Princeton Council candidates meet in first contested general election in years
Princeton Council candidates discussed the municipality’s zoning rewrite, finances and other local issues at a contested election forum. They also addressed Princeton’s opposition to an air pollution permit for a nearby data center in South Brunswick, with candidates differing on whether data centers should be subject to stronger environmental and energy requirements.
Princeton Council candidates Marina Rubina, incumbent David Cohen and Republican challenger Antonio Merolli met at a League of Women Voters forum ahead of the municipality’s first contested general election for Council since 2019. Much of the discussion focused on the zoning code rewrite, affordable housing, public engagement and municipal finances.
The candidates also discussed data centers being proposed or developed in neighboring communities. Cohen said he drafted Princeton’s statement opposing an air pollution permit for a nearby South Brunswick data center because of its potential impacts on Princeton. He said a data center moratorium was unnecessary because Princeton’s zoning code does not permit such development and he did not expect that to change. Rubina called for data centers to use green energy to reduce pollution and electricity-price impacts, while Merolli attributed some community concerns to companies failing to follow regulations.