David Cohen formally announces Princeton Council bid

David Cohen has announced that he will seek a seat on the Princeton Council in the Democratic primary this June.

He is the second candidate to announce a council run. Leticia Fraga is also seeking the Democratic nomination. A third candidate is expected to announce soon. Incumbents Bernie Miller and Jo Butler will not seek re-election.

“Having participated in the Women’s March on Washington and watched the subsequent distressing week in national politics unfold, I have become convinced that local politics offers one of the best opportunities to resist the Trump agenda and rebuild the strength of the Democratic party,” he said.

A self-employed architect, Cohen has been actively involved in the Princeton Community Democratic Organization since 2004, when he became a member of the organization’s executive board, and has served in a number of roles, including president and treasurer.

Educated at Harvard and the University of Virginia, he said he is particularly interested in the role of the built environment in creating livable communities. He has served on Princeton’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission for almost 10 years, and has been a member of the Princeton Planning Board for three years. Recently, he has been actively engaged in citizen action and discussions regarding zoning upgrades to preserve neighborhood character in town, in pursuing updates to Princeton’s affordable housing plan, and in the preparation of Princeton’s bicycle master plan. He has also participated in efforts to find a way to save and repurpose the Valley Road Building.

Cohen has lived in Princeton for about 30 years with his wife Liz and three children. His professional focus is eco-friendly architecture and design for religious institutions.

“I have worked on developing the art of careful listening and working with lay committees to build consensus, both in my professional and political careers,” he said. “My philosophy of government is that change is inevitable – if we don’t plan for change, we get change we don’t want. Better to think about the future we aspire to for our community, and put in place policies that will help bring that future into being.”

He said his priorities on council would be working to expand the supply of both subsidized affordable and mid-range housing options in town, continuing to promote alternative modes of transportation to protect the environment and to alleviate traffic congestion, and advocating for policies to reverse the trend and alleviate the effects of growing economic inequality.