Fourth Democrat Enters Princeton Council Race

Neumann
Neumann

Democrat Anne Waldron Neumann has announced that she is seeking one of the two three-year terms up for grabs on the Princeton Council this November.

Neumann, a Princeton native, is one of four Democrats in the running so far for a seat on the all-Democrat governing body. Incumbent Jenny Crumiller is seeking another term, and is being challenged by newcomers Leticia Fraga and Tim Quinn. Incumbent Patrick Simon announced last month that he will not seek reelection.

As former council candidate in Princeton Borough, Neumann was defeated in the 2010 primary. Roger Martindell and Jo Butler each won a seat that year.

Neumann served for six years on the Princeton Environmental Commission, and for seven years on the Princeton Site Plan Review Advisory Board, which advises Princeton’s Planning Board on applications for development.

She chaired Princeton Borough’s Affordable Housing Commission in the last year before consolidation and participated in a Princeton Future initiative supporting local retail business. She has served on the Princeton Democratic Organization’s executive board for ten years and currently chairs its local issues committee.

Neumann said the biggest issue worrying Princetonians is affordability.

“I grew up in Princeton, and I’m passionate about preserving our many diverse neighborhoods,” she said. “How many Princetonians know that a third of all Princeton households, based on income alone, would be eligible for affordable housing?”

Neumann said the income distribution in Princeton resembles an average New Jersey town, except that Princeton’s “1 percent” — households with incomes over $200,000 — is close to 30 percent of the population instead of 10 percent as in the rest of New Jersey.

“,I hope to grow old in a Princeton where people with modest incomes can still afford to live, and I advocate policies to support that,” she said.

Neumann listed her top priorities if she is elected to council:

  • Keep property taxes as low as possible to protect diversity in age and income.
  • Support policies that allow residents to age in place.
  • Negotiate firmly and openly with tax-exempt non-profits, especially those currently using their wealth to expand.
  • Value municipal government that talks to residents and hears them speak.
  • Use zoning laws proactively, shaping development to suit the town’s needs.
  • Follow policies that preserve the character of existing neighborhoods.
  • Provide affordable housing.
  • Foster a vibrant downtown with local businesses where residents can shop and meet.
  • Facilitate pedestrian, bicycle, and public transportation and encourage their use.
  • Promote sustainability balances social and economic development with environmental protection
  • Create a volunteer advisory board on economic development.
  • Remain diverse, fair, and welcoming.

 

One Comment

  1. The University is the only one percent to worry about. We’d all do a lot better if the one percent weren’t always the target. What’s the real estate tax distribution?

Comments are closed.