Letters in support of re-electing Tim Quinn to Princeton Council

To the Editor,

As current and former members of the Princeton Council, we are pleased to write in enthusiastic support of Tim Quinn’s bid for re-election to the Princeton Council. We served with Tim and know him to be a great leader and thoughtful listener dedicated to improving our community. 

We were continually impressed with his service on Council.  He came ready to work, focused on bridging divides and building collegiality, and was not afraid to ask tough questions and make hard choices.  He has focused on budget strategy, land use, equity, environmental and transportation matters, and always signs up for difficult assignments with an eye towards improving quality of life in Princeton.  For example, he has drawn on his experience on the School Board to develop joint services with the school district, volunteered to be the first Council liaison to the Civil Rights Commission, helping to strengthen its important mission, and serves on the Planning Board and Neighborhood Character Committee, working to preserve our neighborhoods and Princeton’s unique sense of place.

After this year, Tim will be the most senior member of Council and the only member to have served more than two years.  Given all the challenging issues facing Princeton, we need Tim and his experience on the Council.  We are proud to endorse him and hope you will vote for him in the June 4th Democratic primary.

Jenny Crumiller
Heather Howard
Lance Liverman
Bernie Miller

Dear Editor:

Frequently we have difficult choices to make for Government elections, in this case for Princeton Council.  Today we find ourselves in an unusual circumstance.  We have a Council with small amount of experience and with lots of energy.  Focusing that energy requires experience. Second to the mayor, Tim has the experience to help lead on a number of the issues confronting the town. He has been and can continue to be a positive knowledgeable force and a consensus builder working with the other Council members.  While all members of Council are congenial, they are all opinionated and strong willed.  Tim has the management skills to bring different opinions together  to reach a common solution.

Institutional memory is also important.  While fresh ideas are important, context is also important if not necessary.  Tim has served on a number of Boards and Committees.  This experience allows Tim to provide gravitas to the meetings with the newer Council members.

Included on Tim’s long list of civic engagement is his election to and participation on the Princeton School Board. He has successfully and effectively served on the Planning Board, Civil Rights Commission, Finance Committee, as Fire Commissioner,  Environmental Commission, Bike Commission and has worked at the Princeton Public Library for almost 20 years.  Civic engagement in Princeton has been a theme of Tim’s career.  Extending that engagement, re-electing Tim, allowing him to continue serving his life’s passion and continue to serve our community is something I strongly support.

The primary election is on June 4. Please remember to vote.

Sincerely,

Ross Wishnick

Dear Editor:

Princeton has been our home for nearly five years. We feel fortunate to be represented by a Mayor and Council that actively engages with all residents – even relative newcomers such as ourselves. Councilperson Tim Quinn was one of the first people in local government that we met after he was first elected in 2016. We could tell that Tim was no ordinary candidate. He treated us like he was our neighbor. He took the time to follow-up with us, and invited us to upcoming town hall meetings. His outreach is what made Princeton feel like home. Tim is a genuine candidate who listens to all members of the Princeton Community, whether they have lived in Princeton their entire lives, moved here recently to raise a family, or are calling it home for a short time in pursuit of a higher degree.  

Tim knows that those who rent, like ourselves, have an equal stake in the future of the town’s planning process, and he wants to make sure that we have a seat at the table. For example, when the town’s composting program was put on hold, Tim focused on the positives. He sees it is a new start for Princeton to re-evaluate how we can tackle these issues ourselves. Tim intently listened to our concerns, and wants to see more options available in the new composting plan so that everyone in Princeton can participate, not just the homeowners and business owners.

Tim is a candidate that is looking at Princeton’s future. He has continually shown that he has the temperament to make tough decisions that will improve the quality of life for residents in the long-term, even if they are not the most popular decisions in the short-term. The access to middle class housing in Princeton is shrinking, and the town needs to take action now. Tim is focused on a direct and innovative approach to update the zoning code and incentivize developers to provide attainable housing for the next generation of middle class homeowners.

As members of the LGBTQ community, we endorse Tim for his commitment to equality. We are privileged to live in a town where our representatives are strong allies. Tim is a candidate who keeps pushing the status quo. His experience as the liaison for the Princeton Civil Rights Commission helped him to understand the gaps that needed to be filled to make Princeton meet its recommendations for the Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index. 

One of the strongest arguments for Tim’s re-election is his experience. Tim was one of the first non-incumbents for which we had a chance to vote. Since then, the council has drastically changed. If re-elected for a second term, Tim would be the senior member of the council. Tim’s first term was about listening and learning, and we emphatically support Tim for a second term to build and lead on his experience. 

Please join us in voting for Tim Quinn on Tuesday, June 4th, 2019 in the Democratic Primary.

Nick DiDomizio and Robert Pagels

Dear Editor,

We have had the honor of working with Tim Quinn. First as school board members and later as members of the municipality’s Civil Right Commission, we’ve witnessed the commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion that is a foundational aspect of his long record of public service to Princeton. This is why we think it’s crucial that Tim be re-elected to Princeton Council

As president of the Board of Education and the chair of the board’s Student Achievement Committee, Tim led the effort to ensure that all programs and initiatives presented to the board were inclusive, equitable, and representative of diverse student communities.

Tim’s strong commitment to diversity and inclusion made him a natural candidate to be Council’s liaison when the Civil Rights Commission was re-established after being inactive for decades and as commissioners we appreciated his steady leadership during the transition. When it became apparent that improvements were needed after the first year, Tim worked with Leticia Fraga and Lance Liverman to strengthen and clarify the role of the commission. Working with commission chair Tommy Parker, Tim helped the commission establish a formal relationship with the state Division of Civil Rights, which offered essential training to all the commissioners.

His leadership and facilitative role on the CRC resulted in the endorsement of the Equality Act by Council and more inclusive policies for the LGBTQ+ community.

Tim has strived to be knowledgeable about the experiences of all communities in Princeton. He has invested the time to reach out to diverse constituencies and has worked to address inequalities in our community.

Tim will continue to be a strong voice for diversity, equity, and inclusion on Council. We urge you to vote for Tim Quinn in the Democratic Primary on Tuesday, June 4th.

Molly Chrein and Afsheen Shamsi

Editor’s Note: The letters were posted as a group because they were all submitted on the same day just a few days before the primary election. The letters are posted in the order they were received.

2 Comments

  1. I’d love to hear Mr. Quinn weigh in on this environmental situation on River Road before Election Day. Leaders shouldn’t hide from the issues until after the smoke clears. This mayor and council needs to address this now, the public has the right to know.

  2. Tim Quinn has been a good public servant, but there have been too many mistakes made by the council/town in the past year (parking, refilling station canopy, River Road etc.). Princeton needs fresh blood on the council to shake things up.

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