Sophomore campaigns for Borough Council

As tensions between the University and the Borough mount over the proposed expansion of campus facilities, a student has declared his candidacy for the Princeton Borough Council.

Joe Codega '09 has filed papers to run for the council, explaining he does not want to be "just a bystander in [his] community, but an active participant."

As a Republican, however, Codega — a classics major from Barrington, R.I. — faces an uphill battle to win a spot on the six-seat council, which is composed entirely of Democrats. No Republican has won a council seat since 1991.

"Since coming to Princeton, I have been shocked at how insulated students are from the community in which they live," Codega said in an email. "I would bet that most students don't know for sure what the Borough Council is, never mind what it does ... [M]ost importantly, students might not understand how the Council's decisions have a tremendous effect on their lives."

Codega, whose campaign will be managed by Andrew Malcolm '09, is part of an unusually large contingent of Republican candidates running for local offices in the upcoming election.

"This year is the first time in a long time that the Republicans have a full slate of candidates running [in both the Borough and Township]," Mark Herr, the president of the Republican Association of Princeton, said.

Codega's candidacy, Herr said, is needed because University students are "disenfranchised." Though Princeton students comprise 25 percent of the Borough's electorate, he said that their voices and views go unheeded during the local government process.

Codega and the other GOP council candidate, Linda Sipprelle, face Democratic incumbents Andrew Koontz and Roger Martindell.

Koontz said he welcomed the challenge from Codega, noting that it is "not new" for a Princeton student to seek a council seat. In 2004, Evan Baehr '05 ran unsuccessfully for a spot on the council, while Steven Abt '04 ran in 2001, also unsuccessfully.

Martindell also responded positively to the news that Codega is running. "In Princeton, infrequently do we have competition for public office, and competition for public office is a good thing, so I'm glad he's running," he said. "I look forward to meeting him; I look forward to debating him on issues that face the University and face the town; and I think that's to everybody's benefit."

Codega said he will campaign on a platform of combating rising taxes in the Borough, balancing the budget and working for "openness and transparency" in the Borough government and town-gown relations.

Saying he hopes students will comprise a "significant" portion of his supporters, Codega listed Borough issues that directly affect the student body. "Part of each student's tuition bill indirectly goes to the Borough through University payments in lieu of taxes," he said.

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Furthermore, Codega said, the Borough Council exercises authority over the local police force, which patrols areas around campus such as Prospect Avenue. The council's actions influence Nassau Street businesses as well, he noted.

"These are not issues to be taken for granted," he said. "If students truly care about these issues, then they must vote in their community ... If nothing else, I would like to see my campaign expand the student body's understanding and appreciation for the community in which they live."

Meanwhile, Martindell said town-gown relations, the completion of the downtown development and municipal taxes were the most important issues in the upcoming election. Koontz said that he will campaign on fiscal responsibility, strong local parks and recreation and a stronger Borough police force.

Koontz added that he thinks it is unlikely that Codega would be capable of winning if his platform rested solely on the campus vote. "If you look at the history of voter turnout on campus, it would be difficult for just students to carry the election," he said.

Martindell also doubted the political influence of Princeton undergraduates. "I've never been able to articulate definitively what the student vote is," he said. "I'm not sure there is one at the local level. And if there is, I'm not sure what issues drive it."

Codega, though, said he plans to campaign beyond the campus boundaries. "Of course students will comprise a significant component of my voter-base, but I cannot win this election with the student vote alone," he said. "I intend to hit the streets, going door to door starting next September."