Why I’m Running For the New Princeton Council

Dear Fellow Citizens of Princeton,

I am running for the new Princeton Council because I believe that the successful campaign to unite Princeton was not a culmination but a beginning. Much remains to be done during the next few years by the new Princeton Council to carry forward the work of the Consolidation Commission and to ensure that our community can realize the benefits of consolidation. In addition, during the last few years we have built a vastly improved working relationship with Princeton University. It is important to make certain that the new Council continues to build on that relationship for the betterment of the entire community.

For the past 10 years I have been honored to serve the people of Princeton Township as a Committeeman, Deputy Mayor and Mayor. I was a member of the Consolidation Study Commission, chairing the subcommittee that recommended that the merged municipality use the Borough form of government. I am a member of the Transition Task Force working with the professional staffs of the Borough and Township to plan the merger of our two communities into the new town of Princeton. On the Task Force, I chair the subcommittee that is responsible for recommending how the merged workforce can be accommodated in the existing municipal facilities.

Working with my colleagues on Township Committee we achieved the first market rate, age restricted housing in Princeton, with a preference for the residents and employees of our two municipalities. Through good fiscal management we delivered a zero municipal property tax increase in 2011 and 2012, while maintaining our AAA bond rating. In a partnership with conservation agencies and developers, we played a leadership role in acquiring the land for a dedicated open space green belt across the Princeton Ridge. In 2011, I led the Princeton Township team that negotiated the first voluntary payment of $500,000 by Princeton University to the Township. And as the new Princeton Community Park Pool takes shape to open on Memorial Day, I am proud of the role that I played on Township Committee to make this happen.

As Township Deputy Mayor and Mayor I have worked closely with my colleagues on Borough Council on issues shared by our two municipalities, and on the Joint Princeton Finance Committee on the funding of services and projects that our two municipalities share. In 2011, I worked with members of Borough Council to negotiate a landmark agreement with Princeton University to help fund a transportation study for the Alexander Street/University Place corridor, and to provide the seed money for a Princeton Transportation Trust Fund.

From 1950 to 1957 I served as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force. I moved to Princeton in 1957 to work for RCA. From 1960 to 1965, at RCA, I headed the program to develop a satellite called Ranger that took the first close-up pictures of the moon to aid in the selection of landing sites for the Apollo program. After the first pictures were returned to earth in 1964, I received the NASA Public Service Award for leadership of that program. From 1973 to 1985 I was president of a consulting company that provided economic analysis of technology initiatives for government and industry. In 1998 I retired as a senior vice president, Lockheed Martin International, with responsibility for commercial communication satellite programs in Asia. And from 1998 to 2012, I consulted for a major European telecommunications company on the economics and technology of an advanced communication satellite system. My 45 years of experience in the business world extends from the start up and management of a small business to a senior management role in a large corporation.

The selection of those who will serve on the new Princeton Council is the second most important decision regarding local government that this generation of Princetonians will make. The first was the decision to merge our two communities. The second is to elect a team who will work together to make the benefits of the merger a reality for all of our citizens, and who will build working relationships with the great institutions that are hosted by our Princeton community. I believe that I am in a unique position to serve on the Princeton Council and that I have the qualifications that are essential for the future success of our community.

I ask for your support to enable me to continue to work to realize the benefits of what we voted to do on November 8 2011.

Yours very truly,

Bernie Miller