If our school district is strong, we can also help the University attract better faculties and families who want to be in this community,” Potter said. “It’s about attracting talent into this town.”
Beyond sharing financial and intellectual resources, Snyder and Meisel emphasized the importance of sharing transportation and facilities. “Transportation is a challenge,” Snyder noted, suggesting that the University’s electric buses could help address issues with walkability and street-crossing safety.
On the topic of facilities, Meisel highlighted the untapped potential of University resources, stating, “there are so many incredible resources at the University that the community has access to for free, like the football field.” He added, “There's all these opportunities to be sharing that we're not.”
Working within the 2 percent budget cap
Currently, New Jersey has a 2 percent annual cap on spending increases within school districts.
“One of the greatest problems that we have in the state of New Jersey with multiple budgets is the 2 percent cap,” Franceschi said. “We are in an inflationary environment where all of your expenses are rising at a rate greater than two percent … on top of that, we are a growing district,” she continued. A constrained budget, Franceschi argues, is one of the key drivers behind the “serious capacity issues” Princeton schools have faced in recent years.
This year, over 200 school jobs are expected to be slashed in New Jersey as funding gaps widen.
“A lot of towns have hit that financial wall and had to lay off teachers and take drastic actions,” Franceschi said. “We are constantly in conversations to make sure that we don't end up in that same position.”
Although expanding this budget cap falls outside the school board’s authority, candidates emphasized the need for adjustments in how it is managed, especially due to a 9.5 percent increase in student enrollment in the last decade.
“We know that we are growing, so we have to come up with innovative solutions for how to meet growth challenges while also keeping within the budget that we are capped by,” Snyder said.
Zhao in particular is running on a platform that “makes sure the Princeton district allocates enough resources for pretty much everyone — not just particular groups — whether you are very good at something or you need help with something.”
Plans for the Westminster Choir College
On Sept. 23, the town adopted an ordinance that authorized the acquisition of Westminster Choir College “by negotiation, purchase, condemnation or eminent domain.” Following Rider University’s decision to move its students to its Lawrenceville campus, the campus has remained empty. The College is also currently involved in several legal battles, including a 2019 lawsuit filed by Rider community members in standing opposition to the relocation to Lawrenceville.
Despite resistance from community members who have expressed anxieties about erasing the historical significance of the site and the town’s ability to maintain the College’s music facilities, candidates identified significant potential for utilizing the buildings for educational purposes.
“You could shut down part of the street and have a full on middle school or high school campus in there; you’ve got an opportunity there for a pre-K center too,” Snyder said. “We could also think about potentially putting housing on there for teachers,” she added, referencing the challenge teachers face in securing affordable housing around Princeton.
Potter also discussed the issue of affordability, suggesting that the town’s newly acquired land could play a role in addressing this challenge. “I am concerned that Princeton is becoming a very expensive town to live in, and we’re going to push the middle class away.” she said. “[Westminster Choir College] is prime real estate for sure, and is adjacent to the middle school and the high school, but we need to make it financially viable,” she continued.
Zhao spoke on the burden the $50 million bond ordinance may impose on taxpayers. While he noted that renovations to the campus could offer long term financial stability, it is likely that other costs will be associated with the change. Zhao continued, “Taxpayers probably will need to help, and also the PPS district.”
Preserving the cultural significance of the College was also a key issue for candidates. “I think that property is such a main focus point of this community,” Santarpio said. Any development plan, he argued, should “retain the original spirit” of the Choir College.
The Princeton school board is responsible for approving spending budgets, policymaking, and setting long-term priorities for PPS. Key issues on the table for the prospective board include determining the town’s next superintendent following Dr. Carol Kelley’s resignation, and deciding on a $85 to $89.5 million facilities referendum expected to be put up for a vote in early 2025.
Early voting in Mercer county begins Oct. 25 and lasts until Nov. 3, with the general election held on Nov. 5.
Correction: A previous version of this article stated that Princeton Public Schools is facing a budget shortfall for the 2024-25 academic year and erroneously stated that the University does not pay taxes to the town of Princeton. The ‘Prince’ regrets these errors.
Sena Chang is a News contributor for the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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