Princeton Council Approves 2023 Capital Budget For Infrastructure Projects

PRINCETON, NJ — During the last meeting, Council voted to approve the 2023 capital budget that includes much-needed funds for infrastructure projects.

During the meeting, CFO Sandy Webb told Council that the initial request was for $47 million for improvement projects, but the number was brought down to roughly $35 million after discussions and meetings with various departments.

The budget includes funding for previously deferred projects like sewer improvements, open space improvements, streetscape projects and more.

Webb also said some Municipal departments had to be consolidated, which included engineering and infrastructure operations.

Councilwoman Michelle Pirone Lambros thanked Webb and her department for all their work, saying the Municipality is taking advantage of the Infrastructure Bank Funding which has a low interest rate and multiple state grants to fund the projects.

"We are addressing decades of deferred maintenance and at the same time we are acknowledging the impact of climate change on our town and we’re really taking action to counter it,” Pirone Lambros said. “These are all critical investments that we need to do now. We can’t kick the can down the road any longer.”

Councilwoman Eve Niedergang explained that normally the capital budget is around $20 million, but this year the Municipality is exceeding it due to all the deferred projects that need to get done.

Mayor Mark Freda echoed the sentiment. “Things don’t cost the same today as they did five or 10 years ago. Over time, the capital budget does have to increase if we’re going to keep up in doing all the things we need to do,” Freda said.

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