Politics: From the White House to Princeton

Politics: From the White House to Princeton

ISSUE #12 – February 16, 2021

Editor’s Note

When we cast our ballots last November, we weren’t just picking names on a list. We were choosing candidates that we hoped would represent our needs and wishes. It’s that way for every election. Yet, sometimes, your choices win, and sometimes they don’t. Either way, they still represent you and their actions and decisions have impact.

In this month’s issue of Princeton Perspectives, Politics: From the White House to Princeton, we aim to help you understand what our representatives at all levels of government are doing as we start 2021, and how you may be affected. Read more…

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  • Biden’s Plan and its Impact Here in Princeton by Dane Dickler - The Biden administration has proposed an aggressive stimulus plan to help the country recover from the coronavirus crisis. For us here in Princeton, that could provide some much-needed relief, which will, of course, also come at a… Read more...
  • From Trenton to Princeton, 2021 Legislation by Lisa Jacknow - We are a month into 2021. The elections are over, new politicians have been seated and along with the incumbents remain ready to take on the tasks at hand. According to the New Jersey State Department… Read more...
  • Princeton has a New Mayor in Town by Lisa Jacknow - Mark Freda has one goal as Mayor of Princeton – to make things easier for everyone that lives here. And he means it. As a lifelong Princeton resident, Freda knows this town and many of the… Read more...
  • Perspective: The Local Effects of Immigration Reform by Barbara Franz - Relief. This is what many immigrants (and citizens) experienced on November 6, when Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election. Immigrants and their American-born relatives were breathing a sigh of relief, and… Read more...

Perspectives Revisited

In Issue #5, When the Dust Settles – How a Community Turns Awareness into Action, we discussed the topic of police department recruitment in the article A Municipal Reaction to Racism. This month, a new law went into effect requiring each state, county and municipal law enforcement agency to follow the U.S. Attorney General’s guidelines for minority recruitment and selection. This law aims to ensure the agency reflects the diversity of its community. It should be highlighted that Princeton has already been working towards and exceeding this goal. As explained in the article, based on the latest statistics from 2019, the Princeton Police Department had hired more people of color than are represented amongst our residents.

In Issue #6, Summer to Fall in a COVID Crisis: Weighing School Decisions While Making the Most of it All, we shared thoughts from a retired teacher about returning to the classroom in the midst of the pandemic in the article Professional Perspectives: The Pros and Cons of Schooling During COVID. In it, she shared her concerns about controlling the environment in a classroom to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. At the end of January, the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) became more proactive about securing this. In conjunction with other Mercer County districts, PPS wrote a letter to Governor Murphy advocating to put teachers and other school staff high on the priority list for getting the vaccine. The letter cites we are feeling negative academic and mental consequences by not affording confidence to teachers to return to the classrooms safely. The district then encouraged PPS parents and staff earlier this month to email or call the Governor’s office and help push this cause.