By Anne Levin

Mia Sacks

Princeton Council President Mia Sacks will run for a third term on Princeton Council, she announced this week.

The seats on the governing body held by Sacks and Michelle Pirone Lambros are up for grabs in the coming elections. Lambros announced her candidacy for a third term last month.

Sacks, a Princeton native, has served on Council since 2020. She has been Council president for the past three years.

“My commitment to Princeton has always been about one thing: giving back to my hometown,” she wrote in an official statement. “For me, this isn’t about politics — it’s about investing in the future of Princeton — which means balancing growth with sustainability; strengthening our infrastructure; ensuring our public school system has the resources in needs; and creating an environment in which small businesses can thrive. Most importantly, it’s about making Princeton a place where our children will want and can afford to return.”

Sacks has chaired Council’s Infrastructure and Operations Committee, the Legal and Governance committees, and the Affordable Housing, Planning and Redevelopment Committee. She is a member of the Planning Board, and has served as Council liaison to the Princeton School Board, Sustainable Princeton, and the Friends of Herrontown Woods.

As chair of the Affordable Housing, Planning and Redevelopment Committee, Sacks oversaw implementation of Princeton’s third round Mt. Laurel affordable housing obligation. The town’s focus on redevelopment and revitalizing stranded assets was recognized by New Jersey Future with a 2024 Smart Growth Award.

Regarding Open Space, Sacks has collaborated with Mercer County and the State of New Jersey to preserve more than 200 acres of environmentally sensitive land within Princeton. Her work with Sustainable Princeton “expedited progress on Princeton’s Climate Action Plan goals and prioritized climate change mitigation and resilience policies throughout the municipality,” her statement reads.

Among Sacks’ priorities is public transit. She was responsible for transitioning the municipality to a new system and service provider that enabled the town to partner with the University in coordinating and linking routes for expanded access throughout Princeton, her statement reads.

Along with Lambros and former Councilwoman Eve Niedergang, Sacks worked to establish a new framework for shared priorities with Princeton University focused on sustainability, resiliency, socioeconomic diversity, emergency services, and municipal infrastructure. The discussions led to a commitment from the University to a series of planned contributions totaling $50 million over five years.

Sacks testifies regularly in the state legislature and represents Princeton frequently as a panelist. She was instrumental in passage of New Jersey’s first Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) ordinance, which became a model for other towns throughout the state.

Before serving on Council, Sacks chaired Princeton’s Dog Park Task Force. She continued her work once elected, leading to a 1.7-acre dog park located within the Community Park recreational complex as well as permitted off-leash hours.

The Primary Election is June 10. The General Election takes place on November 4.