Township mayor targets separate Princetons

Princeton Township’s new mayor, Bernie Miller, has sounded the call for municipal consolidation — again.
Miller, during Sunday’s reorganization meeting, echoed calls made in the past by other township mayors that a merger would be best for taxpayers.

While the two municipalities share some services, they continue to oversee significant duplication, including two separate police departments. Mayor Miller said that the increased economic pressures faced by local governments in 2009 demanded he and his borough counterparts pursue “the opportunities for longer term savings” through full consolidation even it that means “working myself out of a job.”

Miller’s call-to-arms, so to speak, could have far-reaching ramifications around the state if he is successful in getting not only the township but Princeton Borough on board. Were that to happen, it create momentum for Reed Gusciora’s plan to “eat up” the state’s doughnut towns.
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Author: hankkalet

Hank Kalet is a poet and freelance journalist. He is the economic needs reporter for NJ Spotlight, teaches journalism at Rutgers University and writing at Middlesex County College and Brookdale Community College. He writes a semi-monthly column for the Progressive Populist. He is a lifelong fan of the New York Mets and New York Knicks, drinks too much coffee and attends as many Bruce Springsteen concerts as his meager finances will allow. He lives in South Brunswick with his wife Annie.

One thought on “Township mayor targets separate Princetons”

  1. I think Bernie Miller was on the 1979 commission formed to examine, and ultimately recommend, consolidation. It's sad that after 30 years, Princeton, which is probably more suited for consolidated than more doughnut holes in NJ, can't get the job done. Perhaps these new economic times will finally convince residents that a consolidated Princeton does NOT mean deer traps on Borough yards, and so-called gang activity in Township cul-de-sacs. I would like to see the cost benefit, however. There are 60-plus officers in the B&T combined, so you might figure a reduction of 10 to 12 officers if those departments consolidated. You would probably keep a lot of the administrative staff on hand and could potentially save a bundle in combining public works. The thing that makes a consolidated Princeton interesting however, is it's really one community, whereas there are major community differences between, say Edison and Metuchen.

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