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E-PrinceA group of more than 100 Princeton residents gathered Sunday afternoon for a town hall meeting hosted by Princeton Citizens for Tax Fairness (PCTF), a private bipartisan group, to discuss whether the University should pay more in taxes to the ...(back to the article)
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It constantly boggles my mind how greedy some of the residents of this town can be. $100,000 from the town to pay for fancier curbs? More money from a university that is the reason anyone more than 5 miles away has ever even heard of Princeton? It's embarrassing really.
This is actually a serious issue. When the University buys up land to hold for future development (as it does), it drastically reduces the income the town gets from property taxes. In times of a stronger economy, this is less of an issue, but when the economy is weak, town budgets get hit even harder. I come from a college town that is dealing with this same problem now and trust me, it looks a lot different from the other side.
The township and borough are rich communities. They'll survive. The University should not be donating to any external cause while they are forcing the PACE Center to the brink of bankruptcy.
The University is probably doing more than its share for the surrounding community, in these difficult times. The Pace situation, is an example. However, someone needs to get to the bottom of the "let them eat cake" example of the recent construction of the expensive chimneys on the roof of Nassau Hall, recently completed. Could this possibly be an inexcusable extravagance, so that the highly paid inhabitants of Nassau Hall have wood burning fireplaces?
Other NJ towns have higher tax rates than the two Princetons but their residents don't even have a PU to enjoy. Auditing PU courses is low cost, there are numerous free activities and speaker events, people come into Princeton to visit their undergrads and spend a lot of money in town. The list goes on. I have no sympathy for the drive to get PU to pay more taxes.
Princeton the town/borough without Princeton the University would just be another West Windsor. Princeton's presence is why pharma, design, publishing, catering, PR, etc companies exist in this corner of New Jersey. Just look how far outside Princeton itself companies and communities are labeling themselves Princeton [something]. Every day that the University decides not to close up shop it is massively subsidizing the borough, town, and surrounding communities.
It is a ridiculous argument to say the town would be nothing without the University. It was the town that originally put up the land for the University. Also, the College of New Jersey changed its name to Princeton because the town put the University on the map, not the other way around. So in a historical perspective, the University would be nothing without the town. If it wasn't for Princeton the Town, Princeton the University would be called Belcher College (it's original proposed name) and be located in Elizabeth, NJ (it's original location). Perhaps there should be some appreciation for what the town has done and continues to do for the University. And the statement by GS that the University would or even could "close up shop" is an empty and specious threat. There is a lack of fairness in the current system of resources paid for by the University. The University certainly doesn't do itself any favors by antagonizing the citizens of the town where it was nurtured.
Townie, maybe we will respect you leeches once you stop electing windbags like Goldfarb who only stand in the way of higher education and progress through trying to extort money from a good cause.
If the town cut back its police force by 50%, the problem would be solved....but I guess public urination is a huge concern for safety.
The University takes drastic steps to cut spending when its income decreases; the Borough and Township play footsie with their teachers, police and other expenditure recepients and then complain because they need more money.
Everyone knows the Burough and the Township are floating on gigantic pools of money - that's why when you drive anywhere around here there's cops every three blocks whose entire purpose is to hand out speeding tickets.
If the Burough and the Township were really serious about needing more money, they'd just combine - basically you have two governmental institutions for one town and the inefficiencies are appalling.