Princeton Primary Election Profile: David Cohen

PRINCETON, NJ — Princeton's preliminary election on July 7 has three candidates running for two open seats on the Town Council and one candidate running unopposed for mayor. David E. Cohen, 62, is one of three Democratic candidates running.

Incumbent Cohen currently works as an Architect in Princeton for 33 years. His family includes his wife Liz, and adult children Molly, Ethan, and Simcha. He also serves as current council president.

Cohen has a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College, Masters from University of Virginia.

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Campaign website

facebook.com/DECPrinceton

Why are you seeking elective office?

As an architect with an undergraduate background in the social sciences, I am deeply committed to creating livable communities. At the most fundamental level, this is the task of Council, and I believe I am uniquely qualified to help guide public discourse and government decision-making with that goal in view. I have served well for two and a half years, I have learned a lot about how to serve effectively, and enjoyed my time in office, but there is much that remains to be done, and I want to see through the most important tasks I have embarked on in that time.

The single most pressing issue facing our community is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

I think the most pressing issue facing Princeton in this election is managing growth. The State Court’s timetable for implementing our Affordable Housing obligation mandates rapid growth. As a member of Council’s negotiating team, I am proud of the job we did finding the sweet spot balancing taxpayer expense, creation of new affordable and middle-class housing options, and impact on our schools. Now we need to oversee that growth in just five short years. Over 700 new housing units, both affordable and market-rate will be built in this time frame. All the while, Princeton University and our other major institutions in town continue to thrive and grow, and the changing nature of commercial activity shifting to online retail and tele-commuting puts pressure on our tax base and will change the face of our business districts. This pace of change will challenge our Planning capacity. It will impact all aspects of municipal government – our efforts to reduce and plan for climate change, our transportation system and infrastructure, our ability to ensure equity for all our residents, and our budget. The uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic and how life will change as we come out of this difficult period creates even greater need for experienced hands on deck managing the transition. We need representatives on the governing body who understand the complexities of all these issues, who have a handle on how we got where we are today and how to get to where we want to be. Smart Growth can help us build a thriving local economy, embrace a sustainable future, and preserve the socio-economic, racial, and generational diversity that have been a hallmark of Princeton in the past.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I have many years of successful experience in Princeton working on issues of alternative transportation and serving on the Planning Board even before I joined the governing body. This experience and my professional background give me a nuanced and comprehensive grasp of the challenges facing Princeton today. My temperament — strong listening skills, flexibility, and patience - also suits me well for the task of building consensus with colleagues and the public, a critical aspect of successful civic leadership.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

As I outlined in my answer about managing growth, that one challenge spans an incredible range of issues that face the governing body. Climate change is upon us. We must do our part to try to slow this process, progressing toward a carbon-free future, but we also know that the impacts of climate change will affect us more and more, with increased frequency and intensity of rain events, which have already increased 37 percent in the last 30 years. We must create resilient power systems, more robust storm water management processes, and infrastructure which will weather these storms. Economic changes including both online retail, and transitions to the office of the future require creative thinking and proactive planning to position Princeton to thrive in the years ahead. Loss of diversity through a process of gentrification is turning the vibrant cohesive community we have known and loved over the years into a golden ghetto. We want young families to be able to raise their children here, we want our seniors on fixed incomes to be able to age in place; and we want our neighbors of color to continue to contribute to the cultural richness of our town. Sustainability, economic vitality, continuing diversity — these are my defining issues as I seek another term.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I feel my track record on the Council is good evidence of my effectiveness. From founding the Neighborhood Buddy Initiative, to successfully concluding our Affordable Housing negotiations with Fair Share, to helping achieve an ongoing lease agreement with the Friends of Herrontown Woods for rehabilitation of the Veblen House, to reinventing our Land Use Board hearing procedures for remote hearings, to helping guide the Climate Action Plan and Green Building and Environmental Sustainability Element of the Master Plan to adoption by Council and the Planning Board respectively, to implementing our new Slow Streets program for re-balancing our residential public roadways for bicycle and pedestrian use during the pandemic. These are just some of the successful initiatives Council has pursued with my active leadership in the past three years. Many others are still in the works.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Expect the best from those around you, and that will help them do their best.