To the Editor:
The June 2 Democratic primary is less than a month away, and I am writing to add my voice to those of others who are supporting Jon Durbin’s candidacy for Princeton’s Council. Next year, our Council will face choices that affect not simply whether housing in Princeton is affordable, but whether Princeton is affordable to live in. Council will also begin a long overdue update of our zoning code, an update that will determine the physical contours of our neighborhoods for years to come. Jon has the skills, integrity, and temperament to meet these challenges.
I met Jon over 20 years ago at one or another meeting to plan canvassing work in a presidential election year. He has always been an astute listener whose work in politics has consistently focused on bringing more people into the process. When he became president of the Princeton Community Democratic Organization, he expanded upon the work of his predecessor to open up the local Democratic primary process to competitive local races. He also encouraged the PCDO to expand its reach to regional, state, and national races.
Jon is independent of any particular ideology of development and growth. He understands that responsible planning means fostering plans to meet pressing needs for more housing while at the same time, and importantly, respecting the scale and history of our neighborhoods as well as the neighbors who value them. He is a builder of relationships, not of structures, a candidate who will encourage meaningful citizen participation in government.
Jon will be a prudent steward of tax dollars. He is an experienced manager of major projects in an industry that operates on a tight margin, and he knows that many in our community operate on even tighter margins.
What stands out for me in particular about Jon is his humility. In 2017, having known him for many years, I found out by accident at a public lecture by writer and historian Jill Lepore that he was an executive at her publisher W.W. Norton. As a reader and admirer of Lepore’s work, I was impressed and doubly so because in this credentials-conscious town Jon had kept this to himself. Until recently, and only through letters supporting him, did I learn of his work with Princeton’s Little League, quiet work at the ground level that opened the League experience to girls and boys of all skill levels. Jon is a candidate whose deep knowledge of our community and practical skills will serve us all well.
I look forward to voting for Jon on June 2, and I urge others to cast their ballots for him too.