Volume LXXII, Number 3
Princeton School Gardens Cooperative Named “Top Tomato” . . . . . . . . . . . 5 International Journalists Trade Stories. . . . . . . . 7 PU Opera Theater's Baroque Opera . . . . . 15 Littlefield Starring as PU Women’s Hoops Sits Atop Ivies . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Barberis Enjoying Big Senior Season for PHS Boys’ Swimming . . . . 26
Charlie Chaplin Dreams in the DVD Review. . . 17 Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Berkshire Hathaway Fox & Roach Realtors. . 18, 19 Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Cinema . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Classified Ads. . . . . . . . 32 Clubs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Mailbox. . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Music/Theater . . . . . . . 15 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . 30 Religion. . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Topics of the Town . . . . . 5 Town Talk. . . . . . . . . . . . 6
www.towntopics.com
Eisgruber, Microsoft Urge Congress Action On DACA DREAMers
Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber and Microsoft President Bradford L. Smith have teamed up to send letters to top leaders and other members of Congress urging them to act quickly to provide long-term protection, including a path to citizenship, for DREAMers. “The time has come for immediate and urgent action by Congress,” wrote Eisgruber and Smith, as the future of DREAMers hangs in the balance against a backdrop of ongoing negotiations on Capitol Hill and President Trump’s Sunday tweet that “DACA is probably dead because the Democrats don’t really want it.” In the 47 letters sent to New Jersey and Washington state delegations, leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives, Princeton alumni in Congress, and others, Eisgruber and Smith continued, “Princeton and Microsoft have joined together on behalf of recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program because we see vividly and personally how much they have to offer. At Princeton, DACA recipients are among our most accomplished and respected students, and at Microsoft they serve in critical roles and make countless contributions to our company. These young people deserve the opportunity not only to remain in the United States, which for many is the only home they have known, but to be reassured that their devotion to this country is welcomed and valued.” Last week, following the temporary nationwide injunction blocking the Trump administration’s decision to end the DACA program, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-12) met with New Jersey DACA recipients and released the following statement: “This recent court decision is not a real solution; the only real relief they will get will be from legislation passed by Congress and signed by the president. In both chambers of Congress, there is clear support for the DREAM Act — it must be brought up for a vote and with the progress that DACA initiated, we must work toward comprehensive immigration reform that ensures the American dream continues to be attainable for all.” Coleman described the DREAMers as “an essential thread in the fabric of our nation.” According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, New Jersey had 22,024 DACA recipients through March Continued on Page 8
75¢ at newsstands
Wednesday, January 17 2018
Leaders Make Plans To Counteract Tax Bill Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert is taking a close look at a plan to counteract the loss of state and local tax deductions due to the tax bill passed by Congress last month. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D-5) and new Governor Phil Murphy have offered a tax cut plan for New Jersey that has the potential to restore the value of state and local tax (SALT) deductions by providing a tax credit for taxpayers who make charitable contributions to their state or local governments. Congressman Bill Pascrell (D-9) and the mayors of Fair Lawn, Paramus, and Park Ridge have also expressed support for the plan and the desire to implement it, with state support, in their communities. According to Gottheimer’s January 5 statement, states and local governments could establish or support funds that pay for local services, including schools, law enforcement, and infrastructure. Taxpayers could make contributions to these funds and receive an offsetting tax credit. The Republican tax bill passed last month in Congress caps deductions at $10,000 for state and local taxes, but the Gottheimer-Murphy plan would restore the benefit of additional deductions for taxpayers who itemize.
“I applaud the towns that are putting themselves out there and thinking creatively,” said Lempert. “I’m glad to see our new governor being outspoken on the issue, and I’m glad to see cooperation with California and New York and other states that are being unfairly targeted. We’re ready and willing to act when there’s a clear path on how we can best advocate for our residents.” She continued, “We need to be thinking creatively and doing everything we can to
make sure we’re being treated fairly, but I also want to proceed cautiously where we don’t encourage residents to participate in a program that is then deemed not viable.” As far as setting up a charity fund to counteract tax payments, she noted that “the jury is still out on whether that’s going to pass muster with the IRS.” Lempert has been in communication with the New Jersey League of Municipalities, whose lawyers have Continued on Page 4
Arts Council, Multifaith Service Highlight Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebrations The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) celebrated the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday with a day of live music, interactive workshops, and discussions culminating in an evening multifaith service at First Baptist Church at Paul Robeson Place and John Street. Speakers at a community breakfast at ACP included Princess Hoagland of Not in Our Town: Princeton, an interfaith, interracial group dedicated to racial justice; Monique Jones, parent education and community outreach coordinator for Princeton Public Schools; and James Fields, director of undergraduate ministry for the Christian Union at Princeton University.
After breakfast there were art and history activities for all ages, including an open archive from the Historical Society of Princeton and an afternoon performance by the First Baptist Church Choir. A screening of Teach Us All, a documentary about educational inequality examining the legacy of the 1957 Little Rock school crisis, concluded the afternoon events. “On Martin Luther King Jr. Day we celebrate the values of equality, tolerance, and solidarity,” said ACP Executive Director Taneshia Nash Laird. “The Arts Council of Continued on Page 8
CELEBRATING MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.: The Rev. Carlton Branscomb, First Baptist senior pastor, spoke to a multifaith gathering of about 300 at Monday’s service to commemorate and honor the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at First Baptist Church on Paul Robeson Place and John Street in Princeton. (Photo by John Lien)
Barbara Blackwell Broker Associate (609) 915-5000 bblackwell@callawayhenderson.com A Home for Generations $1,975,000
For more information about properties, the market in general, or your home in particular, please give me a call.
4 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08542 609-921-1050 Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Subject To Errors, Omissions, Prior Sale Or Withdrawal Without Notice.