Borough Council Candidate: Patrick Simon

Name: Patrick Simon

Street of Residence: Harriet Drive

Occupation: Systems and Business Consultant, primarily working with railroads and other freight transportation providers

Previous Government Experience:

I have not held elective office. My non-elected government service includes:
The Princeton Joint Consolidation and Shared Services Study Commission
The IT and Finance Subcommittees of the Transition Task Force

Other Civic Experience:
PCDO Executive Board

Why do you want to represent Princeton on Council?

My tenure as a citizen member of the Consolidation Commission has awakened a call to continued community service and leadership, and I am running for public office in response. My priorities are the successful implementation of consolidation, the safety and security of Princeton during weather emergencies, and the development of more collaborative, productive and forward-moving relationships among Princeton’s key institutional stakeholders.

What differentiates you from your opponents?

What differentiates me from the other candidates is the specific combination of skills and experience I can bring to the new Council.

That begins with an analytical approach to problem solving based on an education focused on math and science, and 20+ years of experience in the business world in IT and management consulting. I am not satisfied with incomplete answers to complex problems. For example, I authored the Commission’s report “Additional Financial Aspects of Consolidation”, to specifically address important questions and issues that we had not dealt with elsewhere in our analysis.

I am very familiar with the both the opportunities and the challenges of consolidation through my work on the commission and on task force subcommittees.

As a non-incumbent I will bring a fresh perspective to the new Council, which is particularly appropriate at this time as Princeton comes together to start a new chapter as one municipality. I work effectively as a member of a collaborative team, and I will bring that collaborative approach to the new Council. Civil discourse is important to me, and I have demonstrated that through my work on the commission, reaching out to people with differing viewpoints, treating them with respect and taking their concerns seriously, whether or not we agree.

One final differentiator is that I was the only candidate who is not an incumbent who was fully endorsed by the PCDO and by the Princeton Democratic Party joint committees.

If elected, what are your TWO top priorities for Princeton and specifically what will you do to make those a reality?

1. A successful consolidation of Princeton.

I will continue to do what I have already been doing on the commission and on the finance and IT subcommittees of the Transition Task Force, including:

• focus on the specific goals set by the commission and approved by the voters in the referendum last November: cost control and savings, enhanced municipal services, and more responsive and effective government;
• seek to understand and balance opposing views on issues and challenges as they arise, emphasizing civility in the process; and
• engage in transparent and open communication with stakeholders and with members of the public

2. Improve how we deal with weather and other emergencies in Princeton, particularly the isolation, traffic problems, power outages, and related problems that result from flooding, snow, and downed trees. Specifically, I intend to:

• enhance communication in emergency situations, through extending the Township’s notification system to all of Princeton, and through renewed focus on coordinating emergency public communications via all options available, including internet and radio;
• review the options available for ensuring access to the hospital in its new location from all parts of Princeton;
• study possible cost-effective municipal solutions to reduce power outages, and further, use my position on Council to advocate for help from the power utility and the state where necessary; and

• work to educate the public on what to do and where to get information in an emergency.