Council adopts 2025–26 Special Improvement District budget and assessment roll after public comment

The mayor and council on June 9 adopted the Princeton Special Improvement District (SID) 2025–26 budget and accepted the SID assessment roll after a public hearing that included comments from local business owners.

Experience Princeton presented the budget and said the SID has grown as the commercial district has expanded and that the organization will administer a $150,000 Main Street New Jersey grant in addition to assessment revenue. Isaac (Experience Princeton) said the organization regularly evaluates subareas within the district and plans targeted outreach this summer that will include business interviews in nine subareas and neighborhood branding, and that the organization increased its storefront improvement grant in the proposed budget from $500 to $2,000.

During public comment a physician and local business owner at 357 Nassau Street said his business is outside the immediate downtown area and therefore receives few visible benefits while still paying the SID assessment; he asked the council to “re-evaluate how these boundaries are determined and perhaps adjusting the taxation model.” Lance Liverman, a property owner who said he pays the SID assessment, told the council he initially felt the same way but has seen positive effects across town, saying the commercial district “looks a lot cleaner” and that Experience Princeton’s work has helped attract more applicants for rentals.

Isaac said staff will interview businesses across subareas and that Experience Princeton has worked with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to support more than 31 businesses and will increase marketing and neighborhood branding efforts, with Nassau Street named as the next neighborhood focus.

Council moved and approved the SID budget (resolution 25-200) and the assessment roll acceptance (resolution 25-201) by roll-call votes. The roll-call recorded the votes in favor as: Miss Perron Ambrose — Yes; Mister Cohen — Yes; Miss Sacks — Yes; Miss Fraga — Yes; Mister Newan — Yes. Councilmembers and staff said they will pursue more outreach so that assessed businesses understand available services and grant opportunities.

Next formal steps in the meeting included routine consent items and other resolutions; the SID budget and assessment roll were approved and will be administered by Experience Princeton as described in the adopted documents.