Evan Baehr '05, president of the College Republicans and former editor-in-chief of the Princeton Tory, will run for a seat on the Princeton Borough Council this fall, the Borough Republican Committee announced Monday.
"I saw a unique opportunity for somebody who has their hands in several different communities in the Borough to bring a fresh new perspective to the table," Baehr said of his motivation for running, citing his familiarity with the University administration, student status and longterm relationships with some Borough residents.
If elected, Baehr, a Wilson School concentrator, would be the first Republican candidate to win a seat on the six-person council since 1991.
In the past, "we've always run people who have been in town, who are property owners, citizens who have lived here a while," said Pat Strazza, chair of the Princeton Borough Republican Committee.
Strazza said the Borough Republicans were ready to experiment with Baehr, who he described as young and dynamic.
According to Mayor Joe O'Neill, Baehr picked the right year to put himself in the running. With the presidential election this November, voter turnout is expected to be higher than normal, particularly among University students.
O'Neill pointed out that he won his mayoral election with a little over 1000 votes, and that a turnout that high from University students alone would not be unfeasible this year.
A seat on the council involves intense responsibilities, including spending at least seven evenings each month in meetings for the duration of the three year term, O'Neill said.
Baehr noted that he was uncertain of his future plans, and that, if elected, he may not be a Princeton resident throughout his term.
He pointed out that it is not unheard of for council members to resign after serving only a fraction of their term if they move to a different location.
At this point in the campaign, Baehr is sketching his goals and policies in broad strokes, with plans to fill in the details as the election nears. He said he would measure success not just by a victory in November but also by the ways his campaign will bring attention to issues and policies.
While his campaign had not yet decided its stance on such issues as local taxation or University contributions, Baehr said his main goal would be to maintain an open dialogue between the University and the Borough.
"What I can promise is bringing both sides to the table," he said.
He noted that the Borough Council could pass the proposed alcohol ordinance — which would allow local police to issue alcohol citations on private property — without hearing a single student opinon. Similarly, he said, the University could make its decisions regarding its annual voluntary contribution to the town unilaterally without seeking input from the Borough.
Both examples would involve the kind of communication breakdown Baehr said he hopes to avert.
Baehr is the first University student to run in a Borough election since spring 2002, when then-sophomore Steve Abt '04 sought a seat on the council.
Both O'Neill and Andrew Koontz, a local democratic leader who is also seeking a seat on the council, wished Baehr the best of luck in his campaign.
"He'll learn a lot of things in running for office that he would never have learned in the classroom," O'Neill said.
Read More
As endowment tax looms, Princeton asks departments to make plans for ‘permanent’ budget cuts, warns of potential layoffs
Christopher Bao and Annie RupertusPrinceton asked all departments and University units to prepare “separate plans for 5 percent and 10 percent permanent budget cuts to be phased in over the next three years in a memo sent Monday. Administrators warned of layoffs as the University prepares for a potential federal endowment tax, set to be debated in Congress later this week.
Princeton asked all departments and University units to prepare “separate plans for 5 percent and 10 percent permanent budget cuts to be phased in over the next three years in a memo sent Monday. Administrators warned of layoffs as the University prepares for a potential federal endowment tax, set to be debated in Congress later this week.
Newark airport disruptions snarl student travel plans
Cynthia TorresNewark has been facing disruptions for around two weeks amid a national air traffic controller shortage, leading to delays of up to five hours for some flights. As a result, some students flying home for the summer have changed their flights.
Newark has been facing disruptions for around two weeks amid a national air traffic controller shortage, leading to delays of up to five hours for some flights. Some students flying home for the summer and may be effected by delays and some students changed their flights.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ’03 ‘plagiarized’ small portions of his senior thesis, experts say. But how serious is it?
Sena ChangA review of the senior thesis of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ’03 by The Daily Princetonian, in consultation with three plagiarism experts, found eight instances of uncredited material, sham paraphrasing, and verbatim copying. According to the experts, each passage violated Princeton’s academic integrity policies but varied in severity.
A review of the senior thesis of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ’03 by The Daily Princetonian, in consultation with three plagiarism experts, found eight instances of uncredited material, sham paraphrasing, and verbatim copying. According to the experts, each passage violated Princeton’s academic integrity policies but varied in severity.